Do you want to be the next Stephen Spielberg or perhaps the next James Cameron? Getting into the filmmaking profession isn’t easy. Even if you have a state-of-the-art digital video camera and a house in Los Angeles, you’ll need to know more than just how to point your lens at a group of actors to make a career in Hollywood. Most of the great directors in recent decades went to film school and honed their craft on student productions. Even if you’d prefer to be a lighting technician or a makeup artist, film school will give you the skills you need to establish yourself in cinema. But, how do you decide which school to go to? Here are some tips:
Cost: Can you afford the cost of film school? Tuition may seem high, but keep in mind that there are a number of ways in which you can fund your education. The United States government and other private organizations make grants, scholarships, and loans available to prospective students who can show financial need or who show particular promise based on their high school or community college grades. Go to the Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA) Web site to fill out the FAFSA form. This gives you access to a large number of potential funding options. Student loans must be paid back after graduation (though the interest is usually low), but grants and scholarships are essentially free, so you should consider them first.
Location: Perhaps you have a job that means you have to stay close to home. In that case, you’ll need to find a film school within easy commuting distance. Unfortunately, that may not always be possible in this field. If you can afford to move away from home, decide if the school is in a place where you’d like to live, perhaps even in an area like Southern California where the majority of the filmmaking jobs are.
Prestige: Does the film school have a strong reputation? Will having its name on your résumé open doors for you with production companies? The more prestigious a school is, the more expensive your education will likely be, but that can pay of in a higher paying job sooner. And, going to a well-known school may speed up your transition to becoming the next Christopher Nolan.
Staff: Are the teachers at the film school well regarded? Remember, these are the people who will shape your abilities and help you find your first job. It doesn’t hurt if they’re well known in the field.
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