What to Do If I Want to Become a Movie Director

College Search & Selection
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<p>Yes, it depends on the school, but there is typically a schedule of main stage productions that are faculty directed and student/theatre club productions that are student directed. A good resource here for you might be @KatMT a college rep for James Madison University. JMU has one of the more vibrant theatre scenes in the state of Virginia.</p>

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<p>This from JMU’s web site. which is fairly typical:</p>

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<p>Research how to get film internships while you’re in college (summers in LA, local during fall and spring). </p>

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<p>@circutrider said:

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<p>You raise interesting questions. For the creative artists, I sort of buy in to Anders Ericsson’s ten years/10,000 hours of deliberate practice theory: <a href=“http://projects.ict.usc.edu/itw/gel/EricssonDeliberatePracticePR93.pdf”>http://projects.ict.usc.edu/itw/gel/EricssonDeliberatePracticePR93.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>If you look at @gouf78’s example (post #78), his or her kid is taking a bite out of those 10,000 hours, and look at famous directors like the Coen brothers or Spielburg. Those guys were practicing their craft at a very early age with their friends and 8mm cameras.</p>

<p>The huge challenge, I think, is having the perseverance to log in the hours and having the right resources and mentoring along the way to make that practice deliberate.</p>

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<p>OP, I live in Virginia as well and my youngest son wants to go into film production. He’s heard VCU is iffy - but you still get exposure to the film industry and community, as well as film festivals and the people who drive them. However, if VCU Arts isn’t your goal, there is a great program at JMU - James Madison’s School of Media Arts and Design - <a href=“http://smad.jmu.edu/”>http://smad.jmu.edu/&lt;/a&gt;. You can make money in that field if going to straight film school isn’t your thing; there are internships all over the DC area and in Richmond. Everything now is multimedia. Don’t choose economics if you aren’t interested in it, when you can do something related to film that isn’t a BFA in Film Studies. Broadcast journalism is another, related field. But I highly recommend you check out JMU’s program and get excited about its possibilities.</p>

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<p>OP, here is the bottom line. Many people who want to be directors are going to school and working hard to make their plan work. You are choosing not to do this, which is your choice, but I am not sure that you realize what you are missing. You will not be able to take the classes that the film/theatre majors take, they tend to be closed to non theatre/film majors. Yes there are electives, but they are not the same. Also, you miss out on years of connections…you will not be a part of the fraternities, the clubs, etc, that these kids will be, you will not be eligible for the internships and such. It is not always what you know, but who you know.</p>

<p>By the way, VCU, which is an in state school, has a strong performing arts program, as does JMU. </p>

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<p>OP, does this not also look enticing? <a href=“http://arts.vcu.edu/programs/undergraduate-programs/photography-film-bfa/”>http://arts.vcu.edu/programs/undergraduate-programs/photography-film-bfa/&lt;/a&gt; How can any student driven to make films not be interested in surrounding himself or herself with this environment? The networking opportunities are what get you jobs in the film industry. It is very much who you know, and this is a place to collaborate with and get to know those people.</p>

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<p>Like I said, it all comes down to money. I’d love to study film in college…if the price is right. My hesitation regarding film school has nothing to do with me not being determined to become a director and everything to do with my skepticism regarding arts programs in general.</p>

<p>Of course, I’ve just said for the past few pages that I’ll combine Econ with a film-related major if a school offers such a program. If not, maybe I’ll double in English or theatre…even if I am skeptical of theatre, too. </p>

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<p>In fact, I already said I’d study Film in college no matter what (not sure if I want the degree), but I look forward to it. </p>

<p>Also, I found an art competition in my area which includes film production…and it includes a scholarship. So I really look forward to doing that. Plus, not many people do it, so my teacher said that anyone who enters will probably win something.</p>

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<p>@KubricksGhost‌: what are your SAT scores like? You obviously have great grades. </p>

<p>My S2 applied to USC last fall; he didn’t have anywhere near your rank but he did have 99% SATs, including an 800 CR and 3 760+ SAT2s, and he was a finalist for their full tuition merit scholarship ($180,000). He withdrew bc he was admitted ED2 elsewhere. He’s interested in becoming a film and/or TV writer but decided he wanted to apply as an English major and then get an MFA in screenwriting. But for directing, you’re probably better off going for it as an undergrad. I think at USC you could also take courses in economics and possibly in the business school. If you don’t make it as a director, maybe you could combine your interests in film and economics by either becoming a producer or an agent. Of course, to apply to USC’s film school, you’ll need a short film. Take a look on YouTube at some of the short films that have been submitted with the Common App…you won’t believe how exceptional some of them are. These kids are incredibly talented. But man, if you get lucky, you could win some serious merit money. To be considered for it, you must apply by Dec 1.</p>