Is there even a point?

College Majors Visual Arts and Film Majors
1

<p>I have been passionate about filmmaking and film studies for many, many years. Practically as long as I can remember. All of my family and friends seem to be discouraging me from majoring in filmmaking or film studies because the film industry is such a difficult career. It's what I want to do SO badly, but I see their point. I don't know what to do. Is there even a point in majoring in filmmaking or film studies? Will it take me anywhere? I am in 11th grade, and my dream is to go to Wellesley for an undergraduate film studies degree and possible a minor in some form of art (possibly studio, if that's available).</p>

<p>I have tons of experience in film (NYFA film camps, tutoring, electives) but there have been a few other careers I've thought about that I don't have as much experience in. A photographer (film, because I worked in a dark room at school for 3 years and loved it), a marine biologist (which I couldn't pursue at Wellesley, my dream college), a psychologist (which takes SO long...), or a FBI linguist (I am learning arabic, which is one of their most wanted language for linguists).</p>

<p>What should I do? I don't know if I should follow my passion, or go for a career that would be more reliable. I have such a weird, wide range of career interests. I am really struggling with this and I want to figure out what college I am going to ASAP; I like to plan ahead.</p>

2

<p>It might help if you can tell us why Wellesley is your dream school.
you don’t mean Wesleyan, no?
If you did NYFA camps, your parents must have payed for it.
I can see why they’d pay up big bucks for your "enrichment " “passion” thing but stop you from going for real. We parents do that all the time.
you can say to make case
“why didn’t you stop me back then? now I’m this neck deep and you telling me I should give up?”
I’d like to know what they’d say but it get you nowhere.
I like films but no way a film person, thou what I hear often here is film study or production major do not always make you better film maker or film scholar.
there were old augments which else is better English or journalism? if not film, because parents won’t let’em.
If I can find the link, I will post.
I would let you go to school that have everything or near everything you ever want to try but without strict distribution rules or pecking order, like they won’t let you take fun classes unless you are second half, third year on.
You never know what will hit until it happens. You don’t want to limit yourself just yet.
since aiming at Wellesley, you must be a girl and having fab stats.
any science-y school would appreciate better gender balance. I do wonder thou, why almost all science girls I talked to want to become marine biologist?</p>

3

<p>I’m in your exact situation. I am myself very passionate about film and really cannot pinpoint anything else that I would want to do that I could really see myself doing in the long run. Sure I have my interests in other things, but film is what I really want to pursue. Don’t choose something you know you’ll regret and won’t enjoy. There’s so much more enrichment when you have a career and job that you actually love doing. You said it yourself… it’s what you want to do so badly, so do it.</p>

<p>It’s all about doing what you enjoy and are passionate about. If you have the passion, the drive, and the attitude, you WILL get somewhere one day. Sure, film isn’t the easiest industry to get into, but if you love it then you won’t mind how hard it’ll be or how much it’ll take. Just remember, the school you go to won’t determine how far you get, it’s ultimately up to you to decide how far you go. And who knows, you may find interest in other things as you progress through school. Life is full of surprises so be ready and open for anything that comes your way. You still have ample time, but it’s good that you’re planning ahead :).</p>

4

<p>found it
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/visual-arts-film-majors/897985-english-vs-journalism-filmmaking.html?highlight=journalism[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/visual-arts-film-majors/897985-english-vs-journalism-filmmaking.html?highlight=journalism&lt;/a&gt;
you said film study, not production, so I don’t know how that work.
thou as I was listening news this morning youth protesting middle east and Africa, wondered what become of the world you guys are to be grown up and dealing in.
who would have foreseen that twitter youtube facebook can catapult the revolution?
It is nice you’d take foreign language that is said to be useful for said career.
then I remember reading about Condi Rice being the Moscow specialist and being football enthusiast put her on the map when actually Moscow was no longer the issue.
she got job anyway without not specializing nor speaking the tongue of the people she had to deal with big time, if she did good job or not is whole another story.
it is good to plan, but world a changing as we speak.
I am not gonna able to do anything drastic rest of my life for physically brain-ly impossible now on
but you kids, have all this choice and opportunity.
you might be doing a job that not yet created.
stay smart, work hard, look widely and be curious.
being born here or schooled here is the gift anyone those protesting now who are around your age would die for, and gotten killed for.
be healthy and safe.</p>

5

<p>ichi -</p>

<p>We can’t offer you real advice on this because only you can make that decision. But some points:</p>

<p>I was a little apprehensive when my son wanted to major in film. But he was passionate about it, so I thought it was better to follow his passion. It worked out extremely well, and he was quite successful after graduation. BUT… his passion evolved into a technical area, where it is much easier to find a job than in creative areas like screenwriting or directing.</p>

<p>He did not wait until graduation and THEN start looking for a job in the industry. He (and his group of friends) had a two-pronged plan: to make a capstone film in school that would get them noticed, and to leverage connections. The film they made got a lot of notice. They also leveraged the alumni network, gaining some internships in the industry. An alumnus also sponsored LA screenings of their movie. All that planning and success worked, and as each got jobs, they recommended each other for other positions.</p>

<p>I know many who get a film degree and only then begin to wonder how they’ll get their “big break.” And they are still waiting. It really does take a lot of drive and planning and working the internships and as many connections as you can make… starting while you are still in school. It was amazing to me to see how important personal connections and recommendations were. And, once people see your talent, it becomes easier and easier to get the next gig because your connections grow with each new job.</p>

<p>So, if you do go for a film degree, attach yourself to the most talented people in your school and dream big and work hard.</p>

6

<p>Good point to all art major student. D is learning art and I will share this with her:
“attach yourself to the most talented people in your school and dream big and work hard.”</p>

7

<p>loveblue
it ain’t funny if she attaches her to herself.
you should tell her
“let them attach themselves to the most talented people (guess who?) in your school and let them dream big and work hard.” </p>

<p>digmedia
I always wanted to ask you
1.when did you notice that your son might just “have” it?
2.ever a doubt?
3.have you ever try pushing Penn over Ohio?
4.who did ultimate say and why?
this is just my guess but OP might be an Asian, ala Tiger mom/cub and she seems preoccupied by choosing the “right” school as much as “right” - meaning lucrative, respectable (to everyone: her family, friends etc) yet exciting career (is such thing exist? I know they do but where?)
what worked for you might not even an option. She wants to go to Wellesley, for one.</p>

8

<p>Here’s the advice I’ve heard about film/tv:</p>

<p>You’ve gotta love it.</p>

<p>You’ve got to absolutely, positively, 100% love it- even worship it! You absolutely can’t be doing this for the money, or for job security, or the benefits, or because you’ll be able to find a great entry level job straight out of college and make enough to pay back all those loans. Because that’s extremely difficult.</p>

<p>But it does happen. And if you absolutely, positively, 100% know this is what you want to do with your life and- better yet- that this is the ONLY thing you know to do with your life, go for it! It might take years, it might take decades, but it CAN happen. Film is just something you have to be patient with. You can’t ever give up, no matter how many 'no’s you get or if your family doesn’t really take you seriously for it.</p>

<p>You could even start off with another career, or similar career, while working on your filmmaking inspirations on the side. After all, there is debate about how reliable a film degree actually is, even in Hollywood, and there have been some who would rather see someone who have actually had life experience and have a real story to tell rather than someone who took the typical path to film. </p>

<p>Like with all majors, there will be hundreds of new aspiring filmmakers graduating and making the move out to Hollywood (or whatever location). What can you offer that’s different? How are you going to get there?</p>

<p>The best thing to do is decide what exactly is it that you would like to do in film. Production work? Directing? Writing? Acting? Learn as much about the art as you can and do as much work with it in school as you can. The great thing about film/tv is that we can get a ton of experience while we’re still in school. There’s no entry level position for going out with your own camera and shooting movies. You don’t have to go through 4 years of college just to have to do 4 more to make your degree mean anything.</p>

<p>What happens is in your hands- well, at least during college. It’s all about how you apply yourself, what you’re going to do to get to where you want to be. Shoot films, do as much work as you can, get internships, learn about Hollywood. The only way you know you’re going to fail is if you don’t even try.</p>

9

<p>bears and dogs - some answers to your questions:

  1. He has always been a very self-directed, focused individual who always dug into things. For example, in the 8th grade, when everyone had to get TI-83 calculators, he went beyond just learning how to use it and wrote programming tutorials (BASIC and ASM) for the ticalc.org site that were, at one point, being downloaded 200 times a day. Typical scenario: I’d walk into his room and find him IM’ing with a teacher in Japan, who was getting his advice on methods of clearing student calculators before a test.
  2. Honestly, no doubts. Lots of stories I will save you from, but he had a way of always “rising to the top.”
  3. My CC name actually came from the Digital Media Studies program at Penn. I thought it would have been perfect for him at one point, but he was veering away from the multi-media stuff to more of a film focus during HS, so that became less of a goal.
  4. Fortunately, his first choice and my first choice were one and the same, after we did visits to lots of schools.</p>

<p>As far as his passion, if you read the “advice” I give to future production majors (see the “Featured” threads at the top of this group). that was what my son did in high school. So you can see how into it he was. There is another parent on this forum (maddenmd) whose kid has very similar film-related activities. I have no doubt that maddenmd’s kid will also succeed. It just seems to be wired in, somehow.</p>

<p>One thing about my son: he seems to be more interested in the technical side of things (basically involving computers) like editing and visual effects than into “film” itself. He was always sort of less interested in what we would call “film studies” although he had classes in that area.</p>

10

<p>October47… I so agree with all you said above. I have always been pushing getting as much filmmaking experience as possible, and you never know where, in all those jobs that have to be done, you will find your true calling.</p>

11

<p>Thanks digmedia
now I got mean questions, because I’m in dumps and bit of confusion in independence issue.
you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to.

  1. does he live with you post grad? if he did how long?
  2. who find and make appointement to the doctor when needed?
  3. who pays his health insurance or any other medical cost?
  4. when the last time he asked you any funds?
  5. who pays his accountant if he got one?
  6. who pays up if did he owe IRS in his career, per quarter/year?
  7. if you did not answer any of ^^these questions either “him” or “never” how do you suppose declare your child’s independence?
  8. If you did answer ^^ questions either “hm” “never” how long did that take? during school, right after, one year? your kind is somewhere there, right? not even two years out?
  9. does his so-called “independence” even have been the issue at your home?</p>
12

<p>I feel like we have hijacked this thread and I apologize. Bears and Dogs, your questions are personal and intrusive, but not “mean.” I am wondering what is going on that prompted these questions, but I <em>think</em> I might see through what is happening.</p>

<p>The career my son chose for himself is not one in which you “get a job” and then everything is OK. His career is one of individual projects, usually on a 1099 basis. He has his own company and is hired by production companies (or effects houses) on a movie-by-movie basis. When he first graduated, he lived and worked from home for his first few projects (approx 3 months). As he became better known and work began to come to him (instead of him seeking work), he moved out of town, got an apartment in a not-too-far-away city, and worked from there, occasionally traveling for projects. He is now in Los Angeles working several movies at once, and has an apartment there. Luckily, he has been very successful (read: 14-16-hour days of work, 6-7 days a week). So he is very independent. </p>

<p>ichitogoxx… you can have your thread back again. lol Congrats on having lots of different interests. There are so many adventures awaiting you!</p>

13

<p>sorry folks, hijack is what I do all the time everywhere being nosy snoop.
digmedia
thanks you are good sport
well, that is exactly a trouble with Asian parents, if indeed OP got them.
they don’t get “jobs” that is not jobs, M-F S,S, Holidays are fine, 24/7 18hour shift, why not as long as those are occupation that is molded in concrete and looks and feels like concrete.
can not be professionally painted foam rubber or digi-nized flash sparkle rotate action thing that we can not see nor touch.
there I go again, sorry. I shut up know.</p>

14

<p>Thanks for all your responses, and don’t worry about it. >.< Thanks all! Very helpful information.</p>

1 Like
15

<p>li’l strawberry
but I do worry.
I worry now neck deep.
stay strong and be safe, keep getting good grade but do it for fun, for your own sake, OK?</p>