What should I do? interested in music & film (long text wall, searching for answers)

College Search & Selection
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<p>I am a student, in between my freshman and sophomore years at a local community college (one of the best CCs in the country; not that this mines all that much) called Collin College in McKinney, TX. I am planning on taking my core education here and then transferring somewhere. I have discovered over the past year or so that I am immensely interested in the idea of making movies/tv shows, including writing the screenplays and composing the music. Editing and cinematography also seem very fun to me. I want to do a double major of Composition (or music theory, whichever one would be best) and cinmatography, with a minor in creative writing (I would minor in this because writing stories and such well already comes extremely naturally to me). I want to do this at the University of North Texas right by me in Denton, TX, a school that is internationally acclaimed for its music school and has a very good film program.</p>

<p>I have not had good grades through high school or the little amount of college I've done. I've always been what is labeled as a "gifted underacheiver". For example, I would consistently have A+ Test/quiz grades in high school but they would be accompanied with F homework grades. The reason I was like this is because I could not find the reason or point for school. It seemed like a means to a miserable end, having a job you hate so you can make a lot of green paper? Blech. However, ever since I discovered what I want to be my dream job, or my "calling", I have been working like a maniac on school. I thirst for knowledge of the fields that interest me, almost as I would for water. </p>

<p>I looked up some info on getting admitted into a composition program and I'm worried by what seem to be the pre-requirements. I've read that you have to have had your compositions played, and must be a certain level of a piano player and have a certain amount of knowledge of music theory. My question is, isn't university where you would learn this stuff? Why would you have to know it beforehand? As to the piano skill, i have never had formal lessons. I have taught myself songs such as Toccata and Fugue by Bach and Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven. I have spent sometimes 6 hours in one night playing my piano, not being able to get enough of it. It makes me smile and cry and feel emotions that fulfill me. I feel that I have a lot of potential in composition, as I have created some songs just by tapping about on the keyboard that actually sound very decent and I constantly hear music in my head that I could use to add on to it and have at times felt rushed to get home so I can somehow translate what's in my head to music. However, I have 0 knowledge of music theory or how to read music. I feel that if I were to learn these things, I could express myself and unlock my potential.</p>

<p>My worry is that at the moment, I am pretty much pure potential, with no real accomplishments as of yet. Is it true that to get into composition of music schools (just as an undergrad to study for a bachelor's) I have to be so accomplished? Or is this for their graduate programs? It wouldn't make sense to me, as I would think that the college scene is where you would develop your potential, rather than already have a list of accomplishments.</p>

<p>I'm really just looking for answers and don't know where to turn. I've never been proactive, don't know how to apply for universities or anything like that. I don't really know how to do any of this stuff, or even what I should do. I want to change, this possibility of me finding my calling has made me want to be hard-working, proactive, confident, and strive with everything in me to accomplish my goals and dreams. I don't know why, but I just feel over the past year or so like I want to make an indent on the world. </p>

<p>If any of you could help me, answer some of my questions, give me some advice, anything at all that will help, I would be so thankful. Thanks to anyone who even read this massive monstrosity of a text wall.</p>

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<p>So let me get this straight - you’re interested in filmmaking, specifically screenwriting, and music composition for film?</p>

<p>I can’t speak too much for music theory. My sister is a bit like you. She’s played the piano for 10+ years, but has no formal music theory training - she plays loud and energetic, and can master very, very fast and complicated songs, but she doesn’t understand formal definitions of things like time signatures or measures. I don’t know if going to school for music theory would help you. You could start out by reading a few music theory books or taking a class, before actually spending thousands of dollars on a music theory degree. If you’re so dedicated to writing music you can compose for hours into the night, you may not need the motivation a formal environment has to offer (most creative students like college because it kicks them in the rear to accomplish projects). You may be able to excel on your own. </p>

<p>I can speak towards screenwriting however. I do not believe you need to obtain any sort of formal education to be a writer. Actually, I think it’s completely useless. You’ll be put in a stuffy, pretentious environment, being taught by “instructors” who (for the most part) do not have the skill or desire to pursue screenwriting as a full time career. If you want to go to school for screenwriting, by all means, go for it. But you’d be wasting money.</p>

<p>Now for filmmaking. I also lean in the anti-film school direction here. I believe it’s entirely possible to pick up the basics of filmmaking on your own. The kind of money many kids dump into a school like USC or NYU could be used to buy yourself an amazing set of film equipment, which you’d own - no sharing or regulations. Books, youtube videos, and individual classes can supplement a college course. The only thing you’d be lacking is crew and networking (although to be frank, you’d make 10x the connections if you snagged a job as a production assistant in LA, working alongside people within the industry, as opposed to making film school buddies that MAYBE could become successful). </p>

<p>It all depends on where you want to start. I don’t think you should start out in the music branch. You need to be damn amazing to make it. The demand for original music is waning, and the industry already has a handful of composers they like to stick to. A music career usually doesn’t translate into a filmmaking or screenwriting career.</p>

<p>If you want to start out in the directing branch, film school would be a good idea. Keep in mind however, that the life of an indie filmmaker is TOUGH. It’s really brutal. There’s a reason for every 1 successful director there are 10,000 other schmucks who never make it past short films and youtube videos. If they’re lucky, they might make a feature that goes straight to DVD. I believe the reason for this is simple: the market is oversaturated with aspiring filmmakers. While all directors need that special “spark” to ever become truly great, directing at it’s fundamental level is a technical skill. No different than learning an instrument or learning how to build a computer. Although ‘artsy’ filmmaking takes that extra oomph, decent, workable directing skills take nothing but theory and hard work. As a result, there are many very capable aspiring directors vying for a chance to direct a very small pool or scripts, and an even smaller pool of amazing scripts. Those directors need to find a way to prove themselves “worthy” or deserving of taking a screenwriters piece of work and making it his or her own. </p>

<p>Screenwriting is vastly different. I believe screenwriters do have the upper hand, although they go unappreciated a lot of the time. Before a script has been sold, a screenwriter - or more importantly a screenplay - is worth it’s weight in gold. A good story is what makes or breaks a film. The music, the sound, the lighting, everything comes second to the story. Because of this, a screenwriter with an AMAZING (not good, but one of a kind) script has a great deal of bargaining power. There’s a reason why you hear stories like Sylvester Stallone - a person with an amazing script who holds that script hostage unless the production company allows the writer to direct said script. It’s an incredibly risky move, but if you have a nice reel to back up your claim, it can work. In most cases, once a screenwriter sells their work, they become utterly useless, and are thus usually kicked out of the production. Their work is free to be massacred as the director sees fit. If the screenwriter has numerous filmmaking skills however, they can start out in the screenwriting branch and use those skills to translate into a writer/director career. And once you’re director, it becomes much easier to pick a composer (that composer could even be you). </p>

<p>I don’t know whether or not you should go to college. Personally, I feel like college for screenwriting, composing, and cinematography is not the best decision. For you, I see three main problems.</p>

<p>1) you have never written a screenplay that has been submitted to a contest or agency, and therefore have no idea (pardon my French) if you actually suck. The same goes for music. It’s harsh, but true. You could simply not be good enough, and you don’t know that yet. You have no way to gauge if your work is genius, or absolutely terrible (as of now, it probably falls in the middle). Will you pay 50k-150k to find that sensitive information out? Because there are many, many cheaper ways to do so (screenwriting competitions, script coverage, submitting query letters, putting music up on youtube, posting shorts on youtube, etc.)</p>

<p>2) because you have no work to back up your passion, how do you know if this is really the thing for you? The best example I can think of is all the young people pouring themselves into the video game design industry. Plenty of kids don’t realize that enjoying playing a video game doesn’t mean they’ll necessarily enjoy making one. The creation of the final product is vastly different than the experience of using the final product. If you’ve never tried your hand at screenwriting or cinematography, will you still feel comfortable dumping a large sum of money into those interests at college? You’d be better off getting comfortable with them on your own first, and then seeing if you even needed college in the first place. </p>

<p>3) you have chosen, for your desired career, the two most inborn skills on the planet - writing and music. There are people out there who pick up a pen and write an Oscar winning screenplay on their first try (Diablo Cody), and then there are writers who suffer through years of classes and how-to books, and they’ll never be good enough to make it. The same goes for music. A large, large part of these two skills is inborn. It’s innate. It can’t be taught. Unfortunately, I feel like too many people equate success with luck and hard work, and say talent is only a small part. While luck and hard work are very significant parts of the equation, talent is always the deciding factor. Talent is what separates the ultra successful from the rest. You can hone it, but you can’t create something that isn’t there to begin with. College is very risky for these two skills because it really has nothing to do with your overall talent. Unlike schools for medicine or law, where you learn a practice, college can only offer the creative type a certain environment in which to flourish in. Is the environment worth the time and money for you? </p>

<p>Take THAT massive text wall! Sorry for the word vomit (especially if it seems directionless). I hope I’ve addressed a few of your concerns, or shed some light on all the different pathways. Proceed with caution, and always keep the ultimate goal in sight. Good luck!</p>

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<p>Without formal training, you probably shouldn’t look at musical composition at the college level. It will be at a much more advanced level while you don’t have a firm foundation of the basics. What I reccomend is looking at Full Sail University. You won’t get the music, but there is an amazing filming program there and the facilities are new</p>

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<p>I don’t think there’s anything wrong with completing your bachelor’s, especially if you can do it while you are still young and without incurring an inordinate amount of debt. And, once having decided to do that, what’s the harm in pursuing a field that brings out your creativity and passion? I have a nephew who was very lucky to land a job at one of the big studios with only two years of college; he’s designed dvd covers and been given other interesting assignments over the years, but, we’ve often wondered whether not having a bachelor’s might be keeping him from advancing even further. You may want to keep that in mind before jumping immediately into the job market.</p>

<p>My advice would be to stop looking at college as training for an entry-level job. You can always learn the technical aspects of film making. I’ve probably read over a hundred spec scripts in the past twenty years, all technically proficient, but, very few that left me wanting to read more by the same writer. To be honest, I think you have to write seven or eight bad scripts before you begin to really hit your stride. Instead of seeing college as a place to “teach you” stuff, I would look at the next three years as a further opportunity to interact with some very smart people who may share your interests, broaden your horizons, and bring out the work ethic that’s been lurking within you all these years. All of that will come in handy in any career you choose whether it is writing, composing or directing. The University of North Texas must have other departments that interest you. Don’t they have a plain vanilla music degree? What about a film studies major?</p>