How many of you guys have degrees in Film/Video Production?

Dropped out of college after a year and a half with failing grades in courses I could care less about. 22 now and doing well, every year gets better and better. Mostly self taught, worked hard, networked, and have good working relationships.
 
This thread makes me happy.

I went to a terrible liberal arts college and majored in "digital filmmaking". What I didn't realize was that they really didn't have a department for that...it was really TV journalism. Everything they tried to teach me I already knew from high school. All of it was really remedial and they didn't do any real hands-on shooting in class. None of my classmates cared about learning anything that had to do with the craft. Definitely wasted 4 years there.

All of my skill and knowledge has come from watching films on my own and shooting things with my own initiative. You HAVE to be able to start and finish a project on your own. I did learn a little about sound design from one cool guy there, but that teacher left after a couple of years.
 
> You HAVE to be able to start and finish.

That's the key. Really there are 4 steps, prepro, production, post and distribution. You need to see a project all the way through all four steps in order to understand what's important. Then take a step back and figure out what you did right and what you did wrong. Once that's done, do it again. and again... It doesn't matter what level you are at, it never stops. That's the process for success. sticking it out and pushing on.
 
My undergraduate degree is in Video Production/Broadcast Journalism. While the degree itself might not "get" me gigs, the people I met while at school in the program have been responsible for referring me to every job and gig I have ever had. Knowing people studying PR was a goldmine, when they get PR and marketing jobs out of school and video production gets mentioned so does my name. What I've learned on my own, in the field, and on sets has taught me 100x more than you can ever learn in a classroom though - however, having gone through both I can't imagine having experienced one without the other.
I'm currently getting my Master's so I can teach video production but I cannot imagine that degree will ever be directly responsible for getting gigs. One thing I like seeing is the constant quest for knowledge and education regardless of whether it is via an institution or experience.

Adam
 
The same can be said with almost any degree. I know people with a variety of degrees that could just never find a job in their fields without experience; engineering, business, english, history, physics.
 
I went to Hardknocks University... Seriously though. I was lucky enough to go to US Air Force Television school many years ago. I worked in an USAF TV studio for 4 years creating training films and commercials for the USAF. We used to record to an RCA TR4 tape machine that was bigger than your refrigerator.. I have attached a pic of it... My how things have changed... I had to learn how to operate and fix this beast amongst many others in our studio...

rca-tr4.jpg
 
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j said:
> We used to record to an RCA TR4

Props to you!
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Thanks lol! This is why I always chuckle when I hear the debate going on between "tape vs tapeless" work flow... either way you young guys don't know how easy you have it nowadays lol!
 
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Tommy K said:
Thanks lol! This is why I always chuckle when I hear the debate going on between "tape vs tapeless" work flow... either way you young guys don't know easy you have it nowadays lol!
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I hope that had shoulder pads when you had to carry it around as a backpack :) I find this amusing because when I was in engineering school, I had a profressor who was VERY old that was designing a rail gun (a rail gun is a system where a projectile is powered by a magnetic pulse). He had a power system that was just about that size. I asked him how the heck a solider was going to carry that into battle :)
 
Got my BFA in Film with an emphasis in Production. Took classes on Film Theory but the best classes were the production classes. Not too many schools still have kids using actual film. I got to shoot, light, direct, and edit actual celluloid. Super 8mm and 16mm. I think it definitely gave me some useful editing experience. Is college for everyone? I don't think so. Some of the guys I work closely with and that do some amazing work barely made it out of high school, if that. We really are in a profession that doesn't require a degree, but I know certain employers won't even look at hiring you if you don't have one.
 
grimepoch said:
I hope that had shoulder pads when you had to carry it around as a backpack :) I find this amusing because when I was in engineering school, I had a profressor who was VERY old that was designing a rail gun (a rail gun is a system where a projectile is powered by a magnetic pulse). He had a power system that was just about that size. I asked him how the heck a solider was going to carry that into battle :)
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Yes that is pretty funny... I guess that they would have to tether a soldier to a "tank" or a "deuce and a half truck" to shoot his super duper magnetic pulse projectile weapon...

Back in the late 70's and early 80's most TV studio equipment was huge and heavy as h-ll... Wasn't very portable...
 
I received a B.A. in Media Studies with a Film and Video Production concentration. I have to be honest, most of the actual experience I got and studying on my own is where I learned the actual practicalities of filmmaking. The school I went to was more theory based, even though my concentration was in production. It wasn't a bad experience by any means, but my practical knowledge was definitely learned and advanced further in the field and through various good books on filmmaking. However, I have had several full-time jobs that include fun things like stable, good pay and benefits that I feel I wouldn't have gotten without a degree. The degree up front tells an employer you are committed and competent, and then the reels, resume, etc. prove you can actually do the job. With just reels and a resume, I think you are fine for working in production from gig to gig or picking up an array of freelance work; for a stable job with a good company, however, I feel the degree helps get you in the door.
 
I do. Dunno how much it's helped me. I could have learned more working on shoots during that time, and I've found a lot of mis-information and straight up completely wrong information our instructors gave us based on personal bias, complete ignorance, or one of the latter combined with their interest in looking cool to their students. Mind you, this was a liberal arts college.
 
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