<p>I know it is not always easy to visit a school before applying, but i’d like to make the case for trying to do a visit, if possible prior to applying. My DS just finished his 8th visit, and has decided to apply to only three of the 8 he visited. If he had not visited, he might have never learned some very important things- and applied to schools for the wrong reasons. </p>
<p>For example, at one of the top rated programs- he spoke with one young woman who told us she wasn’t sure that she would be able to go to her sisters wedding because during the production season, they only get their schedules one week in advance. As her sister’s wedding was months away, she couldn’t be sure she would be able to attend. The same requirement to suspend all of life for the sake of school was emphasized throughout the program. We were told that kids can’t take any other courses, or plan any other activities if they are in a production course. Despite the great education there, he has crossed that school off his list. He wants to work hard, but recognizes that there needs to be room for SOME life outside of school. Maybe another kid would love this atmosphere: but mine didn’t.</p>
<p>At another program, they told him that they use the least expensive equipment on purpose. They want the kids to be able to make a great film without needing to spend a lot of money. The emphasis is on digital, and on equipment almost anyone could buy. They reason the film of the future will not be a big studio release, but a home-grown, independent film, marketed over the internet. They assert story trumps equipment. This sounds like a great philosophy, but my son WANTS to learn 16 and 32 mm film- not just digital. He wants to work on top notch equipment and push the edge of technology. His dream is to work in the industry- not as an independent. He thinks this program would limit his knowledge, and not give him the marketable skills to work in Hollywood- and follow his dreams to maybe be a great director someday.</p>
<p>These are things someone would never find out without spending some time in a place. Once my son decides on his list, I’m sure that he will be happy at ANY of the schools where he chooses to apply. Only one of his list is a “top” school on paper. But after visiting he has eliminated 5 schools, and kept only three. For us, there will be one more trip to LA with 4 more schools to see. Then when he applies, I will have confidence that any choice will be a good fit for him. If we had gone only on what he read or the rankings, the list would not have reflected what HE wants. </p>
<p>Totally agree with the need to visit schools if economically possible. Daughter visited cousin in NYC, loved it but decided the city wasn’t the right place. Actually got great advice at New York Film Academy about importance of getting a BA degree at reputable University, offer of help for NYU app. Visiting 5 schools in LA narrowed it to two really good fits, first choice before visiting quickly became last, just because of their honesty about the the school’s strengths and weaknesses. Actually visiting the schools, talking to tour guides and professors made it easy to narrow application efforts. If you can’t visit before applying, you really should before final acceptance. The film school experience seems to be pretty diverse from school to school.</p>
<p>maddenmd… WOW… that might be the most valuable post on the Visual Arts forum. How true that is. When my son picked his school (AFTER a phenomenal visit), people wondered “why there?” instead of one with more perceived “prestige.” What you said is so, so true.</p>
<p>Many people would not have the time to visit so many schools, but upfront research can help pare down the list. But dig, and don’t dismiss a school because you friends may not have heard of it. Find out where RECENT graduates are working. Get as much info as possible (see the list of questions in a recent thread), and then, when visiting, befriend some students and get the REAL skinny from them.</p>
<p>I just wanted to address the putting your life on hold during a production sequence issue. Agreed that the school maddenkid visited sounds a bit intense (no other courses when taking production courses? only knowing the schedule one week in advance – what kind of organization is that?), but I’m concerned that if the student avoids all programs where the production schedule nudges out life as we know it, he may be eliminating some excellent programs from consideration. </p>
<p>With film programs housed in universities where the film students take other classes both related and unrelated to film, my impression is that most shooting of films with large, specialized crews (e.g. the student is not the one man band writer/director/dp/editor and therefore does not have complete control of the schedule in terms of his own needs), shooting pretty much has to take place on the weekends. If a student is the film’s writer, swell, she can almost certainly attend her sister’s wedding the semester the film is made. If, on the other hand, the student is the director or the sound person or the dp or the producer, not so much. Given a semester time frame, there have to be deadlines for when the filming has to finished; when the editors need to be done; when the color correction has to be done; when the film has to be ready to be screened, and the director or any other person who has a responsibility to the film during a relevant part of the sequence being unavailable when needed undermines the ability of the whole team to create the film. And given that there are other classes with reading, exams, and papers and other film-related projects, there is no way on earth my kid, who is very happy in his production program, could have possibly left town for several days over a weekend without shooting himself in the foot academically and creating a real hardship for everyone else involved in the production of the film he’s been working on. </p>
<p>Maddenkid sounds very well-qualified and committed. My advice would be not to cross off programs that eat up his life during a few very rigorous semesters. Many of the solid programs are so competitive to get into. I would urge him to at apply more broadly and then, once he sees where he’s been accepted, to determine which of the programs he could attend best meets his criteria.</p>
<p>Nester: You make some VERY good points. And I agree, anyone in the midst of a shoot will devote 25 hours of the 24 hour day to that project. And they will love doing it. At that one place- that was life ALL the time, not just a few semesters. </p>
<p>Star: I would disagree that Chapman is not considered a “Top School”. I think it is making the list on many counts. </p>
<p>My point about visiting: each person will have things that are important to them, which may not be apparent unless you ask- and ask the right people: the ones in the program currently. As far as my son goes, I think he’ll end up applying to 5-7 programs- and if he were to be accepted at any one will thrive and learn. Yes, he might have a favorite or two- but he (and I) will be confident that ANY will be a good fit.</p>
<p>I am curious to know which school you are talking about if it is not in LA, maddenmd.
I know you are so nice and don’t want to offend fans but I bet every film kids/parents are wondering, if it is “E” or " N" or " F" or “O” or what?</p>
<p>I hesitate to cast aspersions on any one program: after all what my son experienced or heard might be the truth, or just what those students on that particular day were saying. My point, is that fit is about more than what is on paper. For him, those schools were not a good fit, while others will be. If you (or anyone else) wants to know, PM me, and I’ll be happy to share details- but I’d rather not put out names for what might be just the opinions of a few students. And when I say “top” I mean the top 5-6 programs. Now… we can argue what is in that top ten list, as I’m not sure there is such a thing published! But the top in OUR research.</p>