Film School At Twenty-Three (Or Older)

[barnaclelapse]

Is it worth still going if you're getting into your mid-twenties?

I'm twenty-three now (or will be next month), and the way things are going in my life, I'm not even going to be able to think about film school for a good couple of years. Which scares me a little, because I feel like the older I get the harder it might be to break into film at all.

I guess I'm just wondering if I should think about film school when I get to that point (and if I have the opportunity at all), or if I should just try to continue learning on my own and break through that way.

And sorry if this doesn't make much sense.

I think I'm just kind of depressed about my career as a writer in general tonight.

You know?

Heh.

 

[VPTurner]

It seems connections are all important in all businesses. I
couldn’t agree more, Vince. I have never gotten a job in this
industry without knowing someone one. My “first job” story is a
pretty good one - one of these days I’ll tell it.

And this is where film school could pay off, with some connections.

knightly, I take it if you’re going in “blind” - sending in a
resume and application without that all important connection - to
a large company a degree is needed. I know I would have never
gotten my job at WDI if I had sent in a resume. They require a
degree.

My position also requires a degree or "equivelent experience" (10 years of experience in my field trumps a 4 year degree). If I were on the outside looking in and didn't know anyone who knew my skills, I'd play hell getting hired.

I'd stake out a local eatery and try to find some folks working in my area of interest within my company of interest. "Hey, you work at Company X? I would love to work there. What do you do for them? Do you know anyone in [insert position of interest]?"

I tried the resume approach at Compaq, but that didn't work. Then a friend (former manager) went to work for Compaq in an area where I had interest and experience. He told me what they needed and what the requirements were, and I spent the next year (still working for a different company) aquiring those skills. When a position opened up, he got me the interview, I successfully demonstrated the requisite skills, and the rest, as they say, was history.

Having a killer script without an introduction isn’t going to be
easy. I sold my first script because I was working crew on the TV
show I sold to.

Too true. Already went down this road with a not so killer script. This is why I am also studying independent production in parallel. Something I create will help make the connection with someone at some point, whether it's hanging around at a film festival with a script or a film canister or both under my arm.

 

[directorik]

I always wonder about the connections made in film school. I never went,
so I have no experience, but I's curious if you meet the same level of
connections at film school as you do on a professional film set.

It seems to me at film school you meet people at your same level, people
who are your competition and teachers. On a set you meet professionals
with experience who are willing to help, gaffers who want to be DP's, second
AD's who want to be UPM's, boom op's who want to be recordists, set
dressers who want to be art directors and, most important, professionals
who are hiring for the next show.

I always wonder how many film school students want to be anything other
than directors. I know they are there, but I wonder what the percentage is.
Are fellow students really the connections one needs to succeed in the business?

We all know that G. Lucas made a student films that American Zoetrope made
into a feature. Did Lucas pull anyone from his student days to the pro world?
He never worked with any of the actors again, he never worked with the DP
or editor or first AD again. I would imagine everyone on his film thought they
had made an excellent connection....

Anyway, I understand the need for a degree in computer work, aerospace,
engineering, business, medicine and law. But I still don't see too many
people saying they couldn't sell that script without a degree, or get that
gig as a DP without a degree, or get that feature as a director without
a degree.

Vince - so you got the job at Compaq without the degree?

 

[VPTurner]

Vince - so you got the job at Compaq without the degree?

Yes. And jobs at two subsequent companies, both in engineering. Two jobs prior to Compaq were in engineering as well. All leads and recommendations were from people I've met throughout my career, spanning almost 20 years now. I grew up in Silicon Valley with a mother in computer operations and a step father in electrical engineering. I've been a hobbyist with computers and electronics since age 11.

As a side note, taking this route is not for everyone and I would not recommend it in hindsight. If I had it to do over again, I would've finished my degree. My pay grade during the earlier years suffered and my future pay and opportunities may also be limited. One of my key industry contacts is no longer in the industry. So, yes, I am an example of success without it, but I would not recommend it. If you have an opportunity to get a degree in your younger years, do it. You'll never have to worry about it again.

 

[AgresticProductions]

I just turned 30 last Spetember. I have spent the past 15 years studying special make-up effects and prop construction (as a hobby only), and have only recently decided to actually get into making indie films with a childhood friend. He is 32. I've been a carpenter, a landscaper, a golf course greenskeeper, an Army Ranger, a roofer, a clerk in a video store, a custodian, and am now working as head of security for a private community. I changed jobs so much because, basically, I had no idea what I wanted to do. But in my spare time I was always studying aspects of filmmaking (mostly the effects), and watching every film I could get my grubby little hands on. Now, I finally decided to put my energy into doing what I really love: movies! I don't really plan to go to film school, because most of what I've heard from graduates is that most of their time was spent in a classroom studying "theory". Which is all well and good, except I don't think I need someone else to explain to me what Easy Rider was all about, or why the original Star Wars trilogy made such a huge impact on film today. I think I can figure that stuff out on my own. From what I understand, you really only need a degree if you want to go to work for Lucasfilm, or Paramount or some other film company. So if this is your goal, go to school. And don't worry about age. A friend of mine from high school is about to finish her doctorate, and I know a 52 year old that's currently getting his first BS. Besides, they day 30 is the new 20...if that's the case, then you're only, like, 17! But seriously, do what you WANT to do, regardless of how old you are. Hope this helps...sorry for the long-winded post, but I DO tend to ramble sometimes.

 

[MelonDome]

In my opinion education is not a waste of time. Especially since in todays society, a degree can get you alot farther and open alot more doors then someone who did not have one. You are not old. Your 23 man. You made the drinking age 2 years ago O_o... There are people your age who have no idea what they want to do with their lifes.. There are people who go back to school in their 40s and 50s... You are not old, and it is NOT too late.