Is majoring in Film in college necessary?!?!?!

J

Jlucan

Active member
I'm about to enter college and I'm really estatic about videography and post editing. I would like to make a career out of it and work in Hollywood. I know I got BIG dreams, but everybody's been telling me going to college and majoring in film is a complete waste since a degree will get you nowhere. They say that you got to start outside school searching for opportunities and work your way up from there since companies nowadays want people with experience, not people with degrees. Is this really true, and what are my chances of making a good career out of my favorite hobby?

P.S. Is video symphony in Santa Barbara, Cali. a good jump start in making it in the film industry?
 
I've heard majoring in film is a bad choice (then again, I'm hoping to major in film.)

Double majoring (film and something else) may be the best choice.
 
I keep hearing the same thing. Then again that may be from people that didnt go to film school. I think your question applies no matter what industry with the exception of a few(doctors for example). A lot of people are really successful despite not having a degree. however, my argument to them is could you have been more successful earlier with the degree? many times i belive yes they coudl have. A smart and ambitious person is successful becase they take advantage of their resources. Having the knowledge that the degree offers as well as the ability to open a few doors that the degree offers is certainly a resources that can be used to further a career. Try not to look at college as a way to get a job. Think of it as a way to expand your knowledge base. As the previous poster said, you may want to consider a double major. If film is your love thats great, but why not take another major that enhances it and may give you some more opportunities: journalism, commnications, marketing, finance, multimedia, etc. all of these have employment opprtunites and combined with the film degree may give you options within the film industry "machine"

Bottom line is go to college, have a good time, dont commit to any one degree at least initially. you may change your mind and that is OK. Learn dont just pass.

OK dads pep talk is over... my daughter is 16 and in an arts school taking film and TV. im going to be having this concversation again in the next year or two.
 
weird.
While it's true that a degree means nothing, it surely makes no sense to go and get a degree in nursing or something.
College is something that should be taken advantage of. No, it's not required in this field but just out of high school may be the only time in your life you have the opportunity to go. Do it. You'll learn about yourself, other people and have lotsa fun.
The parties aint bad either.

I designed the Digital Effects and Animation program at Piedmont College in Chapplehill, NC. Check it out. In two years, you'll learn editing on FCP and Avid interfaces, compositing, braodcast design, how to read scopes, 2D and 3D animation and your final is your rell, which WILL help you get jobs. As a matter of fact, you can't get one without a reel. You'll olso be set up with a list of regional post-houses that are hip to the program and looking for new blood. This program is designed to educate what is done in the real world and will have an affect on your employment.

You asked about video symphony. It's pretty good if you wanna be an editor... but you'll be missing out on the experiences of college.

Truith is, you can buy Avid Xpress DV today, learn it at home and build a reel that will get your foot in the door. You could even get a two year head start on folks going to a 2 year program somewhere. But those are the dudes who buy red vettes and start doinkin 20 year old when they are 45 years old because they feel a void in their lives. Fill that void.
Go have fun.
 
If your true passion is film, it doesn't matter much. If you spend 4 years at school or four years not at school, you CAN learn almost the same amount. You CAN build the necessary network of friends that is required to break into an industry where rewards and failure are equally high. Now if film is not your passion, you will waste those four years not at school doing stupid crap like flipping burgers and surfing instead of living, eating, and breathing film. If film is not your passion, you will waste those four years at school eating pizza and partying and doinkin 20 yr olds while just getting by with B's.

True genius (in any field) doesn't need classes, barely needs an instructor, and mostly just needs a mentor. A film school can provide that. But if you need cinematography for dummies because you can't discipline yourself enough to read the books and do the work by yourself, re-evaluate your career choice now.

So which environment is going to encourage and focus you more? Being at school with assignments to do and a great built-in network of professors and alumni (if you use it)? Or being at work (albeit at an entry level) being around what you love, doing a little bit of it, proving yourself and making industry contacts, while getting paid (and doing more of it on weekends and nights and between gigs just for the love of it)?
 
Take this all as you will, I am by no means a professional with 20 years under my belt, this is just from my own experience and the route I took... and after attending film festivals recently where my no film school miniDV short showed next to film school 35mm shorts.

One HUGE benefit to being in film school (may not apply to all film schools but at least to FSU students) is that if you want to work in FILM that they pay for the stock and equipment. Which to me, is the major reason I am using a DVX and not using 16 or 35 or whatever - the cost.

Everyone has their own story.

The choice is all on your personal preference and situation. Do you (or your parents) have a lot of money and movie-making is definitely what you want to do? Then I say go to school. You're going to learn all the tricks of the trade from every angle (again probably depending on how good the film school is) and that knowledge can only help. If you dont have much money and not too many options on film schools it may be best to just buy a camera you can afford and get out there NOW and starting shooting what you want to shoot, not what your profs want you to shoot. Spend the film school $ on equipment and get out there!

Personally I went to college for something else, Computer Science, and now I have an IT-like job and some $ to buy my own equipment (a DVX100a, mic, computer, etc) and I am out there working it out now and constantly learning. Not waiting for my turn to use the class's film camera. I think I could benefit from taking some college courses to learn lighting, etc better, but this is the route I chose. Sometimes I wish I would have went to film school, but then again I like having money NOW too.

I also find, in general, that film school students have a bit of an attitude towards those of us that are making movies that havent spent the time in the classroom for it. I think those that dont go to school miss the history and a lot of the "official" techniques of filming, but save a slew of $ and time. I think natural talent factors in as well, you can take years of schooling, but if you have no eye for art then you just wasted a ton of money and there's other people out there that have been filming on their own for years and have developed a real knack for it that kick your ass.
 
Geez, I'm in college right now, majoring in film, and you guys are making me nervous! :shocked:

To be honest, I'm only interested in doing film. I haven't done too many shorts and stuff simply because I don't have a lot of time to do so because of school, chores, and a very loving mom that wants to take me with her to do errands and other stuff (mostly so I can carry the heavy groceries and kitty litter ). School is taking up most of my time though. I don't know too many people in my film classes because they aren't very social ATM, we usually just go in, listen to the lecture, watch a movie and leave. Next semester is when I should be getting into the social classes like Film Production 1 and then I can meet the real film majors and not the elective and fine arts requirement people.

I think the biggest difference between me and the other people in my class is that I come here, to DVXuser.com, and other places like DVinfo.net so I can learn as much as I can about cameras and technique. The other students are just that, students. When they study for something in film class and still have trouble figuring out the differences between a wide angle lens, a telephoto lens, and an anamorphic lens, I'll be able to laugh because I learned from everyone here a long time ago. Those are the people that need a secondary major, but me, I think I'd be wasting my time when I should be taking more film classes.:thumbsup:
 
The best advice I could have got in my college years....GO TO BUSINESS SCHOOL. Get a second major or minor in film but while you have the opportunity to be in school get all the business classes you can. Of all the things you will have to learn in the film world, savy business skills is the one that I personally felt the most unprepared for. No matter what route in flim you take you are going to want to strike out on your own professionally at some point.

A lot of people poo-poo flim school and they have a point but at the same time you will be learning a lot more then just film. A four year degree will open up worlds of possiblities you probably haven't considered.

Lastly, while you are in school make every opportunity to do internships on film sets. You will make solid contacts and learn set politics (something no professor, book, or online forum can teach you).

Good luck.
 
I'm getting confused......I'm thinking to minor in film, but the idea of business school sounds good since I could get a head start making more plans with companies, do contracts, etc. I just don't know if I should concentrate my time in a class such as film or should I just learn the skills of the trade outside school by doing my own thing and getting better at it.
 
Jlucan said:
I just don't know if I should concentrate my time in a class such as film or should I just learn the skills of the trade outside school by doing my own thing and getting better at it.
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You should ALWAYS be doing your own thing outside of school.
 
I teach at a film school. The answer is Yes & No. yes it's good to major in because you want a degree and you'll enjoy it more than accounting. If you hate school you risk dropping out and never getting that magic BA. The answer is NO if you think it's a ticket to the front of the line in the industry, money, etc... this is true with most all degrees, talent is what people usually hire for, not pedigree.

School has a few advantages, Discipline. You will watch, study and practice things you would normally avoid & in the end you'll be better for it and there will be others who suffer & laugh together by your side...and they might land you a job because they get inside 1st, or you to them.

The choice is somewhat simple. Do you love cinema? Do you want to study until you can't stand it and then do even more, and then some more? If so, then go for it and don't look back. You will find a way to live & survive and your success will come from hard work, luck and some talent.
 
Film school is mostly film history.. One shouldn't devalue history, but why not study history? At least that's a sure way into grad school if the "film" thing doesn't work out. A career in film takes a long time to develop and it makes sense to be skilled in other areas to make a living while you're "working your way up" so to speak. I would be cautiously optimistic about majoring in film specifically. Business school makes quite a bit more sense and they aren't mutually exclusive. Ever hear of production management? Or, being a producer? Or, running your own small support business for the film industry? Skills learned through business school are applicable to any business and film is certainly a business..
 
Wait, I don't want to learn about Film history and that sort. What I want to do is start in Film production, cinematography, video editing, etc. So where should I start at?......I'm so estatic about the idea of making motion pictures whether it'd be filming or editing, (I can't decide for now). I know this might sound like a superficial question but what area is the money at more?: editing or filming?-----Keep in mind this is not going to influence my decision, it will just give me more insight on what career choice will support me better.
 
Or combine business and creative in field called Media Advertising. I got my headstart, got to do couple of commercials but most of all it thaught me how to convince my audience which I find usefull everyday in filmmaking..because that's a big part of successful film. Oh and my minor was Film..hehe so I got a great deal on my degree I must say. ;) Hope that helps to confuse you even more. hehe
 
Jlucan said:
Wait, I don't want to learn about Film history and that sort.
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bad idea..

Jlucan said:
I know this might sound like a superficial question but what area is the money at more?: editing or filming?-----Keep in mind this is not going to influence my decision, it will just give me more insight on what career choice will support me better.
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even worse idea.. if you have a passion for something and want to excel in it, money should never be an object IMHO, because that is exactly what can hold you back from exploring your true talent. Do what you love to do and sooner or later you'll get noticed. money will come consequently.

M.
 
As a film student I recommend going to film school. You'll have 4 years that you will really enjoy and the networking at most four year film schools will be what really helps you land those good entry level jobs. Its not true at all film schools but at most you can concentrate in production which sounds like you'd want to do given your interest. While some say a film degree is worth nothing, I know plenty of people who were able to land great jobs outside of the film industry with their BA.
 
Unless you go to a school like UCLA odds are good you will not get too high in the pecking order of major filmmaking. If you want to learn the business it is good, but its contacts that get you places, not education.
 
Jlucan,

I think its clear that both paths are good, it just depends on how hard you want to work your ass off in the one you choose. I think those that are successful without schooling will say it's a waste and those that went to school and are successful will tell you the exact opposite.

If you choose schooling, research like crazy to find the best college you can afford. Be social and meet as many people as you can. Work with as many as you can. Learn as much as you can. Then get out there with that strong background and knowledge and show us non-degree people up!

If you don't choose school you need to meet as many other passionate people as you can, get them involved, work your butt off, read books, live on forums like this one, rent tons of movies known for their compostition, etc and in the end show the people with degrees that you didn't need to waste your money in school.

In a perfect world, if it's possible for you to buy your own camera, as well as go to school and learn the techniques of film and find the time to make your own stuff while learning more, I say that's the best of both worlds. But you need incredible ambition... good luck! Posting your work here is a good idea as well because you have access to tons of free help here (obviously).
 
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