School of Cinematic Arts Hopefuls-Class of 2014

Abcde11 · April 10, 2014, 7:00pm

@CaliFilm No, I am not working in the film industry. I’m a 17 year old junior, and aspiring film director and screenwriter.

My strong opinion comes from several places. I come from a family of scientists, who I used to believe would be unsupportive of my choices. For this reason, I went four years without telling a single soul of my writing aspirations (except my sister), developing my skills privately. Though I wasn’t ashamed of myself, I was ashamed of what my parents (both traditional, UC graduates and PhD holders) would think of me. I didn’t want to be that pathetic, starving artist kid who lives at home until they’re forty. I went to an independent study school for part of my high school education, because I like to move at my own pace and figure things out by myself. I guess writing was no different.

My school system is very obsessed with college; it really beats you down at times. I didn’t buy into the hype immediately. Something just didn’t feel right in my gut, so I chose to investigate rather than blindly accept. I’m extremely frugal, and I hate the idea of spending any of my parents money (I know, a little extreme: and I know I can’t think like that). The way I see it, they’ve both worked so hard and paid so many dues, and I don’t think I’d be able to take those kinds of loans from them just to move away.

A few years ago I decided to explore on my own the routes people could take as filmmakers, and I was absolutely sucked in. I’ve read many different books, as well as chatted with other experienced screenwriters and filmmakers on forums like Done Deal Pro and Indietalk (check them out, they’re great!). I learned a lot from those forums and the very educated, kind people there. After reading about 15 books and hundreds of articles, I formed a confident opinion that film school is NOT a one size fits all solution for every student - I don’t even think college period is a one size fits all for every student. Throughout my years of learning, I began to see the unfairness of it all. So many young filmmakers and screenwriters assume they’ll learn the business side of filmmaking and screenwriting once they get to college, when they can very easily start at home. So many kids treat college like the end goal, when in reality, structuring a solid career plan should be the end goal. All the information you need is either on the internet, or in books that cost $10-20 a pop. It’s not held in some secret treasure chest up at USC or NYU. You just have to look for it.

I guess I just don’t like to see people like me falling into debt. I love movies, and I’d rather be able to watch an awesome independent film made for $60,000 rather than hear about a struggling graduate with nothing to pave the way but a piece of paper saying they went to USC. I don’t think it’s fair to tell students there’s only one way to do things; I think they deserve to hear other options. I really hate how colleges and the entertainment industry are said to be inextricably linked together, when in reality they couldn’t be more separate. Everyone deserves a fair chance to succeed before committing to something as serious as full time film school. It works for some people, but you have to be cautious

That’s where I’m coming from :)

ArtsandLetters · April 10, 2014, 8:16pm

Okay - since I “interview” a lot of 17-year olds (gifted) for college so thank you for your candor. It put things in perspective.

You have a legitimate point of view - as we all do. I hope you will allow me to put in my two cents because - as Kathy Bates said in Fried Green Tomatoes -* I’m older and have more insurance." *

First - unless you go to a completely arts focused program (Cal Arts is a good example of this type of program) going to “film school” as an undergraduate involves more than just film. It is as much about an immersive college experience which involves clubs, sports and a host of academic opportunities. Which is why universities require their Freshman to complete a core group of courses in their early years. And why degree programs afterwards still push a variety of exposures.

One could easily argue that going to ANY highly ranked school involves a measure of risk. And as much as I sympathize with the whole “student loan” issue - paying 4 years of student loans (the fed ones) is much easier now, then decades ago when the same amounts applied and the minimum wage and average salaries was lower. It’s the parent loans that are about to kill the economy. Students aren’t taking out $60,000 loans each year. It’s the adults in their lives that are doing that.

Still…

My parent’s philosophy (both had to work their way through college and therefore had no loans) is that college is about getting an education - not a job. And therefore, those wanting ONLY to do film miss the boat.

With a kid in the film school (and a heavy debt load accompanying it) I can say she was born with a camera in her hand, it was evident in her application, and she was making films and shooting photography before USC was even a concept. She CHOSE to attend college for all that a university has to offer. She honed in on USC because it offered a unique blend of campus culture and film facilities and gave her the best shot of combining all of her passions outside of film.

Even if you do NOT go to film school, the job market has been risky for just about everyone save a handful of career opportunities. It was at college that I discovered a number of other professional interests that made me more flexible in the job market. It is at USC, being exposed to other students and their academic interests that changed her preferred second major. You can bypass going to film school. Or you can go and also take courses in business, accounting, psychology, among your selections all to shape you into a more prepared individual when you are working with your own accountants or trying to shape a vision that will resonate.

Going to college is about learning to see MORE than what you have in your toolkit right now. It is about not limiting yourself to only what you know - but learning to see what you don’t know.

You can do film anywhere. But there is one thing I learned about how life works. Sometimes where you choose to spend your time has as much to do with opening doors as your own personal drive and projects. And sometimes funding a film is made easier by being tapped into a network that already understands what you do and why you do it. And is composed of people who experienced the same journey or campus.

I recently had my house reappraised. In chatting up the appraiser I mentioned my kid was at USC. He perked up and asked “film school” because out here that’s what everyone thinks of. Turns out his own kid was at Yale law school. It’s a great financial sacrifice for the family. The man got push back from colleagues and family members because it son could have studied at a local university where he had a full ride and be close to home.

He replied. Yes. He could have. And he’d have done well. And then graduated to a law job locally that pays 1/4 the wage that he’ll get coming out of Yale. That networks is stronger as is the instruction.

So yes - we’re all in at USC even though our daughter had a full ride at the same local university as the man above. And so far - the connections are proving to be useful. But she had to go find them. They aren’t handed to her.

Life is about personal choice. And aren’t we all better for having the options to choose our own paths. There is no right or wrong. Only what is right for YOU.

That’s where I’m coming from.

Abcde11 · April 10, 2014, 10:33pm

@‌artsandletters

I can see where you’re coming from. I’m sure USC is a marvelous campus; I’ll never know how much I’ll be missing out on by opting out of the traditional “college experience”. But I still can’t shake the feeling that something is wrong with paying that amount of money for an educational experience. Something just doesn’t feel right. It doesn’t sit well with me, knowing that my educational choices could take such a heavy a toll on my parents. I’d like to believe that’s not the way the world should work. I hope the system will change soon, because something about it almost seems criminal, particularly when there are nations around the world where higher education is free (look at some of the universities in Brazil, France, Italy, and Finland!)

I thought for a while about life experience, and the argument that you’re investing in a four year journey rather than just a diploma. But then I thought about something else. I have family dotted all around the world - Brazil, France, England - and if I truly wanted to spend money to understand how life works, why wouldn’t I travel abroad to these places? Surely the world is much bigger than the campus of an ivy league or UC. Surely spending a year abroad in old Italy or Spain would offer a greater breadth of life experience. Surely no high tech facility or beautiful campus can compare to the natural beauty of everyday life in these foreign places. That’s where life really happens. And it still comes cheaper than most colleges (and debt free). If I were to take any money from my parents, that’s what I’d spend it on.

To each their own. I merely posted my comments up above because I thought fellow high schoolers should have the chance to see another point of view: I doubt if some of them have even dared to consider a future outside of a name university. But if you do challenge yourself to consider it, you might be surprised with what you find. I have no doubt that I could make somewhat useful contacts at USC: I simply don’t think such contacts are exclusive to film schools, nor are they worth the hefty price tag. As I said before, $100,000 can rent you a very comfortable apartment in Los Angeles for several years, or better yet, it could fund an independent film. In more straightforward careers, such as law, the school truly does matter- the massive amounts of technical information can only be assured at a top school, and you know that studying law at a cruddy school will leave you unequipped. But in a career like filmmaking, all of that goes out the window. One of my favorite quotes is “the world does not pay for what a man knows, but for what a man does with what he knows”. You went to film school. So what? Now show us what you can do. That’s the mantra. The one thing I’ve learned throughout my time studying and researching screenwriting is that your work stands for itself. You can wave the best screenwriting diploma in someone’s face, and it ultimately shows nothing - or very little. It shows that you had the good grades to get into that particular program (once again, academics unrelated to your skills as a writer), or had the money to pay tuition. Yet either way, it tells nothing about your actual writing skills. Only one thing can do that, and that’s an actual, physical screenplay. And at the end of the day, it’s that same exact screenplay that’ll ultimately get you a job. This applies to many, many creative fields.

Good luck to your daughter. Things work out in the end, and everyone has their own path.

CaliFilm · April 11, 2014, 12:28am

I do all the hiring in my department, and I know other departments in my company view this the same way. With very few exceptions like engineering, what your undergrad major was and especially where you got it, don’t matter as much as just having a degree. We understand that no one comes out of an undergrad program as a subject matter expert.

What having an undergrad degree does tell me is that you can commit to a project that you know will take years to complete. It tells me you can complete assignments with little to no supervision and that you can prioritize those assignments. I can feel fairly confident that you will have acceptable communication skills, both verbal and written. The list of intangibles that come along with a degree go on and on. Can you get a great education and experience in other ways? Of course. But without that little piece of paper, how do I as a hiring manager that has never met you know that?

If money is your main concern I would recommend that you do the first two years at a CC or go to your local State U and maybe still live at home while you do it if possible. You can continue to pursue your film interest at the same time, but discounting the value of a college degree is a mistake that could haunt you for a lifetime.

Best of luck in whatever path you choose.

veritasrmc · April 11, 2014, 1:47am

Just here to throw in a quick two cents to harmony with CaliFilm: one of my favorite quotes is “If you want wisdom, sit yourself at the feet of the wise.” Yes, we can all learn just about anything from the internet from how to perform minor surgeries to the process of making a nuclear weapon. Knowledge is one thing, and that’s just about all you’ll get from the internet. When you dedicate yourself to that journey as a college student, it is saying to future employers that you are willing to take a knee of humility and submit to learning a craft.

If you are haunted by the idea of using your parents money, then don’t. Work your way through college like millions of others kids do and have done. We do all have our own path, but to be clear to all you aspiring filmmakers out there who may now feel discouraged, going to the #1 film school in the world is not a bad start.

Good luck.

Abcde11 · April 11, 2014, 2:45am

I don’t want to sound disagreeable, but you’re imposing two things

1) that those who don’t go to film school aren’t humble, and those who do automatically are
2) you can only “properly” learn a craft at a university

On the contrary, I think it shows far more humility when an employer (aka producers or studio executives, since this isn’t a nine to five job you interview for) sees a filmmaker who spent every cent wisely and got down in the trenches making their own films, as opposed to attending a private, big name university. That shows grit and a do-it-yourself attitude, not laziness and flakiness.

I’m merely trying to caution that film school isn’t some golden one way ticket, especially USC. You don’t work through USC: not at a coffee shop anyways. If money is an issue for you, as it is for many students, you should keep this in mind. Filmmaking, unlike any other job like nursing or engineering, does not have job prospects. When you go to school for something like teaching, for example, you can research annual median wages and employment statistics, giving you a good feel for how you’ll seek a job once you graduate. None of that applies to film. When you graduate, there isn’t a stable job waiting. Every single job in the film industry is on a project to project basis. In a sense, it’s basically all freelance work. Once one job ends, there’s no guarantee of another. This isn’t meant to sound pessimistic. In fact, it gives young filmmakers an amazing amount of freedom they wouldn’t be able to find in any other profession. While it makes things more risky, it also keeps things fresh and interesting. You have to take things as they come. Therefore, I don’t think it’s quite fair to inform students that the film industry works like a law firm, or a hospital, or an office, because it simply isn’t true. Those are the professions where college is absolutely essential.

I really get where you guys are coming from. But I’m just trying to offer a different perspective. You’ll probably get more out of film school if you have a good, solid base of knowledge beforehand anyways. That way you can really zero in on your goals. In fact, to any aspiring filmmaker, I would actually suggest you try making a few independent shorts before you enter USC. If you’re on a roll, keep with it. There’s no need to commit to the #1 film school in America (also the most expensive film school in the world) when you’re only 17. I don’t think I’d be able to. That kind of commitment is huge. To those who feel discouraged, know that delaying your attendance at USC (or any other big school) does not automatically equate to failure

This is a very, very interesting discussion. I hope someone out there is getting some use from it :)

geomom · April 11, 2014, 1:01pm

This boils down to whether it is better off to learn within an institution, or to learn on one’s own. Certainly with all that is available on the internet, learning on one’s own is increasingly viable.

I have an example from another field where professional success is largely driven by your current abilities: programming. A few years ago one of my son’s friends got a summer internship after his freshman year at MIT at a big name software company. After the summer they tried to entice him to stay. He kept saying no, and they kept raising the offer. Finally with an offer considerably over $200,000 a year, he decided to stay and program for them. So you are right, skills triumphed over the piece of paper.

A year later he was back at MIT finishing his degree (albeit paying for it himself). Now this is a demonstrably smart kid – why would he choose to put himself at the mercy of MIT professors again? He knew for sure that he had a successful career waiting in any case. And a good number of the exact same courses he came back to take are available for free on MIT’s OpenCourseWare!

Many people see a university as intrinsically adding value commensurate to the full pay price tag.

ArtsandLetters · April 11, 2014, 11:33pm

Lol! @geomom, I put myself at the mercy of those MIT professors. That is a tough road to follow but wouldn’t change for anything. Now I interview the kids who want to go. Applause to your son. Finishing will give him even more options.

@abcde11 - as I said, you make good points and from your vantage point I think you should try your path. My sister did that after high school. She enjoyed her life, pursued dance at professional companies where a degree was not necessary - but eventually went back to college and then got her master’s which has given her significant more bargaining power and clout. Likewise, another of my siblings took several years pursuing his passion and then went to college in his mid-twenties.

I would pose the following thoughts:

<ol>
<li>First - in defense of your argument - college is not for everyone and not an absolute. I could certainly do a lot of things I’m doing now without my degree - but I’m finding that I’m more efficient having employed strategies I learned in college (math algorithms, process control, systems analysis, etc.) And I have an enormous network of people to tap when I need advice. So no - for some, maybe spending a lot of money on college makes no sense. Especially if the job market won’t allow the person to repay the debt. Or if the money is better spent paying down debt and investing in something that will provide for you in the long term.</li>
<li>HOWEVER - if you find yourself wanting to return, I would warn you that tuition at even the cheapest colleges rises each year. So waiting will have an economic impact in more than one way. USC’s tuition, for example, rose $3,000 over last year. Most people I’ve met who waited for college, eventually went back for a degree - if only for updating job skills, making themselves more marketable, or for intellectual stimulation.</li>
<li>Lastly - on film. I would compare it to going to a bookstore where you will see thousands of books on the shelves. Most of the authors will not publish a second book. Most won’t earn out the advance from their publishers. Most get “acquired” by editors but get no marketing dollars. Hence the world doesn’t know they exist. And many - if you want to expand the definition to include the growing number of self-published authors flooding the market (Amazon for instance) sell less than 100 books - mostly to friends and family. Because they have no infrastructure, not network, and no training.</li>
</ol>

So it is with film. You can do it for the love of art - or you can do it to try to support yourself. The latter is hard with a degree - even harder without one and the network that comes with it.

Hence - yes - $60,000 is a lot of money. And worse - my children chose to pursue degrees in art related fields. So on the surface, one could say there will be no return on investment.

But life is not that simple. There are skills they are both learning on campus - and techniques in class where they have access to considerably more high end equipment than our family can afford (or rent.)

So do it your way. With our blessing. But I suspect we’ll see you back in a few years looking for the support a structure can provide. Doesn’t have to be USC - many schools have avenues to pursue your passions without a formal film program. Do let us know where you land!

Good luck! (I mean that sincerely)

Abcde11 · April 13, 2014, 8:13pm

@‌artsandletters

Thank you for your sincerity. And good luck to your daughter as well! I hope everything works out for her.

ArtsandLetters · April 13, 2014, 11:14pm

@Abcde11 - Thanks. Best of luck to you and I’m looking forward to seeing films in your future regardless of the path you choose! :)

lanbernas · May 22, 2014, 3:49pm

Accepted to SCA Critical Studies!

LayraSparks · May 22, 2014, 3:51pm

@lanbernas‌ Congrats!! :)

School of Cinematic Arts Hopefuls-Class of 2014

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