I need help

[Angelakillsluts]

Originally a private message to Mister Sadistro

Lately I've been feeling that I need to go to a film school. I've been looking at different schools and it seems less and less likely for me to be in one.

I'd have to:

Taking out a huge (you know how huge...) student loan
Moving away from home with no money

Not that I don't think I can handle it, it's just that it seems that 95% of people who apply to film schools don't get accepted and just lose 200$ or so for bothering to apply. Why would I be one of the 5% who get in? :( I know it's kind of cynical, but i have no money, I don't know anybody or anything...

I don't really want to take a film course at my local college, even though I have friends there. I really want to put myself in the best possible position I can, no matter how difficult. Anyway I just wanted to ask you what you thought about it. What did you do? What should I do?

[novakru]

Follow your dreams,if you have talent and drive-nothing can stop you.
After school-travel-alot,take jobs on any set you can,learn from the ground up.
Make low-budget indies for experience in other countries.
Then when your 30-win best director award!

[BLOODYDAMNED]

I say just follow your dream,don't just sit around talking about it,make it happen.
Dreams don't just happy,work hard for it and it will come true!!

[MisterSadistro]

A famous director once said he wishes he had used all the money he'd spent on film school and used it to make his first movies instead. I agree with that for the most part. A diploma from there isn't worth the paper it's printed on. Unlike a trade school, there is no job placement program after graduation and if there was, you'd likely end up a PA anyways (PA being a nice term for "gofer"). PAs generally get the jobs that no-one else wants or has time to do. It is a less than glamorous job, but is arguably the best way to get a foot in the door. I'd recommend finding some local productions going on and sign on for them. No one in their right mind will turn away general help and you'll learn a lot more on the set than in some classroom (plus it's a great way to make some contacts for other projects).
Read these books: 'Make Your Own Damn Movie !' by Lloyd Kauffman (considered by many to be the Holy Bible of indie fimmaking) and 'Rebel Without A Crew' by Robert Rodriguez. Both are insightful as hell into getting a movie done without big budgets, tons of crew members, etc.
Don't go into debt to make that first movie ! The story of Robert Townsend maxing out all his credit cards to get 'Hollywood Shuffle' made seems like a great rags-to-riches story. Unfortunately you rarely hear about everyone else who made nothing back on their investments and are still paying (myself included). If I could do it over again, I wouldn't waste all of it on parties and such for people who didn't finish my movie, locations, etc. The one sound investment would've been buying a decent camera (like a DVX-100A). Not only would I have it for future movies, I could rent it out to other people (thus paying for itself in the long run). Hindsight is 20/20.
Stay home, work on your scripts, make contacts, learn some editing and read everything you can. If you still feel the need to spend all your money, you can use Paypal to send it to [email protected] :D Of course you can always hit me up there just to BS as well.
CK

[MoonLit Meadow]

Originally posted by MisterSadistro
A famous director once said he wishes he had used all the money he'd spent on film school and used it to make his first movies instead. I agree with that for the most part. A diploma from there isn't worth the paper it's printed on. Unlike a trade school, there is no job placement program after graduation and if there was, you'd likely end up a PA anyways (PA being a nice term for "gofer"). PAs generally get the jobs that no-one else wants or has time to do. It is a less than glamorous job, but is arguably the best way to get a foot in the door. I'd recommend finding some local productions going on and sign on for them. No one in their right mind will turn away general help and you'll learn a lot more on the set than in some classroom (plus it's a great way to make some contacts for other projects).
Read these books: 'Make Your Own Damn Movie !' by Lloyd Kauffman (considered by many to be the Holy Bible of indie fimmaking) and 'Rebel Without A Crew' by Robert Rodriguez. Both are insightful as hell into getting a movie done without big budgets, tons of crew members, etc.
Don't go into debt to make that first movie ! The story of Robert Townsend maxing out all his credit cards to get 'Hollywood Shuffle' made seems like a great rags-to-riches story. Unfortunately you rarely hear about everyone else who made nothing back on their investments and are still paying (myself included). If I could do it over again, I wouldn't waste all of it on parties and such for people who didn't finish my movie, locations, etc. The one sound investment would've been buying a decent camera (like a DVX-100A). Not only would I have it for future movies, I could rent it out to other people (thus paying for itself in the long run). Hindsight is 20/20.
Stay home, work on your scripts, make contacts, learn some editing and read everything you can. If you still feel the need to spend all your money, you can use Paypal to send it to [email protected] :D Of course you can always hit me up there just to BS as well.
CK

Good advice for sure :) Print that out!:D

If you decide that you really DO want to go to film school, but are afraid you might not get in right away...it couldn't hurt to take a couple of classes locally...it will show the admissions office at anywhere you apply that you're motivated, and really want it.

In addition, definately get involved on projects like Mr. S said...I'm sure if you apply to film school, they're going to want to see what kind of work you've done...so start building up material to show them :) I would also say that an internship would be a smart move....also...make some short films and enter them into local festivals,etc...my friend just did this and had a great time...also picked up an award :) It's a great way to let people at your prospective college know how badly you want it...and it's also going to give you an edge over other applicants...plus you're going to gain confidence in yourself once you realize you're capable of accomplishing these things.

Good luck and don't give up...one of my old professors once told me that there's a way into ANY college...you just have to keep at it....he got rejected from Harvard 3 times...so he should know ;)In any situation you might encounter, persistance is the key.:)

[Angelakillsluts]

Originally posted by MisterSadistro
A famous director once said he wishes he had used all the money he'd spent on film school and used it to make his first movies instead. I agree with that for the most part. A diploma from there isn't worth the paper it's printed on. Unlike a trade school, there is no job placement program after graduation and if there was, you'd likely end up a PA anyways (PA being a nice term for "gofer"). PAs generally get the jobs that no-one else wants or has time to do. It is a less than glamorous job, but is arguably the best way to get a foot in the door. I'd recommend finding some local productions going on and sign on for them. No one in their right mind will turn away general help and you'll learn a lot more on the set than in some classroom (plus it's a great way to make some contacts for other projects).
Read these books: 'Make Your Own Damn Movie !' by Lloyd Kauffman (considered by many to be the Holy Bible of indie fimmaking) and 'Rebel Without A Crew' by Robert Rodriguez. Both are insightful as hell into getting a movie done without big budgets, tons of crew members, etc.
Don't go into debt to make that first movie ! The story of Robert Townsend maxing out all his credit cards to get 'Hollywood Shuffle' made seems like a great rags-to-riches story. Unfortunately you rarely hear about everyone else who made nothing back on their investments and are still paying (myself included). If I could do it over again, I wouldn't waste all of it on parties and such for people who didn't finish my movie, locations, etc. The one sound investment would've been buying a decent camera (like a DVX-100A). Not only would I have it for future movies, I could rent it out to other people (thus paying for itself in the long run). Hindsight is 20/20.
Stay home, work on your scripts, make contacts, learn some editing and read everything you can. If you still feel the need to spend all your money, you can use Paypal to send it to [email protected] :D Of course you can always hit me up there just to BS as well.
CK

Thanks so so much, I feel so... relieved. :)

I've just ordered those books (along with "From Reel to Deal"
by Dov S-S Simens. Don't know if you've heard of it, or if it's good or not.) I was going to buy a DVX100a but the price doubled. (I guess the place I was going to buy it from were overstocked or something) :(

I never even thought about going to film school before, I don't know why it suddenly came over me that I needed to go to one.

You shouldn't have given me your email though, now you'll get a constant flow of stupid questions from me. :p

[Angelakillsluts]

Originally posted by MoonLit Meadow
Good advice for sure :) Print that out!:D

If you decide that you really DO want to go to film school, but are afraid you might not get in right away...it couldn't hurt to take a couple of classes locally...it will show the admissions office at anywhere you apply that you're motivated, and really want it.

In addition, definately get involved on projects like Mr. S said...I'm sure if you apply to film school, they're going to want to see what kind of work you've done...so start building up material to show them :) I would also say that an internship would be a smart move....also...make some short films and enter them into local festivals,etc...my friend just did this and had a great time...also picked up an award :) It's a great way to let people at your prospective college know how badly you want it...and it's also going to give you an edge over other applicants...plus you're going to gain confidence in yourself once you realize you're capable of accomplishing these things.

Good luck and don't give up...one of my old professors once told me that there's a way into ANY college...you just have to keep at it....he got rejected from Harvard 3 times...so he should know ;)In any situation you might encounter, persistance is the key.:)

Also good advice. thanks :)

I'm not going to worry about film school right now though. I guess I'll decide whether or not to go to one after I've gained some experience, talked to a few more people who went to a film school, try to find the best one for me etc.

[MoonLit Meadow]

Originally posted by Angelakillsluts
Also good advice. thanks :)

I'm not going to worry about film school right now though. I guess I'll decide whether or not to go to one after I've gained some experience, talked to a few more people who went to a film school, try to find the best one for me etc.

You're Welcome.

Best of luck to you!! :)

[MisterSadistro]

You shouldn't have given me your email though, now you'll get a constant flow of stupid questions from me.
Bah ! There are no stupid questions. It's always better to learn from someone else's mistakes so ask away. You're more than welcome to hit me up any time. I'll return home Tuesday. We just wrapped up all principal photography in NC today and I'm coming back for another week to finish all the sound and music for it. We're pushing for a Halloween release now (but of course I won't mention it here due to my strict code of anti-spamming :D ).
CK