Will a Science degree dent my film aspirations?

W

WJD

Firstly, I'm a new user here and I love this site - full of helpful people and information.

Anyway, a bit of backstory and context:

From very early on in my life I have dreamed of being a filmmaker and it's all I wanted to do until it came to my GCSE's. I went through those exams and came out with pretty good results, especially in science subjects. After that, a lot of people started trying to convince me I was more suited to studying science than something "as hard to get into as film".
Unfortunately I ended up listening to them and my A-Level choices were Biology, Physics, Chemistry and English and now I'm going into University to study Biomedical Science.

During this time I've always had an eye on filmmaking, the industry and other things and my past dream is kind of coming to the surface again... But I'd still like to go and do my degree, while keeping filmmaking as a hobby during those 3 years.

However if, and I'd love to, I chose to try and make some form of career out of film after University, would a science degree dent my chances? Would I be at a disadvantage? Would people take me and my films less seriously if they knew because I had a completely unrelated degree?

It's really playing on my mind recently and it's turning into a question of whether to do what I know I love (film, duh) or do something more academic, with a sure-fire job at the end of it? (Biomedical Scientists are in high demand at the moment).

I know what my heart says, but any advice would be appreciated. :)
 
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Not at all.

It's always good to have a degree and especially an interesting and esoteric one. I think that you will have no difficulty getting jobs with that degree and all this experience academically and professionally, will make it easier to break into film as a career.

But at the same time as you are doing this degree you should keep making films, submitting them to festivals and networking with like minded people.
 
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Agreed, I was in a similar situation as you just a few months ago. I am in my first year of college and struggled between my dream and a stable career. I finally decided to major in computer forensics and make films on the side, that way I have a consistent income to fund my films (and other expenses).
 
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WJD said:
However if, and I'd love to, I chose to try and make some form of career out of film after University, would a science degree dent my chances? Would I be at a disadvantage? Would people take me and my films less seriously if they knew because I had a completely unrelated degree?
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I've heard some interesting and unusual concerns in my
life. I've never heard this one before.

I can't imagine anyone ever watching a film, then checking what
degree the director earned. I know you've never done that. I know
I've never done that. Your film will be taken seriously if it's good no
matter what your educational background is. There are many
filmmaker working today that don't have a degree at all. That hasn't
put them at a disadvantage. Having a completely unrelated degree
won't put you at a disadvantage.
WJD said:
It's really playing on my mind recently and it's turning into a question of whether to do what I know I love (film, duh) or do something more academic, with a sure-fire job at the end of it? (Biomedical Scientists are in high demand at the moment).
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Now this is purely personal. Based on my personality and on people
I know.

I've never liked the idea of a "fall back" job. Earning a living in film is
so difficult I know if I had a job to fall back on I would have fallen back.
And I know many people who are still - 20 years later - still working
their well paid, steady "fall back" job and making movies as a hobby.
For me, the simple fact that I had no education and no job to fall back
on forced me to earn a living in film - and in my case TV and theater.

I'm not suggesting you follow that path - it's just a little personal story.
Getting a completely unrelated degree will not put you at a disadvantage
and having a fall back career won't harm your chances. The path you
take to filmmaker will be as personal to you as mine was to me.
 
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It certainly won't harm your chances, no.

A film-maker should be soley judged on what it is he/she creates. I couldn't imagine scrutiny to follow the mentioning of your degree, not in a million years.

You should be proud of what you acheive. Yet, if a career in cinema is what you want...go for it.
 
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David Cronenberg started out in Science but changed and got his degree in Literature. James Cameron also started out in Science but dropped out. So did dozens of other famous directors, writers etc.

In my opinion, you're even better off with an unrelated degree. Degrees in film production are just about useless.
 
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Thanks for the reassurance everyone and hey, even if film was just a hobby, that's not so bad. You're meant to enjoy your hobbies and even from the small amount of film work I've actually done, I bloody enjoy it.
 
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How can anyone take a scientist seriously, when they insist on wearing those awkward white robes, with pocket protectors and silly glasses? I mean, come on.

I think you should hide your checkered past. Make up a backstory, like you were raised by a pack of wild gipsies, or something. Make up anything, anything, but do not tell anyone that you have a background in science.
 
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"Would people take me and my films less seriously if they knew because I had a completely unrelated degree?"​

Do you check the CV of filmmakers before you go to the movies? Define "people."

My take is that science is a necessary foundation of competent storytelling nowadays. Ignorance is not bliss, and blatant bullshit can be detected, even by the unwashed masses.

It gives you some perspective into the scientific community and personalities found there which you can use (duh!) to create more believable stories.

The only downside is that instead of learning storytelling, you were learning other information. Storytelling isn't just a natural "gift" but requires study and lots and lots of practice. While you're learning your equations and theories, you are not learning how to thrill audiences and keep them on the edges of their seats.

It becomes necessary to work with people who have specialized (screenwriters, again duh!) in keeping those audiences all tingly and the whatnot.

Have you seen the film Primer? Check it out, made for a shoestring mostly in a garage.
 
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WJD said:
However if, and I'd love to, I chose to try and make some form of career out of film after University, would a science degree dent my chances?
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No. Conversely, it will help your chances.

WJD said:
Would I be at a disadvantage?
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Absolutely not.

WJD said:
Would people take me and my films less seriously if they knew because I had a completely unrelated degree?
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On the contrary, most people will take your first feature more seriously if you are NOT a film school grad than if you are.

Primer (kudos to polfilm for mentioning it) was made by a mechanical engineer. Chris Nolan has a degree in Lit, or English, or Writing, or something along those lines. Somewhere around here I listed some others.
 
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Could you go to a university where they let you minor in filmmaking, or do a split degree? It'd be unorthodox and people would try and put you off but, it's doable. Why not minor in film and let your two passions bounce off and enhance each other?

Your science background might help you understand gamma charts and the properties of light better than a lot of us. Your precise mind might help you deal with computers and digital compression without getting frustrated, like I do. You might end up with a deeper knowledge of the properties of acoustic waves than the average film student. You might uncover some amazing microphotography techniques during your biomedical studies and turn cinematography on its head.

Each of us brings something different to this new art.
 
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