film schools

[Your Mothers Boomstick]

what do you all think of film schools, and which one seems the best to you.

currently i am planning on attending the full sail school down in florida

[Westcroft]

I've found film school to be redudant, when my friend and I finished high school (many moons ago) we took different paths, he went to a film school in New York and I took the opposite path... He spent almost $50,000 for his three year stay there (not including his living expenses) and I took the Indie way and began making short films and planning a feature...

I've had a couple of my shorts in some Canadian festivals, one was chosen by a producer to be played on his website under
"his choices", I've received quite a bit of funding to make my feature and I'm starting pre-production soon. Once I'm done I'm going to enter it into Sundance and a few more bigger film festivals, also I have a meeting with a Production Company's executive during the production stages who will decide if he wants to give it a limited theatrical release... I've been pretty lucky.

My friend however has mentioned to me many times how Film School is a waste of time and more so a waste of money, although he did learn many things, he mentioned he could've done a wikipedia search and found out more. He said the money he spent could've gone to make a indie film, but now he's gotta live with being my Second Unit Director.

I find film schools also don't teach enough pratical experience, you'll watch tons of other people's movies and learn how Scorsese made Goodfellas good and not how to make your movie good. You rarely pick up a camera to make your own movies and you focus mainly on film theory. I even know that if you go to a regular university or college that has a film program, that it's the same experience.

The best bet is to go into something like A/V Editing or anything like that... I took something like that and I was taught how to edit video via Final Cut Pro and After Effects, also we learned how to use a sound board. This is great for an indie community, but it's just a start if you want to get into Hollywood's techincal crowd. Final Cut Pro and After Effects are rarely used in the industry and you'll need to work with Protools and Avids. I help out my buddy who owns a Film Sound Studio in my city and walking in I saw four Protool HD boards linked together and two avids... I simply stared in awe when I first walked in. Film schools won't prepare you for that, my friend who went to New York came in and almost crapped himself because he knew nothing about nothing

I don't mean to take away from the things you will learn in Film School, I'm simply stating my experiences... Studio scouts go to different film schools and choose people to come work for their studio (of course only one out of "giant number" get chosed). I find that Film Schooling will expand your knowledge and appreciation of films.

Go for what you want, for that's the only thing that matters, but to quote so many big time directors and actors 'Save your money and make your movie"

[EvilDeadChainsaws]

I'd agree with Westcroft, I did a special effects/general film course for 2 years, but
it was a waste of my time looking back 10 years. I would have got where I am alot
faster if i'd just approched special effects companies and made tea & coffee and
swept the floor for free and learnt what I could as i went along. That said I do think
being in education till your older does teach you life skills like learning to work with
other people. In reality no-one will give you a job becuase of a qualification on a
piece of paper, they'll want to see what you can actually do. If someone is clearly
an idiot then no amount of qualifications will do them any good. equally if someone
knows their stuff and is keen & quick to learn and is good at what they want to do
then they can get their foot in without any qualifications.

[cheatingtheman]

I concur.

So many folks have told me I should've gone to film school bur if you gave me a crew and money i'm pretty positive I could make a better film than Stephen Sommers.

At least I couldn't be worse than Uwe Boll.

The one thing I believe a film school can give you are contacts who will be like minded and in the same boat, same place. Each person is a potential producing partner. Learn to network from day one (and don't just pick the first Evil Dead fan you meet...)

[Your Mothers Boomstick]

interesting opinions, i do see where you are coming from. i still think some film schools are good however, mainly the short ones that just make you make films over and over again. los angeles film school was like that, but its to expensive to live in LA. then i found full sail, which has the same basic premise are the LA film school, it just happens to be a year longer (2 years). compound this with the fact that with 3 years in air force i get a nice gi bill to pay for the schooling i receive there, a film school sounds like a nice way to get experience.

(prolly sounds like im the teen who think he knows everything)

[Westcroft]

if i'd just approched special effects companies and made tea & coffee and
swept the floor for free and learnt what I could as i went along.

That's a good point, one of the best approaches is to approach () a film company or even some sort of professional level studio in your city and offer to work for free... it's a helluva lot less money then paying to be somewhere. Internships are a perfect setting for learning, although it'll always be tough work (the intern does the dirty work)... but no stress because there's no exams or essays .

And if you're lucky you might be able to get a paying internship

interesting opinions, i do see where you are coming from. i still think some film schools are good however, mainly the short ones that just make you make films over and over again. los angeles film school was like that, but its to expensive to live in LA. then i found full sail, which has the same basic premise are the LA film school, it just happens to be a year longer (2 years). compound this with the fact that with 3 years in air force i get a nice gi bill to pay for the schooling i receive there, a film school sounds like a nice way to get experience.

(prolly sounds like im the teen who think he knows everything)

Don't worry, you don't sound like that. It's ultimately up to you and if you want to go to school then that's a really good start as well... because then you'll have a head start if you decide to go for an internship or whatever afterwards!

Air force, eh? That's pretty awesome, you'll have some sweet access to interesting locations ... just resist making a Top Gun sequel

- Your friendly neighbourhood Westcroft

[Your Mothers Boomstick]

rofl to topgun reference

[Westcroft]

   "DANGER ZONE!"


I wanted to pick up the soundtrack to that movie, but I was afraid it'd just be that Danger Zone song on a loop for an hour and 45 minutes.

[EvilDeadChainsaws]

Yes westcroft, no essays to write! you'll get far further and learn better by doing something
than having to do a 1000 word essay about it. good example, I spent 5 years of my education
being taught french in a schoolroom. Result? i can order 1/2 a pound of potatos... or apples...
i forget which the word translates as... and thats about it. anyway thats not the point, if i went
to france I feel i'd pick it up fairly quickly. (this is only an example, i have no intention of going
to france unless its at gunpoint)

[Your Mothers Boomstick]

i've been to france and the only word i ever used there was combien (meaning how much). also germany is better

[WasteOfGoodSuffering]

currently i am planning on attending the full sail school down in florida

That school looks ridiculous in my opinion. From all the pictures, everyone is up on a camera crane on movie sets that look like Hollywood sets. It looks like they're teaching their kids and preparing them to work as crew members on someone else's movie, not teaching them to direct their own.

Plus I can only imagine how expensive it must be.


As for film schools in general, I do hear a lot of shit talk these days on film schools. I myself was rejected from one and decided to make some shorts on my own. Now I actually am looking to try and get into another one. I'm sure its good for networking and meeting kids with the same passion towards film, other than that.... according to most people you don't always need it because the best way to learn movie making is just go out and do it.

[Your Mothers Boomstick]

this film school is actually rather cheap, and they teach you ALL roles of film making, which as a director is something you do need to know. and the reason you see people working on sets is because they have some really good sets there

[Westcroft]

this film school is actually rather cheap, and they teach you ALL roles of film making, which as a director is something you do need to know. and the reason you see people working on sets is because they have some really good sets there

You're 100% right. What will make you an asset to studios (if you want to work for them as a director) is to show you have the technical skills... If you're only purpose is creativity, then you'll be shoved in the category with hundreds of thousands of other people who have great ideas. If you're technically trained AND creative, then when you pitch yourself or your work to a studio you can say "Hey, not only is the is a good idea, but I've got the skills required so I can run the show... thus you won't need to spend tons of money to get technicians and engineers on set).

I would also look into art, because if you can rock out with storyboards and concept art, then you'll be able to convey exactly what's in your mind to your crew... this will cut down on miscommunication and will also reduce the amount of people you'll need. A basic Special F/X class (could even be a tutorial or clinic you attend once) will also allow you to get the just on some of the basics so when you talk to someone who is a professional, you can use their jargon.

but what "wasteofgoodsuffering" was talking about is a good point... when you go to film school, you'll learn how to work on other people's movies... this is great for learning the technical skills and practical training you'll need to make yourself a top gun ... also it's a great place to network as well... I know from my years of trying to make short films for local festivals, it would be me and three friends and I would always be behind the camera trying to adjust the focus, the boom mic, and watch the monitor... I was like "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH". If you can get a group of people interested then you can have the manpower needed to make a flick after you're done the courses!

Film school definately has the perks.

[Your Mothers Boomstick]

i will have a problem with concept art

[WasteOfGoodSuffering]

i will have a problem with concept art

Make good friends with someone who can draw. Or do rehearsals and make video storyboards of what you have in mind for your shots.