<p><< – etcheverry –</p>
<p>bjdzyak inspiring post thank you so much…
My biggest passion is film/tv…but i’m not so sure about the specific field (producting, directing, etc) since i have never had a chance to do any of that i can’t tell which would please me more…I have done some theater and was even invited to go to a british theater school, but that was not what i wanted. Last year i had the chance to be some sort of stand by in a movie shooting and that was the coolest thing ever…i felt something in my heart that i knew that was something i should do.
Music is my second passion…i’m learning guitar and i sing…i can spend hours and hours practicing…i’m also very interested in the science behing music mixing, editing (i’m working a lot with pro logic)…
The thing for me is that i don’t see myself doing anything else…i have good grades and i could get a good job in the business field , but i know that i will not be pleased.
In this past two years i found out that i’m extremily artistic…I visited the radio film and tv dep at Northwestern…i went nuts…it was the same feeling i had when i went to disney…</p>
<p>What really worries me is that if i apply for a job or a internship and i don’t have any real experience i won’t get anything…Everybody says that the most important thing is get the foot on the door, but how to do that without the connections and trainning offered by a film school.>></p>
<p>I can’t tell you that going to school will work for you or won’t. That’s the thing about this business… you just never know. </p>
<p>Unlike some other careers, this is not one that has the model of Filmschool + Film degree = lifelong job, fame, and fortune. The degree itself will not give anyone a competitive edge over someone who doesn’t. It just does not work that way. What Filmschool can offer someone is access to equipment, an environment among like-minded people, and the potential to be friends with others who may be able to help you in your own career. </p>
<p>The equipment angle is a bit silly, in that if you have the money to spend on a four year college, then you have the money to hire a crew to make the movies you want to make. Being among other aspiring “filmmakers” is easy because there are over 700 Filmschools all over the world. Throw a rock and you’ll likely hit someone who also wants to be in the film business in some way. The last one… finding others who can help you… is really what matters. You never know where the next successful Producer, Writer, Director, DP, etc is going to come from. Some are indeed graduates of a Filmschool and others aren’t. Some grew up into the “family business” and many others have to move thousands of miles to break in. There are so many different ways that people get into the business and rarely, if ever, does the degree have any impact on the chances of success.</p>
<p>Filmschool will NOT necessarily give you connections and training that would allow you the opportunity to get a foot in the door. Yes, you can learn valuable things there. But, again, depending on what it is you specifically want to do, you can learn the basics on your own for far less money. For instance, if you want a “below-the-line” job, a film degree is fairly useless. Below-the-line jobs really are “blue collar” skills. Highly specialized jobs that require intelligence and common-sense, but you can learn those skills without forking over thousands and thousands of dollars to a Filmschool where you’re watching old movies and writing papers about them.</p>
<p>If you would like to Write, Produce, or Direct, then a University education COULD be more valuable… but again, not necessarily a Film degree. Producing is about logistics and business, so having a background that develops your planning, accounting, and thinking skills is exceedingly important. Yes, knowing the production process IS important, but having a film-centric education isn’t necessary and could leave out important aspects of education that you need to know. Writing is about you sitting down and writing. A University program in screenwriting will help you learn the unique structure and maybe help hone your skills via graded feedback, but again, the degree is meaningless. What matters is your writing skills, the scripts you have, and the people you are able to get to look at them. Directing… well, most Filmschools cater to selling that dream by intensive study of the “art” of film through review of older films and “production” classes where students make their own short movies. </p>
<p>What’s missing in all of that are the lessons of what it truly takes to build a real career. If the Filmschool has the curriculum and environment and facilities that can “train” you to be “qualified” to get an internship and/or a paying job in the professional world, then by all means, jump in and take advantage of the opportunity. It might work for you! And it might not. It’s just that too many aspiring “filmmakers” leave school with the idea that they are now “qualified” to [fill in job here]. Maybe they have learned the mechanics of doing the job and that is important. But unless they have somehow created something that is so unique that it can’t be ignored, the odds are that those graduates will get a hard dose of reality when they clean out their lockers. </p>
<p>School is a possible way to get experience with equipment and with the production process. Another is to go out into the world and just jump in. To do that, you ask EVERYONE you know if THEY know anyone who is in the business. Chances are fairly good that you will find at least one contact who you can call and explain what you want to do. That person will either be able to help you directly or will (hopefully) refer you to someone else. It’s all about meeting people, being willing and able to move if you need to, and having the passion, perseverance, enthusiasm, and patience that it takes to work your way into the business until you’re making enough money to pay the bills. It’s an art, but it’s a BUSINESS that survives because it sells the art. Most Filmschools just teach the art, which is fine and all, but without knowing the realities of making a living doing this, all of that expensive education will just remain theory. </p>
<p>So, take the time to figure out precisely what it is you want to do, find out what it takes to get there, and then take the realistic steps that it takes to make it happen. Nobody is out here waiting for you to finish school so they can use you. It’s up to you to go do it and make it happen. Some people “make it.” Most don’t. But if this is really what you want to do with the short life you (we all!) have, then don’t let anything or anyone stop you. There are those out there who will tell you that you can’t do it, or that you shouldn’t listen to someone like me, but what matters is what YOU want out of life. You came into life alone and you’ll leave alone. It’s your choice and responsibility to do what you want to with the time in between. Figure out what you want to do, figure out how to get there, and then go do it. Life is short. Each minute that goes by is one more that you’ll never get back. </p>
<p>Start today.</p>
<p>promotion</p>
You gotta take the work when it comes.) </p>