About

For 16 years, Motion Picture Institute has been the launching pad for many aspiring filmmakers who’ve gone to work on mega-budget movies like Avatar, directed by James Cameron, Batman: The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises, directed by Christopher Nolan,The Avengers directed by Josh Whedon and more recently Transformer 4, How to Make a Monster, and Lo Winter Sun.

MPI also helped its graduates to produce their own work, such as the award winning feature Detroit Unleaded, directed by Motion Picture Institute graduate Rola Nashef which recently premiered at the 2012 Toronto Film Festival, the feature The Citizen, starring Cary Elwes (Saw, The Princess Bride, Glory) and directed by graduate Sam Kadi or the Travel Channel's number #1 hit show Ghost Adventures created by Motion Picture Institute grad Zak Bagans.  These graduates all began their careers by enrolling in The Motion Picture Production Program.

The aim of Motion Picture Institute is to offer its students a training ground that stays current with technological advances. The hands-on production curriculum continues to stress technique over theory while our creative curriculum challenges their imaginations. Most important, we give our students a supportive environment with personalized attention where they can explore their interests.

As a vocational/trade school licensed by the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Motion Picture Institute offers personalized training that few other film schools can.

Founded in 1995, Motion Picture Institute is the oldest film trade school in the Midwest providing students with a hands-on film education concentrated in a one-year program.

The Motion Picture Institute was founded by filmmakers Douglas Schulze and Kurt Eli Mayry.

Motion Picture Institute is also a member of the Michigan Association of Career Colleges and Schools (MACCS) and Digital Animation, Film and Television (DAFT) www.daftonline.org.