Are you thinking about going to film school? If you are considering whether or not to go to one of the ever-increasing number of film schools out there , then there are several factors to consider and decide whether it is the right choice for you.
Firstly, is it a practical film school?
A practical element within your course will enable you to experience all the areas of production and assess your strengths and weaknesses as you go along. Most good ’film’ schools consist of term length projects where all the students rotate roles on a short film production in order to build up that valuable experience of the different creative and technical areas.
In general a more Media type course will involve more theory based class work which examines aspects of film plus television advertising and radio. Very little practical experience will be gained from a course such as this.
At the end of a practical course you will emerge with a show-reel of your work which in the real world is the only thing that counts when looking for a job. Prospective employers want to see evidence of talent and practical skill not a piece of paper with a media degree written on it.
Do you know what you want to do?
If you have a specific idea of the area you want to learn about then a film school is a good choice. You can choose to specialise, in say, directing, cinematography or editing and focus all your energy there.
How confident are you?
You may have a real passion for all things movie but yet you’re not quite sure of your ability, knowledge personal identity and so on. This is completely normal of course because confidence comes with experience and know-how. Here, again, film school would be a good choice as it will allow you to build your confidence through the class assignments, without the fear of being fired for being incompetent!
Are you good at making friends?
Film production is all about teamwork. That means learning to listen and incorporate the ideas of other people and also having to sell your own idea and vision when you need other people to help you. Developing the essential skill of artistic compromise is necessary and will stand you in god stead for the future. Plus you will be meeting all the other film-makers of tomorrow, it would be better to make sure they become your friends rather than your enemies.
Is it right for you?
Film schools are found in countries all over the world. Sometimes there are as many as several good schools in one city. As well as this there are the numerous college programs, university degrees and smaller classes ran outside those normal institutions. Now this is quite a lot of potential film and televisions students graduating and leaving there respective courses each year, each term and each semester. That sounds like a lot of competition. However, if you are good you will more than likely rise to the top. If you’re not as good you can still make a nice living doing what you love with all the skills you’ve learnt. Just remember, if you would rather go home at 7pm rather than stay till midnight and help paint the set for tomorrow morning people may question your commitment and reliability. Like everything else, you will get out of film school what you put into it.
To summarise the benefits of Film schools:
- Develops confidence, practical knowledge and experience across the different disciplines
- Allow you to learn and express your ideas in a safe, supportive environment.
- Produces a foundation show-reel of your work so far.
- Learn teamwork and the art of compromise.
- Build a network of people at the same level as you, who will go to work in the industry.