A Look At Different Types of Film Schools
Film school can be a lot things. They all teach filmmaking in some capacity but are unique in the ways they do this. The university program is very different from the one year full time film school for instance.
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
A combination of film and general education classes offered and completed over a span of typically four years.
Benefits
– The schools give out a lot of money.
- 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.
– Plus these programs get first dibs on the prized high profile internships and jobs giving their students an advantage.
– Camera gear is always available to students so they can learn on the actual equipment.
Bad Points
– The work you do during school may not be yours to own under some school policies.
– You won’t be able to focus on film entirely because you’ll have other classes.
College Film School
Schools that aren’t as large as the universities however still offer film degrees.
Benefits
– Poor grades won’t hold you back because their admissions are less strict.
– There are less students so you can get more attention.
Bad Points
– The size impacts the amount of access to equipment and filmmaking sources that larger schools offer.
The Independent One Year Program
– Filmmaking condensed into around a one year time span.
Benefits
– Spending less time in school gets you started on your career more quickly.
– The schools take place in real working conditions so you get to see and sometimes work on actual lots and locations where you never know what may happen.
The Down Side
– The programs are a full time job so you have to other sources of income while studying.
- The programs aren’t cheap and you may be hit with added costs and fees for film.
All Other Filmmaking Schools
Weekend crash course and filmmaking programs from independent parties are popular for those seeking a quick lesson.
You’ll get the basics but not much more because real filmmaking takes a long time to learn.
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