Hey Peeps!

First of all, since I'm new to this board, a big hello to you all. Second, I badly need your advice. I've been accepted to both Calarts (MFA in Film Directing) and FSU (MFA in film production) and I just can't make up my mind which one to pick. I'm mostly concerned with the quality of education and the ease with which i will be able to find a job as movie director once i graduate. Any ideas what are the ups and downs of each programs, especially for those of you who are studying at these institutions)? Also, any one know how much money (other than tuition) i would need to spend on average every semester in funding my movie projects at Calarts? I hate to make that a criterion for picking a school, but i'm not made out of money

Any advice would be of much help. Thanks!

Hi Nightcrawler.

first, congrats on getting accepted to two very good schools. Well, I am involved in a similar choice. I have also been accepted to the CalArts MFA program in Directing, as well as York in toronto. I have been offered a totally free ride in TO, but I am still leaning toward the much more expensive CalArts. Basically, they seem to have it much more together. I've seen work, and a lot of it looks professional enough (although some of the ideas are a bit on the amateurish-side). The cinematography is excellent and things tend to be somewhat European in flavour. From what I know, calArts is rated better than FSU, which has been going downhill over the past years. FSU is also a bit more mainstream-oriented. CalArts has a big focus on acting and theater, meaning it will give you experience working with actors.
On the down side, students have said there isn't much technical instruction, but, well, if you want technical school, you should go to NYFA or something. Finally, it's near LA, and FSU is in Florida. You can probably get a job doing something. Directing films... well, that part is up to you. No one gets a position as a film director straight from film school. Anyway, it's going to be expensive, and I am broke, but let me know if you choose to go there. I guess every situation is what you make of it. Hope this helps a bit.

thanks, congrats to you too! I agree with you that Calarts may be more open to experimentation. I'm personnally someone who stands in between mainstream and experimental cinema. my favorite directors are people like lynch, proyas, tarkovsky, godard...well, u get the picture. I'm almost certain that faculty-wise Calarts is better than FSU. On the other hand, i think its high rank is mostly due to the animation program which is arguably the very best in the country. also, while focusing on your work as director of actors is the most important and will be very helpful when your career is well established, learning technical skills is indispensable for the first few years after you graduate. like you said yourself, you don't graduate and become a movie director. you're asked to do more technical stuff as someone's assistant or something, so not knowing much about equipment and technicalities is just not a good thing to start your career on. I guess what i'm trying to say is, if only these two programs could be merged into on, they'd make a perfect program..."sigh" I don't know what to make of it anymore, i'm going nuts. Earlier today, i even thought of rejecting them both and just applying for USC. It's mainstream but at least you get to benefit from the faculty's professional experience, something that both Calarts and FSU are lacking to various degrees. Anyway, did you make a decision yet? Who knows, maybe we'll be classmates. anyhow, Cheers!

Very cool. At least we know there will be two people who like Godard and Tarkovsky on hand. That is, if EITHER of us decide to go there.
I don't think that that film rating has anything to do with animation - they are ranked seperately for that (check their web page. #5 for film, #8 for animation).

As for the tech stuff, you can learn that anywhere (and cheap). Did you check out CalArt's facilities - they're pretty freaking good. The best way to learn tech is just get out and do your own stuff. I didn't need school to teach me how to use a DV cam, a 16mm cam, develop my own 16mm film, Adobe Premiere and Final Cut. I didn't even study film as an undergrad. However, I can't go out and put together a bunch of acting students and do workshops with them on my own.

Plus, please note that one of the teachers there wrote "The Cinematographers Handbook." (or one of those big-time books). On the video they sent me, all the tech aspects and cinematography are great and distinctive, if not somewhat conventional. There are really distinguished staff there, probably a lot more supportive than USC would be. As for USC, I didn't get in but I probably would have went there if I had, just for the name. That is lame but true. Same goes for NYU. Anyway, I'm trying to convince myself as much as I'm trying to convince you, and the main stumbling block for me is the cash　issue. Damn it's expensive.