Trial and Error VS. Education - - - BEST way to learn?

drc

drc

Hey every one,

In your opinion, which of the following is a better way to learn film making or a particular aspect of it.

1. Trial and Error, making low/no budget films, learning from mistakes and criticisms, watching movies.

2. Learning as much as you can about film making, either through school or on your own, and after you've mastered the theory of it, starting.


I'm very interested to see what people say.


Thanks.
 
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You combine the two.

Start reading, watching and picking peoples brains. Get out there and work on projects, your own and those of other people. That way you find out what you need to learn.

For me, at least, long term classes and "book larnin'" makes my eyes glaze over after a while. If I can learn something, and then apply it right away, I have an "AH HA!!!" moment to burn in the lesson. Then I'm excited about "what's next?"

I'm always playing with my toys; yes they're pretty expensive toys, but I call them and consider them toys because when I'm working for the most part I'm having fun. When I'm not working for clients I'm always networking with my peers, experimenting, trying new things and generally doing crazy stuff. Even things that don't work out teach me something.
 
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There is no either or.

If you go to school, you put off the trial and error for 2 to 4 years.

If you don't go to school, you start trial and error earlier and start learning.

Depending on your determination and willingness to learn will determine how well you do and how far you go.

Sort of....

-- spinner :cool:
 
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Do it all and keep doing it. Make, create, play, experiment, collaborate, repeat.

There is no right way. There is no wrong way. There is only YOUR way.

It's more important to be DOING than talking about DOING. Try on all those hats. You never know which one will fit you best!
 
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3 it is indeed.

When I went to artschool my audiovisual design teacher gave us the assignment to make a short film. She let us go down the trial, error and teaching path. The different groups started working on a plan and every step 'problems', errors and questions rose and that's where the teaching started.
(The fun part was that my group worked really hard and most of the time we had solved our 'errors' before the solution was given by our teacher.)

Without teaching you may never get passed the errors.
Without trial and error you'll probably end up making something by the book without knowing why you do it that way...
 
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Murdock said:
Trial and error could get expensive.
Click to expand...
Nothing about filmmaking is inexpensive.


drc said:
In your opinion, which of the following is a better way to learn film making or a particular aspect of it.

1. Trial and Error, making low/no budget films, learning from mistakes and criticisms, watching movies.

2. Learning as much as you can about film making, either through school or on your own, and after you've mastered the theory of it, starting.
Click to expand...
Both are the "better" way for different people.

I suspect no one will ever master the theory of filmmaking. Ever.
But studying and learning before you make a movie is the better
way for a lot of people.

I hated studying and I still hate "theory" so for me the better way
was making movies - trial and error. That's the way I learn. Some
people are not at all comfortable with that method - some even are
terrified of that method.

What is the better way for you, drc?
 
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directorik said:
Nothing about filmmaking is inexpensive.


What is the better way for you, drc?
Click to expand...


Well right now I'm in film school and also making short films on my own time. Film school, so far for me, has been like a never-ending tease. I keep waiting for something to happen IN SCHOOL that I can't learn on my own. Everything the professors teach can be read in a book or better yet learned personally. In my editing class for example, we devoted one week to learning how to open and view a video on FCP. Another week on organizing video files. I figured this out within an hour or so of being on FCP.

I can spend 10 hours behind a camera or screenwriting or on FCP and it would feel like play to me. But if I spend 10 minutes in a class room I have to slap myself awake, even though I am very passionate and interested in the subject.


By the way Directorik, I want to thank you personally for being such a big help to me. You've given such an insightful response to every thread I've made and I've been reading your threads on posts for months now, even before I had an account. It's good to have some one so knowledgeable on the board.
 
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Thank you. It's nice to know that sometimes I actually help.

Even though I didn't go to film school (or even college - I dropped out of
high school) I have always been under the impression that school can be
exactly what you describe here. I'm sure it isn't always that way and I
know many people here have gone to film school and go a lot out of it.
But it has always seemed a waste of time and money to me.

But then, I'm the type who learns better by trial and error. I have probably
spent more than a week figuring out how to organize files in Final Cut, but
I learned and I learned my way at my pace.

But, to each his own. Frankly, I don't believe there is a "best" way to learn.
 
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directorik said:
But, to each his own. Frankly, I don't believe there is a "best" way to learn.
Click to expand...

Yea, I know what you mean. I was trying to get an idea of what experiences people had with film school and what experiences people had with trial and error. I wasn't really trying to get a definite way to learn.

Thanks again.
 
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drc said:
...... I keep waiting for something to happen IN SCHOOL .......
Click to expand...

Don't wait!
Being passive is never a way to achieve anything but laziness or zen :P
You are not learning math from a book... you'll learn by doing and you should use the classes to learn theory, improve software and hardware skills, have discussions about the craft and get feedback about what you've done.
Software classes are known to be boring: things have to be taught from the very basics to make sure everyone can keep up. (And believe me I had classmates who didn't pay attention the first classes and got lost in the software later on... you have to learn to count before you can do math ;) )

Show some of the things you've done besides school to a few teachers (if they are interested) to get feedback. You may learn a lot more this way and you show you are motivated. Just make sure your 'homework' doesn't suffer from it (because then they'll think you are only interested in doing your own thing), but make sure it benefits from your experience.

Some people say they didn't need to go to school to learn it (and I believe them), but you are at school, so use that resource as much as possible. It's not only about talent or determination, but also about resources. A filmschool happens to be a great resource: use it cleverly :)
 
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Yeah, make something happen IN SCHOOL... demand your money's worth from your education. Start thinking like a paying customer rather than education cattle (not implying that you're cattle, but you get the point). When I was in school before, I concentrated on what was fed to me and the grades and did poorly... when I came back after paying off those loans the first time, I had a different perspective on the value of my dollar. I concentrated on learning and the grades came naturally from that.
 
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drc said:
Yea, I know what you mean. I was trying to get an idea of what experiences people had with film school and what experiences people had with trial and error. I wasn't really trying to get a definite way to learn.

Thanks again.
Click to expand...

Sorry about that.

When you put BEST in uppercase in your title I got the impression
you were asking about the best way to learn.
 
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"It's not what you know it's WHO you know."

I've met some great people via trial & error AND through school. Both are invaluable. MEET people and let everyone know that you're involved in film - you might not be talking to someone that is involved but they might know a cousin/friend/brother/grandfather/neighbor that they'll be happy to hook you up with.

Network like Carl Banks.

pic.php
 
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