<p>Hey guys, I have a dilemma. I love film and everything about it. I'm in my film class, made many segments and is on post-production of a short film I'm creating, and was also nominated in the Orange County Film Festival. Film is what I would love to do for the rest of my life, but coming from a typical Asian-America family, my parents HATE the idea that I want to pursue a career in film production. They threaten to disown me if I do. They really want me to become an engineer, but I really don't want to do that. I really scared right now, they say they won't support me whatsoever if I make this decision. Any advice and tip?</p>
<p>Well, you can look for a full ride merit scholarship at the schools listed in the sticky threads at the top of the financial aid and scholarship forum, if you are just concerned about college finances.</p>
<p>But the thing about being disowned based on choice of college major is a level beyond that.</p>
<p>However, be sure to look into how career paths in film go so that you are not unpleasantly surprised at college graduation if you do study film in college.</p>
<p>apply to colleges that have both engineering schools and film schools.
USC has both and encourages students to major and minor in completely different areas. </p>
<p>Once a student is in college and not living at home most Asian parents eventually realize they can no longer control a child or their career choice.</p>
<p>have your teacher talk to your parents about film careers as a great career choice. and major in what you want to, because in the end, if it’s a choice between they are unhappy, or you are unhappy…</p>
<p>hopefully though, your success and solid career trajectory will persuade them , over time, to relent. (spoken as the Parent of a film major!)</p>
<p>Maybe you can try to find a compromise where you study Film and something else. Engineering program maybe has too many requirements. Maybe try to find something else they will be agreeable on. Math? Then do film minor. Or switch major and don’t mention it. Maybe you can double major at USC I don’t know. UCLA doesn’t allow double majors for film majors. USC is a good choice as you begin your studies in the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. At any rate you do need to try to get through that picking an Engineering career for someone else is unworkable. Find compromise. Just do what you have to to get through a degree program. You don’t have to major in film to work at it. Just keep doing your side projects and maybe you can find work in the summers as a PA or something.</p>
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<p>Any parent can veto the student’s choice of major by withholding tuition money or financial aid form cooperation, until the student becomes independent for the purpose of college financial aid, unless the student has a full ride merit scholarship. Plus, the OP’s parents are willing to disown him over the choice of major, which goes beyond the parents’ power over college funding.</p>
<p>If the OP gets into Berkeley, it is reasonably feasable to do a double major in film and computer science (L&S CS). The film major requires about 10 courses plus third semester college foreign language, while the computer science major requires about 15 courses, leaving about 4-7 courses for miscellaneous breadth requirements (AP math and English scores may reduce some of the requirements, and AP foreign language may cover some or all of the college foreign language requirement for the film major).</p>
<p>Of course, that also requires that the OP have some interest and ability in computer science, and that computer science is a parent-acceptable major. Computer science knowledge can be useful in film (computer generated imaging and animation, for example).</p>
<p>Think of Industrial Light and Magic- which has provided so many special effects for so many movies- NONE of that would be possible without computers. That is even more true today than ever.
OP- study BOTH CS and Film, if you can, and you can have your dream and keep your parents happy too.</p>
<p>Yeah, depending on the school, most STEM programs other than engineering should be possible with a substantial course load in film, all the way up to possibly a film double major. Could be CS, could be math, chem, whatever disinterests you least within the parameters and doesn’t have over-burdensome requirements. Sucks to have interfering parents, but look around on threads here and you’ll see plenty of people have it much worse.</p>
<p>Also I wouldn’t be too stuck on what your transcript will list for major. It’s not as if a film major is a gateway to jobs even within the film industry. Portfolio and experience count for more. Take plenty of film classes; if they add up to a second major, great; if they don’t, meh, who cares.</p>
<p>Also, it doesn’t look like you’re actually in college yet. Once it gets to that point, especially two or three semesters in, they may lose patience for fighting you on this and just give in. Stranger things have happened.</p>
<p>Not all STEM majors have good job prospects (the likely reason behind parents trying to choose your major), however. See the <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/internships-careers-employment/1121619-university-graduate-career-surveys-5.html#post15975553[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/internships-careers-employment/1121619-university-graduate-career-surveys-5.html#post15975553</a> .</p>
<p>So you guys really do think I should just double major? I feel like if I double major at like a big UC, then it’ll be strenuous. Should I just go to like, lets say, CSULB? and double major there?</p>
<p>How feasable a double major would be depends on the campus; whether it is easier to fit all of the courses in does not necessarily depend on whether the campus is a UC or CSU.</p>
<p>Hmmm, you got a point. Thanks guy for answering my questions. I’ll try to work things out. I’ll definitely tell my parents about the double major. Maybe they’ll understand that.</p>
<p>Op,
Sorry about your dilemma. I’m an Asian parent with a child that wants to do film. I’m an outsider in the industry, but have learned as my kid is progressing thru. there are some people on these boards in the industry, so maybe they will add their comments. also, you should post your question in the majors - film section of cc and you’ll get lots of responses. Here are my thoughts:
- Your parents are concerned about your future job stability and earnings. When you graduate college, your first jobs as production assistant or other type of job you may earn say $8-10/hr and your jobs may be temporary and you always have to look for your next project. So it’s an uncertain road.
- Connections matter a ton, so you should do as many internships as you can while in school. Connections are also to be had as a film prod major because you may be working with previous classmates after you graduate.
- Check out some of the CS majors at USC; they might have subheadings such as CS - animation or CS - interactive media… I’m not positive.
4 you don’t have to be a film prod major to do film prod. You could minor in it or take classes. - I’ve heard that at USC, it’s too hard to double major in film prod and another major because film prod is too time consuming. You could minor in CS or do a double major at a less rigorous film prod school.
- For CSUs, csun has a good film prod program; check if they have CS major as well.
- I believe that UCB (Cal) program is film studies not film prod, but that they do get kids placed in talent agencies such as CAA.
- Check if you would have the time to double major at Chapman.
- It would be nice to have a back up such as CS to fall back on, if you have been having trouble making it in the film industry after 5 or so years.
- I’ve heard others talk on this board that work is usually more stable and regular if you did things like editing, sound prod, etc. You will find your specific love as you spend more time in it.</p>
<p>If you do double major, must it be in a STEM field?</p>
<p>Maybe a business major would be more useful. Could your parents go for that?</p>
<p>And if your parents like the double major idea, you might ask whether the money would stretch for five years instead of four if necessary. Sometimes, it takes an extra year to complete two unrelated majors.</p>
<p>I can see you have a passion for film and understand your desire to make it your career path , however I also understand your parent’s lack of enthusiasm for your choice.
My daughter chose a similar major at a well known and respected college.
If I knew then what I know now , I would have steered her in another direction.
She never got a paying job in her field ( there are a lot of companies in the industry that take full advantage of the starry eyed people willing to serve as unpaid interns )
Few of her classmates found employment and when they did, were earning pretty poor salaries considering the cities they needed to be in for work ( i.e. LA, NYC )
The work is not necessarily steady. Many are contracted by the seasonality of the television show or film project , so not a lot of job security and or benefit packages.
Several of her friends have since returned to grad school in completely unrelated fields .
My daughter has a job in a good company ( took her three years ) It is in no way close to what she studied , but I am glad that she actually makes good money with a lot of opportunities for advancement.</p>
<p>It would be extremely difficult to double major in film production and engineering unless you plan to go to school for much more than four years. Both majors make heavy, heavy demands on your time. You could major in engineering at USC and minor in film. I haven’t looked lately but you probably would be taking courses in production, writing, and critical studies. Film students are always looking for people to crew their films and you can pick up a lot of on-the-job experience that way.</p>
<p>BTW, film is a tough industry to break into and, at least in my son’s experience as a USC critical studies grad, is initially based on contacts. It is always based on talent. Contacts will only get you so far. You may spend many years after college finding your way in film. It took several years for my son to establish his career as a copywriter doing social media advertising for films. He is now trying to break into acting.</p>
<p>So, if you want to be a struggling artist go ahead and do film. Unless you have incredible skills, which are identified as an undergrad, you will start your film career at the bottom as a, sometimes unpaid, production assistant. It will take contacts, luck, talent, and grit to make your way in the film industry. If you want to make money right out of college go into engineering.</p>
<p>[Engineers</a> in Film and TV](<a href=“http://www.tomorrowsengineers.org.uk/top_menu/film_and_tv.cfm]Engineers”>http://www.tomorrowsengineers.org.uk/top_menu/film_and_tv.cfm)</p>
<p>tells you what some engineers are doing in the film industry.</p>
<p>So you guys really do think I should just double major? I feel like if I double major at like a big UC, then it’ll be strenuous. Should I just go to like, lets say, CSULB? and double major there?</p>
<p>Not sure that you have to go to a CSU if you don’t want to. </p>
<p>I like the suggested idea above about CS and Film. CS degrees often don’t require as many credits as Eng’g degrees so it may be easier to combine the two.</p>
<p>Many, many, many trying to get into the film industry. On the other hand, many engineering type jobs are available, even in the film industry. If you get a degree in engineering, with some film electives, don’t need a major or even a minor, you can probably work your way into film type job with your foot in the door at a company. Making an engineering salary, you can always take the film courses you need even after college. </p>
<p>The reason your parents do not want to support a film major, is that the chances are high that you won’t find any job with a living wage when you get out. That’s the reality there. You can do what you please with your own money, but you have to have that money to do it,and it’s highly unlikely you’ll have any with film as your main thing. </p>
<p>I’ve seen Computer Engineering and CS programs that combine film. My friend’s son is in one.</p>