Future professions

C

Crownom

Hello,

As I get closer and closer into joining university, I have a dilemma. I like filming, creating films, shorts etc. and it'd be nice to study Film Production in uni. Nevertheless, it got me thinking. Alright, I graduate from University and what do I do then? It imagine it won't be as easy to get employed as in other profession. What are my options at work then? Try to get employd by TV, teach at similar uni, make an indie film (where to get the budget; once made- how to "sell" it)?? It really worries me because there is no guarranteed safe place, whereas, medicine- you will always get a job...
Another thing is that in school I'm very good at everything and it's hard to decide what to do. If I sucked at most things it would be easy to see my only options. Now I can do law, medicine, engineering, name it!

Sorry for crying here :D but could you help me by poiting out some options or possible directions?
For example, I can study medicine, get a guaranteed job as a doctor, get high wages etc. and do filmmaking as a hobby with money I earn. What's your opinion?

P.S. It's not that I don't like filmmaking "enough", it's just that I have a lot of options and not sure which would work out best. I mean if I was a medium student in school I'd totally go to Film Production, but now (don't want to boast) I'm capable of something more like spending 10 years learning medicine.

Help a lost guy!! :D Thanks in advance and sorry for the long post.
 
Crownom said:
For example, I can study medicine, get a guaranteed job as a doctor, get high wages etc. and do filmmaking as a hobby with money I earn. What's your opinion?
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Seems this will work best. A guaranteed job with high wages. If you get a degree
in film no guaranteed job. In fact, you can get a job in film without a degree at
all.

Filmmaking makes a fine hobby.
 
directorik said:
Seems this will work best. A guaranteed job with high wages. If you get a degree
in film no guaranteed job. In fact, you can get a job in film without a degree at
all.

Filmmaking makes a fine hobby.
Click to expand...

I see and are there more pros than cons turning filmmaking from a hobby to a profession?
What would you do if you were me given the conditions stated earlier?
Is it worth studying filmmaking or should I choose a more safer direction if I'm capable of doing it.
 
You're still young, from the looks of it. So go to university, enjoy your courses, and then decide. You will find that your eventual career path will be nothing like what you are thinking.
 
If you can do something else, do it. Film is a hard business to succeed in. It's really hard work, long days, and it can bring very little reward especially at the start of a person's career.

The only way you can succeed is when you can't do anything else - when you want to work in film so bad that nothing else will suffice. If you don't have the passion, you'll end up doing a more mundane, stable job anyway. Don't make film your career if you think it might just be something fun to do.
 
Aspiring Mogul said:
You're still young, from the looks of it. So go to university, enjoy your courses, and then decide. You will find that your eventual career path will be nothing like what you are thinking.
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Which course are you talking about?

If you can do something else, do it. Film is a hard business to succeed in. It's really hard work, long days, and it can bring very little reward especially at the start of a person's career.

The only way you can succeed is when you can't do anything else - when you want to work in film so bad that nothing else will suffice. If you don't have the passion, you'll end up doing a more mundane, stable job anyway. Don't make film your career if you think it might just be something fun to do.
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Do you really think it's that hard to find a job?
 
If you're even thinking about making films you won't survive 10 years of med school.

But don't go to film school either. Instead, read a dozen or so key books on filmmaking and use that knowledge and make a feature film. Once its done you'll either be addicted or disgusted with film making and can make a better career decision than you can now.

Good luck.
 
I think Tarantino summed it up well when he said instead of getting a loan out for a Uni course, get a loan out and make a movie!

I think the key to anything you do is to have fun, if you see your self enjoying being a doctor than go for it!
 
If you're even thinking about making films you won't survive 10 years of med school.
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What makes you think so? :hmm:
But don't go to film school either. Instead, read a dozen or so key books on filmmaking and use that knowledge and make a feature film. Once its done you'll either be addicted or disgusted with film making and can make a better career decision than you can now.
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Brilliant idea, but does it work with shorts, too? :D
 
From my point of view if you even have to ask the question - do I become a filmmaker or do something else - you should not become a filmmaker. The ONLY way to survive in the entertainment industry is to have an unshakeable passion; that does not guarantee success, only that you will pursue it to the exclusion of all else. You live it, you breathe it, you subordinate EVERYTHING to it. That gets your foot in the door. Real talent opens a few more doors, luck and extreme amounts of hard work determine the rest.
 
Well, I want to play in the big leagues, and I want fame and fortune, but I can't say I want to be a filmmaker so badly I'll forsake everything.
 
Crownom said:
I see and are there more pros than cons turning filmmaking from a hobby to a profession?
Click to expand...
Yes. It very, very difficult. Only those with 100% dedication tend
to become professionals. People who are dedicated to another
profession must spend most of their time and dedication in their
money making profession. Filmmaking as a profession is not a
part time job. Filmmaking as a hobby is.
Crownom said:
What would you do if you were me given the conditions stated earlier?
Click to expand...
When I was your age I dropped out of high school and pursued
filmmaking full time. If I were YOU, I would become a doctor
and make films as a hobby.
Crownom said:
Is it worth studying filmmaking or should I choose a more safer direction if I'm capable of doing it.
Click to expand...
You should choose a more safer direction.
 
Crownom said:
What makes you think so? :hmm:
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In med school you won't have time for making a feature film. If you feel you've the ability to make a feature film AND go to med school you wouldn't be here asking. IMO.

Shorts are useful as a means to improve your craft. They have an ultra short shelf life and are financially dead as soon as they're finished. If you're going to give up or put off a potentially high paying career for making a film, aim for the moon.
 
directorik said:
Yes. It very, very difficult. Only those with 100% dedication tend
to become professionals. People who are dedicated to another
profession must spend most of their time and dedication in their
money making profession. Filmmaking as a profession is not a
part time job. Filmmaking as a hobby is.

When I was your age I dropped out of high school and pursued
filmmaking full time. If I were YOU, I would become a doctor
and make films as a hobby.

You should choose a more safer direction.
Click to expand...

This could be perfect advice for me. But, if so, why did YOU become a filmmaker? Because, as you've told me so often, the rewards can be great.
 
Aspiring Mogul said:
But, if so, why did YOU become a filmmaker?
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I did not have the dilemma facing Crownom as I was closer
and closer into joining university. I never even thought about
"easy" or "hard" or guarantees or "safe" or high wages. I
have only want to do one thing. So that's what I did. It was
the ONLY option for me.

You have a career. Filmmaking can be a nice hobby for you
but never a profession. It was the ONLY option for me. So I
dropped out of high school, gave up any thought of going to
a University and started making movies. You chose the career
that was best for you. Since Crownom is very good at everything
and can be anything he wants and he wants a guaranteed job and
high wages; filmmaking is not for him as a career.
 
directorik said:
I did not have the dilemma facing Crownom as I was closer
and closer into joining university. I never even thought about
"easy" or "hard" or guarantees or "safe" or high wages. I
have only want to do one thing. So that's what I did. It was
the ONLY option for me.

You have a career. Filmmaking can be a nice hobby for you
but never a profession. It was the ONLY option for me. So I
dropped out of high school, gave up any thought of going to
a University and started making movies. You chose the career
that was best for you. Since Crownom is very good at everything
and can be anything he wants and he wants a guaranteed job and
high wages; filmmaking is not for him as a career.
Click to expand...

If it was the ONLY option for you, then I understand. But I think Arnold Schwarzennegger had other options, and he made it in film.

Why do you say it's not a profession for me? Because I've been talking all these years and not doing anything?
 
Thanks, guys, especially directorik. It really helps me decide!

Alcove Audio said:
From my point of view if you even have to ask the question - do I become a filmmaker or do something else - you should not become a filmmaker. The ONLY way to survive in the entertainment industry is to have an unshakeable passion; that does not guarantee success, only that you will pursue it to the exclusion of all else. You live it, you breathe it, you subordinate EVERYTHING to it. That gets your foot in the door. Real talent opens a few more doors, luck and extreme amounts of hard work determine the rest.
Click to expand...

That's true, but isn't it a bit reckless? You dive into one thing without thinking about the consequences. It looks childish, you have to think about the possible outcomes and difficulties in the future.

For example, I like motorbikes, I could ride all day, fix them, enjoy them - my PASSION. But would it mean that I should become a racer...? Maybe that will be the waste of my knowledge if I'm good at school? The people at motorbike's forums will say the same thing you say, but again, it's reckless and immature.

About the hard work, I agree. I can put up with the work and I can probably survive in both careers, but is
unshakeable passion better than safer, nerveless future? :huh:
 
I was probably in a relatively similar position to you a couple of years back (although I never wanted to be a doctor) and I really toyed with turning down my university place in order to pursue film more directly.

BUT medicine is a different kettle of fish altogether and you cannot do that in conjunction with filmmaking. If you want to go and study an arts subject then yes, you'll be able to pair it with a filmmaking hobby (or go into filmmaking once graduated) but none of the medics I know have a spare 10 minutes- it is a really intense, full on course. My Mum's a doctor and I often rib her about the fact that she has no other interests but she's spent the last 40 years doing pretty much nothing but.

If you do medicine then that's great and it'll be hugely rewarding, in more ways than one, but it will end your dreams of being a filmmaker.
 
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