<p>I'm a junior on Long Island and I really, really want to major in film. I think I might eventually settle on screenwriting but I want to explore everything (directing, producing, editing, etc.) and I want to stay close to home while doing it, at least on the east coast. I don't have a video portfolio but I could put something together for writing. I know a lot of people say that film school/film majors are a waste of time to pursue but I really want to give this a shot and ideally, graduate debt-free so at least nothing was lost money-wise if it doesn't work out. My GPA is around an 89/90 and I haven't taken the SAT yet (it's scheduled for May) but I took the PSAT twice and scored a 1910 and an 1830 respectively. As of right now I'm thinking of applying to Bard, Emerson, Barnard (film studies) and Brooklyn College. I might end up choosing Brooklyn only because of the cost but I'm worried that the program won't be as good and the students and professors won't be as enthusiastic and engaged. I'm not sure if that's naive but if I do end up seriously considering the school I'd like to be reassured. I was looking into Chapman's screenwriting program too and may end up applying even though it's expensive and on the other side of the country, just to see if I get in. Does anyone else have any other recommendations? Do you think I should drop film altogether and study something else, or pick up a double major? Input is appreciated. :)</p>
<p>NYU is another school i’m looking into; I’m going to be a film production major as well. BU has good undergrad film as well. UNSCA is a good film program on East Coast. This be far for East Coast, but FSU has a great BFA too. Ithaca has a good film and Syracuse supposedly has a decent one as well </p>
<p>Hey, thanks for the reply 
I’m looking at NYU too and actually toured the school last October although I’m torn between applying to Tisch for dramatic writing and CAS for journalism (I think I have a better shot at getting in through CAS) but the school is very expensive and they offer very little aid so attending might not be feasible. </p>
<p>I’ve heard FSU film is great because they actually give their students a budget for their movies as opposed to having them raise the money themselves and the program itself is pretty selective. I’m definitely going to look into BU and Ithaca though because I’d rather exhaust my options in the northeast before moving further south.</p>
<p>Buy yourself a starter kit of film equipment </p>
<ul>
<li> Camera</li>
<li> 35mm lens</li>
<li> Steady tripod </li>
<li> Sliding dolly</li>
<li> 3/4 piece light kit</li>
<li> 2 china balls with large bulb and socket </li>
<li> Shotgun microphone with XLR cable </li>
<li> Boom pole for shotgun microphone</li>
<li> Digital audio recorder (for recording sound)</li>
<li> Basic audio mixer</li>
<li> Extension cords</li>
<li> Bounce board </li>
<li> Reflector board</li>
<li> Editing software </li>
</ul>
<p>This set of equipment will cost you between $3,000 and $5,000. Does that sound like a lot? Yes. But it’s a hell of a lot cheaper than film school; what I’ve just listed here costs about 1/6 of 1 YEAR worth of film school. And the best part? You don’t have to share the equipment, and you don’t have to return it after 4 years. It’s yours forever… or, until it breaks </p>
<p>If you’re really committed, start with a camera and tripod, and move on to the other materials later. If this is truly your thing, you’ll be motivated enough to work and learn on your own. Real filmmakers and writers don’t need teachers kicking their butts and nudging them along. They do things themselves, no matter what. You’ll learn 1,000x more about filmmaking by doing it yourself rather than blowing huge amounts of money on college. Trust me. Any screenwriting course is absolute bull - read “writing for emotional impact”, “dialogue secrets”, and “scriptshadow’s 500 tips” (to name a few of my favorites) and watch movies. Read screenplays and really analyze them. That’s a world class screenwriting education right there (once again, please trust me on that) </p>
<p>You don’t need film school to be a filmmaker or screenwriter. Period. Anyone who says otherwise is clueless. When you enter the industry, no one gives a damn about your education. They care about the quality of your scripts and how good your reel is. If a producer or studio executive is comparing two screenplays or two reels, one good and written/or shot by a college grad and the other amazing and written/or shot by a high school dropout, the dropout will always win. The. Dropout. Will. Always. Win. Always. Quality is king. You have to be passionate, motivated, dedicated, and hard working. You have to dedicate yourself to soaking up as much about the industry as possible, through business books. College doesn’t teach creativity, and it doesn’t teach you that either </p>
<p>I’m just trying to give you a different perspective before you make a decision that’ll affect you financially for the next thirty years of your life. Good luck! </p>
<p>Temple has a pretty good film department, and Philly has a booming production scene. Bear in mind that NYU/Tisch film school is one of the most selective programs in the world, with a lower acceptance rate than Harvard. As a safety, consider Columbia College Chicago - they have an amazing facility, with a very high acceptance rate.</p>