Finding a Good Film School

This one is for the prospective film student. How to find the right film school? Does location matter...Or should you go for the infrastructure (camera/lighting equipment, editing suites, studios)? Reputation does count a lot. In fact, many of the film schools from the old days are still gold...and the plethora of those that have sprung up now, might just confirm your worst fears.

1. Choose your vocation: You might be interested in just the technical side of filmmaking (see video editing, sound editing), or the creative side (set design, scripting) or both (production, direction!). Deciding your vocation in advance will help you decide the course you want to pursue.

2. Grab your course: Once you've decided what you really want to do (and I hope you decide that on the basis of what really interests you, and not what will earn you more)...its time to grab the course. Most film institutes offer dedicated short term courses in cinematography, video editing, sound engineering and acting respectively. If you like a bit of everything and/or are undecided on what you'd really like, then go for the comprehensive filmmaking course.

3. The Location: Will you be placing yourself thousands of miles from the place where you want to film your work? If you ultimately want to work in Hollywood you might want to aim for a California school so you can go ahead and begin building that network. If you want to work in Bollywood, nothing better than FTII at Pune.

4. Equipment and Facilities: decade ago, the equipment that a school could offer mattered a lot, but it’s not a lot to get worked up about today. After all, you can buy an HVX-200, a laptop and Final Cut Studio for a fraction of a year’s tuition at most film schools. You don’t want to go someplace that has crummy equipment, nor do you want to attend a school that lacks enough equipment to serve its students. You need good (film and video) cameras, sound equipment, lights, and editing stations. (Maybe not even the editing stations, if you already own one.) Beyond that, don’t get worked up about facilities and equipment.

5. Length of Program: Most programs are three years; some are two years. There may be a difference between what a school’s literature states and the reality though. Ask current students for the skinny on how long it takes for students to typically finish a program. It can be a positive thing, of course, to stay in school as long as you can.

Action! Every year, tens of thousands of hopefuls apply to film school to start a career behind the camera. If you're of them, you probably dream of one of top five film schools - UCLA, NYU, the American Film Institute, Columbia and USC. (Aren't film students big dreamers, after all?)

Of the five, USC and NYU are considered the top of the heap. USC is, both literally and figuratively, closer to Hollywood. Applicants may need Jedi mind tricks to gain admittance into this alma mater of George Lucas - the school accepts 150 undergrads out of 14,000 applicants annually. NYU, the home base of Miramax and Tribeca Productions, has an "indie" edge, personified by prominent grads like Spike Lee, Ang Lee, and Oliver Stone.

USC film School gets $2 million Grant

Hugh Hefner, founder of Playboy Enterprises, has donated $2 million US to the University of Southern California to fund an archive to preserve student films and historic documents.

The money will also create an exhibition space in the new headquarters of the university's School of Cinematic Arts in Los Angeles. The archive, which already bears Hefner's name, holds more than eight decades of student films, including works by famous alumni such as George Lucas.

Hefner, 81, has already been generous toward USC's film school, donating $1.5 million in 1995 to create the Hugh M. Hefner Chair for the Study of American Film. He also gave $100,000 in 1992 to create a course on film censorship and has contributed millions to film preservation.

USC was also the recipient of a $175 million donation from alumni George Lucas last year. The amount included $75 million for the construction of new educational buildings and renovations of existing structures at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, and a $100-million endowment for the school.

Sources: USC news and CBC

Attending a Film School - Pros and Cons

There are advantages and disadvantages to attending conventional university film school programs. Some students claim that traditional film school courses focus almost entirely on filmmaking theory whereas many of the more contemporary film schools pay more attention on actually practicing the various skills of filmmaking.

Also, many of the newer film schools offer condensed courses on fundamental filmmaking processes and procedures such as screenwriting basics and post-production fundamentals. Many film school students prefer these eclectic filmmaking programs because of the greater diversity of information that is presented, as well as the more flexible schedules typically offered by these non-traditional film schools.

There are even several reputable online film schools that make learning and attendance even more convenient. With these internet-based film schools students can pick and choose which topics to focus on, thus customizing their own curriculum to meet their individual goals.

Film school curriculum varies from school to school, so it is worth doing a little comparative research in order to determine what all is offered. Below, we’ll discuss some of the various topics and areas of study that are available.

By attending film school you can familiarize yourself with international cinema and learn about acclaimed filmmakers from around the world. By adding study of international filmmaking, you can expand upon other film theory classes. After all, the best way to build a foundation from which to explore your own creativity is to study the methods and techniques of the filmmakers that came before you.

And of course, any good film school will acquaint you with the basics of shooting and lighting techniques and theory. Even a cursory glance at descriptions of how commonly used effects are achieved can bring whole new depths and flair to your own approach to filmmaking.

If you want to learn a full spectrum of filmmaking fundamentals in as little time as possible so that you can get right down to making and producing your own films, then it would be in your best interest to attend a film school that covers the planning, budgeting and production processes of filmmaking.

Many film schools also offer post-production courses that are most appropriate for anyone interested in producing their own films. Especially if you plan to work with digital media, you should take advantage of courses offering tutorials on using computer applications that allow you to edit and mix sound and video. Since the innovation of digital video cameras, filmmaking and post-production work has become affordable for everyone. Before digital video, every fade in or out, every effect that could be applied to a film necessarily involved the duplication of the film material itself, such that production often involves working with hundreds of strips of film that must be carefully organized and tracked.

Even if you’re more interested in becoming part of Hollywood caliber filmmaking, in terms of budget and star power, you shouldn’t necessarily overlook the smaller film schools. While a degree from a known traditional university will get you in many doors, your own merit and achievements are what will determine your success. For this reason it is most important to choose a school that fits your individual needs and learning style.

In my next few posts I might review various film schools around the world, and especially from US, UK and India where the film industry is flourishing.

Film Schools and Film Training

For those looking to create exciting visual works, film schools can provide the basic education, training and specialized skills needed for filmmaking and video production. Film students learn how to produce radio and television news, studio programs, documentaries, sporting events, music videos, and especially feature films. The training will include classroom lectures and hands-on coaching to develop an understanding of the various media production processes.

Film schools offer a broad array of classes and specialties for students looking into occupations in the media and film production industry. They can prepare students for careers in animation, broadcasting, television production, and filmmaking with educational courses in media arts.

Film Schools can help students develop a sense of which role they might choose to pursue: production, performing artist or support. The industries of film, television, video, and radio generate literally thousands of jobs, both behind the camera and in view. Vocational, technical, and trade schools often provide courses in visual communications and media communications, as well as computer animation, writing, casting, acting, directing, and producing. They also provide courses in the technical aspects of filmmaking for positions such as gaffer, key grip, editor, and many others.

All skills for the film industry can be gained in film school for entry-level employment in the more than 250,000 jobs in the filmmaking industry. With the right education and background, a film production job may be found just about anywhere.