Film school vs use the money to make a feature

[Tim Shim]

As the saying goes - 'we can't be taught, we can only learn'.

 

That said, I personally believe that if you are really passionate about what you want to do (in this case, filmmaking), you will do all it takes to learn the art and craft. Most of you reading these forums probably regard yourselves as tech-savvy web surfers who, more often than not, use the Internet to find filmmaking related information. I can attest for myself that I've learned more from these Forums and the Internet than I have reading a filmmaking textbook.

 

I would personally use my money to work on more short films before attempting a feature film. Working on your own requires more discipline and self-control and a feature is a huge feat for one person, the Robert Rodriguezes of this world notwithstanding (and even then, RR has made many small films before hitting it big). If you are not the type who can set your own goals and work incessantly to achieve it, you may want to consider film school. Don't underestimate the power of peer pressure. At the very least, it will help motivate you to get something done.

 

Teachers you get are sometimes based on luck and sometimes based on which film school you can afford. In either case, you have to do the learning. The best teachers I find inspire you, they don't know it all, they admit that and in doing so, earn our respect and makes us strive to better ourselves. That being said, I don't think 'accomplished' filmmakers necessarily make good teachers. But for the very fact that they are accomplished inspires us more so than what they actually say. I call it the celebrity-worship syndrome. We all want to be like the person we hold in high regard. Advertisers know this very well.

 

Whatever you decide, do not hesitate, just do it. Too much thinking and talking will create doubt and uncertainty. Like if you stand for too long on the ledge before bungy jumping ... or if you're a beginning skater, stand too long on top of the ramp deciding whether to drop in.

Edited May 6, 2006 by timshim

[Adrian Sierkowski]

I'm going to go out on a limb and throw in my two cents. I'm in film school; I don't pay for it, yet, and it's a good program with a [mostly] well rounded theory and application cirriculum. And, it is great for networking. But, moreso than that; perhaps the best benefit of my film school [Temple University] is the equipment office. I can take a class, and use equipment and get 16MM stock and mini DV tapes and HDCams all for free. I can take them out whenever I want, so long as I'm in a production class and cleared for them [meaning I at one point passed a test on their workings] and do whatever I want with them. Nothing beats a free "rental."

Aside from that, I harbor no dillusions about breaking into hollywood; I don't think I'd want to. Same goes for New York. Instead, I just want to learn so I can make films for me. If other people like them, well that's fine, but I know I'll hardly ever be able to pay my bills with my BA. [which isn't to say I don't work professionally, I Grip and PA a couple shows in Philadelphia, which is always nice.] But, you know, none of that matters to me because for the moment I have a fridge full of Kodak and Fuji, a cabiniet full of tape, a couple of lights, a Bolex, and a couple of lights. Life is grand and I can work out the whole notion of "cinematography" both in and out of school. Who knows, maybe I'll get lucky. And in the end, that's what it comes down to in filmmaking, a lot of luck, blood, sweat, and passion. Where and how you bleed and are passionate is mostly inconsequential.

[James Steven Beverly]

How the Hell do I get a deal like that? You don't have to pay for film school and you have full access to film, cameras lighting & grip equipment, processing and cast and crew! What a deal. Well get to writing boy and get a film made! Don't wait until you get out of school. IIT COSTS YOU MONEY WHEN YOU GET OUT OF SCHOOL!!! DO IT NOW!! You said you can check out the equipment any time you like, what are you waiting for? My argument is that you should use the money you would put into film school to make a movie instead BUT YOU DON"T PAY FOR SCHOOL AND HAVE EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO MAKE A MOVIE INCLUDING TECHINCAL SUPPORT TO SHOW YOU ANYTHING YOU DON'T KNOW, DON'T WAIST THIS OPORTUNITY. Make as many films as you can, get everyone involved in your productions you can. Like the Nike commercial says JUST DO IT!!!!!!!!

[Josh Bass]

I would just like to point out that Eye of the Beholder sucked balls. So whoever told the writer/director/whatever to change the script was right. Unless you're NOT talking about Eye of the Beholder with Ashley Judd and Ewan MacGregor. Cause Eye of the Beholder with Ashley Judd and Ewan MacGregor sucked balls.

[Adrian Sierkowski]

How the Hell do I get a deal like that? You don't have to pay for film school and you have full access to film, cameras lighting & grip equipment, processing and cast and crew! What a deal. Well get to writing boy and get a film made! Don't wait until you get out of school. IIT COSTS YOU MONEY WHEN YOU GET OUT OF SCHOOL!!! DO IT NOW!! You said you can check out the equipment any time you like, what are you waiting for? My argument is that you should use the money you would put into film school to make a movie instead BUT YOU DON"T PAY FOR SCHOOL AND HAVE EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO MAKE A MOVIE INCLUDING TECHINCAL SUPPORT TO SHOW YOU ANYTHING YOU DON'T KNOW, DON'T WAIST THIS OPORTUNITY. Make as many films as you can, get everyone involved in your productions you can. Like the Nike commercial says JUST DO IT!!!!!!!!

 

Oh I intend to.

[Algis Kemezys]

I think school would bring you up to speed. It would give you a certificate and the resources are better. It takes alot to be goor even a little. Why drive yourself crasy the first time out. Under the watchfull eye of the professors you will develope faster perhaps .

[Chris Keth]

I think school would bring you up to speed. It would give you a certificate and the resources are better. It takes alot to be goor even a little. Why drive yourself crasy the first time out. Under the watchfull eye of the professors you will develope faster perhaps .

 

 

Amend the title to "Learning in Film School vs. Learning by making a feature that will suck." Certainly just making a film will be a good learning experience but the film, 99.99% of the time, will suck balls. Chances are, also, that you will never finish the feature because you get frustrated, run out of cash, etc. I'd go the school route.

[James Steven Beverly]

OH NOOOOO, films made in film school NEVER suck. :rolleyes: Amend to say 99% of ALL first attempts to make a film suck then you might approch accuracy. The point is if you spend the money on film school you may never get the chance to make a feature. In film school you'll probably at best, make a short that you will have NO chance of selling and it will probably ALSO suck. At least with a feature you may be able to come up w/ a great poster and box cover and go straight to video to recoop you investors or more likely your own money then have the chance to try again if you choose to. At the very worst have the expirence of making a feature under your belt. There is no teacher like expirence. Once you graduate from film school unless you plan to teach, you enter an already bloated job market to do what? Get a job as a PA? , which you would probably have as much chance of getting without ever spending all that money going to film school.

[Chris Keth]

That's absolutely true, but in film school, you tend to spend much less on your first films since you don't need rental equipment, etc. It's better to make a few terrible short films than one big terrible expensive feature, IMO.

[James Steven Beverly]

Ya, because your putting the money into FILM SCHOOL instead of your picture. THAT"S my whole point. Your picture actually costs more to make if you include the cost of film school. How much would it cost to make a 15 minute short, which is what you will end up making in film school and how much whould it cost to make a 15 minute short including the cost of film school? Most film schools have video, perhaps 8mm and more likely 16mm film cameras.

 

You can BUY a 16mm sound sync Arri package for around 2 to 3 grand on ebay if you look for a deal. You can pick up a Fostex F2 for 1200 bucks, a couple of mics, boom, cables and blimp for mayby a grand or less. A small lighting package , 4 to 6 lights, 4 stands, small set of gels. 4 c stands, 2 combo stands, a few flags and a couple of reflectors for 4 or 5 grand, editing computer 5 grand, film short ends or full cans and processing w/ student discount by signing up for a single collage course like cooking to get a collage ID cost- the same price you would pay for film and processing in film school. So your basic equipment is say 15 to 20K but you own the equipment and can sell it and get your money back at any tme. Film school is say 30K and you have a BA which really don't get you anywhere and you have just as good a chance of making a good film as you would in film school.

[Adrian Sierkowski]

A lot of the time, though, in film school, youll wind up with a good deal of financial aide. Myself, for example; I get a free federal ride through the programme. Just like findng a dela on Ebay, you can find a deal on an education if you know where to look and apply yourself to applying for scholarships. Plus, with a BA at least I have a chance in the job market if filmmaking falls through; as it probably will. But, in the end, it's a matter of personal taste. Some people like to go out on their own to learn, and others like to learn through direction of others who are learned. It's a matter of opinion. There is no "better" way, just people who find one way more palletable than the other.

[dd3stp233]

An option that I don't think anyone mentioned, is that, if you go to a decent film school, they will have an equipment room and you can check out any camera, sound, lighting equipment that you need and have access to editing equipment also. Many teachers and professors also have their own person equipment that they may lend to you to help your project. A person in film school could easily make a feature for the price of the school plus film + processing. Plus, you get and education

[Chien Huey]

In the end, if you want to be a filmmaker (i.e. director), then either path can serve you well - depending on all the previously mentioned factors. One thing I'd add is that if it's a matter of picking a major for your undergraduate degree (BA/BS) then I think hands down you should go to film school to get your undergrad degree. As stated before, if the whole film route crashes and burns for you, then you'll still be a college graduate. I can only speak for the US but in the US you need a degree for almost every salaried job with benefits now. So if you're 18 and thinking, go to college or take the money and make a film - I'd go to college.

 

OTOH, if you have your undergrad degree and want to work as a technician (i.e. camera dept), then going to graduate film school is not going to help you much at all. Most film students I've met (primarily from working on their projects) haven't been taught any significant amount of useful knowledge as it pertains to any of the technical trades.

[Chad Stockfleth]

I went to film school and really enjoyed the experience. It gave me access to a lot of equipment I never would have gotten to use if I'd tried to make a feature instead (panavision, big lights, fischers, jibs, etc.) I also got to be around a lot of like-minded peers and experienced instructors who taught me, among other things, how to over-under wrap a cable (which was a big help in getting my first grip job ;-) Sure, I made a couple of crappy shorts as oppossed to one crappy feature, but I gained a lot of other experience too. As has been said here, there is no right or wrong way, just the way you choose.

 

Cheers!

[Dajan Bozanic]

im 23 and went to film school and learned a few things but not much in the way of actual 'film'. Everythihg was miniDV oriented. I now have a $22,000 + loan to pay off and no connections with anyone in the industry. Basically im working a stupid job, saving some money for a camera and am gonna build on that gradualy.

 

I dont really see that as a bad thing. Im not interested in being rich or having money for any other reason than to make movies with, so no matter what level I'm at its gonna be fun because learning and discovering is what essentially the whole thing is about. I dont care if im 50 when i make my first feature.

[Michael Collier]

Asking this question does not speak to the talent or history of the person considering the question.

 

Should someone who decided they like films enough to make them at age 17 or 18 (or after their 3d freshman year as a business major) go to film school....HELL YEAH! the learning curve is too steep, to unfamiliar that you need someone there to guide you through a short.

 

Now consider someone who has been making shorts since they were 8. At age 13 they build thier first NLE and start doing freelance videos for friends and for paying clients, while making movies for fun and for every school project possible. At age 16 they call up a summer camp asking to create a new job for them, where they would make shoot the weekly events and have a 30 minute video cut in time to make 40 copies to sell by the last day of the week. At age 17 they make their first feature. 18,19, and 22 they make their 2,3, and 4 feature respectivley. By age 21 they are working in the news, to soak up every bit of practicle experience on photography and storytelling. And by 23 they own enough books on cinematography and film making to outweigh their car (most of those books are falling apart from use)

 

 

Learning film is such a personal thing that a blanket question like this is impracticle to answer. Some kids are idiot sivants who just know this stuff. Some people are incredibly adept at learning in a school environment, but they need a teacher, a fall back. Some people work and fail enough times to where they start succeeding. If there are 1000 people who post here who work full time as DoP on 35mm film shoots (I dont...yet) there are probably 1000 paths to the point they are at. Art is too difficult of an endevor to pigeon hole into one path.

 

 

 

(obviously I borrowed events from my life to illistrate my point. I was making $200/day shooting and editting snowboard/snowmachine videos when I was 13. My dad thought I was selling drugs. BTW, the camp was camp Gorsuch, the guy who answered the phone when I was nervous as hell, just dying for a steady ENG job, was Scott Powell. You might have heard of him last year, when the 4 Boy Scouts from Alaska were killed in the electrical accident at the jamboree. He was one of them. I still wear my staff jacket everyday its warm enough in memory of the first person to take a chance on me.)

[Stuart McCammon]

Capt. Video,

 

One route you forgot was mine:

 

1) Graduate with a degree in Drama, and after an "Oh crud!" moment realizing actors make no money, decide to get into production

2) Score your first PA job through your accountant's son, who doesn't hire you but refers you to a few production companies

3) Build that into producing TV commercials (tiny 35mm films)

 

Also, I just met somebody who dropped $30,000 on a first film (instead of film school) that has major problems in post because of screwups made while shooting, doesn't have the $ to finish his film, and doesn't know what an Arri SR2 is.

 

In the end, I think any path will do, but film school produces a more consistent product - YMMV)