Getting started...

December 1, 2004

i posted this in general discussion before seeing this forum, so i'll throw it in here as well.

hi, i was just wondering what is the best way to get started in this business.

i'm 20 years old and currently a sophomore in an advertising program, but i would rather be in the film industry, preferrably directing. i was wondering what the best way to get started in that would be. i have a decent amount of film knowledge and a huge desire to learn. i have started writing screenplays, but i dunno what else to do. i want to leave my school and attend a more serious film school to learn the ropes and everything that i need to know, but i dunno what to look for. what is a good school for someone with little hands on experience?

i assume that i'll have to move out of jersey if i want to do anything with it, but when and where do i move? i assume LA, but is that really nessecary?

please don't think of me as just another naive kid who thinks he has what it takes.

thanks for any help you can give...

David Mullen ASC · December 1, 2004

I went to film school when I was 27 after a decade of making short films, so I pretty much knew what I wanted to do but felt I needed some direction to move forward.

So I'm not so much of the belief that you go off to film school (which can be quite expensive) to then find out if you really want to make films or not. Make a few short films first so you can know whether this is what you want to do, THEN consider if film school would move you forward towards a career.

Cris Moris · December 2, 2004

I don't think you have to move out New Jersey having New York at your door step. New York is a great place to start and learn everything you need to learn. In the end you'll end up using the same language and the same tools weather you are in New York or Los Angeles or any other city for that matter. A dolly is a dolly no matter were you are. An AD is going to always have an army of assistants and PA's and will be hated on set.

Anyhow, I suggest you finish your program where you are, and focus on filmmaking on your own. Take courses that deal with film theory and history, as well as some that have a technical side, and maybe some that deal with the business side.

Ultimately you have to ask yourself what about film interests you and what you want to do. There are hundreds of different jobs in the industry from screenwriting to production accounting to being a driver to a carpenter, etc...

Focus your energy on what interests you about the industry.

December 2, 2004

thanks for the help guys. i think i will finish my program here, but im gonna change my major to Radio, Tv, Film. its a major that is pretty much an overview of video and audio media. i'm also joining the cinema workshop here at school. it's an organization of students here that get together to write and produce short films. there are advisors and they greenlight scripts and projects. i think it'll really help me out seeing what i want to do. i find myself mostly interested in directing and writing. i dunno. we'll see what happens...