A History of The L.A. Film School

Hollywood is our History

Almost 100 years after the dedication of Sunset Boulevard, The Los Angeles Film School opened its doors. In a story that includes iconic moments, from the creation of the Walk of Fame to the Hollywood Sign, we are a new chapter. Sunset went from being a cattle path at the turn-of-the-century to the world-famous boulevard where our campus is located today.

Our Story

Sunset Boulevard – A Timeline

  • 1904

    Sunset Boulevard

    22 miles long and following an old cattle path, Sunset Boulevard was dedicated in May of 1904. Sunset may have been its name, but the boulevard’s grand opening was the dawn of a new age in L.A. history, as a parade of automobiles, horse-drawn carriages and electric railcars puttered over the roadway that now connected downtown to the then-independent city of Hollywood.

  • The Nestor Motion Picture Company

    October 27, 1911, The Nestor Motion Picture Company opened the first movie studio located within Hollywood by renting what was then the shuttered Blondeau Tavern building on the corner of Sunset and Gower for $40 a month. The very first motion picture stage was built behind the tavern.

    1911

  • 1923

    The Hollywood Sign

    Situated on Mt. Lee with 45-foot-tall letters, the Hollywood Sign was originally created in 1923 as an advertisement for a local housing development called “Hollywoodland.” In 1949, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce stipulated that “land” must be removed, spelling out “Hollywood” to reflect the whole district, not just the development.

  • Grauman’s Chinese Theatre

    Grauman’s Chinese Theatre – now TCL Chinese Theatre – opened May 18, 1927. The first wet-cement handprint and signature was from construction foreman, Jean Klossner who autographed his work by the right-hand poster kiosk, where it can still be seen today.

    1927

  • 1929

    The Academy Awards

    The first Academy Awards was held on May 16, 1929, at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel with an audience of 270 people. The cost for a guest ticket to the ceremony was only $5. Emil Jannings won the first Academy Award as Best Actor for his performance in The Last Command and The Way of All Flesh.

  • Capitol Records

    Founded on June 4, 1942, Capitol Records was the first West Coast-based record label in the U.S. In 1956, the Capitol Records Tower opened just west of Hollywood and Vine. The building’s design was based on graduate school drawings by Lou Naidorf. Fun fact: it’s only a coincidence that the building resembles a stack of records on a turntable.

    1942

  • 1958

    The Walk of Fame

    With more than 2,600 stars, The Walk of Fame runs 1.3 miles from Gower to La Brea. In the early 1950s, Hollywood Chamber of Commerce president, E. M. Stuart, proposed the Walk of Fame as a means to “maintain the glory of a community whose name means glamour and excitement in the four corners of the world.” Construction began in 1958.

  • The Los Angeles Film School

    Almost 100 years after the dedication of Sunset Boulevard, the historic RCA Building at 6363 Sunset, used by Elvis and The Rolling Stones, became The Los Angeles Film School. In May 1999, Oliver Stone led the inauguration ceremony and The L.A. Film School began its part in Hollywood’s golden legacy.

    1999

RCA Studio B – Where it all began

Our foundation is built on a rich history of Hollywood entertainment – literally. Our building located at 6363 Sunset Boulevard was originally the historic RCA building, a recording studio, which was used by legendary music artists such as Elvis Presley, The Rolling Stones, The Grateful Dead, Henry Mancini and others, from the time it opened its doors on April 21, 1964 through the 1970s.

RCA Building - 1950s
Artists who recorded at the RCA Building

Made in Hollywood

In the spring of 1999, a group of Hollywood professionals with a love for all things film founded The Los Angeles Film School. By August, the school held its official ground-breaking ceremony. Acclaimed director, Oliver Stone, spoke at the dedication, followed by a professional stunt team free-falling off of the school’s roof.

“Directors may scale to great heights… and actors may wither and die, but film schools will always last.” – OLIVER STONE

Los Angeles Recording Workshop

The LA Recording School

A Division of The Los Angeles Film School

LARS began in 1985 as The Los Angeles Recording Workshop. In 2010, it officially became The L.A. Recording School, a division of The L.A. Film School—bringing with it an intensive audio program, which complemented our existing degrees well. In 2013, a Music Production program was added to the roster and in 2017, LARS saw the introduction of its very first bachelor’s degree with Audio Production.

Create Your Future With Us

Our past is what guides our future. We create unique opportunities for every student as they discover their artistic voice while at The Los Angeles Film School.

As we continue to expand our diverse program offerings, our goal is to provide students with an inventive, hands-on education in the entertainment arts.

ADMISSIONS

Are you ready to take that first step? Let’s help you get started.

Visit our Admissions Portal and begin the application process.  We’ll pair you with one of our super knowledgeable admissions representatives who will help guide you through the process and answer any questions you might have.

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