The Variety of Filmmaking Schools and Program

By Danny Owens

If you want to be a filmmaker or get involved in the entertainment industry chances are you are thinking about going to a film school of some sort. All these programs vary on what they teach and how long the study is for so you should do some research on each program's offering and what is involved from start to finish. Each type of film school has benefits and drawbacks so you need to weigh these before making a choice.

University School Film Programs A university that offers a degree in filmmaking and has a separate school where students attend and complete general education as well as film studies. These usually take four years to complete.

The Good: Universities give out scholarships to pay for your education and have lots of money to spend on equipment and resources so you can always have the best things to work with. The professors usually work in the industry part time and teach part time so they are up to date on the latest trends, filmmaking practices and have lots of industry friends they can bring into the class to help teach. They also get the first call on all major internships and jobs to help their students get out of school and right into a career.

Bad: You may not own the films you make while in school because some schools, not all, but some claim ownership because they provided all the equipment and resources for the film to be produced in the first place. While your name is still attached it may not be entirely yours.

College Film Schools Smaller schools who have actual film programs that are distinguished from other fields of study.

The Good: The admissions counselors are easier to work with so if you have poorer grades you'll have a chance at being admitted here where as the bigger schools might pass you up. Since there are less people you get more personal attention.

Bad: Less money from the school means less equipment and likely fewer opportunities to meet with industry leaders and learn from current pros.

Filmmaking Study Programs Six month to one and a half year programs that focus only on filmmaking from start to finish.

The Good: You won't be distracted by general education classes and can focus completely on filmmaking. Some classes are on studio lots where you can see the real process as it happens and meet industry professionals.

The Down Side: Study in these is full time so you'll have to focus just on that and won't be able to work. The programs are very expensive, often in the range of over thirty grand so you'll have to have the cash to invest.

More Filmmaking Programs There are also independent filmmaking course that can range from a weekend course to a couple weeks of study but you won't be able to learn much more than the basics because filmmaking is a skill and takes time to learn and master.

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