Film School—Is it Your Best Choice?

One of the biggest questions you will face is whether or not you should go to film school or some other media program. Unfortunately, there is no easy answer. Film school is no guarantee at success or employment. It’s amazing how many people I have met who work in the entertainment and media industry who don’t have film or media degrees. Over the years, many college graduates have come to me with film degrees looking to break into the industry. Many had been out of school for several years without gaining employment in the industry. The reality is there are too many programs across the country graduating too many students.

Most students believe that if they get a degree in film or media they will get a job. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. But there are things you can do to increase your chances for employment in the industry.

The question of going to film school in the first place is certainly based on your individual situation. What are your goals and objectives? What role do you want to play? Are you interested in being a director, producer, writer, editor, unit production manager or production designer? There may be other alternatives to a traditional four-year college.

My best advice is to get around people who are experienced in the business. Find a mentor. Most people in this industry are interested in you knowing how to get the job done versus your educational background. I’m not discounting film school or other media programs. They help to open doors and to provide opportunities. But, before you ever think about going, you should already be practicing your craft.

The reason I think that most people get degrees in film and media and fail to find employment in the industry is because they don’t ask the right questions. Don’t just assume the program is good because they say it is. Of course, everybody is going to put their best foot forward and make it sound like the greatest program in the country.

Here are the questions I think you should be asking:

1 Is the program hands-on, and how fast do I get my hands on the equipment? Do you really want to spend your hard-earned money talking about making media or do you want to actually produce media? A friend of mine recently graduated with a media degree from a prestigious four-year college here in the mid-west. He chose not to go to the main campus but elected to attend a satellite campus because it offered him access to the equipment in his first semester. If he had gone to the main campus, he would have had to wait until his Junior year to actually work with the equipment. He felt that he had a far better education because he got to the equipment early. Ask the questions straight up. Don’t be afraid. You need to know how soon you get to use the cameras, editing bay, sound gear or lighting equipment.

2. Is your equipment state-of-the-art? Chances are you’re paying anywhere between $20,000 to $40,000 per year for your education. I think you deserve to use state-of the-art equipment. If your school is using equipment that has been donated recently by the public access station, you might want to consider a new program. Technology is advancing at a rapid rate so the equipment has to reflect this. Does your program offer the red camera, 16 mm and 35 mm production capabilities, or whatever new technology is currently available? Make sure you get the opportunity to see the equipment before you decide to apply to the program.

3. Is the program based on practical application? It’s great to know the history of the film and entertainment industry or the Golden Age of Hollywood. And, sure, who doesn’t want to know about the techniques and strategies of major directors such as Alfred Hitchcock? But none of that is going to get you a job. It’s great knowledge, and I’m sure some day it will come in handy. Your school or program and has to be about one thing and one thing only—teaching you practical skills which make you employable. That’s one of the major faults I see with so many graduates from film schools. They have not been taught any tangible skills. This is a discussion you must have with your prospective film school. How are they going to make you employable within the industry? What is their plan? If they don’t want to have this discussion, then you don’t want to go to this school. Don’t take their word for it. Talk to post-graduates to find out their experiences.

4. Do they offer quality internships? Now we’re getting to the heart of the matter. A significant number of film and media graduates find work in the industry through college internship programs. if your school doesn’t have good internship programs, you may be throwing your money away. Are they connected with the television networks, major studios, and production companies? Find out what you have to do to qualify for an internship program. Before you graduate, you need to have your foot in the door.

5. Does your school or program have contacts in the industry? Let’s face it. The single most important reason that you go to film school or other media program is for contacts. You need to know people who work in the business. What does your school contact list look like? Do your instructors or teachers have active contacts in the film and media industry? Are they willing to use them for your benefit? Does the school or program have alumni who work in the industry? Are they willing to help current students? Does the school have friends of the program? The time to find out is before you sign on the dotted line. Contacts are everything. They are your entry point. Chances are if your school has a good internship program, they probably have the contacts that can help you.

Final thoughts.

In all honesty, no one is going to tell you the truth about their program. I recommend you do your own research and dig around. Don’t just accept the prestige of any school or program based on face value. They could be living off of their reputation. You deserve better. If you want to work in this industry, you have to do everything you can to increase your odds. No matter if you go to film school or a four-year traditional college, or whether you decide on a different course, the one thing you must do is volunteer your time. You need to work on projects and gain experience. One of the mistakes I’ve seen from students I’ve talked to is that they tried to do the minimum. Sure, they got their degree, but they never really got the experience they needed. In other words, this isn’t the army. You need to volunteer for everything. That includes student projects, public access, local film production, school projects, etc. These will give you opportunities for employment. They certainly won’t hurt your resume.