<p>When I say “first two years” I’m primarily referring to STANDARDIZED US GENERAL EDUCATION requirements which is essentially LIBERAL STUDIES. If one goes to a school in some other country then that is different, but here in America EVERYONE is required to take basically these high school style extension classes. Those classes are the same everywhere and many times use the same textbooks as well. No matter what fancy dress a school calls a class, underneath that dress is essential the same. One cannot earn their AA or BA in the US without GE requirements which is very cut and dry.
The truth and reality of the matter here in California is if one chooses their classes and professors more accurately the instructors are typically better for the first two years at 2 year schools. In the program I am in we have the majority of the top ex-USC student turned professors that are better than what USC hired specifically for lower division. We also have one of the best ex-UCLA screenwriters plus other stronger faculty members than many of the top schools FOR THE FIRST TWO YEARS. Now if money isn’t an issue and you want to spend an extra hundred thousand dollars for those first two years you are most certainly welcome to. I’m just letting you know how the educational system is set up here in California since I’ve either worked, attended classes, and/or hung out at many of these schools plus have worked in the industry. If you do not want to take my advice and are more concerned with influencing your sons decision then let him find out on his own. Personally I think its foolish to waste 50-100 grand on freshman and parent naivety but many educators already know how stubborn parents can be. If he wanted to make money doing film production while he was learning he would be better off with investing into a high quality pro-sumer or consumer camera and lens instead. The great thing about De Anza and SBCC is after you take F/TV production I, you are granted access to checking out gear in case the student doesn’t have their own.</p>
<pre><code>If you know anything about education today you would realize that all accredited schools have what they measure as SLO’s. In cynical realistic terms that basically means the instructor does not necessarily instruct anymore no matter where you go. They handle formalities and point you in the right direction and handle questions. Because of the self esteem education movement that happened in the 1970’s teachers are restricted to follow PC guidelines not to upset anyone or tell them they are wrong. Many of the ol school instructors scoff at it and expose it for what it is but many of the young teachers tend to reinforce it, even when not relevant to education and becomes more of social conditioning. Under the SLO system it is the students responsibility to now be self motivated to learn on their own. What happens is the majority of students do the minimal amount of work they feel necessary to get a grade near what they expect.
The young students who think they are merely clever and getting away with something actually hurt themselves in the long run. They think employers care about their grades or what school they went to over what they learned so do themselves a disservice and hinder their long term growth and are just not as employable.This is no different in film school no matter where one goes. California is an extremely modern high tech nearly socialist state in which the intricacies of partaking into the internal going on’s require a very steep learning curve that the majority of students just aren’t prepared for no matter where they went. Well over 80% of what a student will learn is really up to that individuals self motivation and thirst for knowledge. It just ends up that way but does separate those with just superficial surface knowledge from those who have breadth and depth.
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<p>The majority of Film Production students oftentimes lack the historic aspect of film in relation to business, technology, politics and art and all they are intertwined together through each movement. Many also lack the deep psychological and philosophical body of work attributed to film. That leaves schools left to trying to create good screenwriters but without the human and business aspect of employing and evoking philosophical and psychological devices much of the writing (and depth) is merely mediocre and the intended effect fails. Besides a small percentage of students that come to California many just don’t have what it takes to work in the film industry here. A know it all 21 year old 4 year college grad who spent more time consuming and criticizing film and worked on a few school projects is just not going to be able to compete with the more proletariat production crews and guild members of 25 years. It really is not a race and if going to a 2 year schools requires a few more production classes out of your son it would benefit him more in the long run as long as he keeps curious and interested. </p>
<p>USC’s core F/TV Production lower division consists only of:</p>
<p>CTCS 190 Introduction to Cinema 4
CTCS 200 History of the International Cinema I 4
CTCS 201 History of the International Cinema II 4
CTPR 241 Fundamentals of Cinema Technique
(taken concurrently with CTPR 242/290, CTWR 413) 2
CTPR 242 Fundamentals of Cinematic Sound 2</p>
<p>plus US standardized GE requirements. In fact USC has LESS lower division film appropriate liberal studies classes and electives than the strong 2 year F/TV programs. The best IGETC/GE track for F/TV Production would include…</p>
<p>Art History IV -Post Impressionist to Modern/Present for first Arts
Photography I - B/W for 2nd Arts or
Music Fundamentals I -for tentative 2nd Arts</p>
<p>Western Civ II - up to modern for humanities
Chemistry+lab - for science
Bio 1 - for Biology
Gen Psychology I - for first social/behavioral
Sociology I (or some social psyche class) for tentative 2nd s/b
plus
English 1+2
Math 1+2
US History 2 (but many schools like 1 as well)
Poli Sci 1
Speech 1 (for CSU but good to take anyways)
Philosophy - Critical Thinking</p>
<p>plus required</p>
<p>California Institutions requirement
multicultural requirement - better if film/lit related i.e. African American Cinema
2 PE or 1 PE and 1 Nutrition/Health class
1 Information Technology/Library Science class for teaching students how to research</p>
<p>and recommended
CIS I
Business I</p>
<p>there is also a lower division and upper division English and math requirement</p>