@23r17i05o42nHow many film students have you met? Do you think your limited interaction with them reallly speaks for film students as a whole? Most the film kids I met in school were supreme douch-tools as you say, but the minority who were humble and focused were been probably the smartest people I met in college.
How good the points are from the perspective of a film (well ok, video production) grad (Ithaca College)1. Peer ConnectionsI would say possibly the most important. The connections I made in school have helped immensely and gotten me work.2. Industry connections.Also a great point. My school helped me get an internship in the industry which lead to contact and multiple jobs3. Technical know-how.How much you'll learn depends on how much you know going in, but I had access to learn Avid, FCP, cameras, lighting, sound, ect.4. Intelligent feedbackProfessors and fellow students are great tolls to use to help make your work stronger5. Mentors to push youDepends on the quality of professors at the school. I was fortunate enough to have a professor push a group of students and myself to do national award winning work. Not everyone is as lucky.6. History and theoryThis you can get from a book on Amazon7. CredibilityIt doesn't hurt to have a college degree, but I also know I've gotten plenty of work without an employer even looking to see if I went to school or not, just that I can do the work.8. Time for your projectsHuge point. Only real downside being deadlines which for most works, as soon as it is due, the student stops working on it.9. Stay the courseWe had many more people transferring into our communications program than leaving it before graduation.10. You either have it or you don'tFor the most part, although I know people who don't have it that will make a decent living in the industry.
My high-school-age daughter who has talent with digital video wants to make a career in the film/TV world so we're looking at film schools. I used to work for a division of Time Warner and saw the many jobs that Warner Brothers and HBO have, so I know there's a real career for people who understand it's a business.Advice most welcome -- I have engineering and business degrees so my experience with film is on the business end of a bucket of popcorn.thomleidner, your 4 skills apply to any business; especially the first two. Your other comments are intriguing.
I went to film school (Emerson College) and felt it was a huge waste of money. Since school was in MA, I didn't get any valuable industry connections, despite a summer internship in Los Angeles. I think the most jobs in the film business do not require "artistes". They require TRADESMEN. There are skills to acquire, but a high-priced college is not required to gain them. Only a select few individuals are going to be your directors and DPs and such. Most of the jobs are not that far removed from a bricklayer (moving lights around and putting down gaffer's tape) and there is a small chance of ever becoming anything more than that.
No, we have to pay a relatively small "graduate endowment" of around ?2000 (USD$3500-4000) within a year of completing the course. All other fees are paid by the Government for us. That's EVERY Scottish student studying at a Scottish University. I guess it's an incentive to stay in the country.
oxygenOct 21, 2006
# 11. Chicks Digg Film Makers!
deadbabyOct 21, 2006
He forgot the #1 reason: Adorable film school geek girls.
joenickOct 21, 2006
@23r17i05o42nHow many film students have you met? Do you think your limited interaction with them reallly speaks for film students as a whole? Most the film kids I met in school were supreme douch-tools as you say, but the minority who were humble and focused were been probably the smartest people I met in college.
climbon321Oct 21, 2006
How good the points are from the perspective of a film (well ok, video production) grad (Ithaca College)1. Peer ConnectionsI would say possibly the most important. The connections I made in school have helped immensely and gotten me work.2. Industry connections.Also a great point. My school helped me get an internship in the industry which lead to contact and multiple jobs3. Technical know-how.How much you'll learn depends on how much you know going in, but I had access to learn Avid, FCP, cameras, lighting, sound, ect.4. Intelligent feedbackProfessors and fellow students are great tolls to use to help make your work stronger5. Mentors to push youDepends on the quality of professors at the school. I was fortunate enough to have a professor push a group of students and myself to do national award winning work. Not everyone is as lucky.6. History and theoryThis you can get from a book on Amazon7. CredibilityIt doesn't hurt to have a college degree, but I also know I've gotten plenty of work without an employer even looking to see if I went to school or not, just that I can do the work.8. Time for your projectsHuge point. Only real downside being deadlines which for most works, as soon as it is due, the student stops working on it.9. Stay the courseWe had many more people transferring into our communications program than leaving it before graduation.10. You either have it or you don'tFor the most part, although I know people who don't have it that will make a decent living in the industry.
betonaOct 21, 2006
My high-school-age daughter who has talent with digital video wants to make a career in the film/TV world so we're looking at film schools. I used to work for a division of Time Warner and saw the many jobs that Warner Brothers and HBO have, so I know there's a real career for people who understand it's a business.Advice most welcome -- I have engineering and business degrees so my experience with film is on the business end of a bucket of popcorn.thomleidner, your 4 skills apply to any business; especially the first two. Your other comments are intriguing.
mos6507Oct 21, 2006
I went to film school (Emerson College) and felt it was a huge waste of money. Since school was in MA, I didn't get any valuable industry connections, despite a summer internship in Los Angeles. I think the most jobs in the film business do not require "artistes". They require TRADESMEN. There are skills to acquire, but a high-priced college is not required to gain them. Only a select few individuals are going to be your directors and DPs and such. Most of the jobs are not that far removed from a bricklayer (moving lights around and putting down gaffer's tape) and there is a small chance of ever becoming anything more than that.
Closed AccountOct 22, 2006
No, we have to pay a relatively small "graduate endowment" of around ?2000 (USD$3500-4000) within a year of completing the course. All other fees are paid by the Government for us. That's EVERY Scottish student studying at a Scottish University. I guess it's an incentive to stay in the country.