Toronto Film School...?

H

hoeydal

Member
Hi.

Just wondering if there's anyone here that has attended the MOVIE PRODUCTION class/course at The Toronto Film School? Im considering to take the course (15 months), but would like to hear what people that have allready attended think of the course?
 
I have never heard anything good about the Toronto Film School in any regard. As a matter of fact, my mentor as a projectionist once taught there. He later ended up quitting because it was so currupt and bordering on the edge of being a scam. I'm off to film school soon (cross my fingers), and this man actually told me that he'd fire me if i went to TFS....apparently that would be a sign of ignorance
 
That's sad to hear, especially since ive decided to attend this year :)

I checked it out when i visited toronto a couple months ago and was VERY impressed. I've looked at serveral "non-degree" school from across the country and TFS is deffinitly my favorite. I was there because my film screened at a festival there and everyone I asked in toronto that was familiar with the school agreed they had a very impressive program.

I havent attented the school so I can't say you're mentor was wrong, but i have to admit, that sounds like he got burned somehow and is holding a grudge. Firing you if you chose to go to that school? That sounds awfully immature, doesn't it?

Even though I've made my decision (after visiting the facilities and meeting the faculty), I agree that i'd like to hear any other personal accounts people can share.
 
The thing about opinions is that they can either agree with you or they can dissagree with you. Obviously, you're not going to want to hear any bad news about TFS because your going to be attending there soon (I wouldnt want to hear it either). However, objectively speaking and comparing it to degree programs, I've heard much better responses to schools like Ryerson or York. I'm inclined to trust the opinion of a man who is not only aware of the "behind the scenes" of TFS, but who also went to Ryerson University for film studies. Lets hope ryerson doesn't lose my portfolio 2 years in a row :)
 
i would agree with McLeish 100%. I can say this about the Torono Film School. It only became the Toronto Film School a couple years ago. It was called something else previously The Academy of Art and Design ???. As an employer, I have had many people who attended and "graduated" who have worked for me over the past five years. I can say that they were all very talented and creative people and damn good rookies who have gone on to become fine film-makers. During that period I can honestly say that not one of them spoke well of their experience at that school. I have also worked with Ryerson, Concordia and BCIT grads who are proud of their school and relate stories of their experience at school with a great deal of pride.
Bottom line:
If you have talent and are willing to work hard and listen well you will probably succeed regardless of where you went to school or if you go to school. But if you are going to spend hard earned money for an education, like anything else you should be getting value for your money. I would do a Craigslist posting in Toronto for feedback on the school. Becasue it is in the broadcast center of the CBC sometimes has an effect of clouding peoples vision. Tehy were not foolish whenthey took a lease in that space.
 
McLeish, you're absolutly right, I dont want to hear bad things about a school I'm potentially going to study at, but that doesnt mean Im not going to listen to people's accounts. And the way you descibed you're bosses opinion still sounds very weird to me. I'm not putting YOU down, im putting down the guy who'd fire someone for attending a school.

I did look at Ryerson because most of the people I met in toronto said they had a very respected program, and many people I met at the festival were students there. However, it's a 4 year program and there's no way around that. Like I said in my first response, I personally am not interested in a 4 year school. Not only do I REALLY not want to devote the next 4 years of my life to school rather than filmmaking, but I'm learning disabled (I can't believe i just told the board that, I hope i dont regret that later) and general education is out for me, I'd never graduate.

So, again, I've been looking at "non-degree" programs and TFS was the one i've been most impressed by. The facilities and equipment there are awesome and access to both is the best i've seen of any achool, 4 year or not. At Ryerson they have 1 soundstage (as opposed to TFS's 3) which is only for 3rd and 4th year students. I have a feeling I've already learned more from this board than I'll learn at any of these schools, so that's the kind of thing I'm looking for.

Anyway, I'll be making at least one more trip to toronto before I'm enrolled, so the more informed I am the better, good or bad, let me know. :)


EDIT: I wanted to take your advice and post at craigslist, but i've never used it it and didnt know in what section to post that. Any help?
 
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Sure, Post in Crew and TV/ Film/Video. Ask for info on the Toronto FIlm School. I can appreciated your not wanting to spend 4 years in a program. You should ask the school for a list of grads you can contact and speak with them. I think that any educational instution should be willing to provide you with that considering the cost of tuition. Perhaps you might consider building a "course plan" that would work for you / Look at the variety of courses available at different outlets around the US and Canada. Some may be as short as 5 days but be super intense and hands on. Examples like Steadicam workshops, The DVUser Boot camp (though I have never been to one) sounds like both anopportunity to learn and network at the same time. IN the long run if you don't want to attend a full time 4 year program. You might do well to spend time designing your ownprogram over say an 18 month period with time at different places as an Intern. And again don't be confused by the TFS facilities. They are in the Canadian Broadcastiing Corporation Toronto broadcast center. They lease space there.They are not associated with Canada's Public Broadcaster.
Good luck.
 
My wife attended one term. The school sucks. As McLeish said: "corrupt and bordering on the edge of being a scam".
 
yikes, that was blunt. Obviously I dont think you're lying, but i dont understand why all the ryerson students weren't quicker to knock down TFS when I asked "Ryerson or TFS?" (i bet it's that polite canadian thing) ;)

XCheck, would you mind telling me what happened with ur wife? Send a PM if you prefer.

Thanks for the info guys, you might have helped me dodge a bullet.
 
Cheesesailor77 said:
XCheck, would you mind telling me what happened with ur wife? Send a PM if you prefer.
Click to expand...
Not a problem. I've got nothing to hide. Although she did not get enrolled in 'Film Production' but in 'Entertainment business management', her experience with the school appeared to be shared with students in other programs as well.

She has a master's degree and a plenty of business experience. She was promised to have credits recognized for her prior experience when she was enrolling. Of course, she had to pay the full tuition first and only then apply for credit recognition. Suddenly, it was a problem. She never got the tuition credit for not attending that particular course (BTW, it was on office applications - MSWord, Excel, Front Page - that sort of junk).

She was an A student (her worst mark was 87%, IIRC). But the school record keeping was so poor that a number of assignments she handed in never made it through the system.

She had over 90% attendance. Yet, two of her courses were showing below 40% attendance. Again, shoddy record keeping.

The teaching was substandard. The only teacher who had significant 'industry experience', as TFS so proudly claims, had difficulty because she was 'too tough on students' (read: she knew her subject, and wanted results from her students). To my knowledge, the teacher quit about three months after my wife dropped out of the program.

If you 'quit early' - even if you complete a whole term as my wife did, they make you pay a 'termination penalty' - a percentage of the whole program tuition. I know of no other post-sec institution that does that, and I doubt it's even legal. Term is a term is a term. It's like going to a university for two years and having to pay a penalty for not finishing a degree. It's in a very fine print in the enrollment agreement.

At this point, my wife went through the roof and complained with the school director. It took her two months to get an appointment. When he realized he was not a match for her, he suggested that she should apply for a job there. Now you have to understand - she is very smart and creative, but at that point had no entertainment business or film experience. Yet he still had the audacity to suggest she could teach there... that pretty much tells you what's going on.

Of course, she did not follow his suggestion. The school eventually dropped the 'penalty' charge (only after sending two more collection notices with my wife eventually pulling a pending lawsuit card), but we never saw the credit reimbursement.

So - there you go. It's a scam. Ever wonder why they don't list their faculty on their website, as every reputable college should? Because they are scam and because their teaching staff has such a high turnover, they couldn't keep the web site current.

Oh yes - and it still is an 'International Academy of Design & Technology'. Read their legalese here http://www.torontofilmschool.ca/legalterms.asp, and be entertained by "This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the State of ON". Last time I checked, Canada has not joined the US, and Ontario was still a province, not a state.
 
You might want to look into Ryerson Summer Film School.
It's an intensive, 13-week, 6 days a week program and covers all
the basics of the craft (writing, directing, producing, cinematography, editing).
You get to make 6 shorts during the summer (4 silent, 2 sound)
It's a fraction of the cost of TFS and since it's in the summer you get most of the
school's resources for yourself (including the soundstage).
The summer film school students also tend to get a lot more attention
from the faculty than they would in the 4-year program (of which
I am a graduate).

In my opinion, if you're looking for an intensive, non-degree program
that one's probably the best for your money.

Hope this helps...
 
The Toronto Film School has not been affiliated with IAODT since 2007.

One of the definitive aspects of our programs at Toronto Film School is the satisfaction of our students. The majority of our students are passionate and excited about the programs offered. We have a number of successful alumni and current students who would be happy to share their experience at the school.

If you need clarification or want to discuss further, please call me 416-697-2575

Liz Oke
Toronto Film School
 
I have yet to meet a TFS student that has been both satisfied AND successful after the instruction they got there. They're either satisfied...and make no money or were dissatisfied enough to go learn on their own and became successful.

Perhaps, TFS is turning things around and I for one, hope they do but their reputation isn't helping by any means.

Kegan
 
Well, this is a pretty old thread... But I was there once to see it. It's legit half a floor of an office building. It was so poor and expensive! Wow. Whoever went there, I feel sorry for them.
 
If people realize they are completely responsible for their own education and that getting the financing for their project(s) is also totally up to them, then it won't matter if they go to TFS or the pump handle school of Hollywood. However, thesedays, I bump into all kinds of people who think that they "buy" an education and have some kind of entitlement to the entire universe because they "paid" and are now "owed".

Some of these people even PA'd on a major network pilot I DP'ed and were saying they learned more in two days being on our set that they did in two years being at "nameless-school-to-protect-the-entitled". I actually seriously doubt it.
 
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