What if one has a BA in something totally different...

Liam Howlett · October 1, 2010

I'm currently studying Informational Technology as an undergrad, but I've always had a strong passion for visuals. So I photograph and shoot videos when I have the time, on the side.

Would it still be possible to get into a film school with an IT degree and do an MFA program in cinematography for example? Or will they not accept me?

Thanks for answering.

Ben J · October 1, 2010

I'm currently studying Informational Technology as an undergrad, but I've always had a strong passion for visuals. So I photograph and shoot videos when I have the time, on the side.

Would it still be possible to get into a film school with an IT degree and do an MFA program in cinematography for example? Or will they not accept me?

Thanks for answering.

Check with the school(s). I think in the US it is pretty common to go onto a graduate program and have an unrelated undergraduate degree.

Edited October 1, 2010 by Ben Herbertson

Phil Rhodes · October 1, 2010

If it's any consolation, I did a degree that taught me how to be a web programmer, which turned out to be a gigantic waste of time as I then graduated directly into the dotcom crunch.

Didn't try to go to film school with it, but I can't remember a camera or edit client ever caring. They just want a good reel.

That said a bit of software engineering background never hurts these days.

John Sprung · October 1, 2010

I have a BA and MA in mathematics from UCLA. It never did any harm that I can detect. In the business, nobody cares about degrees. A PhD from a place like Oxford or MIT would be a curiosity, any lesser degree is irrelevant.

-- J.S.

Liam Howlett · October 2, 2010

I have a BA and MA in mathematics from UCLA. It never did any harm that I can detect. In the business, nobody cares about degrees. A PhD from a place like Oxford or MIT would be a curiosity, any lesser degree is irrelevant.

-- J.S.

Understandable, I just didn't know whether film schools really care if you had a BA in Film when someone applied to do MFA in cinematography.

To me, I already know enough about film just by watching, reading, and shooting a lot of photos and videos. If I had a short 'reel' that I would put together of my works - and I mean "good, impressive" reel, and send it out to a school like AFI for instance - would they go "He has potential" or would they go "Yeah that looks nice, but you have a BA in IT, and such so we can't take you in" - I hear majority of people who get into AFI are people who already have on set experience.. so then I'd be screwed unless I apply to be a PA on some local productions that would come through town?

Brian Drysdale · October 2, 2010

There's no reason that you can't make your own films, which can just as complex as those made on most film schools, with just a large a crew. It really depends on what AFI mean by "on set experience", it could be a means of filtering out people who are straight out of film school, but who don't have any industry experience. You should check with them.

A friend of mine has a degree in computer science and he's now a TV drama film editor, but he was heavily involved in making films (in the days when this was 16mm) in the university's cine society (This was later restarted, but it's now the Movie Making Society - this was before "indie" became hip).

David Mullen ASC · October 2, 2010

I have a BA in English Lit from UCLA, an MFA in FIlmmaking from CalArts.

October 2, 2010

To me, I already know enough about film just by watching, reading, and shooting a lot of photos and videos.

Uh huh. <_<

R,

Liam Howlett · October 2, 2010

Uh huh. <_<

R,

I obviously didn't mean it like that. I have a basic fundamental understanding of everything. It's not like I woke up one day and watched 10 movies and said "Hey I know movies". If that came off wrong, my bad for wording it that way. But I think I got the answer to my question anyway. Thanks all