Gonna be out of further eduction in a year, looking to get into filmmaking. anyone on here been to film school? perhaps recommend one? or share an experience...
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Gonna be out of further eduction in a year, looking to get into filmmaking. anyone on here been to film school? perhaps recommend one? or share an experience...
I am an American and I graduated from University with a Degree in Motion Picture Production. Was it a good move for me?? No. I didn't get much of anything from Uni other than debt.
That said I am a working DP and have a lot of contacts that I made both in school and out.
School is not for everyone and you should ask some serious questions before you go to make sure that it is right for you.
Good Luck
the film industry IS something you can get into even if you don't go to film school. But what it does give you is connections, and connections are very very important in this industry.
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Except the contacts and the gainful employment? [img]wink.gif[/img]Quote:
Originally posted by Nigel:
I didn't get much of anything from Uni other than debt.
That said I am a working DP and have a lot of contacts that I made both in school and out.
Two of my regular crew are now Technical Advisors at a Film school in London one of them possible coming a tutor. The peeps taking the course have fledged out in the region of 6K a term (3 terms a year for two years) and the school has some hefty patrons.
They have access to some very nice kit. There ARRI 35MM Camera is extremly new, there grip equimpent is in the bentley league, and the tripod is in such fine condition that not even the creme de la creme of hire houses would ever condsider lending you such a piece.
The have cheap 35 MM Stock deals and process, and access to a resonable size studio all with a array of lights.
Can any of them use this kit properly ?
No.
Can any of them actually pull together a team and work well in a team ?
No.
Are the shorts there making on their course align up to what everyoen else is making ?
No.
Do they actually know anything about filmmaking at the end of it ?
No.
Will any of them get work at teh end of it ?
Probably as a runner in a production office.
If i was one man short on my crew, would i take one of them on board ?
Nope.
Hi there
I can only speak from my experience, but Im sort of glad I didnt go to film school.
If I had I would probably had a great time, and learned some wonderful technicalities and critical methods, and then have spent a few years utterly skint doing odd jobs for people on odd films here and there, getting disillusioned and more and more skint.
Instead I now have some life experience - rather than frustrated-film-maker-wannabe experience, a reasonably good job (unrelaited) and heaps of people I know 'outside' the industry. A fresh naievity to bring to my projects......
And now Im in a better position to get disillusioned, but maybe Im less skint. Having an alterative job takes the pressure off a little.
So personally if you want to get involved in film making, I should get on with it, get a job, so you dont have to live with your parents, get a DV or super 8 camera (if you havent already) with your first pay check and find some local people nearby who share your interests. And get on with it.
Unless you like college so much and want to spend another year or so there.
But then again, had I been to film school and studied film making (rather than drinking a lot and studying maths) I might be half decent at making films ;-)
<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ December 06, 2004 11:39 AM: Message edited by: eidde ]</font>
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE THERE TO LEARN!Quote:
Originally posted by Chance1234:
Can any of them use this kit properly ?
No.
Can any of them actually pull together a team and work well in a team ?
No.
Are the shorts there making on their course align up to what everyoen else is making ?
No.
Do they actually know anything about filmmaking at the end of it ?
No.
Will any of them get work at teh end of it ?
Probably as a runner in a production office.
If i was one man short on my crew, would i take one of them on board ?
Nope.
Has any first time director I've ever worked with known everything about making film?
No. Never.
Has any member of crew (film school or not) known EVERYTHING about their role or the kit they're using?
Nope.
Has any first piece of work I've been involved with gone on to do anything?
No way.
Would I work with them all again?
You bet.
I'm so bored with the film school v. non-film school debate. If you want to go, then go. If you don't, then don't. But don't debate the merits of either way because neither side knows what it's like to be the other. Also, this whole "Well you pay ?6000 a year tuition fees so it must only be for spoilt rich kids who are fooling themselves." argument is junk. If it was ANY other profession then you wouldn't have a problem with it. I don't laugh at my friends for paying a lot of money to do their chartered accountancy degrees! I personally paid a bit more than ?6000 to get my B.Sc.and M.Sc. in chemistry and pharmaceutical chemistry. And you know what? I AM NOW A PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMIST. So how can it be a waste of time and money to study what you want to do?
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Jesus.
<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ December 06, 2004 10:02 AM: Message edited by: jb_617 ]</font>
When they got my guys as technical advisors and possible tutors, the chance of learning anything slips by the hour.
Well why are you using them then, if they're no good?
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Answers on a postcard?
because they are my dominions , for such as it is written and always will be. Besides i never said they were no good.
I've seen this argument doing the rounds quite a few times over the years. And I'm back to say what I always say.
For me, film school is unquestionably the way to go if you are really serious and have the talent. I'm biased, I go. But just hear me out.
Film school in this country is free. 750 euro a year is loose change compared to British courses. However even if it cost thousands I would still go.
Now I'm not one for making extravagent statements, but in all honestly, I would say I am roughly ten times the filmmaker I was going in. But why?
"Frustrated-filmmaker wannabe's?"
"They can't use a kit?"
What are they teaching you lad's in Jolly ole' England!!!
I went to Film "Tech" school in NC, USA. The "Tech" makes the difference in my mind!!!!!
I trained to be crew.. I didn't go to school to learn film theory or how to direct- I went to school to learn gear- So therfore I picked a school that specailized in learning the Gear!
So in defense of my fellow film "Tech" Kids----
***I did learn how to Load, grip,light, find a"taco cart",carry "C-47's", and so on in film "Tech" school!!! So when I went to work on my first paid feature... I knew what I was suppose to do. So not "all" film school kid's are
Idoit's!!
Thanks for all the different views guys.
so does anyone know any decent film schools around the london area???
in all fairness, in regards to london schools i have heard and worked with many people who have done the panico course, which i believe is a weekend course. And they have all had good things to say about
do a quick search on google to find out details, the one to avoid is the one i havent mentioned the name off, but if you put the words london the title of this thread together it doesnt take einstein
Im at the Zaki Gordon Independent Film School in Sedona Arizona. Its an intensive one year course and i think its the best thing i could have done with an interest in film making to get myself kick started.
Sure, i COULD have styarted making films without it and i did but i have been learning a tremendous amount every day I attend. We make 8 short films in the first semester, and are working on larger class shoot right now. I feel the opportunity to pitch my idea, have it accepted, go into pre production and then direct my own concept with a crew and all equipment is fantastic. I know this is the only time in this career that I will be allowed to fail. There is a freedom in that.
Right now i am the self directed camera person for a behind the scenes documentary about the class shoot. Im there all the time, in almost every meeting, learning and using my creativity constantly.
Of course once you finish school, you need to have the inititive to leap and get going on your own.
I also try to take advantage of every contact i make in the school.
just-nick, from the sounds of it you mean Bachelors rather than Masters level right? The three heavyweights at BA level are Westminster, University of the Arts London (London College of Communication) and Surrey Institute of Art and Design, as these are the only ones that shoot on film as well as video afaik. Places are in high demand though, with over 1000 applicants for 40-50 places for each of those Unis, and from what I've seen they don't accept people fresh from school/college, only those with some kind of experience. I would suggest either working as a runner for a few years getting some experience, and working on your films etc too, or doing a BTEC Foundation year thingy in filmmaking, which is required for LCC and Surrey afaik, and would speed things up, then applying for the BA the year after. If you do the BTEC at LCC, they give you a guarranteed pre-ucas interview, and obviously will know what your abilities are already, which is a huge bonus, considering most applicants won't even be given interviews.
Basically they are looking for people who are dedicated to filmmaking, rather than the kind of Empire-magazine reading 'it would be cool to direct films' type of people. Be prepared to be rejected a couple of times.
Other Uni's which are supposed to be good are Bournemouth Art Institute (or something like that) and Staffordshire, but I'm not 100% sure whether or not they shoot film.
I'd be interested to hear from people who have actual experience of LCC/Westminster, I've seen some people talking about going there in older posts, any of you still post here?
<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ January 21, 2005 06:21 AM: Message edited by: Bnew ]</font>