hi all,my son is graduating from high school this year and he wants to go to a film school,but after looking at all the schools that everybody says are good schools we realised that most of them are not for undergraduates or have strict admission policies.we(my son and i)are now looking at others schools out there(full sail -brooks institute..etc)but like everything else we read pro and cons from people including you guys.my question is :is it worth it to go to a school like full sail considering that i will have to take out a loan of 40k+?do people in this field really need an associate degree of science?or a school like "pittsburgh filmakers" which it does not give you a degree, is good enough to get you going in this profession?
help..............help
ps:if you have any suggesions on schools that are worth looking into, that accept undergrads please tell us thanks for the help

Hi, and welcome

Tisch at NYU accepts undergrads, and has a terrific program - I'll be going there this fall. Also, Emerson in Boston is quite respected, and has a great undergrad film program.

There are really quite a lot of schools with undergrad programs... I can't remember all of them right now. The Fiske College Guide Book has a fairly comprehensive list in the beginning if I remember correctly, so you might want to start there.

I think it IS worth it... without filmschool behind you it may be hard to be taken seriously or hard to secure funding (watch American Movie to see what happens to filmmakers who didn't go to school). Also, there's really a lot more to learn that it seems, and from the connections you'll make alone, it is worth it. Of course, there's a large argument against film school as well (read Rebel Without a Crew), and an argument that you should do grad in film, and undergrad in Liberal Arts... so it's all a matter of opinion and what your son feels is best. Good luck to you both!

First, I should commend you in taking an active role in your son's education/plans.

It's definitely true that no one will EVER care about where (and even if) you got your degree, and what it was in. It's been said here before, and I'll say it again:'the filmmaker makes the film, not the film school'.

With that being said, the film school does serve a purpose with (hopefully) offering connections and screenings to the industry, decent enough equipment. Mostly though, it has a creative atmosphere with like minded people.

I'm mostly familiar with grad programs, and others will correct me for sure, but I think out of the 'top' (an arguable term, but generally accepted) schools, AFI & Northwestern University are the only schools that are Graduate level only.

Off the top of my head, decent undergrad programs are at NYU, UCLA, USC, UTexas, Columbia University, Florida etc...

Personally, I think places like Full Sail, New York Film Academy, Pittsburgh Filmakers etc... are a complete waste of money/time. People will point and say "but so and so went there!". I've known a few people that have gone there, and most have said they are not worth it. If you can't get into a decent program, then think of it as an alternative. Last Resort.

At the end of the day, I think your son is still really young (he's just graduating high school), and needs to have crazy experiences, incredible realizations, and an education on which he can draw upon that will set him and his stories apart from his peers (there are A LOT of peers). Thus, I'd suggest going to a college/university. It is entirely true that he doesn't *need* to go to become a great filmmaker. However, I think he will be a better person for it. Also, it will give him something else to fall back on if it doesn't work out. Probably not what you/he want to hear, but true.

If you haven't already, take a look at the following links, which I found useful when looking at schools:
http://www.tomedgar.com/fsc/
Film School Confidential: A great, warts and all look at schools and what to expect. It's geared more for the grad level, but I think the knowledge in there is very sobering. I'd definitely read the 'Before you Go' section.

http://filmmaker.com/reviews.html
LOAFS...reviews from students of schools. A lot of them are borne out of anger and bitterness, so beware.

quote:

Originally posted by ozne64:
hi all,my son is graduating from high school this year and he wants to go to a film school,but after looking at all the schools that everybody says are good schools we realised that most of them are not for undergraduates or have strict admission policies.we(my son and i)are now looking at others schools out there(full sail -brooks institute..etc)but like everything else we read pro and cons from people including you guys.my question is :is it worth it to go to a school like full sail considering that i will have t
*message truncated*

yeah, it's a great thing you are joining your son in making such BIG BIG decisions.

Well, going straight to the point, I guess I will say schools like New York Film Academy and Los Angeles Film school are really a waste of time. And to an extent too, FullSail. Right now I am an undergraduate student and instead of going for NYFA's 1 or 2 year program for the same amount, I could get my Master's (MFA or MA, depending). So NYFA and LAFS do not make much sense to me...but I guess my opinion is tailored to my own needs and goals.

About going straight to Film school, I think I will advise that you think along the line of your son going to a Liberal Arts college first. Maybe studying Communicatons or sth to that effect. Like in my case, I go to a Lib Arts school and I am majoring in Communcations [Concentration in Electronic Media a.k.a Radio/TV]. I am also going to double-major in Theatre producton (it might end up being a minor) and also I have declared a minor in Creative Writing. This kind of education is well rounded with a lot of critical thinking classes. Plus still I will get to take about 5 Radio/Tv production classes and about 4 Theatre production classes. By God's grace I will be going to grad film school after my preliminary college degree.

I hope I do not come across to you as just giving you the low-down of my life but my main point is I do not just think jumping straight into the heat of film school is the best...there is more to the college experience than just pursuing a career.
Bii