Film schools can be a variety of different kinds of schools. They all teach filmmaking in some capacity but are unique in the ways they do this. There are university and college film schools, community college film programs, and separate facilities focusing on film studies programs.
Each program will teach you about various aspects of filmmaking but the process in obtaining the knowledge and skills is varied so you should investigate all your options before committing to one school or another.
Big University Schools
You do your normal education as well as film classes for your major over the course of four years.
Benefits
– Scholarships are available for academics, talent and sports.
- Professors also often work in the industry and will invite their friends to come in and be guest teachers to offer additional advice and support.
– The universities get the best internship requests sent to them so they can place students in prime positions for paying jobs and Hollywood’s powerhouse elite.
– They have the most up to date equipment and technology to keep students working with the tools.
The Down Side
– Some programs own your movies and work instead of you so you should ask questions before turning in your application.
– You won’t be able to focus on film entirely because you’ll have other classes.
Smaller School Program
Schools that aren’t as large as the universities however still offer film degrees.
Benefits
– The admission process is less competitive so you can get in easier.
– The school is smaller so you get more attention and might learn more because of it.
Bad Points
– The resources are more limited than larger schools.
The Independent One Year Program
– Shortened filmmaking programs that focus just on the craft with variable lengths of study.
Good Points
– The program is quick so you can get done and get to work.
– You have experience working on real sets because a lot of classes take place in actual locations where professionals work daily.
Bad Points
– You won’t be able to work while going through the program because it is all intensive and full time.
- They cost a pretty penny.
Other Filmmaking Study Programs
Lots of people take weekend crash courses or other filmmaking programs from outside parties.
The simple things will be taught and the basics but you won’t learn enough to get going immediately because filmmaking is a skill that takes time to develop.
San Diego Mesa College highlight film for Jordan Topp. Defensive End/Tackle
This is my first attempt ever working on film. Its a short 16MM film I did for a Summer Class at Columbia College my junior year in highschool. Which Im not sure that most people realize – it is COMPLEEETELY different than working with video. I only got 100 feet of film (which is enough for about little over 2 1/2 minutes. To tell a story without sound under 2 minutes is near impossible (especially cuz you only get one shot for everything.) Also editing with a razor blade is quite interesting. The skating is done by Tom Popp, and the song is not a copy-off, but rather an “omage” to Spike Jonze.
A strange and savage tale of justice being delivered to the Grip Department. Watch as the United Beer Front holds the Key Grip and B-Unit Dolly biach hostage for their war crimes. Sit back, have a cold one and witness the U.B.F. have it's payback.