FILM STUDIES at the big W.

<p>How is the film studies program? How competitive, hands on, or theory based etc..? </p>

<p>Are the professors swamped with kids and thefore, really not approachable...???</p>

<p>Is it a sound choice as a double major with something like art? </p>

<p>I'm sort of split b/w film studies or international studies as the second major choice.</p>

<p>Anyone with experience with either of these programs please comment.</p>

<p>Somebody PLZ???</p>

<p>If you're a current student and happen to see someone who knows anything about these programs, ASK THEM. hehe... just please reply with something.</p>

<p>:P</p>

<p>Hey, I'm going to Wash U next year as a film studies major and I met with three of the professors who basically told me everything I need to know about the program there. It is mostly a criticism/theory based curriculum but with some production classes, which I like. The professors I met with are very laid back. I love it because they have a TV studio where we can be hands on our first year. The classes seem interesting (there is a music video course the I most def. want to take in the fall). But all the profs. agreed that the film program is not as big (people dont show as much interest) as they want to. And there really is no good study abroad program there designed for film studies students. One of the profs told me to study abroad in some other concentration because the film study abroad programs aren't worth it. But overall it sounds like a good balance of theory and practice and it has EXTREMELY accessible equipment.</p>

<p>I've heard some negative things about film studies (really esoteric curriculum) from a professor at Boston U. He has a huge list of complaints with the way film is being taught in universities needless to say the guy is not really pro-Hollywood at all.</p>

<p>I was wondering if the professors you spoke to indicated or suggested knowledge of such complaints/issues with film studies and if WashU's program is Hollywood-centric or not.</p>

<p>Did you consider any other majors at WashU, peaches?</p>

<p>And I want to THANK YOU for actually replying. :)</p>

<p>Perhaps I'll see you there!</p>

<p>Calling, calling... PEACHES!!!?</p>

<p>:)</p>

<p>Hello again! Straight up I will tell you my two major complaints with the program which were also echoed by the profs. One is that since it is not one of the most popular/established programs there, there is not many resources. And two, it is not production based, so you probably will need to go to a graduate film program somewhere else if you want to actually work in the industry. Prof. Chapman told me that ALL of his students are struggling in Hollywood right now because there is not an extensive network there. In comparison, if you went to NYU's Tisch, which is a production based curriculum and has an established alumni for networking, you would probably have an easier time right out of college. But it depends on where your priorities are right now. I dont know if it is necessarily a good thing to go right into the industry out of college. And everyone here at NYU (which is where I am now, I am transferring) seems concerned only with the technical aspects. I want to get grounded in the conceptual side of film first, before I start production. This is not to suggest that you would most certainly not get a job right off, but the prof warned me that it would be much harder, so he suggested that I double major, which I was already considering. I want to also major in Anthropology and possibly minor in fashion design. He gave me the impression that most of the film students he has did not go to Wash U explicitly for film. But still, I think its a great program. I would suggest calling the film studies office and talking to one of the profs. They are really helpful. And I hope to see you there next year.</p>

<p>I'm probably minoring in film studies.</p>

<p>I @ WashU now for the multicultural weekend, an I actually just came back from the tv studio. I was watching some students film the show B-Side (it is done live). They actually let me work one of the cameras and be on the show (being interviewed and guest host) and it was a lot of fun. I don't know a lot about the film studies program, but I do know that there are a lot of opportunities for students who like to work with tv and cameras to work with the shows on WUTV.</p>

<p>I want to thank you again, peaches, for your candidness.</p>

<p>You're tempting me to forget about international studies all together ;p</p>

<p>Yeah, it sounds like I can work with the film program and it will be nice to have people like you there. Actually, one of my close friends is at NYU right now. I don't think she was doing film... do they have an undergrad art major? That's probably what she's in... </p>

<p>Her parents seemed freaked out about it, but I told them she'd be fine. </p>

<p>Jeff,</p>

<p>Sounds really cool. Thanks for replying!
:)</p>

<p>bump for any other possible film majors, minors or people who know of the program! perhaps even offer comparisons to other similar majors??</p>

<p>THANKS.</p>

<p>a final bump for the late comers...</p>