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

Let me ask all you pros out there what you think about the route I'm taking thus far...

I didn't get interested in filmmaking until my senior year of high school. My first short was really really crappy, but everyone encouraged me to pursue my dreams. I seriously never read anything on how to make a film, I just downloaded some editing software and picked up my dad's camcorder and went to town. I ended up going to Ashland University (Ohio) and for the first semester had an undeclared major. I really wanted to do film, I just didn't know how realistic it was. Well, I came to my senses and realized film was what I really wanted to do with my life, so I ended up majoring in Electronic Media Production (radio and tv production). It's not a film major by far, but I want to be able to have that certification to work in television and radio as my backup plan. It's the crap end of the deal, but if I have to, I want to work somewhere in producing dramatic entertainment. Here's a rundown of Ashland's curriculum for this major: it sucks. It really really sucks. Most of the kids in my major are total losers so the progression of how the profs teach us about the technical side is very slow (that's all this major is basically, a technical rundown of radio and tv production).

Ever since my senior year of high school, I've spent countless hours almost every day of the week since then reading about cinematography, lighting, editing, etc... This didn't happen until I started making shorts and wondering, "Now why in the hell does this look so crappy?" So I started reading and experimenting, trying to hone my skill. Since then I have been writing, editing, directing, etc. my own shorts and just finally completed my feature film. I actually obtained credits after talking to my advisor when I told him about how I was doing a feature. He told me that it was a highly ambitious project and I would never get it done... well that just made my blood boil, so it gave me even more inscentive to get it done, which I finally did. None of the professors there have ever heard of a student like me pursuing ambitious projects of the sort, so they don't really understand it. Right now it's in post-production and I'm just waiting for the composer to get the music back to me.

I find that I am learning so much more on my own than in school. In the film and techincal aspect of drama, I often find I know more than my professors so I am quite apathetic in class (most of my professors really dislike me for this). I think they probably think I'm pretentious, which I'm not intending to be. I should try and change my attitude, but it's pretty hard when we work at such a slow pace. My class projects come out pretty mediocre most of the time because I don't try. I put all my effort into my outside studies, ie my films. I still maintain a 3.5 gpa and get the class work done well enough to get an A, they just know I could be doing so much better than I do and it really upsets them. The only project I did a really good job on was my final project that was a music video. The reason being was it required us to be creative rather than shooting a news package or something else boring. The video came out really awesome (compared to the other students), and the professor didn't even believe I did it on my own. I only shot it in about an hour and a half, too, which shows I'm still really apathetic towards school. Sorry, I'm ranting right now....

PS The music video really kind of sucks, it's just better than what the profs are used to.

Did I mention how dated and crappy our school equipment is? My professors FORCE me to use their GL1s for projects when I have an XL2. Same with my radio classes. They force us to edit the sound in Cool Edit 95 (yes, 95!!!!) where I could just simply edit everyhing in the blink of an eye in such an app as Vegas. I hate it! But, I deal with it and just do what they say. I can only protest so much.

But a rundown of what I'm doing: getting my stupid certification for radio and tv and getting a minor in maketing. My marketing classes, oddly, get me more pumped than any of my radio or tv classes because I relate every business and marketing aspect I'm taught to film business. If I could go back, I would change my major to business administration and say the hell with the major I have right now. But, alas, it's too late for that.

After college I plan on attending film grad school, because I've heard from many sources an undergrad film program is usesless, but the grad school film program is where it's at. It's more hands-on and you learn a lot more (so I'm told).

From my experience, do this: major in something else, because it will diversify your background. If you are really passionate about film, then there is nothing holding you back from learning what you need to learn. You can learn everything on your own that you learn in the classroom (in most cases, that's why I'm going to film grad school). Write, direct, shoot!!! Do it all! Learn and read as much as you can, then put it into action! I'm by far not experienced enough to give great advice, but so far it's lead me in a good direction. I've taught myself so much just by reading, watching, and doing. Right now I've got some pretty good paying projects lined up. I'll be doing some commercials and music videos this summer so I can have a reel to show to someone once I graduate. I don't plan on quitting anytime soon, and I just keep getting better and better as I do it. Without picking up the camera and going out there to shoot, I would still be stuck in the same crappy rut I was back in high school. A girl I know lit a fire under my ass to start doing something, because she made me realize that I'm not going to get good by just watching a lot of movies and reading, I have to do it. Now I'm addicted. If I don't constantly have a project going on (be it movie, music video, commercial), I feel useless and I'm getting behind what my talents should be honed to. I am by far not any good at filmmaking yet, but I'm getting out there and doing it, and that's what you gotta do. A film school might theoretically teach you how to write, direct, edit, produce, etc... But the very best way to do it is just to get off your ass and pursue a project. If it comes out terrible, who cares? You can only improve. That's what I tell myself, and it's been true so far. My latest project might be the equivelant to turd (even though everyone where I live think it's the greatest thing since sliced bread -- hey, I'm from a small town), but it's way better than anything I was capable of two years ago. I learned it all on my own, and I couldn't have learned it without doing and being truly passionate about what I want to do. The sky is the limit, and the only excuse you can have for not getting there is not working hard enough.

Sorry for he long post, just some stuff I've been wanting to talk about for a long time. Rarely is there anyone for me to talk to these things about without anyone chiming in with a polite "shut up".

But those are my thoughts. Any opinions? Please tell me if my outlook on how I want to shape my career in some form or another is erroneous.

Disclaimer: I am by far not experienced enough to give good advice, but this is the best set of options I have available to me at the moment, and that's what has worked for me. There is an infinate amount of roads you can take, this is just the one I'm taking. But seriously, who knows what can happen in the next 2 years. I might not even go to film grad school. We'll have to see where life takes me and how things fall into place.
 
I have spoke with many top film makers, Brad Silberling, Tim Burton, Buck Henry they all say the same save your money that you would have spent on school and go make a movie with that, making films is the way to learn, you wont get a film job because of your education, its your reel that` lands that job
 
I think film school is brilliant for those who have time and access to it. I say, if you're young and rich enough, go to film school. You might as well. It's all about learning and growing your talents. Might as well do it in film school than struggling to make your shorts on weekends in between your financial accounting classes. That said, good filmmakers are going to be good filmmakers with or without school. I just figure, if you have the option to go, and a passion, you might as well!
 
Being a film studies major is a horrible idea unless you like making less money after school than before it.

Then again--I'm a film studies major.
 
I didn't go to Film School but to say that going is a waste of time might be a bit much. You have to make the best of your experience there in school. If anything, it will give you the opportunity to work with and network with a lot of other students and if your GOOD at what you do, then the other students are going to want you to work on their projects and who knows, 5 - 10 years down the road, those same friends may call on your expertise for their hollywood big budget film. Just listen to those commentaries on some of those dvd's, they talk about stuff like that.

As for me, I was Theater major in college and I minored in TV Production! That was the closes I could get to film! I had my own personal video camera though which seemed to be with me constantly my first 2 years. I helped form a mass communication society which was a small organization of students who had an interest in TV/Film. The response was so great that the next year they offered a few classes and then before you knew it TV Production was a major. We had a TV studio, editing rooms, the whole nine. When I wasn't acting or learning lines for a play, I was shooting or learning the video equipment. I volunteered for shoots on campus, I was a SPONGE!!!! I tried to absorb as much knowledge about the TV/Film business as I could. I am still this way to this day!

My senior year, I was lucky to intern on 2 big budget movie sets and I learned a lot from being there on the set.

Now I work in TV News/Sports and Entertainment and again its not Film but some of the same principles I have learned all along can be used in film and then I came across this GREAT site a few years ago and I havent left! I have learned a WHOLE lot more here...

I was even considering going back to school for a film degree (MFA) at Full Sail down in Orlando, Florida....Full Sail is expensive but they have all the "Toys" equipment wise. My brother went there for Audio Engineering and I believe it cost him around $30,000 a year! Ouch! A lot of the grads are working on some major projects in NY, and LA.

Students now a days have it good in terms of equipment (if it isn't broken!). Someone was telling me that the students at Northwestern have Avid Editing suites right there in their Dorms! How cool is that! Im sure some may have their own setups in their dorm room though! LOL!
 
The best part about film school is becoming friends with a bunch of people who need help making movies. The worst part about film school is making friends with a bunch of people who want you to help them make their movies for free.

I dunno, i keep thinking about walter murch, coppola and lucas forming zeotrope and I start looking at film programs.
 
Some say...film school is waste of time..others say..just go out there and make movies for your reel so you can land a job.

But the thing is...how would u be able to land a job without knowing people first??
In school...you get to network with many people...even if it doesnt have to do with film..you still get to kno a lot of people in higher up positions...the film school should be able to get basic knowledge of film that you need..then you get to kno people...BUT....at the same time..while..or maybe even before school...start making your reel of your best work and while your in school...show some of the people there your reel..and you might land a job even before you graduate.

My cousin graduated college this year...he majored in Business Law and Marketing....and during school...he kept all his grades up and became friends with mannnny bank owners and business owners because of his grades. They liked him a lot and he was offered a job right after college at some bank in Philly.


So in the end...its good to just do both....go to film school, get knowledge and history, hands on experience...while going to school...make your reel.....make films in class or out of class....edit them together in a reel..then if your a people person...get to kno some of the pros there and ask them if they would be interested to see your reel...then if they are..show them..and if their impressed...thats one step rite into the door...now the other is jus stay in good contact with them and stuff.

...but wat do i kno...im still in high school...
 
I'm a film studies major and it's pretty useless in terms of learning to make movies or getting a job. You do learn a lot about watching movies, though, and about how to get 20 grand in debt.
 
I think a film major is a waste of money for undergrad. You'd be better off doing something more practical and spending that time contemplating your navel, and building your own sense of self and identity.

I agree with Policar, it's impractical, there's no job guarantee right out of college, and the debt sucks. If you can double major then go for it. I feel the same way about an undergrad degree in acting. Gradschool for film is a different story, at least you can teach with a grad degree and make your own films on your own time.

For undergrad English and Writing is a great way to build up skills that you can apply to filmmaking. Of course, I was an English major so I'm biased in that way.
 
My 2 cents.
I agree that education and experience are keys to success.
That said, if you are dedicated and motivated then filmmaking is a craft that can be just as easily learned outside of the university environment as it can in the film school.

I majored in Psych and Philosophy, but took every film class that was available to me as a 'non-major.' I checked out the upper level courses while in school, and checked their reading lists and read the same books they did.

Unless you can afford to go to a school where you will be taught by the cream of the crop, personally I don't think it's worth the money.

Granted, I don't think film school will hurt you, but I don't see it as a huge benefit. If you aren't dedicated enough to study on your own then film school probably won't change that.

Like I said, just my 2 cents.

PS.
As for my 'cream of the crop' comment...that's why I majored in Psych and Philosophy.
I went to the University of Texas, and at the time I was there I had the benefit of being taught Psych and Philosophy classes by some of the top professors in their field. Whereas the film department was still floundering (in my opinion). since then the film department has grown significantly.

It's hard to discuss the merits of film school without knowing the specifics of the film school in question.
An education is only as good as it's teacher, so take a close look at the schools you're considering.
 
I'm in my senior year of high school and contemplating film school. I've also been told that traditional film schools such as USC or UCLA are the wrong way to go. Los Angeles Film School offers an intense 1- year program that seems well-focused on creating and working on films. Has anyone else considered LAFS?
 
I went to the University of Wisconsin:Milwaukee for film production and
spent a short time at Florida State. I highly recommend film school.

I never graduated, in fact I pretty much tapped out the programs for
what I could get out of em and just started working. The valuable
parts FAR outweighed any negative aspects. At a good school, and you
do have to research, you have access to hardware, access to dedicated
crews of other students, the ability to really experiment and have a
ready audience to critique your work and you get to see a LOT of other
aspiring filmmakers make mistakes that (if you're paying attention)
you won't make. Its less about 'getting a job' than about learning
the language, both technical and critical, and how to tell a story.

I wanted to be a DP and shot a lot of my peer's projects. By some
wierd twist of fate, I ended up buying a good computer instead of
a cheap 16mm rig back in like '93 and I got diverted toward desktop
VFX and 3D. I did eventually make it out to Hollywood and worked
right alongside a LOT of people that attended the big film schools,
the same folks I would have been in classes with had I attended those
schools. Most of us talked of similar experiences at various schools.
One of the key things we discussed was that it was really easy to
spot who was going to make a career of production and who was going
to be paying off their loans from a non-film related 'job'. I still talk to
some of the 'career' crew, now 16-odd years later.

I say go. I do wish I had the 'paper' at this point, but mainly as
it carries weight outside of film, aka: teaching. Go and make films and
make mistakes and revel in the volume of production you can do
if you're serious about it. I must have shot 20,000 feet of 16mm in
two years on various projects. I can't say I really learned my craft
there, that happened 'on the job' in the real world, but I learned how
to learn and got a LOT of bad first-timer mistakes out of my system in
a 'safe' environment.
 
JoeFowler said:
OK, I've heard enough people bag on film school that I have to give my view here. It seems that the biggest antagonists of film school are those that never went in the first place. How would you know it sucks, or isn't worth it if you've never been? And if you have been and you still thought it was a waste of time, you need to stop thinking of it in terms of "film experience" gained and remember what college is really for (as far as the business world is concerned.)

Ok, here's my own example: I will graduate from the University of Utah this December with a BA in film studies. I took some production classes, but mostly film "watching" classes and so forth. I feel the same as everyone else that I wish I had focused more on writing or business, but I don't regret getting (almost) my degree. Here's the thing, you will learn tons by buying your own equipment and just making films. That's why I did just that. But don't discount the benifit of having your degree. You might not learn more about fimmaking, but if you plan on going to work for someone else, that degree is so benifitial. Employers don't look at a degree and say, "Well, you have lots of experience from going to college." They see one main thing: That you can set a goal, and accomplish it. It's that simple. I found a job in the "industry" as an editor. My experiance outside of school helped me get the job. But they would have been more reluctant to hire me if I hadn't been to school. Like I said, it says more to employers then just "experiance." This is statistics and advice from one of the best and most sought after career advisors in the country. Plus, when I do graduate in December, I will be in a possition to ask for more money, just for having a degree!

Buy a camera, and make your films, but go to college. Even if you decide after that you don't want to be a filmmaker, your BA will be invaluable to you, ask any employer (bigger then your friend who has his own production company based out of his garage that is!)

Joe

I know some of you guys who didn't go to school are very successful, but to those considering film school I want to remind you to also talk to those who may have graduated from film school, and ask them if they feel it was worth it, you may be suprised that not very many regret it. As frustrating as it was for me, I'm glad I did it.
Click to expand...


I couldn't agree more.
 
My feeling is that "film studies" teaches you to read but not write. (Metaphorically--you learn insane amounts about film, film theory, film history, etc. but nothing about how to make movies.)

Film production teaches you to write but not read. (You learn how to use a camera but not the history of what you're doing with it.)

One program is entirely extrinisic, the other entirely intrinsic. Ideally, you'd learn both but I'm not convinced there's a school that covers both in one program effectively, although I'm sure some schools are better than others.

Anyhow, all I know is that an education at the school I go to costs over $170,000 and the average starting salary of a graduate is 6 dollars an hour with no benefits, freelance work. The film studies major is also the hardest major to be accepted into and one of the most academically strenuous.

Sometimes I think it's just not worth it.

Frequently.
 
Has anyone tried the 3day film school? Or it might be called a weekend film school? Any good? I think Quentin Tarantino went there, but I'm just relying on(bad) memory. I see ads for it in the back of Moviemaker, The independent.
 
my 2 cents

my 2 cents

I have an interesting point of view because I moved to CA to go to USC film school and my roommate moved to CA to become a filmmaker without school. I am currently a sophomore in college and my roommate has been working out here for the same amount of time that I have been in school. My roommate gets jobs as a PA on commercials and what not and is now starting to do some Coordinator work but still has the title of PA. At school, I have produced several films and television shows including 2 sitcoms and 2 live talk shows. I have also directed several music videos and worked on many many other projects including working as a behind the scenes cameraman for a Nickelodeon show called "Zoey 101" (with my XL2) all because of my school. Now I get job offers to be a cameraman for reality shows and several television pilots and films. In school I have shot several movies on film, which has led me to purchase a 35mm camera with which I already have jobs lined up.

I think you can tell my vote...school all the way. I've made connections that I still can't believe I have, including several very popular film and television directors and producers.

I dont know how all schools work, but as far as USC goes...I would say DO IT!!!

Alex
 
Another piece of advice from a smarmy college boy:

Love it or hate it, much of the key to success in film lies in two factors: 1) access to equipment and 2) networking.

1) When I was 18, I sure as hell didn't have even $2-3k to be dropping on decent video equipment -- let alone editing/effects software, etc --, especially when I wasn't absolutely certain that going into capital-F Film was what I wanted to do with my life. What I did have was a decent academic record, and that translated to scholarships.

Four years later, I had shot on a DVX-100 video camera, a Bolex 16mm, a Krasnagorsk 16mm, and an Arriflex (in color 16mm this time)...I had recorded sound with good quality boom mics using carbon boom poles and wireless lav systems onto a Nagra IV...I had edited pieces in Final Cut, Avid, and Preimiere...and I had made those pieces into a reel with DVD Studio Pro. All in all, an education (a <i>good</i> education) allows you to work with resources you would never be able to access if you weren't already wealthy.

2) I didn't go to a place like USC or NYU (and I even got rejected from the latter!), but the people who I've met in my tight-knit Film Production classes have and will remain an invaluable resource for years to come, telling me about job openings when they happen, introducing me to new people, and inspiring me with new tips and tricks.

That said, I have probably taught myself more in the last seven months since graduating than I learned in about a year of school. Reading the Meyer books on After Effects cover to cover and experimenting like crazy without having to worry about unrelated exams has been unbelievably helpful and productive. Even so, I wouldn't have even tampered with After Effects to begin with if not for my experiences in college.

Ehh, but in the end: it's all chance and dedication. A little bit of one and a lot more of the other -- but I never know which is which.
 
I am of the thinking that the most important thing is wanting to do something so bad that you do everything in your power to learn how to do it. If you want to make a feature film - really want to make one - then make one. You will figure out how to do it because you have to. If that means you have to read every book - create 10 shorts and edit them to get ready then you will do that.

School in general teaches you a way to think that is very helpful - i majored and got my masters in computer science and the things it taught me has helped me in figuring out how to make a film. THat and my intense desire to do this for the rest of my life. So now my bookshelf is covered in books about filmmaking, producing editing etc. And i am practicing and using all of them everyday in every way i can - In fact I sleep about 30 percent less now because all i want to do is do more.

no offense to film school majors - that teaches you the same way of thinking - I just think the practical trial and error is the best way of learning.

just my 2 cents
 
I should have just gone to another school. I'm a sophomore and haven't gotten one thing out of it in terms of connections, jobs--whatever.

Oh well.
 
policar - if you want to be a filmmaker then be one - there are a million ways to get into it - people always need help on sets - if you can afford it then buy all the equipment you can - your first films may be great they may not be - but for every one you make YOU will be a better filmmaker.

No school or other person will make it happen for you. If you look at most successful people they made it happen - there is the random lucky person but you cant make yourself lucky - you can however make yourself successful
 
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