<p>Hello. The last time I posted in this forum, I was deciding if FSU was the best place for me. Now so much time has passed, and I am now deciding whether I should attend USC's SCA to pursue a Critical (Film) Studies degree or attend other very good undergraduate institutions. Fortunately, USC is among the cheapest of options because I was awarded the Trustee Scholarship. However, I am extremely uncertain how well USC will prepare me for a career in the film industry or at least give me enough preparation to enter law or business school. I need help in deciding if the degree is worthy of pursuing or if film will best be served as a hobby or a minor. However, if I go to USC, I will go full steam ahead to forge a path to the good job in the film industry.</p>
<p>USC is one of the best film schools in the world. If you’re unsure about being a film student I suggest you go to one of your LAC choices. Good luck</p>
<p>Film studies is NOT the same as film production or screenwriting. What is it that you want to do in the industry? That would determine how we answer your question.</p>
<p>I want to be an important person in the film industry. Yeah it sounds like a vague proposition, but be it a producer, executive, director, or something, I just want to be a part of the industry and making a sustainable living. They say that the USC Critical Studies degree has many different options in terms of career paths. Law school, criticism, academia, and even filmmaking. Bryan Singer graduated with the same degree and he is a director, and others graduate with the degree and become scholars. I really don’t know what I want to do in film (my uncertainty was the very subject of my personal statement!). I am interested in production, but the USC film curriculum already has me taking a few production courses. Also, one could argue that networking more important, and the film program will open doors in terms of internships. My host was a critical studies degree who also interned and made films on the side. </p>
<p>I really don’t know what I want to do with film. However, the big elephant in the room for me is whether I can make a sustainable career with the degree.</p>
<p>Other than the independently wealthy, that’s everybody’s big elephant. For networking the next best thing to be a relative of Spielberg is probably being at USC, but a career in Film is highly dependent on talent, persistence and a little bit of luck. Those important person jobs you want will be most likely earned the hard way, there are no guaranties. Having said that, when will you be more free to take risks to make it.</p>