Plan for my future

grahamstanly · May 24, 2007

Hey all i am going into my senior year of hs, and Ive been making shorts and in film classes for all 4 years of my highschool, I have always wanted to go to a film school, but now im not sure if film school is the way i want to go. I have been working my butt of making shorts, many of them people have liked quite a bit, i purchaced, a cannon xh-a1 and i have been going crazy. this summer i am going to shoot a short on about a 7000 dollar budget which is a lot for me. I have been taking film classes, and I have been told my first year of film school would be a waste of money because i will know most of the things they teach. I am thinking of getting a degree in business, so I have the option of beeing a producer. while still working on shorts, and interning on sets, ect. then hopefully I will be able to get some payed jobs, as AD, or DP while i am still in college. I have a few contacts already that i have worked with before that are currently doing industry work, like commercials and tv. So hopefully thats not a stupid idea, some feedback on my plan would be much appreciated.

Thanks for all the help!

Lana Loukota · May 24, 2007

Sorry, i can't help, but I wonder the same thing and would like to add my own question to this thread: Does getting into the filmmaking business with a bigtime film company require film school, or just knowledge and experience.

I mean, do you have to have a piece of paper saying "hey I know this stuff" :rolleyes: or will experience be enough.. just wondering, because I never plan to go to filmschool, but I am getting into filmaking, jumping into a no budget project and teaching myself, learning with friends through experiments (and learning from this forum and some books) how to do makeup, lighting, plan shots and camera angles, etc... But no college credit hours. Does that matter?

May 24, 2007

"Does getting into the filmmaking business with a bigtime film company require film school, or just knowledge and experience. "

As what a washroom cleaner or secretary?

Young people should not delude them selves into thinking that they'll get some sort of steady pay check from Dreamworks as a filmmaker. Film school or no film school. The industry isn't like that.

No industry on the planet has more people that want to be in it than film, and every one assumes they can do it. You never hear people say, "I'm going off to LA to be a brain surgeon."

Sorry to be so harsh but reality bites at times. The number of starving people in this business is incredible. Hard work and talent does not always equal success, that is a sad fact in this business.

You should pursue your dreams of course, with realistic & attainable goals. With a back up plan to support your self if you can't make a living in film.

R,

grahamstanly · May 25, 2007

Yes i do understand film industry dosnt equal fame and wealth nor, am i persueing those things. But based on your response richard, It seems like mabey haveing that buisness degree would be a benificial back up plan.

May 25, 2007

Yes absolutely, having training in a field other than film is a very necassary and smart thing to do.

Want the ultimate film plan? Become a doctor, then pursue a career in film. That way you can get access to the money you'll need to make films, plus you can quit film at any time and go back to being a doctor.

R,