I know there's been a lot of discussion here on whether film school is worthwhile in general, but just for beginning on 16 mm, do you guys think it's better to sink the money on a summer crash course or just buy the equipment and run around shooting?

DO BOTH!!
NO, I really don't know.

i went to my local communtity college and took intro. to film production. i learned how to use the equipment, about high production values, and I was able to shoot my short OUT THE WINDOW on 16mm. i ended up paying around 400 bucks for EVERYTHING!!! so if i were you save some money and take a course on film making.
Fab 4 Films

Ah, yes. Out the Window... the great concept marred by the horribly long intro.
I mean no offence by that, despite how threatining that might have sounded.
Sorry.



I'd right now say, screw college.

It would probably help you in some facets but for the most part it's just drival.

Spend your money on actors/actress'.

I know this is my biggest problem. My friends and such can sort of act... some better than other. Some light years above others. My point is, you'll probably want real actors. Problem is, real actors will want payment.


Or you could go to whichever college... find some hobo drama actors, and convince the "drama director professor poser guy" to merge in acting in your film with the real course. Hence they get marks for helping you out.

...that seems maybe feasable.

[This message was edited by Ademu on March 22, 2004 at 07:13 PM.]

why would you screw college?

and more important: why would you PAY for actors?

A hint: I can get SAG actors or browadway actors for free...because I go to college...

http://www.nyfilmschool.com/
New York film school is terrific.
I had contact with a lot of the instructors
while I was at Columbia. I'd check them out...
Not only do you meet talented people who are passionate about filmmaking, you get to spend a summer in New York, up by Columbia, which is a wonderful neighborhood in the summer (Riverside Park is only a couple of blocks away). It's an intense program, with instructors (a lot of whom either teach at Columbia or have graduated from Columbia's MFA program and have prospered). Some of these instuctors were TA's while I was at Columbia, and some, such as Fred Strype and Misael Sanchez, are incredibly dedicated to students... I'd look into it, if looking at other summer programs...

College is extremley over-rated. I mean anyone who says it isn't is eithier blind or isn't paying 25 grand a year of their own money.

You want an education film making? Spend a few hours a week at the library reading books, rent dvds and listen to commentaries. You will learn alot more and save THOUSANDS!

I'd say there are two arguments in that spectrum. Sure, you can save money on actually going to the school, and you can learn indepence too, but one good thing about film school is (depending on where you go), the facilities are available to you when you need them. THAT saves you thousands too. Plus, you can possibly create "connections" at film school, where you couldn't sitting at home on the couch watching a commentary.

"College is extremley over-rated. I mean anyone who says it isn't is eithier blind or isn't paying 25 grand a year of their own money."

That's true, definitely. College is a huge waste of money. The people who waste the most money is business majors. People who go to college and pay $100,000 for four years of business are not going to be good businessmen unless they develop A LOT better business sense than that. Give me $100,000 and I can start my own business and make far more than anyone with a college degree. I personally know a lot of fellow net entrepreneurs, and one in real life who started a magazine, who have not focused on college whatsoever and they have made it big. One of them is 20 years old. He is currently making at least $150,000 per year and is approaching millionaire status. College is just wasteful in general because of the idiotic requirements they put before you. If it were just about training in what you really want to do, it would be useful, and it would also only be 2 years long (as it should be -- 4 years is ridiculous).