Digital Video - March 2009 - (Page 28)

DV 101 BY JAY HOLBEN TO FILM SCHOOL OR NOT? TRAINING VS. FORMAL EDUCATION: TWO DIFFERENT PATHS. STUDENTS OF FILM: From left, Spielberg (on left), Tarantino and Soderbergh (on left). T his is one of the most controversial topics for aspiring filmmakers, with fervent supporters on both sides of the debate. The question I get asked most is, Should I go to film school? In truth, the answer is a personal decision that no one can make for you. A harsh reality of the film business is that there is no certain path to success. Each and every person in the business has to follow his own career trail. Some are lucky enough to stumble into the business (Quentin Tarantino) or start in entry-level positions (Steven Soderbergh); some are graduates of a prestigious film school (Robert Zemeckis), some attended less prominent schools (Robert Rodriguez) and some applied to film school but never got in (Steven Spielberg). Two issues to keep in mind: a) Film school is extraordinarily expensive. b) Many film schools don't teach you what you really need to know. All higher education is expensive, without a doubt, but most trades, industries and professions reward that expense with the possibility of better salaries and greater career potential. The motion picture industry, unfortunately, is incapable of caring less about whether you have a degree. Although an institution may vaguely reassure its student body that it can assist with job placement in the industry, believe them not, fellow “filmies.” No college can guarantee any form of placement in a creative field; it simply doesn’t work that way. At best, your alma mater can set you up with a production assistant gig or internship in a selected discipline paying barely minimum wage for the length of a single project (from a single week to three months, on average). The reality is, no matter where you get your degree, be prepared for five to ten years of scrambling, scratching and scrounging for work (at the very least) before you can establish yourself. In those five to ten years, what do you have to show for your grand education? A humongous debt! A King Kong of fiscal responsibility placed firmly on your shoulders, the likes of which forces most film school graduates to take full-time jobs outdv march 2009 side the film business just to pay their bills. If you're paying more for your education than you can comfortably afford to pay for a car, then you’re paying too much, in my opinion. On the second note, many “film schools” don't teach you what you need to know. As institutions of higher learning, most colleges often “shoehorn” a film education into the same premade academic mold that they use for law, mathematics, chemistry or business degrees. They balance out categories of classes and credits exactly the same as they would for any other major, but filmmaking isn’t an academic industry; it’s a creative business and it works very differently. The education necessary cannot simply be shoehorned into an 18-credit semester. So what do you do? Just move to Hollywood and suddenly you’re a big director? No. The bottom line is that you need an education in the art and science of filmmaking, no matter what your chosen discipline; however, you don’t necessarily have to learn those ins and outs from a formal institution. If you’re a self-starter, you can learn on your own. If you're dedicated, motivated and focused, then there are resources galore to give you the solid education in film that you desire. With your mind firmly set on your future profession, start with books. One of the best publishing houses out there is Focal Press (www.focalpress.com). There are myriad books on every aspect of the film industry, and I suggest starting with three basic books in your selected field. Get three that cover the same territory (read through the tables of contents and compare before you buy). Choose one of the three as your first and read it cover to cover. Take notes. Seriously. Keep a journal every day as you read through the book and jot down the ideas expressed in each chapter. Work along with your book by testing out the concepts discussed with your own practical examples, if only on paper. For instance, if you're reading a book about screenwriting and the chapter discusses character histories, then write a history for a www.dv.com 28 http://www.focalpress.com http://www.dv.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Digital Video - March 2009

Digital Video - March 2009 Contents MX02 Instant Expert First Look: EOS 5D Mark II Powerlight 1735W Color by the Numbers A Versatile Disc Indeed Slice/Dice DV101 Production Diary

Digital Video - March 2009

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