How do I know if film school is worth it?
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Arriflex74 — 9 years ago(January 20, 2017 10:28 AM)
It's a state school. One email isn't necessarily going to get attention, especially if you use the same grammar and punctuation you use on these boards.
How about calling the department and scheduling a tour? Actually see the facility. Meet the faculty and students, and get a feel for the program. Hell, do that with any school or program you're seriously looking to attend, even those overpriced workshops you're interested in. It is your money, your education and your future. So don't rely on one email to define your decision.
Never go with a hippy to a second location. -
RynoII — 9 years ago(January 20, 2017 09:19 PM)
Okay thanks a lot for your input. After doing some research, I won't be able to afford a house in that city it turns out, so I am hesitant to go now. But I will find out more about the program first, to see exactly how much it is
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Arriflex74 — 9 years ago(January 21, 2017 06:04 AM)
People starting out can't afford to live in New York or Los Angeles either, but they figure out how to make it work because it is what they want.
This may not be the career path for you. As a film maker 90% of your job is problem solving. If you want to be a director, 99% of your job is problem solving. That just seems like something you can't do based on your activity on these boards, and especially on this thread. Once I pointed you in the direction of what sort of questions to ask of programs, and what to look for in a film school, this thread should have ended. But the fact is that you can't extrapolate out and start to problem solve on your own. Nobody is going to trust you to be a director if you can't even do simple problem solving, and nobody is going to hire you for their crew if you need to be told what to do at every step, because you're a burden and a time suck on other crew member's time and energy.
Example: can't afford a house in Regina, get an apartment or get roommates. See if any current students are looking for roommates. Maybe the university offers student housing. Maybe the school offers a work/study program to help defer some of the costs. Maybe the school offers scholarships. All this I came up with after being awake for 5 minutes.
best of luck.
Never go with a hippy to a second location. -
RynoII — 9 years ago(January 21, 2017 10:34 AM)
Okay thanks. I don't know anyone in Regina so I will have to look. Also, in order to solve the problem, are their any online filmmaking school programs worth taking, where I would learn more than what there is to offer in my city?
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John-PaulJones — 9 years ago(January 22, 2017 02:12 PM)
Seriously. Pick one. ANY one.
GO TO FILM SCHOOL.
Your friends are idiots; you listen to advice from random strangers and you have now just pissed off WORKING PROFESSIONALS who have tried and tried to help you. You ignored their advice, asked the same questions over and over again - THAT THEY TOOK THE TIME OUT OF THEIR BUSY LIVES TO ANSWER - and now they have had enough of you. Some have deleted their comments and moved on.
You have NO CLUE whatsoever who the people were that you were talking to. I have been fortunate to have worked in the film industry here in California for many years and have amassed a nice list of credits. Those WORKING PROFESSIONALS you have now pissed off have HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS of credits.
I have no idea why they continue to offer advice to someone who won't take it, and I respect them for it, but enough is enough. If this is a little hobby, then stand under a cold shower and tear up hundred dollar bills instead. It will feel the same; the food will be just as good, and at the end of the day, you will be cleaner.
You need to decide if this is going to be a hobby or going to be a career. If it's a hobby, then waste your money, have fun and don't think for one minute that you will have absolutely nothing to show for it except bills ten years from now.
If this is a career, find a GOOD film school; find a way to attend, and GO.
It is obvious you just talk and talk and can't do the walk. Either go away from these boards or start learning your craft the right way. There are many other message boards on IMDB for losers; these SHOP TALK boards are for professionals (or those who want to become professionals.) -
RynoII — 9 years ago(January 26, 2017 12:44 AM)
Oh sorry, I didn't mean to piss off anyone. I thank everyone for the advice, I really. It's much appreciated. It's just some of the people in the industry I have asked saying film school is a waste of time, and I might as well use the money to make short films, so I was undecided which root to take therefore, that's all.
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Arriflex74 — 9 years ago(January 26, 2017 08:38 PM)
It's just some of the people in the industry I have asked saying film school is a waste of time, and I might as well use the money to make short films, so I was undecided which root to take therefore, that's all.
That is a total BS answer because we have always said that school is a personal choice and dependent on how you learn best. It isn't for everyone, but it isn't an objective "waste of time" either. It worked for Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, George Lucas, Spike Lee and many thousands of others. For as many others it isn't worth their while and they didn't need it.
So that answer you gave is complete crap. Only you can determine whether film school is right for you, and you get out of it what you put into it.
After that, we gave you the tools to determine for yourself the quality of programs. You continually showed a lack of initiative or problem-solving skills to take matters into your own hands. Instead wanting us, people you don't know, to hand hold you and tell you what actions to take. So excuse and explain all you want, but it's time to make your own decisions. We're done helping.
Never go with a hippy to a second location. -
firearms trainer — 9 years ago(February 06, 2017 05:10 PM)
You are on your own. You blew it.
You are trying to be a submarine commander without learning how to effing swim. And you want to know the best kind of sonar to use to track Russian submarines. One person told you to save the money on active sonar and just go passive; another person told you joining the Navy first was for pussies.
LEARN YOUR CRAFT.
All your questions will be answered three years later. -
RynoII — 9 years ago(February 06, 2017 09:35 PM)
Okay thanks for the help. I understand that I may have to a lot of questions about the school since I am uncertain. But I feel that there is no need for the over the top submarine analogies and all that. Getting dramatic about it doesn't really do anything, with all do respect :).
But yes I will learn the craft better, whether or not I decide to go to school. Thanks for the push.