<p>Why do you want to go to Tisch in the first place? The benefit in film school nowadays is debatable, to be honest. The days where film school was toted as this magic ticket to fame and success are over. The great, dreamy-eyed film school myth came about in the days of George Lucas, when going to schools like NYU and USC truly did make a difference. For one, there was no such thing as digital cameras, and 35mm film stock (the standard for the day) was the only thing you could work with. Considering how expensive and easy to damage 35mm film is, and considering that film cameras were very expensive (and big and clunky) to operate, yes, you had to attend film school. Your average Joe couldn’t shoot a movie by himself with so many unavailable materials. Because film materials were so cumbersome and expensive, film school was very elite, and as a result, studios and production companies got 99% of their employees from the only trusted source out there: film schools. Nowadays, there are loads of young people who develop their skills independent of film schools, and they’re quite competitive. There was also no such thing as the internet, so it was impossible to meet like minded filmmakers unless you went to film school. Nowadays, a quick google search will bring you to loads of online filmmaking groups, clubs, and even educational forums (check out Indietalk.com for filmmaking, donedeal pro for screenwriting - those are both great resources!). Furthermore, film lessons were pretty scarce. Nowadays, there are hundreds of great, cheap e-books on filmmaking, and youtube is a great place to learn basic filmmaking techniques. </p>
<p>What am I trying to say with all of this. Basically, it has never been easier to make a film. You can make an * amazing * looking film with some very basic equipment, if you know how to use it well. That was impossible even ten years ago. Digital is becoming the norm. Information is easy to obtain. Film programs are everywhere, at most universities. I’d say the only advantage of a film school is that it puts you in contact with people who like to make films, and will help you make short films. That’s it. You don’t need to blow massive chunks of money on a school like NYU to get in touch with able bodied, hard working people. Yes, at your local state school, you may not find a bunch of rich kids who have been prepping for college since they were 13. Yes, some of the kids may not be as “passionate.” But they certainly aren’t slackers, and many of them do love film. All it takes is a small circle of friends who you can work with, and that’s all you need. You can find these people anywhere. I’ve never been to NYU, so I don’t know if this amazing, productive, fantasy-like creative environment is accurate or not. But I have a hard time believing it’s so amazing and crucial, missing it would be absolutely detrimental to ones career. Like I said though, I have no real idea. </p>
<p>You’re also probably aware that New York is considerably expensive. It’s very hard to live there on your own. If you’re up for the challenge, go for it. You would probably grow as a person. But be aware that if you go to NYU, you will literally be bleeding yourself dry and going into massive debt for a degree that has some of the absolute worst prospects. I think this is a poor idea. Nowadays, college is unjustly expensive, so much so that the university bubble will likely burst in the next 10-20 years and massive changes will need to be made. Until then though, college has become all about strategy. You can’t afford to just study what you love and forget about the rest. It would be amazing if you could, but sadly, that’s really only a comfortable option for the rich. In this day and age, the only time taking on huge debts is realistic and excusable is when you’re majoring in an in-demand field such as medicine, where you know there’ll be available, high paying jobs lined up for you right out of the gate (jobs where you can start paying those loans off immediately). This is the exact opposite with film. You will graduate, with little foothold above your peers who skipped film school and went straight to gaining experience as production assistants; even then, the foothold will largely be about any networking you do or people you meet by chance, rather than work ethics (a person outside of film school has every ability to make short films on their own, just like the students at NYU, so the argument that NYU students are automatically more motivated is partially false). People will ask to see your reel first, not your degree, and a reel can be developed in many ways, not just at film school. So many film school grads struggle with finding work, and that’s no lie. It’s disheartening, but also true and important to note. The fact that the film industry doesn’t usually offer steady work but rather work on a job by job basis makes matters even trickier. Everyone who wants to get involved with filmmaking usually starts out in the indie bracket, regardless of their education. I would suggest you go to a cheaper school and double major in film and something practical, or major in something practical and minor in film. That’s just my opinion though, so take it with a grain of salt. </p>
<p>Good luck with whatever you choose. But know what you’re getting into, and know that NYU is not the only option - and it certainly isn’t a one way ticket to success. Even if you’re heart is set on film school itself, why pick the most expensive film school around? There are many ways to succeed in the film industry, some of which don’t cost as much money. One years tuition at NYU is enough to make three Blair witch projects. That’s crazy, if you think about it. I personally wouldn’t be able to justify the financial burden under any circumstances, but that’s my life, not yours. </p>