Student in need of some guidance

Superconductor

New member
Firstly, I'd like to say that this message board has been a great help to me and I've browsed for quite some time. What a great resource this forum is! Well, let's get started...

I'm 19, and live in Ontario, Canada. I have a pretty strong interest in screenwriting/producing for film/television. I have written a couple short scripts and have started (but not completed :happy:) larger projects.

I've been accepted to both University of Toronto and University of Ottawa. I plan on studying something broad at one of these schools, like English, but also take a few film classes. I decided against Film School for a number of reasons.

Anyway, I cannot seem to make up my mind as to which would be a better choice, and was wondering if any of you more experienced folk could possibly give some advice. The breakdown, shall we...

U of Ottawa is: Closer to my home, slightly smaller, slightly less expensive in rent, and offered me a paid part-time co-op work placement relevant to English for the duration of my studies.

U of Toronto is: Not only a much more "respected" school (and a harder school, admission and academic wise), but is also arguably in a more "ideal" location for something like screenwriting. It is a bit bigger, a bit more expensive, and no co-op. Also, its a 4 hour drive from my home compared to 1 hour in Ottawa.

(Money isn't really much of a problem, but I am a bit frugal.)

Anyway, I cannot decide. A part of me wants to be in Toronto, as what I plan on pursuing is something that's not easy to break into, and feel as though maybe there is more opportunity there, but how much of that will I really be able to take advantage of, when I'm too busy studying? I also think my parents would prefer me to go to Ottawa, but they've been supportive to whatever I've wanted to do.

But does any of this even matter, when talking potential screenwriting success?

I know, bottom line, being in Canada period puts me at an even bigger disadvantage when it comes to this business. But I just wanted to know what some of you guys think. I may be stressing out way too much over all this, but who knows? (Well, except you guys.)

Thanks!
 
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I have no idea how to help you decide... where did those crazy guys who made JESUS CHRIST: VAMPIRE HUNTER go (if they went to college at all)?

The Canada thing is an advatange. I once worked with a Canadian producer who told me this great story about hiring a Canadian screenwriter (for content) who had written this *amazing* film... only to discover this writer was just a front, and a US writer had actually written the script. He was angry, because he had just hired a bad writer. There is a *shortage* of good Canadian screenwriters. In Canada, you are *needed*. In the USA, you are one of the tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands looking for work. So my advice is to consider becoming a great Canadian screenwriter. Don't knock Canada! SCANNERS *and* CUBE!

No matter what you decide, Toronto will always be there.

- Bill
 
Have you looked into the Radio and Television program at Ryerson U.? that's my plan in a near future
 
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