Pros and Cons of Film School
What are the pros and cons of film school? Should you and should you not go to film school? Here are some thoughts based on my experience.
Pros
Concentration - Uou pretty much spend the whole time focusing on the different aspects of film. you’re thrown in with a bunch of students, given deadlines, and pushed to make your own projects. you learn from your mistakes and also your classmates. You also watch a lot films in film school. these films you wouldn’t have been exposed if you had not gone to film school.
Equipment - Another big benefit of going to school is access to equipment. this is equipment that you don’t have to purchase on your own, or rent from a production house. The biggest benefit is that you get to use the gear to shoot your own personal projects to create your own reel that’s going to help you get work once you are out. now depending on the school you go to, your equipment can be outdated. technology is growing rapidly and it’s challenging for school to try to keep up
Relationships - Another benefit is the relationships that you get to build. you get to work alongside other students and build friendships that will hopefully bring you work in the future.
Little bit of everything - If you’re unsure about what aspect of film you want to focus on, film school gives you the chance to learn a little bit about everything out there.
Cons
Cost - Film school is expensive as freaking heck. With the rising cost of college tuition, it’s become harder for a lot of people to pay for school.
Debt - Like I mentioned in the video above, US alone has over $1.6 trillion worth of school debt. School can cost anywhere between $10k-$50k a year, and if you or your family can’t afford to pay that tuition, maybe you should consider some other options.
Degree - Getting a degree in film production is fairly useless. It’s not going to get you a job. It’s all about your connections and your portfolio. Now if you want to use your degree to get your masters or phd then yes it makes sense to maybe pursue further education.
If you want to be a kickass DP, director, screenwriter, or editor, then you gotta do some kickass work! You have to be able to produce your own mark and prove that you got what it takes. That people can trust you with their money to create the films and videos they want you to. Today there are so many alternatives then going to film school. You don’t have to go to film school to be successful in the video production world.
Alternatives
Youtube Academy - You can learn almost anything on Youtube.
Online Courses - There are so many courses out there that can give you just as good of an education. A great example is Masterclass.(www.masterclass.com). You should check it out!
Seek Mentorship - Find people you look up to and try to learn as much from them as possible. Help them with whatever they need help with, because as they grow, you will too.
Sets - Get on as many sets as possible. It’s simple. Do it!
So for film school, I attended Lipscomb University here in Nashville. Lipscomb has one of the top film programs in the state of Tennessee. The program has it’s pros and cons, but I definitely did learn a lot. But I’d say the majority of the knowledge I’ve gained about video and film has come from experiences. It’s true. You get out of film school what you put into it. No one comes running after you with job offers once you graduate.
All in all, it all comes down to what works best for you. Do you work better in a structured environment with deadlines? Are you able to afford film school? If you can’t afford it, look for scholarships. If not, please don’t get into a ton of school debt! There are so many resources out there to learn. If you found this article helpful, it would mean a ton if you shared it with friends and family! Also make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel, I’ll be uploading twice a week! Thanks for reading. Be back soon.