Is Film School For You? 5 Reasons You Should & Shouldn't Attend

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"Should I go to film school?" is one of the most common questions of young filmmakers. Film school has many benefits: you can study film history, learn all about cinematography, find your voice as a creative filmmaker, writer, director, or whatever you aspire to be!

Of course, these pros come with cons - film school is expensive and may not be for everyone. With many online resources like Shane's Inner Circle, and the explosion of DSLR and mirrorless cameras, film school is no longer entirely necessary to make it in Hollywood.

So in today's episode of Ask Aputure, Nerris from the A-Team walks us through 5 reasons you should go to film school, and 5 reasons you should NOT go to film school.

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Summary:
Nerris Nassiri goes through 5 pros and cons of attending film school, and helps us understand that it can be helpful to someone aspiring to be a filmmaker, but isn't necessary to success in Hollywood. Aputure's YouTube channel provides free high quality cinematography, lighting, and filmmaking educational content to help you take your film projects to the next level.

#filmschool #cinematography #creative

[aputurelighting]

What should our next education video be about?

[andrewkemp]

Bottom line, I think, is you won't go anywhere with schooling if you don't have the drive to go without it.

[DUUKE]

I never went to Film school, I learned all by myself (youtube tutorials and just doing) nobody can give you more input than YOU actually doing things. Now a days I work for clients like IKEA, Toyota, Lexus etc. and do much freelancing stuff (and using aputure lights for this :D) just don't forget that nobody can stop you if you really want it :)

[knoxblevins]

I'm currently in film school right now and am loving it. I spent an entire year watching tutorials and teaching myself before getting accepted, and while I learned a lot doing that, I still had so many questions that I wasn't finding satisfying answers to. School has been worth it just to have a teacher be able to not only answer my questions, but show me how and why. While I don't think film school is completely necessary, or that it's for everyone, I'm really glad I decided to go.

[yoshiii]

I am currently studying the first year in a film school. Most of the class bores me because I have read 90% of the content my teachers teach. Honestly, the online resource nowadays is so much more informative and realistic to help production. Crewing taught me so much more than sitting in a classroom, knowing how things are ACTUALLY done. I think that it's not about whether you go to film school or not, but it's all about how enthusiastic about making good films. Simply by watching more films, books and online tutorials can teach me what film school taught me.

[jlsquad]

I went to a local community college and earned an Associates Degree in television production. In all honesty, I did not learn much other than setting a camera to auto and importing some footage into Final Cut. BUT, I did go through two internships that taught me a ton. One of my internships actually hired me on when I graduated. I have since left that job in order to pursue my own filmmaking goals.
I don't regret going to college, but I do have some advice for anyone who is thinking of attending:

-DON'T GO IN COLD: Learn the basics of using a camera and editing BEFORE going to college. This way, once you have access to all of the gear your school will have to offer, you'll be able to grab-and-go and start filming without wasting a whole semester staring at it and being confused. Take advantage of the gear while your in school to develop your reel, because once you graduate, you may be back to making cell phone videos to get ahead (not that it can't be done).

SAVE YOUR FOOTAGE: One of my biggest regrets is not saving all the footage I filmed when in college. Let's face it, your first few projects you get done in school will be horrible. I mean, you're just starting out, they're supposed to be horrible. More specific, they will be edited horribly. I wish I still had the RAW footage of some of my projects so I could go back and edit them again to put in my reel.

NETWORK: This was covered in the video. Your classmates and professors are great assets to have when you graduate and hit the ground running. My former classmates and I will often throw each work, and I would have no problem getting a reference from a former professor. So make sure you don't sit in the corner the whole time, and also, stay on your professor's good side lol.

YOUR REEL DEGREE: That paper degree with the seal on it is great and all, but it will be your personal reel that gets you jobs in the real world. So when you're doing those school projects: DO NOT have the mentality of "C's get degrees." They may get you that piece of paper, but it won't do you too well when your sitting at home jobless. So remember, in this field, it is your school projects that potential employers will want to see, not your degree. Prepare for this! Reach out to potential employers while your still in school and show them what you're working on. You may land a job before you even graduate.

[JoyDcostajoyvlogs]

For me the best film making school was myself, learning from mistakes getting better ☺

[BarefootMediaTV]

didnt go to film school and have been working full time as a videographer for 12 years. BUT... I have never been on a film set and never worked on a large project. Never seen the set of a tv show and dont know how to move up in my career. I wish i had gone to film school because if you don't have friends/connections its EXTREMELY hard to find a job with an agency/production company or get experience as a DP. Connections are more important than anything for your first 2 years unless you want to get stuck in the corporate world as a one man band.

[bokamphues]

Though I get that film school may definitely be an expensive issue, I would say there are some absolutely vital things you learn during film school. While you can certainly learn all the practical and even pure theory on the internet you completely lose the part of stuff like decoupage, dramaturgy (can be found online, but it mostly isn't the quality you'll find in schools) and I can not stress enough on the fact how important alumni and relationships are. You can go crewing and work your way up, but it'll take sooo much more to get to Head of Department level or directing role. Almost all of the important directors and heads of departments in big hollywood blockbuster went to film school. I'm currently in my first year of film school and I definitely have learned things I'd never find on the internet.

[ericweston]

I'm a senior in high school and I'm unsure if film school is for me. I love how much passion and vision goes into making the atmosphere of a movie (especially the writing aspect of it as I've been writing stories since 3rd grade) but I'm a little bit nervous about bringing my ideas to life. My family thought that pursuing a career in film was unrealistic and a waste of time so I've never really been able to experiment with cameras and such. I fear that because I've never had a chance to practice filming, it will be a massive setback if I do pursue film school. It seems like a big gamble but the things I don't know are teachable and I'm definitely willing to work for it. If anyone has any advice before I just write this off, that would be really appreciated. Thanks for your time!

[RATM]

I went to The Motion Picture Institute of Michigan (though they're across USA) and I am very happy I did it. I made 3 short films, worked on over a dozen sets, got to try all the aspects of film making to see what I liked and graduated with a double major in screenwriting and directing. All the information and experience I learned was great, but the people I made connections with was what ended up being most valuable. I have a solid crew and handful of actors I love, which makes creating shorts so much easier. Plus they have a "Gear for Grads" program which allows us to rent out the equipment for next to nothing after we graduate. Everything considered, it was very much worth it in the long run.

[cmdcreativity]

I currently attend Biola University studying film with an emphasis in production. Not only is Biola a smaller private university near Los Angeles, but the community, class sizes, professors, and whole experience is well worth it. Could not recommend Biola enough! I'm on set a lot and have definitely gained so much experience in just my first year. While YouTube is a free and great resource, definitely having a plan and structure through coursework and professor-taught material is so worth it. Hope this helps!

[kristofferlinuslauritzen]

I did’t go to film school, but I have reconsidered many times. Living in a country where education is free, we don’t have the financial worries in the same way, but since it’s an art form education there are only so many that get accepted so chances for getting in is relatively low.
I see a big pro in the networking and the access to gear you won’t have the money to buy yourself. And school does “fill the holes” in your knowledge compared to learning only what you’re interested in. I.e. one might think that theory is boring and won’t search for theory courses on google but they could be the missing piece in telling the right story.

[Jawmsie]

I think that film school is a great resource for the reasons listed in the video. Problem was, no film school was willing to let me in.

So, I did what made sense to me; I saved up a boatload of cash, bluffed my way onto some small sets, bought my own camera, and made my own path.
Been a professional for 4 years, full-time for one year. I still have a lot to learn, but I'm pretty sure that nobody who's truly successful ever stops making an effort to improve their skillset.

For now, I just hustle as hard as I can and let my work show anyone who will give me a chance that I'm worth working with.

[charliemartin]

I'm a film student studying in London at MET Film School. Now because my school in based in ealing studios which is a functioning working studio, we have loads of productions going in and out. While these happen our school allows some students at a time to shadow some crew to gain some experience of actually being on set. This is just a cool add on for me as, having a class room filled with like minded people doing the same thing you love to do, just makes for a fantastic atmosphere and an incredibly collaborative working environment. Also the fact that at these film school, quite often they will bring in big industry professionals and give lectures and so on. Recently we had Bryan Cranston come to our school to give a small lecture (it was quite crazy).
I know there a lot of people who want to spend their money on kit and online classes rather than go to film school but there is one thing i disagree with when it comes to money. You can't just just the money you would spend on film school on kit and other thing like that. Student loans are there to help students so it's fairly easy to get one, if you're a student. I'm not exactly sure how easy it is to get a loan of the same money for gear and equipment when you're starting out (because that's the stage you would be at if you're thinking of film school IMO) but normally you need something to show for it (beforehand) so it'd be incredibly hard to get a loan of that magnitude without anything big to show for it.

Either way if it works for you then hell yeah, you do you but those are my thoughts on this subject.
For me the most important thing is to have motivation to do stuff and when you have a school always pushing you to do things as well as friends that are always interesting in creating things is just something so wonderful i would never trade it off.
I hope this all made #rant

[sebastiantouma]

I'm filming my first feature as a DP in 4 days. I went to film school in Argentina for 5 years and in that time I learned a lot but nothing regarding cinematography, not in a profund way at least. I guess Film School is there to give you directions (if you have no idea what to do in the film industry like me at some point). Beyond that it's just following your heart your gut. Do what takes your sleep away, do what you can't stop thinking about. This days everything is in the internet and you can learn there, but it's also great to hear teachers, to see class mates sharing their work, having a beer after a long day of studies. I guess what I'm trying to say is that no matter what you do to learn on how to make films, just do it, (sorry nike). Just. Film. P.S: I had great lighting classes but I have learned a lot more from watching aputure videos than in that class. Besides sharing this I REALLY want to win that M9 ;)

[loganryan]

I am currently in film school, and while I can learn a large majority of what I have learned in school online, the networking is unbeatable. These 5 pros and cons are great and all accurate, but are not all created equal. The networking at film school can lead to so many jobs, and while it's not a guarantee, having connections in the industry is the closest thing to one. The only exception I would maybe make is actually with cinematography. Spending the money on having a camera/lighting/grip package instead should be a big consideration, and the one-on-one mentorship in film school has the smallest impact on cinematography. On the contrary, in other disciplines like directing or screenwriting, faculty (and fellow student) input can be hugely important to your development as a filmmaker. Likewise, purchasing necessary equipment to be a screenwriter pretty much ends after Final Draft and a great investment of your time and money would be to surround yourself with a filmmaking community. Cinematography equipment purchases are no joke, and the positives of film school seem a bit smaller for that discipline, so the equipment could potentially be far more worth the money.

Overall though, I believe film school is a worthwhile investment for all filmmakers, with the potential exception of cinematographers.

[kwaminax]

Here my experience with film school. I loved it until I graduated. Once I started working on real-world sets, not ones w/ my peers and friends, I quickly realized my education is not prep me well enough for that the real world actually is.

If you want to learn video and film, Youtube and Skillshare are where you should spend your time and money.

[Rayannabutterfly]

I'm still young but I wanna go to film school because it has always been my dream because I want to be a film director 🎬📽

[exnkproductions]

Great video! I think the most important thing overall is education, not necessarily school. Everyone who wants to be a filmmaker has to somehow get an EDUCATION, but that education may take different paths for some people. I personally needed to go to film school because I would have had no way to learn and no connections without it, but for someone growing up near the industry, they may find a better route to acquire the necessary education!