Is there any point?

**SudoNim** · January 15th, 2003, 09:28 AM

In going to a film school if you're a complete beginner?
Like the LFS? or the LFA? or even on a one month introductury course? Which would cost me a grand.

Thanks.

**kigo17** · January 15th, 2003, 11:49 AM

From what I've read you usually find that filmmakers who went to film school tend to have dropped out. But it was whilst at film school they learnt the basic skills and picked up the people they needed to make their films. You're gonna need people who are as enthusiastic about making films as you and you'd expect people on film courses to be that way inclined. I wish I'd have been able to do a film course, but i just didn't have the oportunity. Plus you'll be able to use all of their equipment as well probably for free or if not at a discount price. If you don't like the course, just use them to make a film you want make.

**ickle_jim** · January 15th, 2003, 12:18 PM

from a common sense piont of view...i would say it depends very much on what side of the film industry you want to get into...

in other words, they can teach you how to use equipment and the pre and post production techniques, but they cant actually teach you how to be talented or interesting.

If you just wanna direct then i would just make as many movies as you can, if you wanna write then write as many scripts as you can. No need to do that in film school.

Bottom line is... ask yourself what you want to do in a few years time, is the course gunna help you get there?

But just to confuse you when ive made out like maybe its not the most important thing to attend film school... dont underestimate the benefits of being surrounded by loads of enthusiastic people with the same goals as yourself.

Personaly Im new to the whole film thing, been bitten by the bug doing abit of film making at school. Film school never crossed my mind, im doing Linguistics at university. I guess thats cos my parents drilled into me the importance of a good education.

My outlook on life is, if i really do get into the film industry i dont need to be Speilburg to make a living out of it, i mean... how much talent does it take to shoot a toothpaste commercial? Might not sound totaly exciting but even that allows you to be creative and film stuff.

**Mods** · January 15th, 2003, 03:36 PM

Film school isn't essential. You don't haveto go to one to get into the industry. One reason a lot of people drop out is because you're not given the chance to create your own stuff.

Like an artist, he's given a bowl of fruit and told to draw it. He doesn't have the choice of what he wants to draw, he just has the choice of how to portray it.

Those two or three years you're in film school, you could be out making your own low-budget movies, or working as a runner and getting experience that way.

Or if you're like me, you could just be reeling off material hopeing for a big break sometime [img]wink.gif[/img]

[img]smile.gif[/img]
m0ds

**Alex** · January 16th, 2003, 08:06 AM

One of the best uses of film school is to work on as many film projects as possible, and to make many friends along the way.

I recommend a university setting so that it's a film school and much much more. The more friends you make, the better chance later that some of those old connections may lead to other opportunities.

**Phaethon** · January 16th, 2003, 08:31 AM

ickle_jim really said it all. You're creativity is limited, but again you learn how to do the mechanical shiat; which is important. Making friends while in film school is important to, as you can use them later on down the road. But the only way you'll become a good film-maker is by experience. It's my own personal belief that without a unique style that you can call your own you'll really never get anywhere artisticly, and sometimes professionaly. You show a producer your movie and it's a total rip-off of someone else's style they'll just tell you "No, we've already got someone like that. We're not going to give you a fifty-million dollar movie because we gave it to someone else exactly like you." Have a style that stands out artisticly, a stlye that catches peoples eye and you'll go far. Lastly put your best stuff in film festivals. Start small. Buzz will start if it's good, and you can move on to bigger festivals with that movie. I'm waiting until I have enough to buy my XL1s before I put in at any festivals, the camera I'm using now is $hitty in the dark (which is when the majority of my footage is shot) and it's not a lighting problem, it just gets extremely grainy. ANYWAY, I'm starting to babble. Peace, and good luck.

**Actor** · January 16th, 2003, 11:35 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size=2 face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><table border="0" width="90%" bgcolor="#333333" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="0"><tr><td width="100%"><table border="0" width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" bgcolor="#FF9900"><tr><td width="100%" bgcolor="#DDDDDD"><font size=2 face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">
NOTICE

Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be pros-
ecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished;
persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot.

by order of the author
per G. G., CHIEF OF ORDNANCE
</font></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></BLOCKQUOTE>
Do you know who "the author" is?