Does anyone else feel...

[Surreal Pictures]

Howdy out there all my camera carryin comrades. I love watching movies almost as much as I love making them (even though I dont have anything on this site, but keep checkin back, I just found out about this place), and I've made plenty of stuff and would love to do something in that business for the rest of my life.

 

[Surreal Pictures]

Howdy out there all my camera carryin comrades. I love watching movies almost as much as I love making them (even though I dont have anything on this site, but keep checkin back, I just found out about this place), and I've made plenty of stuff and would love to do something in that business for the rest of my life.

 

[Surreal Pictures]

Anyways, getting back to what I was saying before my gay computer automatically posted that...

I was just wondering if anybody feels the same way I do about film schools. I think theyre bunk and a huge waste of your parents cash. I'm a senior in high school and I've had to think a lot about what I want to do after high school. Going to a film school has always been my dream, but I dont know what they can teach you at some school that you can't learn yourself or figure out yourself if youre talented enough. It just seems that a lot of people I know that go to film school end up spending more than $70000, and end up becoming ice cream men or something.

Paul Thomas Anderson, who is one of my favorite directors of all time, and a truly brilliant film maker has spoken out about this subject. In an interview he did while promoting "Magnolia", he stated that "There's nothing you can get there that you can't get somewhere else for a much cheaper cost. You can rent a camera and buy film. They show you movies you can see anywhere. They're going to show you Citizen Kane, and you'll only feel intimidated that you can't do something that good."

http://www.ptanderson.com/articlesandinterviews/usatoday.htm

I guess the bottom line is that if you have enough talent to make amazing movies, theres no reason to go to a film school, and a lot of the people that go to film schools are just living in a fantasy world believeing theyre going to graduate and hit the jackpot by helming some big film project. I think you can get into that business without going to some school as long as you have what it takes

I hope I dont piss off anybody that goes to a film school (half the people on here), but I was just wondering if anybody felt the same way.

 

[Lucky7]

personally(and I am a senior in high school too). I think success in the Biz is NOT the only reason to go to film school. The college Experience, i.e. being out on your own, living in a dorm, meeting people, LEARNING new things in a range of subjects... is what I want. In college I will gain a broader knowledge about the world and bout writing and people as a whole that will aid to my films. It gives experience and depth- somethign a lot of movies lack unfortunately.
I'm not saying great movies can't be made outside of film school and a university- they sure can... BUT your missing out on an experience, connections, people and a broader knowledge base. What if you somehow didn't make it? the one with a degree is bound to be getting a better job than ice cream man than the one with only a GED or a highschool diploma.
IT depends on a person individually.
But film school is NOT pointless

All my life I have been lucky- I wonder how long this streak will go and If it will make me famous *wink wink*

 

[Cyos]

So why not go to college and learn something useful as a backup? That's what I'm doing. I'm getting a degree in computer science and making films at the same time. That way if my filmmaking ambitions don't immediately come to fruition I can get a good job.

 

[Mcrukker]

College is more than just the degree and to stay away from film school cause some director you like is poo-pooing it is silly. If you have the opportunity to go you owe it to yourself and to all the people who can't, to have the balls to go. Sure it's expensive, but the access to equipment and talet far outweighs any downside to it. And besides your family and freinds are gonna start getting sick of starring in your short films when your a thirty five year old high school graduate.

 

[Surreal Pictures]

Mcrukker, are you like, 8 years old or something? I dont know, just wondering.

 

[Surreal Pictures]

Oh yeah, and by the way, I never said I wasnt going to college, I just said I wasnt going to film school.

 

[TizzyEntertainment]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Riggsy:
Oh yeah, and by the way, I never said I wasnt going to college, I just said I wasnt going to film school.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Now thats silly. If your going to college anyway, go to film school. Even if you dont graduate with a film degree, take some classes and atleast learn the basics. Do you know what "crossing the line" means? Can you define what a Medium shot, or an establishing shot are, and why they are important? If not, you need to learn. Now you can learn these things without film school, but that isnt the only reason to go.

I am a huge Robert Rodriguez fan, and he has been a big "dont bother going to film school" advocate, but I found my film school experience very rewarding. I went to a small school, and was ambitious. In the end it was basically an opportunity to use equipment and resources I otherwise would not have had. I now have a feature being made from one of my shorts, all ecause of a relationship I formed with a professor there.

On top of all that, your in Georgia and the Savanah Arts College has a great program with some amazing equipment. They actually have a facility to do dolby 5.1 surround sound mixing. You will never get more out of film school then you put in, so you have to be passionate. You have to take the reigns and set goals that you want to accomplish while there. If the school hindes you from these goals, then never mind. Chances are however, it will prove a valuable resource. Good luck on your decision.
R. Michael

"Luck, is when opportunity, meets preperation." "There are 3 sides to every story. Yours, mine, and the truth, and none of us are lying" -Robert Evans

 

[video_filmmaker]

I'd go to Film school. Wether or not you have talent film school helps you learn things that you dont learn naturally. Those people that claim that film school is a waste of time are the ones that know they aren't good enough for it or dont have the $$$ and express their anger by claiming that it's pointless to make themselves feel better. Of all the film school graduates I've met none claim that it was pointless.

 

[BSPEED]

your film degree may get you more than a job selling frozen treats to kids, but that doesn't mean it'll be much better... i personally know people who have graduated film school and do nothing more than shoot video for one of those places were you can swim with the dolphins or manatees. a degree in any subject doesnt promise anything in and of itself. however, if given the opportunity to go to film school, i would say 'yes' for sure. however, if film school was out of a price range, or if the limited access has left you out by chance, there is nothing wrong here either. there are other majors that would contribute greatly to your entertainment industry goals. it is normal for people to jump from one type of job to another. getting where you want to be is never a straight shot, and it certainly takes many steps too. just getting a degree in film is a baby step, the same baby step that one in writing, tv prod., digital media, etc. would be. all could potentially lead to jobs in the same genre, and/or lead eventually to similar locations. i find no need to knock filmschool goers, i myself am not one, but don't care. i applaud the efforts of rodriguez and smith and people who never went to, or ever finished film school and have become successful, yet i feel happiness and success should go hand in hand, and 'making it big' should never be a priority. having a passion for the medium will get you farther than any piece of paper from a university. but again, if given the opportunity to learn at a film school, i don't know why anyone would intentionally deny it.

 

[BSPEED]

also, not getting into a film school, or choosing not to go, has nothing to do with being 'good enough' by any means. film schools get more than double the applicants each year than they could ever successfully educate. they deny many qualified applicants simply b/c they can only select a certain amount. to think that just b/c you were accepted to a school means you are above or potentially better than someone who didn't get in is a complete misunderstanding. those same people getting denied may come up to kick some ass later on... beware

 

[Surreal Pictures]

Gee, I guess more than %50 of the people on here go to film school. More like %80 or something. Oh well. Maybe I should have posted something like this on some other site. Even though it makes for a good conversation starter on a site like this, right?

And don't automatically assume that I'm not going because I dont have the money or because I dont think I'm good enough and I'm angry about it. Anyone who makes some comment like that sounds like a jackass elementary school playground bully.

Like I said, I don't wanna piss people off. Were all friends here, and were all here because of one thing we have in common, we love making movies.

And excuse my comment about the only job you can get is being an ice-cream man. I hope nobody took that too literally. Just a joke fellas, just a joke.

Thanks for everybodys thoughts anyways.

 

[Surreal Pictures]

I just realized there's a ton of other subjects like this in the film school forum. I probably shouldnt have started a new subject and just added my two cents into some other guys. Oh well, excuse me while I go into the other room and hit my forehead on the wall until I pass out.

 

[TizzyEntertainment]

Riggsy: Dont feel bad. It is an important question to ask. Deciding to go to film school is an important decision. Now I went to film school, but i do not have a degree. Chances are I never will have one before I "make it" but I still got alot out of my short time there. Alot of valuable lessons learned. Dont think NYU is the only option. I made a community college ( www.pbcc.edu/filmtv )work very well for me. Its alot easier to be a big fish in a small pond. I say explore your options (especially that school in Georgia) Good luck, feel free to ask questions as needed.
R. M.

"Luck, is when opportunity, meets preperation." "There are 3 sides to every story. Yours, mine, and the truth, and none of us are lying" -Robert Evans

 

[JASONvb]

Dont be dumb. College is so important, and people who want more in their lives than "Ice cream man" are gonna be better off with a degree, whether it is in Film and critical studies or underwater basket weaving. A degree is what will get you through life. If you never make it in the field that your degree was for, that degree alone will put you way above the people without degrees.

It does have some logic to say that going to a huge film school like USC or NYU, that that might be a waste of money, because you will be paying over 40k a year, but if you find a nice school you want to go to that has a film program, then thats will do you just fine. Yes, being a film graduate from USC or NYU is a big portfolio piece, but that doesnt mean thats going to take you where your dreams go. You have to demonstrate it yourself. Your boss is not gonnna give a rat's ass if you graduated from USC if you cant get to work on time, or if you cant do anything good.

If you want to go into this tough and VERY competitive industry, it would be a very good idea to go to film school. To say that you dont need to go to film school because you think you dont need it, I think, is very arrogant. When i hear that, that pisses me off. People who are stuck up like that, usually have nothing to brag about, in my experience. They cant do ****.

So 1st choice, get a Degree in film.

2nd choice, get a degree, period.

that degree will pull you through life, and serve as a backup plan.

Listen to the guys who responded to you on this thread. They said good things. Dont you dare say crap like "what, are you 8 yars old?" or other junk like that. You dont get any respect, and besides, your a junior member... You have no place comin here and actin like da **** and tellin people off.

Just a word of advice.

"This is your life, and it's ending one minute at a time"

 

[Surreal Pictures]

Gee, I sure am sorry, I guess my whole "I dont want to piss anybody off" thing didn't work out the way I originally intended it to.

I guess I'm not da **** after all, thanks so much for showing me the light JASONvb. I guess it wouldnt be right to tell off people that make remarks like "stay away from film school cause some director you like is poo-pooing it is silly". I guess I just don't have what it takes to be in such a tough business. It sure is tough being a weak junior member with such screwed up priorities. Golly, thats all I can say. Golly.

Can we start posting positive encouraging comments instead of people just telling me to shut the f*** up. It just seems like I would take advice much better from someone that doesn't rag on so called "junior members", namely, most of the people who have posted so far. I'm not trying to pick a fight, but I guess some people are making my choice to not go to a film school a much more personal issue than it needs to be.

Perhaps using the word "bunk" to describe film school was just a little too much for some. Forgive me.

You are what you love, not what loves you.

 

[Surreal Pictures]

Gee, I sure am sorry, I guess my whole "I dont want to piss anybody off" thing didn't work out the way I originally intended it to.

I guess I'm not da **** after all, thanks so much for showing me the light JASONvb. I guess it wouldnt be right to tell off people that make remarks like "stay away from film school cause some director you like is poo-pooing it is silly". I guess I just don't have what it takes to be in such a tough business. It sure is tough being a weak junior member with such screwed up priorities. Golly, thats all I can say. Golly.

Can we start posting positive encouraging comments instead of people just telling me to shut the f*** up. It just seems like I would take advice much better from someone that doesn't rag on so called "junior members", namely, most of the people who have posted so far. I'm not trying to pick a fight, but I guess some people are making my choice to not go to a film school a much more personal issue than it needs to be.

Perhaps using the word "bunk" to describe film school was just a little too much for some. Forgive me.

 

[Surreal Pictures]

Oh man, theres another one of those junior member screw ups. Posting the exact same thing twice? I can't believe it. I am truly dumb and deserve no respect.

 

[Cyos]

Spielburg was denied admission to USC twice. Never got in.