Film School

paying3tuitions
Sun, 26 Jul 2009 02:53:30 +0000

You might also look at programs where you can major in film and minor in an academic stubject, or take two majors.

At the top of this forum is a thread with a long list of schools that offer film majors, and hyperlinks. Try reading about some of the programs offered on the department websites of those universities and colleges. http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/visual-arts-film-majors/701608-big-list-film-cinema-programs.html

One reason to do study film as an undergrad is you get to jump in sooner. But if you’re willing to wait until graduate school, you should take an undergraduate degree in something that will meanwhile develop and strengthen your foundation abilities as a storyteller, or give you grounding in History, Literature, Theater, and/or Music, or increase your sensitivities in visual arts/photography. It is all relevant.

And of course, use your undergraduate years to also develop a good sideline skill so you can have a dayjob for many years while you try to develop as an artist. For example, learn how to be an Emergency Medical Technician,
do tax work, car mechanics, a viable computer skill–ANYthing where you can earn money immediately upon graduation with parttime hours, earning enough to live on so you can work on films and not starve.

If the major is called “Film Studies” that means you view films that have been made and learn to analyze/ critique them in discussion classes with professors, much like an English major learns to read and analyze a piece of literature by reading and discussing it with others.

If the major is “Film Production” that means your classes are lab/workshops where you will make short films. There are also term papers, but more time is spent working on making your own short films, and getting feedback in class.
Often you collaborate with other students, who might major in directing, screenwriting, or production, or acting at the same school. Films are made in teams, and you help others with theirs, too.

Film PRoduction majors also take courses in film history, same as the Film Studies students, plus academic subjects (everything from math to history to foreign language) iof they’re working towards a B.A. degree.

It makes sense; if you wanted to become a novelist, you’d spend lots of time reading great novels and weak ones, too, to see why they work, or don’t work. And you’d have some classes that are writing classes where you generate creative products. Film school is like that: you spend perhaps half of your courses in the film department, but the other half in regular college departments. Each program differs in how they distribute this time, but you don’t take only classes in filmmaking 24/7.

I think you’re making up your mind a bit too quickly here. I encourage you to research by reading the websites of school programs, both undergraduate and graduate, to see what feels right to you. The list on this forum will get you started.

You might also look at some programs where film technology is state-of-the-art, for example Chapman U.'s new major in digital arts. Since you mentioned some Midwest schools, see what’s going on at the new
program at Ball State University in Indiana, that David Letterman created (his alma mater). Maybe you want to work in the film crafts and become a cinematographer, for example, or do learn to do digital special effects, rather than directing/producing your own film.

Also read some books about the film industry, just go onto an internet-based bookstore and use searchwords like
“film”, “film school”, “screenwriting.” or “film directing program.”'

Do the research and try it on like a sweater; see if it fits.
Find out what you need to do while in high school to improve your chances of gaining acceptance, too. Theater is a relevant activity while in high school, along with working on 3-5 minute homemade student films as projects instead of term papers. Also: read. Read a lot of history and literature, see great plays, and read biographies of directors whom you admire. Read novels and then read the screenplays (scripts) that were adapted, so you can see how the same story told in a book unfolds differently when adapted to film.