Is Film School Worth It? (From an NYU Tisch graduate)

Check it out and let me know what you think!

Should you go to film school? Part of a filmmaker's journey is navigating how much to invest in an institution and how much to invest in oneself. In this video, I pose a question you can ask yourself to determine if film school makes sense for you.

Hopefully this will help you answer the big question -- Is film school worth it?

[Scriptshepherd]

Thank you to everyone who has come across this video, especially those that have subscribed. As I grow my channel, I’m curious what sort of film-related content you’re looking to see more of. I’m open to anything, and would love to hear in the comments below.

Some ideas to consider:
-Film School talk
-Screenwriting technique
-Production advice
-Film gear
-Artist’s inner journey (reflective talks)
-My narrative/documentary work
-Job/Creativity balance (finances vs art)

I appreciate all your input.

Sincerely,
Ehud

[luisalcalabeltran]

I loved the analogy of film school being like a personal trainer. This is the best advice video about film school I've seen.

[zhiyuguo]

Totally agree. I'm a psych student at NYU Shanghai and I took several courses at Tisch. If you are really self-dependent, you don't need film school at all. But I like how you say "that's a BIG if". Very True. People tend to overestimate their independence and self-discipline. Personally, I love how film school provides the environment that pushes you to work harder and gets you surrounded by useful feedbacks. Also, most film projects are team work. It's easier to find a good teammate in good film schools. That being said, yes, it's so expensive.

[StevenTallas]

I shot a low budget feature film in 4 - 12 hour days called REZ DOGS. My cousin went to Tisch and they are usually pretty snoobby. She said I needed a crew and a big budget. hahah got it done with what I had. Won 4 awards for best feature and got my film career kickstarted. Just go out and shoot.

[oldsoul]

This really helped me. I got accepted into USC this fall for an MFA in writing for screen and television. I'm feeling more encouraged in myself and my own work after getting accepted and, after careful consideration, decided to not go to film school. Since it's a creative craft, I felt more assured that I just needed the confidence in myself and my work to push forward on my own.

[lironpeer]

very honest, raw, and coming from someone who has been there and experienced the quite tormenting 18 yr old experience of laying out your life's plan and goals. This was nice good on you and thank u

[nolidcreations]

"It's better to have those outside perspective, then to be stuck in your own head... Love that!" 💯👆🏾🤔

[LukeBrinkMedia]

This is easily the best video I have seen so far about whether film school is worth it. Every other video either says it’s great or it’s a waste of time and money

[LoganXBrown]

After that first question, I knew this was going to be a genuinely insightful video.

[hughp]

I've just accepted my offer to Tisch film- I'm definitely excited but also nervous as hell (will be moving from Australia). Thanks for this video, insights like yours are hard to come by!

[bradenkinahan]

Thanks very much for making this video. I've been yearning to get started in this industry for 2 years, in that time I've written and storyboarded a short film. But I keep running into issues when I look at how much it would cost for me to move to Toronto, Vancouver, or USA for film school, especially when I have a very clear vision of the work I'd like to do. It is very encouraging to hear from someone today that while it is A way, it is not the ONLY way of pursuing a career in film. Thank you!

[barbarag]

Thank you for this honest assessment of film school. It was straight to the point and gave a realistic view of how to attack the decision of whether to go to film school or not. In addition, there just seems to be so many ways to get into creative media these days, that one just needs to do some research and as you said, be passionate. Again, thank you!

[raisvasti]

You have made it so clear. Not going to a film school and to learn the craft of film making on your own is for very few people.
I want your views on - students who pass out from top film schools in US, where do they end up in next 5 years.

[_beryonroad]

Facing the exact situation right now, appreciate your insightful content ✌🏻

[GabrielSilva-nikb]

Hey! I love filmmaking and storytelling, that’s for sure my passion. I would love to explore my creativity and work in the entertainment business. My biggest concern, though, is that I don’t know exactly what type of films I would like to work with, I don’t have a complete artistic view. I think of film school as a way of finding and developing my artistic view, storytelling habilities... It would be all about cultivating myself. Would a film school be worth it? Can a film school really make me able to discover with kind of storyteller I am? Or should I know it before going to it?

[please-lookatmysearchhistory]

Best video I’ve literally ever seen about film school

[PianolasonMars]

This was incredibly helpful and insightful. Thank you so, so much.

[sextaventura]

Thank you for the explanations! Would you know anything about the NYU MFA in Screenwriting? I'm doing some researches and would love to know more about it.

[georgeandraos]

That was golden man. Quick question, do you think that going to an affordable filmschool such as Concordia (as a canadian citizen all i get to pay is 3k$) are an in-between solution? or do you think it’s really not gonna get me very far because of its local - artsy - indie approach?

[agustinacurrado]

I loved this video. Does it also apply to actresses? 😅