Just got my spot in Full Sail

Congrats! I say that if you have the means to go to school, do it. I didn't realize I wanted to do this until years later, and I wish I had gone to school for it. Granted I never would've realized I wanted to do this if I hadn't gone into advertising, so I guess it's a catch-22 there. Anyway, remind us in a year that you're there!
 
I guess I'll be one of the few skeptical voices here. Totally IMHO, and YMMV. Film school can give you networking (fellow students), and if you're lucky, mentorship and contacts so that when you're done, you can hook up with an internship in the industry. That counts for something. But IMHO, that is the only thing of worth. I'd say access to equipment, but if you're paying $70K, there are cheaper ways to get ahold of equipment. Just shoot a few shorts on your own, go through the whole process including post, dist and promo and you'll have learned more than in any school, and in less time. Learning happens best when you actually do the work - can't really "study" for it in school, I think. And yes, I've dealt with folks who've gone to school and those who came up through the ranks on their own. Talent, hard work and practical experience.

As the other poster said: it's all about your reel. That counts for something. A degree from XYZ, not so much.

Many don't want to acknowledge that film schools, especially the ones that live and die on just that (like FS), are money machines, designed to transfer $ from your pocket to theirs. Ask yourself: are you learning $70K's worth at FS? Their saying "yes" to you, is not really surprising. "Yes, we'll agree to take your $70K, thank you."

What's the difference from that to a good Law School? Well, if you finished a particular law school it actually does count in the real world - your chances of getting a good first job is higher than if you went to some low-ranked ls. Ultimately of course, it's your talent and hard work that determine where you end up in your career, but that first step makes a difference when it comes to ls. There is no such effect from a film school. And I'd argue, you learn better when you are shooting your own material and your own $ is on the line and you live or die with that - that's stuff you can't learn in a school, so that's a different scenario from law school which are more book learnin' oriented.

Anyhow, generally I'm very supportive of continued education, and the more degrees the merrier. But not film school, IMHO. I think film schools are unique in that way.

Again, that's just my humble opinion, and others clearly hotly disagree. Good luck at school, and make the best of it!
 
Hehe.. Old Corpse.. rule #1... pony up.

No film school message, how'd you do it differently and where did that route take you?
 
Two of em... never finished, but I got the networking at both... UW: Milwaukee and Florida State... also spent 6 months teaching at Full Sail in the mid-90s... did a lot of educational networking there as well. After I left I introduced 6 FS students into their first hollywood gigs over the years. Schooling has been central to my career and I highly recommend it... to at least attend.. the degrees and such are pointless unless you want to teach on the accredited level. That is one avenue closed to me which does work against my longterm goals.

Sure its expensive, but the terms of educational loans are the best you're ever gonna have in your life. You'd be a MORON not to follow up on em. 70K on credit cards to fund a feature where you're gonna make 100K of first time mistakes is silly. 70K of formal networking at pretty close to interest free loans... now THAT is a killer opportunity.

As far as my work, if you watched the superbowl, you saw some of it. I've rooted
for films I helped create on oscar night... still a bridesmaid on that front :) As I
mentioned, I work with people that far and away, spent some time at film related
educational programs. I couldn't name one guy I've worked with who 'rolled his
own' and got noticed... those that got noticed due to projects, made those projects
in the schools.
 
I've heard that Florida State has a good film program. I know quite a few people that went there, although not to the film program.

I quit school myself. I didn't have a major declared yet, but it wasn't going to be a film program. I'm an actor/writer, really... and less of the writer, so film school wouldn't be wise for me. I made a short film and it made me realize I don't want to go in that direction.

Are you going to the get together on the 31st?
 
I never finished.. I think Im like a 4th year freshman in two states :) I took all the film
classes and assorted classes on topics I found interesting... then school started getting
in the way of work, so it was time to leave.

I'm gonna try for the 31st. Its been crazy since I moved back out here, so it
all depends on whether I'm under the gun or not :)
 
you should have gone to PCC and got the same teaching for the fraction of the price. the guy who heads up PCC who is a doosh, started the full sail regiment.
 
Greggl said:
I never finished.. I think Im like a 4th year freshman in two states :) I took all the film
classes and assorted classes on topics I found interesting... then school started getting
in the way of work, so it was time to leave.

I'm gonna try for the 31st. Its been crazy since I moved back out here, so it
all depends on whether I'm under the gun or not :)
Click to expand...

It sounds like you got out of it what you needed to though, so that's a good thing. What are your views on a smaller film school like UW verses, say, UCLA or USC?
 
This is my take on it...

My first big gig in LA, I shared an office with a USC grad that finished the year I would have, if I'd done the 4 year thing, starting the year after HS. We both ended up in the same room.

School is what you make of it... and part of that is going to rely on your comfort factor. If you need to be closer to home, or at a smaller school, cheaper school, school with a great football team, etc... whatever you criteria is, you need to make the place work for you. Can't do that if you constantly feel 'out of your skin'. LA/NY can really do that to people. Pick the size of the pond you really want to learn to swim in, but realize that the goal is to learn skills to swim in the ocean :)

I like the smaller schools.. as long as you realize that you still need to test and
prove yourself with a brisk swim in the ocean at some point.
 
I'd also say that networking used to be mainly limited to school or at the jo or on the set, etc. The internet has really opened up the networking pool. Take this forum for example. Granted, most people here aren't film school grads or even doing this profressionally and have no interest in doing so. But a lot of people here are profressionals looking to meet other creative people in the industry and they do get a chance to meet.
 
Hey Zfarms,

Got a few people raining on your parade, eh? Dont worry about it.

I am finding most people on here, whether positive or negative in aspect, are basing their opinions on a heavily career-based standpoint. I say, if your goals are career based and you want to see how popular you can become with the other kids (i.e., "networking"), then it can be argued all day of whether school will help you there or not.

The same goes for learning technology and terminology. This is very useful for your trade, but not something that should be obsessed over. I mean, there are people who dwell on the many ways to use all different types of wrenches... but learning to use a wrench is only a small part of what it takes to build a car. You can pick up shop and tech tips and knowledge many places. So, here too, it could be argues all day of whether school is a wise choice or not.

If you are an artist at heart... and you want to be in an atmosphere that supports your manifesting of a vision that you have inside you... school is invaluable from my experience. Beyond petty shop talk and worrying about your immediate future with this job or that, you get to (hopefully) talk with and explore philosophies of a diverse set of artists while practicing your own abilities of seeing the world in a new light... to bring yourself out of the mainstream crud and corrosion and be genuinely excited about not just film but life in general. This is the true work. What is the expression, "Free your mind and your ass will follow".

To me, this is the greatest thing school has to offer.

As for a job and networking, will that whole end of things fly better if you produce work that you are really into and love without even considering compromising your work into the fat pipeline of mainstream crap? Or will it fly better to act like a politician and campaign yourself to as many people as you can in fear of not "making it" or not getting some job? Both of these roads probably will work at getting *some* kind of work. But, I say, if you choose a road more like the first I had mentioned, the career thing will all fall into place naturally AND you will have created a niche that allows you to keep doing what you love, to keep producing your art.

-Tejay
 
Very true... but one doesn't go to film school in an attempt to shoot weddings or
make fan films on the weekends... its an investment, like medical school. One
doesn't make it through med school 'cause they like Scrubs. The hard work
component is still there.

The internet has really opened up the networking, but the competition and
collaboration aspect isn't there. The competitions here are a lot less
cuthroat than school... and if you see the guy making the best Dramafest
film, its probably going to be geographically difficult to work on their
spyfest entry. Part of the peer aspect of a school is being able to isolate
those who shine and working with them, watching and being on set and
in the editing suite with someone better than you are at the time. That
continues to happen to me on a daily basis. Thats still very hard to do
remotely... especially in a 'polite' community like this. There is a lot of
awful stuff, but the mixed skill levels, geograhic issues and politeness,
make it hard to get real feed back.... three years in a program, you
get some real blunt feedback from your peers :)
 
spidey said:
you should have gone to PCC and got the same teaching for the fraction of the price. the guy who heads up PCC who is a doosh, started the full sail regiment.
Click to expand...

I thought it was Valencia that he was involved with down in Florida? I met a Valencia grad, he said he was just the same back then as he is now...
 
Greggl said:
Very true... but one doesn't go to film school in an attempt to shoot weddings or
make fan films on the weekends... its an investment, like medical school. One
doesn't make it through med school 'cause they like Scrubs. The hard work
component is still there."

jah? I am a bit confused about where the weddings / weekend fan films came from. Do you mean that taking a more independent road of making your own art work in it's own way would equate to this...? And are you also saying that this path would be lacking the "hard work component"? I mean, I am not questioning with hostility, I think I just misunderstood.

And as for networking and what-not... this seems to be very subjective to the type of work someone would want to get into. I mean, if someone wants to work in hollywood or a large studio, that is one niche (a large one too). Here, it seems that the type of networking you described would of course be of benefit. But there are also many... many... many (infinite, in fact) other niches that one can explore without the need to network as you described.

Also, although this is far... far beyond a common point of view, one could go to school just for the love of something without career goals in mind at all. For instance, someone might make their money as a banker and be completely fine with that. Their hobby and love might be filmmaking, which they choose to go to school just to expand themselves and explore the medium in a different way.

Just a thought...
Click to expand...
 
HDkilledFILM. said:
BA 3.44gpa golden key honor society Temple University 2000-2004. Learned that most of the people who are going to film school have no idea what the industry is about or have any real talent. Working in the Industry try showing your resume' to any potential employer or producer or client with a film school degree vs work experience and see what happens. You learn more working on set in a day than you will ever learn in film school. If your going to go to collage go for a real degree, one that you can get a job with, otherwise try and work as hard as you can and put all effort into expanding your resume', reel, what ever you need to get where you want to be in the industry. As for me I work shooting for a living, no thanks to film school.
Click to expand...

I didn't really want to get into this but I need to address this comment, because you had a very different experience than most do at film school and it's not fair for you to make these blanket statements. Temple is a fine school but they're not particularly known for their film program so you can't judge all film schools based on your observations there. A "real" film school will facilitate the building of your resume, your work experience, and your reel while simultaneously allowing you access to the best resources one can ask for, whether it be equipment, professors, etc. Over the natural course of time you build a network of contacts, including people in the industry, while at the same time learning and experiencing new things every day. You're right that there are people who are unmotivated and lack a whole lot of talent, but who cares? Work hard, take advantage of the opportunities, and you'll get ahead.

I'm sorry that you didn't have a good experience, but a lot of people have great experiences at film school and it's not your place to tell them that it's a waste of their time.
 
djembeplay said:
And as for networking and what-not... this seems to be very subjective to the type of work someone would want to get into. I mean, if someone wants to work in hollywood or a large studio, that is one niche (a large one too).
Click to expand...

But thats generally the type of work one is going to a 'film school' to learn.
For example, Full Sail has and teaches Panavision equipment, among others.

Therefore, its not geared toward someone who plans to shoot films on
the weekend with what would be a $2500 camera rental for that 48 hours
before you even start to factor in film expenses. You're also getting exposure
to professional camera support equipment, the business side of production,
staffing crews with professionals or being part of a film crew in a professional
capacity. It has a specific focus... and that focus to is get you into the
field and on track for mainstream media. Its not meant to churn out
guys doing media installations with 16mm projectors running filmloops
onto burning television sets... there are plenty of art departments at
your local community college that will GLADY teach that.

At issue are film schools (you can tell a film school by the fact that
the film program has its own dean and admissions.) and technical
'trade school' film programs like full sail.

Remember, I went to two universities here myself. One was an
experimental film department with a focus on documentary and film
as art. The other was a 'film school'. Totally different programs, totally
different atmospheres and different goals for their students.

UW:Milwaukee is cheap... I mean really cheap. Its experimental, its
artistic and its exactly the place you're talking about... no $70,000
price tag either... but very few students ever make a dime at it.
 
Eastside Parkway said:
I didn't really want to get into this but I need to address this comment, because you had a very different experience than most do at film school and it's not fair for you to make these blanket statements. Temple is a fine school but they're not particularly known for their film program so you can't judge all film schools based on your observations there. A "real" film school will facilitate the building of your resume, your work experience, and your reel while simultaneously allowing you access to the best resources one can ask for, whether it be equipment, professors, etc. Over the natural course of time you build a network of contacts, including people in the industry, while at the same time learning and experiencing new things every day. You're right that there are people who are unmotivated and lack a whole lot of talent, but who cares? Work hard, take advantage of the opportunities, and you'll get ahead.

I'm sorry that you didn't have a good experience, but a lot of people have great experiences at film school and it's not your place to tell them that it's a waste of their time.
Click to expand...

I am of the opinion that film school is the long way into the industry, if you think thats wrong then thats your opinion. For me an internship would be free and more worthwhile. Hell buy a camera, lighting package, editing system, sound package and start shooting for two years. I can understand that some people get into the industry through film school and thats fine. For me I know that I speak for a ton of "Real" film school grads when I say, man I wish I would of made a film, started a production company, etc.. with that money. Once again just my 2 cents not trying to piss people off.
 
Hehe... Rule #1 again...

You go to film school to make features with full crews.

Doing it 100% on your own is definately the long road to that.
 
Greggl said:
Hehe... Rule #1 again...

You go to film school to make features with full crews.

Doing it 100% on your own is definately the long road to that.
Click to expand...

Who said anything about doing everything yourself? Are you just trying to argue for the sake of argument? Who made up rule 1? You? I'll say this and then I'll just leave it alone, rule #1: Look at El Mariachi film school dropout (without a crew to boot). kevin Smith: Clerks 1 semester in film school (Dropout). These guys had the right idea, learn by doing. If you disagree it's fine, maybe your right, what do I know? In the end it about how much you want it, film school can't give you drive and thats what really counts in this industry, drive and the willingness to get your hands dirty.
 
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