<p>What can anyone tell me about getting as associates degree instead of a bachelors for film production? Is a bachelors degree needed? What can anyone tell me about schools such as Flashpoint/Tribeca in Chicago, Full Sail in Winter Park Florida or the Vancouver Film School? My son and I have been searching the colleges that you listed but he really wants to do hands on from the begining. We live in Minnesota so I know I'm going to have to send him far away and I just don't want us to make the mistake of sending him to the wrong school. This Mom needs help and advice.</p>
<p>Hello RobynMom. KMAZZA posts a lot of information on this site about associates degrees- and seems to be a great fan of those schools. To me, the main difference seems to be whether you want more of technical education, or a more rounded college education. I think the answer would depend upon what your son wants to do, and how sure you are that he won’t change his mind. If he wants a more technical education, there are many schools like the ones you mention. To me, the main drawback is that if you learn a lot about the technical use of the equipment available today, what happens when they change in the next few years. For example, film was the standard only a few years ago, now there are digital and hybrid options. 3-D is coming. If you learn how to use todays equipment, and they change to something new and different, then what? If you go to a school with a bit of a broader focus, you still learn technical skills, but the emphasis might be more on story development, or technique, or perspective rather than just the mechanics. Going with a wider focus, the BA degree requires knowledge in areas outside of one speciality. If your son decides to change his focus, having a broader education might be helpful. At NYU one of the professors told my son that he needed a well rounded education because he needed to have a perspective and world view to tell a good story as a film-maker. If your child wants to be behind the camera, or in the editing suite, but doesn’t want to write or direct the movies, perhaps the technical education would be perfect. If he wants to be the writer/director or driving force behind the project, perhaps the broader education might be useful. My son wants to be the later, so we are confining his search to BA degrees. And although kids seem very focused at 16 and 17, who knows what will capture their imagination and hearts in a few years? I want him to have as many options as possible. (Although, I doubt he will change- this is his passion!). So far we have visited Emmerson, Florida State, BU, and NYU. Of those, Emmerson is the one with the most film-centric program. All allow some hands on in the first year (some more than others). So do others we will visit later: USC, Chapman, Loyola Marrymount and Central Florida. Others we are checking out, but I’m not sure about first year hands on: UT-Austin, UNC school of the Arts, American, Ohio University, and Northwestern. All of these however are BA programs. See some posts by KMAZZA for AA programs.
One last consideration: If your son wants a job as a cameraman, editor, or sound person etc, those jobs don’t pay like a directing or writing/directing job might. If you are financing the education with loans, the economics of the equation might favor the AA degree over the BA. If he is aiming for one of the high paying/ harder to get jobs- the economics of a BA degree might be worth it- if he makes it to one of those!
One last thought: some of the best filmmakers never went to film school. Talent has a way of succeeding, however it starts out! If your son has talent, he will find a way to show it, whatever school he attends. Let us know where he decides to apply!</p>
<p>^____ agreement here. When my son started in college, I too had questions like these. Of course most students start out wanting to direct, but the beauty of being in a school where you work on a lot of films from the beginning is that people begin to sort themselves out into where they find their true passion - producing, editing, the business end of things, visual effects, set management, casting, and on and on. There are so many jobs to be done on films.</p>
<p>I also agree with the statement “talent has a way of succeeding.” But with a caveat - you need an environment to train that talent and - most importantly - to find in what direction your student’s real passion lies. I think you are absolutely on the right track looking for a school with a lot of film opportunities. My son (now graduated in 2009) worked on over 50 films in college.</p>
<p>What you definitely don’t need is a film school degree. I went to school for video production, and honestly I wished I had just gone to a technical school. I found some really good technical schools with great video production programs, but I would have graduated a lot sooner and would have been in virtually no debt! I don’t really mind the university life because it gives me a chance to study other subjects I love- plus you never know when that job posting will say “BA preferred; required”.</p>
<p>You don’t even necessarily have to send him very far. Now, if he actually wants to climb the long ladder to feature film work then, yes, he’s eventually going to have to move to a more film-friendly city. But as far as college goes it doesn’t really matter. Many state schools and technical schools out there offer video/film/tv production programs. A lot of them are found under Communication or Mass Media/Communication departments.</p>
<p>So my vote: as far as those big-name film schools go don’t waste your money. What are the odds that your child will be able to pay that money back in even ten year’s time? Film is an incredibly hard field to break into, and production jobs- especially entry level ones- don’t have the best pay. After all, that’s why they say you do film/tv for love and never money. Look at all of your state schools and then branch out into nearby states. Honestly film/video production is not something you want to drown yourself in debt for.</p>