Explore Then Specialize

One of the great things about film school is that it gives you the chance to explore different areas of film and television production. During the first year or two I always advise students to try the unfamiliar and take risks with different roles, styles and techniques. Perhaps you thought before enrolling you wanted to be a director but after you do the lighting for a film you realize you love cinematography. Or perhaps you never worked with sound before and find yourself spending hours and hours creating amazing soundscapes for something you or a friend shot. One thing to be sure you delve into is screenwriting.

While a discipline in itself that is separate from production, being familiar with story and screenplay and tv structure is very important for anyone working in the film or television business. It is through experimenting that you can see where your natural strengths and weaknesses lie. Remember, although many people are in film school have dreamed all their lives of being a great Director or Producer, the vast majority of time you must work your way up through the industry by working in a specific area.

Eventually, through various ways you can make the leap to Directing or Producing your own projects. The ways to go about making that leap is complex enough for many articles so we won’t go into that here, but it is a good idea to have an idea of what kind of position you want after you graduate and hone your skills in school for that specific role while you are still a student.

Network

The Film and Television industries are very social industries. The vast majority of people in ‘the business’ work with many of the same people over and over again and it is all based on friendships and close working relationships. Film school is your first opportunity to create a starting network that you will then leverage when out of school to make the leap into the legitimate industry. Make sure to be involved in as many clubs and go to as many functions as you can. Make your goal to meet every person in your class, as well as the classes above and below you.

The larger your network of potential contacts and friends then the greater your source will be to find out about jobs in the industry. Also, it is a good idea to work on as many fellow student films as possible so you can both meet the other students as well is see who the most talented at specific roles are. This is especially useful if you plan to direct a thesis or do a production after graduation and want to hire friends that are the best at what they do for your production.

Internships

Internships can be an incredible resource for the aspiring film and television careerist. Through internships you can not only get great experience in an area you are interested in, but you can also create great relationships that often lead to your first job out of school. Also, for those thinking of moving to NY or LA that go to school outside of those areas, an internship with a recognized company is a great thing to have on your resume to stand out from the crowd and land your first gig. The more specialized your interest and the more specific you can make your internship to ’shape’ your resume the better.

Thesis/Final Project

Depending on the Film and Television program you are in, you might have the opportunity to do either a Thesis or Final project. Often this involves Directing, Writing and sometimes Producing your own project along with other students as part of your ‘crew’. This project can be used for several purposes depending on how well done it is and what format and length it is in. Some use it as a chance to enter short or if long enough, feature film festivals. Still others use it as a way of showing off the particular talents that they are good at.

This could be a short film that has very exquisite and complicated lighting scenarios or camera work for those trying to get into cinematography or camera operation. Or it can be a very well directed or art directed film for those careers. Just as you kept the ‘big picture’ in mind of what your intention is after graduation, the ‘Final Project’ can be a key part in your ‘portfolio’ to obtain work or a job after graduation. For more great information about film schools please visit www.USCfilmschool.com

Also, for more great articles and insight visit http://www.BrutalFilm.com

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The Location

NYU’s film school is located in Greenwich Village on the island of Manhattan in New York City. Going to school in such an urban location offers both positives and negatives. On a positive note, New York City is your campus and therefore you are in the mix of all the limitless cafes, stores, famous locations, iconic neighborhoods and interesting New York personalities that the city is famous for.

On the negative side, also, New York City is your campus so you don’t have the ‘protected campus experience’ you would have at a school with a closed off dedicated campus. In my opinion I viewed living, taking classes and making films in NYC to be a tremendous advantage. Where else would you get such great inspiration and material to draw from than in one of the greatest cities in the world. The only negative would be if you wanted to get out of the city to shoot or just to get some quiet away from the hustle of the city. It’s hard to keep a car in the city without spending a fortune but subways and trains can take you just about anywhere you need to go affordably.

The Curriculum

NYU Film School’s curriculum consists of classes in all the major areas of the filmmaking process. There are classes in sound, editing, writing, television technology and finally group classes where you make films together in small crews. Generally, as you move through the program the projects you work on become more complex. In beginning film classes you might make black and white 8mm or short videos.

As you progress you make longer and more complex projects and can choose between experimental type or narrative films. Generally students are given a certain amount of tape or film stock and the basic equipment such as lights and dollies that one would need. If a student wishes to make something that requires more complex props and/or equipment then they need to provide the funding themselves.

Generally, every student that wants to can direct their own films with other students acting as crew members on their films and vice versa. NYU has a good selection of equipment. It is not always the latest technology and technology changes so frequently, especially when it comes to video, but in general you won’t be lacking for anything. They have ample editing facilities running from old steenbeck for film splicing to computer systems for use of final draft and adobe premier. Again, if a student wishes to shoot more footage than the school is willing to supply film or video for the student can pay for additional developing, etc.

The Professors

Generally I found the professors to be competent with a few ‘exceptional’ ones thrown in. They are all working professionals with some more successful than others. In some classes you also have guest lecturers and occasionally famous alumni will teach a class such as Spike Lee or Woody Allen. Each week the school hosts film screenings and the director or producers of the film will show up to discuss with the class and take questions about how the film was put together and the history of making the film. These are great opportunities to network with successful alumni and often previous graduates of the program show up to watch these screenings so they are a great way to make contacts.

After Graduation.

Where I felt the NYU Film Program fell a little short was in career planning and direction. They didn’t dedicate a whole lot of time to teaching you how to build a career after you graduated. This is one of the flaws I have found in most film programs. Luckily, NYU has so many graduates that work in the industry that if you are proactive you should easily be able to find successful graduates willing to sit down and speak with you about your ‘after graduation’ game plan.

In recent years the school has been good at building up its active alumni organization on both the East and West coasts so whether you decide to be based in New York or Los Angeles you can utilize this resource to create a network for yourself which is very important. Overall, I found the NYU Film School experience to be a good one for those wanting a generalized education in different aspects of filmmaking before embarking on a career.

Film school, while it can be a great launching point for some people, is not right for everyone. There are a host of things to consider before spending the time and money on a film school. To learn more about how to make this decision please visit www.USCfilmschool.com.

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The bulletin is a booklet (or book, in some cases) that breaks down the classes and resources offered by the school. It is updated and issued to students every academic year. Bulletins are typically be mailed to prospective students upon request, but many film schools have them online.

If you are applying to a large university, request the bulletin of the school that the film program is located in. For example, the film school at NYU is located in Tisch School of the Arts (TSOA), so you would request TSOA’s bulletin. Actually, there are three film programs at NYU, located in TSOA, the School of Journalism, and The School of Professional Studies. From this you can see why it’s important to request the correct school bulletin.

Again, a lot of this can be found online. Just keep in mind that the larger schools can be a maze of interconnected websites. To save time, you might try The Film School Reporter’s US and international film school directories (link below).

Perhaps better than reviewing the film school’s bulletin is calling them directly with your questions. We don’t recommend calling admissions. They are too far removed from actual film instruction and production, so their answers will be too general. The same goes for advisers and counselors.

What we recommend is that you call a member of the film faculty or production staff. They are in the best position to give you an inside look at the film school. Go through the points below with them. You’ll find that they are not out to “sell” the school and their answers will be surprisingly blunt.

Here is the checklist:

Equipment
What type of production and post-production equipment does the film school have? How often is it upgraded? This second question is most important. You don’t want to learn filmmaking on outdated gear. This can be determined by researching the school’s camera models online. Look carefully at the digital video cameras. Are they high definition (HD) or standard definition (SD). Standard definition equipment is fast becoming obsolete.

If they teach film in addition to video, is it 16mm, Super 16, or 35mm? 35mm is a big plus because Hollywood is reluctant to give up this format. On the other hand, 16mm and Super 16 have little value except as a stepping stone to 35mm.

Film Faculty
Are there any award winners? Check their credentials in the bulletin, and then crosscheck them online against the Internet Movie Data Base. You’ll be surprised by what you find.

Filmmaking Courses
Do they cover the areas that you want to specialize in (e.g., narrative, documentary, experimental, TV production, etc.). If you want to make documentary films but the school specializes in narrative production, you don’t want to discover this on the first day of class!

Ties to the Industry
What are the film school’s ties to the industry? Do they have successful (i.e., famous) guest speakers, faculty, or advisers?

Student Films
Are the school’s student films available for your review? Some schools issue them on DVD, while others put them online. Take a look-see. It will give you an idea of the type of filmmaking the school fosters, as well as its caliber. Are there award winning films in the archives? Successful alumni?

Student Exchange Programs
This is not for everyone, but it might be important to you if you have a desire to experience international technologies and film education.

Career Opportunities
Does the school have a student internship program or job placement program for graduates? There are two points not mentioned above that you should consider, both revolving around money. First, if the school you are considering is out of town, you must factor in the cost of living in a dorm or apartment during the course of your studies.

Second, you must consider the cost of making student films. Unlike, other academic programs, which only require books and supplies, film courses require that you make movies, which can be quite expensive. Some schools offer “allotments” to help defray the cost of production, but it is usually only a fraction of the actual expense. So, in addition to tuition, add on the cost of housing and making student films.

We hope this guide is helpful in researching the right film school for you.

-Antonio Fox

Visit Film School Juice! http://www.FilmSchoolJuice.com, dedicated to the art and craft of filmmaking for beginners and film students.

Here are links to the film school directories mentioned above: Best International Film Schools Directory and Best US Film Schools Directory.

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There is no doubt about the fact that the film industry is the broadest and the most creative field out there but making the cut in this cut throat industry is no easy task. With an array of great film schools out there that appreciate and nurture the dreams of people who are interested in making films, you cannot help your career better than getting yourself in one such place. People who have been trained with high quality film programs will have a greater scope in the movie making industry as it will provide the perfect platform for the big life.

The career scope of an individual who has successfully completed his or her film courses will be a fabulous one as such a person can enter film production companies, film studios, government film making departments and advertising agencies. If you have a really strong vision or a desire to bring on the big screen then you can go ahead and become a film director, film producer, film editor, etc and start your own freelance career. A number of film seminars are also available for new comers in this industry to learn the tricks of the trade and keep one updated about the latest advances in the industry.

Undergoing training with the best film courses will undoubtedly help you in learning all the aspects of various areas of film production like development, physical production and post production procedures to financing, legal issues, film distribution and film festivals. The best film schools will also teach you digital design, animation, visual effects, film and TV acting, game design, film promotion, sound design, makeup design and more. With such specialized training you will definitely hold an edge over other untrained artists.

Being artistic is one quality that most people aspiring to make a mark in this industry will possess and getting training with good film courses is the only way to beat the competition. Another great aspect to attending film schools is that it helps you greatly in gaining technical skills that are required to understand not only your core interest area but the supporting areas whose knowledge is required to be good at your job. Becoming a well rounded and trained professional in this industry will not only ensure you to achieve your targets but will also help you to understand the entire procedure involved in converting your crude concepts to a refined production.

Creativity is one quality that can create miraculous events in one’s life and creativity in the area of film making can be converted into a reality by attending great film schools. Geared with the correct knowledge and expertise no one will be able to stop you from walking the red carpet with the confidence of a true film maker.

Erick von Schulz is author of this article on FIlm seminars. Find more information about Film programs here.

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There is a 50 / 50 split when it comes to opinions about the importance of film schools. Some filmmakers say that film school is a waste of time because it is so focused on theory and that students should be in the field creating films and not in a classroom trying to interpret other filmmaker’s films.

The other 50% say that film school is a valuable asset for filmmakers because it allows filmmakers to learn all of the ropes of filmmaking. They won’t just learn about cinematography. They’ll learn about theory, budgeting, screenwriting, composition, lighting, directing actors, marketing your films and so on. Likewise, they argue that film school allows them access to a huge assortment of talent and equipment that would otherwise be too expensive to buy or rent.

To truth is that film school is good for some and not as good for others. Many people who against going to film school have achieved their education on the sets of music videos, commercials and films. For them their education was very hands on and practical. However, others who haven’t had access to big productions, film school may be of more importance. It will give you a crash course in the artistic and technical elements of the craft.

Likewise film schools differ in various ways from one another. Some filmmakers really want to get into the theory of it and don’t mind taking a 4 year degree program. Others are eager to get out in the field and start working. For them, 4 years is too long to be stuck in a classroom and they opt for a shorter 3 – 12 month program that will teach them the fundamentals and send them on their way.

Choosing a film school is no easy task. It usually involves a big financial and time commitment. The most important thing to do before enrolling in a film program is to ask yourself what your goals are. What do you see yourself doing in 1 to 5 years from now? Then ask yourself about the smartest way to achieve that goal. You may realize that the connections and hands on training that a film school provides is just what you’re looking for as a future filmmaker.

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