Thinking about Film School

[Heath McKnight]

Ken,

I'm at my 10 year anniversary since high school, and sometimes I wish I could change some things, but I think things are going well.

Joe,

FAU's film/video department is quite lacking, IMHO. I'm going there for my BA degree (something I've never gotten, but always wanted to). But the people are nice and it's close to my apartment. I don't really want to go elsewhere for college. I'm 28 now and working in this area (West Palm Beach, FL).

Keith,

<<-- //Even if you know the person if full of baloney, you never know where they will be 10 years from now. I mean this in positive way, not a sleazy underhanded way.//

I find this very hard to do but I believe you on this tip. -->>

Where was this quote on the 10 years from now you refer to?

heath

[Keith Loh]

Joe Carney's post above my last one.

[Heath McKnight]

Whoops, missed that one...

He's right, though, Keith. There have been a lot of people who burned bridges with me over the years. Just recently, one of those people came to me, looking for work on my next film. I read his resume (which wasn't too impressive) and decided his bad attitude hadn't changed and didn't want him on my set.

heath

[Joe Carney]

Heath, FAU is putting a lot of money into the program. They are getting better, but with the emphasis on Broadcast over film making. For the time being all they offer is DV based gear (several XL1s, and soon dvx100s), plus some high end Avid and other setups I've never heard of before. Jojo is actually doing some post graduate classes involving web and animation.

I would take an accredited BA from FAU over one from Full Sail. Though at graduation ceremony the University President came off as something of a nerd. hehehe. But then again I don't have a degree either.

[Heath McKnight]

I don't want to keep going on about FAU, but one of the new teachers is an old friend of mine. He's changing things, but the video production class I took last fall with a bunch of friends stunk. SVHS cameras and iMovie. Didn't hear about the DVX100s.

The school I'm teaching at, the Palm Beach Film School, has DVX100s, FCP and Avid XPress Pro. That helps, I think, because most places cut on FCP and Avid!

heath

[Ken Tanaka]

Film schools in the United States

[Dustin Waits]

<<<-- Originally posted by Joe Carney : Unlike Full Sail, it's an accredited degree with all the requirements that it implies (math, english, and what ever other classes FL requires to get a degree of any sort).
-->>>

Full Sail's Film Program DOES offer an Associate of Science Degree when you complete the course.

[Heath McKnight]

Full Sail...Very true.

heath

[Joe Carney]

I took my son up there a few years ago. They have exactly 1 35 film camera, and by the time you qualify, there is no garauntee you will get to use it. They divide up everyone by their 'abilities', screenwriter, director, grip, set design. Many students were using some of their own dv equipment to supplement. They do have a nice size sound stage. And the degree is not accredited. Similar to the Art Institute Bachelor program which is not accredited by any recognized education association.
40K for an non accredited associates is pretty high, about 20 times more expensive than many of the community colleges around FL. Valencia CC, not far from UCF, has film/video related courses. Have you checked them out?

Getting an associated from a state CC will apply toward a Bachelors at any State College/University in FL. Plus at least one of them has to let you in. (10 to choose from).
UCF has a growing Film school, but has a year and a half waiting list. You could apply while going to Valencia. And still be in wonderful Orlando! For a lot less money

[Heath McKnight]

Valencia has been one of the top, if not the number one, below-the-line film schools in the country. (Below the line schools cover cameras, lighting, editing, etc., but not really directing, producing or writing.)

heath

[Adam C Bowman]

I graduated from UC San Diego about two years ago with a degree in film. Was it worth it? Yes and no. I think one of the biggest problems for kids (most anyways, there are always exceptions) going into college or other higher education, is that your not mature enough to really appreciate learning. You sort of go through the motions and get your stuff done, but don't take full advantage of your surroundings.
It's funny, since getting out of college I am so much more interested in learning than I ever have been before. I want to learn languages, sciences, everything. I almost feel that a year or two off between highschool and some other schooling is a good idea. Try working as a PA. Volunteer some time and get noticed.
It's also hard for some to get a degree and then work at the bottom level as a grunt, and possibly volunteering your time. Since you went to school to be able to support yourself with a job, this can be a very difficult situation. It's almost as if the degree did nothing.
I think college is a good thing, but it seems in media production, experience, and who you know gets you alot farther.
On the other hand, college can offer opportunites to get those experiences. Not because of the fact that you have a degree, but just because you were there. For example, the summer after my senior year of college, there was a mass e-mail looking for PAs for a tv show. Now they didn't care if you had a degree or not... it was more they just thought to send an e-mail to the school to find young people. So if your not in an environment where those things can happen, then you might not ever get those opportunities.
In retrospect, I wish I had taken a year or two to work for a tv station, volunteered at sundance, tried working as a PA... anything to get some experience and contacts before school. I think I would have appreciated higher learning alot more and gotten more for my buck. After college I still would have those contacts and something on a resume more than a degree to enter the work force with.
That is one of the things that makes film production so exciting, and so scary at the same time. There is no set path to take to get to where you want to go, and no guarantee that you'll even get there. But you also might fall into something that is really wonderful and fascinating that you hadn't even planned on either.
This is my on going tale... hopefully it has helped in some small way. If nothing else just so when you see my name at the top of a post, you know to skip it in favor of wiser words.

[Rob Belics]

Adam said it good.

[Gino Terribilini]

Riley,

I'm in a similar situation and i think i'm going to go ahead and head for film school. However, this decistion has to be made yourself. I am choosing to go to film school because I think there is a lot I still don't know and I want to know everything. All I know right now is what i've taught myself. Then again, i've only been interested in film since senior year. If you feel that your good enough and there isn't much more you can learn, then go ahead and make a film. The only advantage that you will be missing out on is making connections and possibly having your work viewed by studio reps.
If you do end up wanting to go to film school, please, for the sake of your career, move out of Oklahoma... :) What schools are you thinking about? What's your style?
Anyway, I want to wish you the absolute best of luck in whatever decision you make. And if you're ever here in California, drop me a line.

Best,
Gino Terribilini

[Eddie Dean]

<<<-- Originally posted by Adam C Bowman : I graduated from UC San Diego about two years ago with a degree in film. -->>>

I've applied to UCSD (still waiting to hear if I'm going to get in, though) and am wondering what their equipment was like?

I've got my AA from a JC and am transferring there. Are UC schools like this good for Film Majors or are schools where they specialize in it like AI (http://www.artinstitutes.edu/) better?

[Adam C Bowman]

It depends on what seems more important to you. At AFI it would be more like a technical degree where you learn more of the craft or hands on part of film. At a UC or many other undergraduate programs alot of it is theory and study(with the exception of UCLA). If your goal is to work in Hollywood for big productions, AFI is a safer bet. But with the undergraduate program, you get a better all around education and you become a better student of the art of film rather than a student of the craft. If that makes sense. The other thing is that alot of undergraduate programs being more theory and art oriented tend to lean to the avant-garde in their program. Not to sayt this is necassarily bad, but you wont be studying "Pirates of the Caribean." Instead you'll look at alot of foreign films, independent, (not searchlight) and experimental films. The up side of that is that you get exposed to very different films that you might not otherwise discover, and in truth gives you a greater understanding of the art of film, and then hopefully become a better filmmaker.
NOW HERES THE WARNING! With the undergraduate program at a school like UCSD, you come out with a better appreciation for a good film, and a disgust for trash. In essence the friday night at the cineplex is ruined for the most part. You realise that 90% of the films out there are put together just fine, but are in no way artfully crafted, and truthfully a 100 million dollar consumer driven piece of trash.
As far as their equipment it was pretty good, and they are always upgrading. They have a team of techs that keep things running smooth, and plenty of staff that know how to use it so there should be no reason that the resources aren't there to learn how to use the tools of production.
As a final two cents to add to my $3.76 worth up above, if you have the time, and don't mind school, both an undergraduate and AFI might be a good thing. I also think you have to have a decent portfolio to get into AFI, (i might be wrong on that) and a good way to develope that is through an undergraduate program. That way when all is said and done, you have the technical skills from AFI, and the theory of good filmmaking from the arty undergraduate.