Assistant or Associate Professor of Cinema/Film Production

The Department of Cinema seeks to fill a full-time, tenure-track position at the rank of Assistant Professor or Associate Professor, beginning in fall 2026. Candidates must hold an MFA in film production; prior teaching experience is especially valued.

With an emphasis on active learning, Denison is a high-touch undergraduate liberal arts institution whose central focus is the education of our students. The successful candidate must be able to teach all aspects of film/digital production in a residential liberal arts environment; we seek an active filmmaker who is not only deeply knowledgeable but also a committed, invested, and exceptional educator.

About the Department of Cinema: The Department of Cinema has approximately sixty majors, all of whom take three required production courses that range in size, typically with a maximum of eighteen students. In addition to the two classrooms located in the Cinema House, we have a 2,200-square-foot studio space in the Doane Cinema building and enough filmmaking equipment for every student in every required course to check out their own camera, tripod, and lighting equipment for the semester. As part of the University’s Division of Fine Arts, our production curriculum emphasizes artistry and conceptual sophistication as much as technical craft. The department’s overall curriculum integrates film/digital production and cinema studies, and encourages students to draw connections between the two.

Each of our required production courses provides a comprehensive overview of every element of the filmmaking process from conception through post-production. This fosters a mindset in which students think of their work in terms of overarching artistic vision rather than technical specialization, while allowing them to explore specific areas of motion picture production, which they may pursue further after graduation.

Teaching: Faculty members are expected to teach five courses per academic year on a 3/2 teaching schedule. The successful job candidate must be able to teach our Elementary Cinema Production, Intermediate Cinema Production, and Advanced Cinema Production courses, each of which covers all aspects of the filmmaking process. In addition to these core courses, the successful applicant will have the opportunity to develop and teach seminar courses in their area of specialization.

Beyond the ability to teach those courses, an applicant’s knowledge and experience with set construction, Virtual Production (Unreal Engine), After Effects, SketchUp, and/or animation will be taken into consideration. Applicants’ specific areas of interest and expertise will be noted; however, it is the individual who is fluent in, and can teach, all aspects of the generalized narrative filmmaking curriculum described above who is being sought. This position requires someone who is skilled in all areas of production including screenwriting, cinematography, editing, and directing and who is eager and able to teach those skills to undergraduate students in a liberal arts environment.

Scholarship: Faculty are expected to participate in scholarly and research activities that enhance their professional development and contribute to the discipline. The successful candidate will be expected to produce creative work in their area of expertise.

Service: As a residential liberal arts college dedicated to educating the whole person, Denison depends upon its faculty to contribute to the life of the University not only as teacher/scholars but also as members of the community. Faculty are expected to engage in ongoing service to the department, institution, students, and their field.

About Denison: Denison University is a highly competitive, academically rigorous liberal arts college. Located in the village of Granville, the college is 30 minutes from Columbus, Ohio, the state capital, which hosts a wide range of cultural and artistic opportunities. Granville also offers an excellent public school system and easy access to outdoor activities.

Denison offers a competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package, including a generous retirement contribution and a significant tuition discount plan for dependents who choose to attend Denison or nineteen other affiliated colleges and universities. Additionally, faculty are provided annual contributions into a Professional Development account and are granted a one-semester leave upon successful completion of their pre-tenure review.

Qualifications: REQUIRED: MFA in film/cinema/motion-picture production or analogous MFA program; Must be able to teach all aspects of film/digital production from screenwriting through post production in a residential liberal arts environment. DESIRED/PREFERRED: Prior teaching experience; A full understanding of teaching at a residential undergraduate liberal Arts institution; An active filmmaker; Experience and expertise with: Adobe Premiere; Canon DSLR, mirrorless, and Cinema EOS cameras; Black Magic Design 4K and 6K cameras; LED, Tungsten, and HMI lighting instruments; Additional knowledge/experience/skills in one or more of the following: set construction, Virtual Production (Unreal Engine), After Effects, SketchUp, and/or animation.

Application Instructions: Applications are accepted via Interfolio: https://apply.interfolio.com/171138. Completed application materials submitted by October 1st, 2025 will receive full consideration and must include: a cover letter; curriculum vitae; graduate school transcript; samples of work (via links to Vimeo, etc.); sample course syllabi; the names and contact information of three academic references, whom the University will contact to submit letters of recommendation.