Why Chapman University is the best school for the aspiring indie filmmaker

[Bob A]

Jeremiah could beet up Arney. Jeremiah could beat up God.

Hoeks - how does he know everyone he does?

Who's Chapman's industry liason?

 

[Ryandbc]

It really depends on what you want to do. For most jobs nobody cares about school, they care about your reel/experience. My father currently has a NYU grad working for him in a retail store making 8 bucks an hour. I graduated from state school in video production and got a job as an Avid editor right away, making more than double that.

However if you want to direct or write a name like NYU is going to help... but your reel still has to be great. When I worked in New York for a summer most directors/producers went to school for history, english, business etc. The advice they gave me was to quit school, get my reel/writing portfolio together and move from Connecticut.

With that said I am looking very seriously at Chapman for Grad school. The producing program looks to be top notch- it will be tough between that and the production program. NYU would be great but I could never afford it in a million years and wouldn't want to put that financial burden on my fiance... at Chapman at least you get amazing equipment and use of it for personal work on top of a good education.

 

[mmrempen]

As far as reputation goes, here's my two cents.

I agree with DomRicco that connections are what it's all about. Of course, NYU, with an established name, will be able to get you connections faster.

Here's the thing, though. When it comes to it, what attribute about your education would you rather than a potention employer look at - the name of your school, or your abilities?

I abhor the idea of people going to a school because of a name. That is, in my very humble opinion, being extremely irresponsible with your education. Take it seriously. Think about what you really want, and what you really want people to see in you.

 

[titaniumdoughnut]

Absolutely. The name is just a bonus. I didn't even think about, or fully grasp, the significance of the NYU name when I was considering schools.

 

[Evan Kubota]

"For most jobs nobody cares about school, they care about your reel/experience."

No they don't. At most starting level jobs no one will request or see your reel

 

[Hoeks]

actually, i totaly disagree with most here

what counts most at a school are the professors in my opinion. they shaped me, they trained me.

 

[Ryandbc]

It depends on what kind of job you are applying to in terms of a request for a reel. If you apply for things like writing and editing, they will ask for one.
For crew they often times care about experience. Thats why I said they care about your reel or your experience or both.

And of course sometimes they don't care either way, as long as you work for very little if anything.

 

[mmrempen]

I agree, Hoeks, that professors are important. However, there is only so much you can learn in a classroom. What I'm saying is great about Chapman is the emphasis on both in-class lectures and education as well as real, on-set, hands-on experience.

For instance, today I learned to load a 16mm camera. I garuntee that kind of hands-on experience at a freshman level is just not available in most other schools.

Again, all I ask is that people look into Chapman. If there are facets you don't like, that is completely your choice.

 

[Bob A]

Phah! Who needs professors or reputation or education!!!!! I was hired by Mirimax as a major director straight out of preschool based solely on how cool I looked smoking a cigarette!

 

[Evan Kubota]

"For instance, today I learned to load a 16mm camera. I garuntee that kind of hands-on experience at a freshman level is just not available in most other schools."

School of eBay + experimentation What camera? Unless its a Panavision or old Mitchell most of them are not bad to load.

 

[Hoeks]

u kidding BOB! I had to buy my major Cinematography job on the next indiana jones on ebay! It cost me 32000 dollar but I think it will help my career!

By the way, who are you again in tisch? I think we had this before

 

[Bob A]

I'm Robin - I'm the freshman with the posters up everywhere saying "Rent my camera". And you?

 

[sidharth]

Well, if you ask an indian like me, i think i hv heard more abt NYU than Chapman but then yes its ones personal choice where ever he wants admission. Getting admittted in NYU is also not dat easy.
Ultimately, its wht u take out of school either frm orange or NY.
And evn if a school holds the right to keep ur films, u hv to be talented urself to produce more better stuff in future when u work independently or with a firm, cant stuck around with coll/univ for whole life.

Gosh, i jus get confused over best school arguments

 

[CJK]

Hey Sidharth...forgive my ignorance... but what is the film school scene like in india?
Is it large? Do you focus on hollywood and local styles of filming? IS it difficult to get in to?

 

[sidharth]

Hi CJK,
I wud have to admit that Film school scene in India is not that advanced. There are just 2-3 good reputed schools like FTI (Film and Television insititute of India, Pune). This is ranked as one of asia's best film schools and has all courses from 3 yr editing to direction etc.
But its too difficult to get into it (not 4 u), i tried twice but cudnt get into. Also there r jus 10-15 seats in each discipline.

US ofcourse offers more opputunities in terms of colleges, advanced techniques to learn etc.
I feel disappointed that i cudnt make it to any indian school. But i do feel lucky that i can afford to study in US unlike others and also learn the best upcoming technology frm states.

Well, when god closes 1 door, he surely opens another. This is wht mostly all children frm affluent families do, they either study at nyfa, ucla etc and den come back to india and work.

Bollywood ofcourse churns max number of films / yr than any oder country in world. We however lack strong stories, most of dem r monotonous n predictable.

If u ask me, i have full regards to Hollywood and the oscar judgement. Over here in india, i feel all awards are biased, everything can be so easily guessed and manipulated. The right kinda film is not appreciated and that so called film does well in internation film festivals.

u can easily get into FTI, dere wud be no problem but our styles r too conventional. But dese days films like BLACK, LAGAAN (nominated under best foreign film category at oscars last yr), PAGE 3, IQBAL have changed the face of indian cinema .

CJK, if i study frm states and come back to india, ill still hv to struggle searching for producers etc but yeah the tag of states will surely help me better in long run. Am sorry pal, i dunno hw its gonna effect when u retuen back after studyin frm here.

CJ, if u come to India , surely there wud be crisscross of cultures, similarly for me if i study from states. Jus watch our films and ull get an idea abt our filmaking style.

Hollywood Rocks man! Your movies, Your ideas, Your passion, Your concepts, Your imagination is awesome.....

I unfortunately cudnt make it to MFA @ USC but instead made it to MS in Computer Science (Animations n Multimedia) from USC . I had applied both places, may b after MS will c something more....

 

[Jesse Tarnoff]

I go to chapman. It's great. Unfortunatly i'm failing some GE's. Next year the new film school will be built. It's incredible.

Just seeing it constructed over these last two years has impressed me enough. All of the equipment and facilities it is going to have to offer...you would be a fool to pass it up...

And the plan right now is to start building on more of the land it ownes expanding to a backlot within 5 years. A BAcklot! Sets off tha wazoo!

Did i mention that any chapman alumni get FREE use of any chapman equipment even after they graduate? Hmmmmm... thiiiiink about it.

 

[mmrempen]

Bump

(Is that allowed? If not, I'll delete this post)

 

[DomRicco]

-10 points for mmrempen.

 

[Arrenbas]

Chapman's facilities are starting to look hard to beat - not just the new building that will be open 24/7 but THEY ARE ALSO BUILDING A FULL WORKING BACKLOT!


as for prestige, it seems that the only film degree that in and of itself will open doors and even get you agency representation is a graduate degree from USC - other than that people are looking at your work - if you can get it seen

 

[Chairman Meow]

I recently went through the film school ordeal, and I ended up in a position where I had to choose between Chapman University and NYU. I considered a lot of factors-- facilities, classes, cost, prestige, location, learning environment, approach to film and filmmaking... and I ended up going with Chapman. While NYU's film program is undeniably stellar and NYU as a whole is one great school, I felt that Chapman's program was a better fit for me. For one, I got into NYU and Chapman with no reel. Hell, with no film experience at all-- my creative submission was a short story, my portfolio was filled with writings and projects. Chapman's program seems geared toward people in my situation. Chapman's newest facilities are great, as well. Cost was another big factor-- NYU, when it's all said and done, is about 50 grand a year. I got a scholarship at Chapman that makes it about a third that price. Sure, you can't put a price on a good education, but...

Just a bit of advice to anyone looking to get into a film school like NYU, USC or Chapman-- you're going to film school, but within the context of a larger liberal arts institution. You are applying to college-- the usual college stuff (SAT, GPA, ACT, Curriculum...) doesn't become irrelevant just because you're "going into the arts". This can certainly be an advantage if you have a weak portfolio-- just remember, don't get lazy!