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

What should our next education video be about?

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

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.

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 :)

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.

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.

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.

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

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!

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.

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.

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.

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 RU-vid 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!

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.

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 ;)

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 🎬📽

I go to film school...my professor shows your videos for examples of what we’re going to learn.

WOOOHOOOO Nerris! Awesome job man! Aputure should open up its own film school!

Literally watching this in film school, now im rethinking everything... oh god why

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.

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 sense.....lol #rant

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, RU-vid and Skillshare are where you should spend your time and money.

Hey Aputure! My name is Josh Burchett, I'm in the middle of film school at the moment and I personally love it, the fact that I have the opportunity to focus solely on perfecting my craft without having to worry to much about bills is a huge blessing. Another reason film skill is a positive in my opinion is that I will eventtually be closer to being able to teach college level film courses after getting my masters degree in film making. I love your videos and keep the insightful videos coming!

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!

These kinda videos make me feel like film is a dead end job and I feel like I’ll end up broke

I’m about to graduate in a few days from UNCW’s film studies program. It’s a public university so it’s in-state tuition is inexpensive compared to private schools. When I first started in college, there weren’t many channels dedicated to the education as there are now. I’ve seen so many video essays and how-to videos come out in the past few years. It’s insane. I’ve enjoyed my film school experience because with my tuition I got to check out some amazing gear without having to go to an outside rental house. I also had classes where I got to learn how to use said equipment and how to work on a small set. Looking back now, I can’t help but wonder what I could’ve used my tuition money for if I hadn’t attended film school. I could’ve joined Shane’s Inner Circle, paid for some MasterClasses, attend some conventions, and purchased some gear for less. I also feel that I’ve lost some passion because I have to make something for a grade. I’d much rather make something for the fun of it, which I tried to do often while in school, but other students weren’t so willing. I would say my favorite film education is here on RU-vid. I’ve particularly liked Every Frame a Painting, Lessons from a Screenplay, Corridor Digital, Film Riot, and RJFS.

Well I would love to go to a film school to enhance my knowledge overall ... I feel like that I will be able to make friends in film school with who all I can work in a team... which I currently can't because I am a solo freelance videographer and the people I work with keeps changing with every little paid projects I do .. so I mostly need to obey my clients for money which can be a limiting thing according to me if I really wanna be a dp in the long run ... Thank you for the video 😍

I haven't been in film school, been going through RU-vid "classes" since 2016 and learned a lot! Also learned from my mistakes and training, film school for sure would same time help a ton but I also know a ton already soo yeah + no film school near me here in Finland + I have a farm that I must work on so there is that also.

I’m in the BFA film program at UCF and I love it! I’ve learned a lot and now it’s time to put those skills to the use

I went to school for video production at the University of Oklahoma, not exactly film school, but in that same ballpark. There were some things I really liked, and some things I felt could be majorly improved. The biggest benefit for me by far was having a group of people pretty much 24/7 I could collaborate and create with. That one resource gets overlooked a lot. Ever since I graduated, finding people who are willing to commit the time and effort required to make a film of any kind is extremely hard to do (especially in Oklahoma, our film scene is.... underdeveloped to say the least). I think the biggest downside you mention as con #5. The only proficiency any job really cares about in my field is my ability to use editing software. That's the marketable skill as a videographer. These days anyone can pick up a phone, and make content. And if you're in the field of content creation, that's a double-edged sword. Actually, that might be an interesting video: How to build/enter a business as a content creator! I feel like we're kind of in an odd time to be in the business of content. Everything is relatively new and expanding quickly. We're all trying to learn it.

Aputure is my favorite film making resource obviously! Devin Graham's channel is also really good. I never went to film school; I started crewing TV gigs for my high school, and eventually started getting paid jobs because I worked hard and showed an interest in making good TV. Nowadays I work in video during every break from college, and still learn a lot on every shoot. People I work with are very willing to share what they know, and I think that's just as good as having a professor.

Learning in a film school we get lots of relationships with freninds and got new ideas learning and sharing with them,but you said that some private schools are expensive thus there are so many availabilities learning through internet .Depending upon our availability and interest we can choose either of any one.

I already went to engineering school, i regretted it. But after a while, i realize that youtube is very big resource for learning filmmaking. What i really regret is i don't have any friends that have same interest(filmmaking) with me. The advantage of get into film school is you can have channel and colleague as you said in the video, but the reason i didn't change to film school is that i can have different perspective of filmmaking from other filmmakers.

I will be attending NYFA this fall for Filmmaking and i cant wait!

I am a film school dropout. I can attest that everywhere I applied wasn't interested in whether or not I possessed a degree but rather a reel or a portfolio of my work. I learned a great deal while attending school and have a wealth of knowledge in a specified area that is no longer offered locally (Sound Design). Another component that I was able to gain was networking. You're in a school with other eager filmmakers often interested in making things as much as you, and mutual relationships can be built upon this where people can branch out and make films together.

I am currently taking classes at Lane Community College, which has a fantastic film program considering its state funded status. You get access to great gear, you're taught by industry veterans, and the people you meet are awesome to work with.

I went to a technical 2 year film school. it was great. started filming right off that back. I say technical because they taught us about the equipment and how to shoot or light, but for the creativity I went to the school of the internets. both were so great together.

Thank you and God bless

I went to film school for two years but I had been freelancing at the same time. Entering my junior year, I took a leave of absence after getting a few job offers from local production companies and have been working ever since. I think if you are motivated, and can push yourself then you should skip film school and start freelancing/networking. If you think film school would steer you in the right direction, then I would go to a community college for a couple of years, then transfer to a film school after that and save some money.

Next year i'll be attending my first year of filmschool (RITCS) and honestly, i'm pretty excited about it. Ofcourse you can not go to filmschool and start on your own, but where i live filmschool isn't as expensive as getting a Red or an Arri Alexa.They changed the courses and it'll be possible to learn cinematography next year! Maybe i'm just young and naïve, but i think it's great to work on high end camera's, learn what it's like on set, learn to be a DOP and of course to network in the industry. Cheers from Belgium :)

I went to college and got 3 degrees in sciences. After 10 years in the industry, I got into filmmaking (kind of by accident). RU-vid became my best friend and I watched everything I could get my eyeballs on 13 years ago, which was not much. I keep on watching and learning, and have come very far. I have now mentored and helped several students who graduated film school, who still don't know how to produce anything, so definitely not all film schools are created equal.

So i actually first went to Lincoln college and Majored in radio broadcasting. One of my best friends went to SIU, and i wanted to transfer there. Once i transferred, i had a change of heart once i saw the schools tv & film building on tour. Ever since the first course i was more & more hungry for filmmaking which lead to me not giving any of my other courses any attention, what so ever. Which eventually lead to me having to leave the school because i was just wasting money on courses i didn't need or want to pursue. I left in 2014 and jumped straight into the deep end. And it was the best decision of my life! So much free knowledge and connections to build on what i learned in my stint in film school.

Nice! as a wedding filmmaker, I've got a dream to make my own film. I didn't expect the event industry in the Philippines to be now weakened. And the window for doing short films is suddenly open to us. That's why I'm thinking to pursue my dream! and to do that I need to learn more knowledge doing a film. many questions coming out then I saw your video! Thank you for your advice!

I’m currently in film school. Everything we do seems like déjà vu of what I’ve learned over the years from RU-vid and books.

I thought tutorials were enough until i started looking for a job. Then i realized i knew about filmmaking skills but i haven’t experienced them yet in a professional way. Its not the same managing a canon t6i than a red camera you know. Haven’t been in film school yet, but i’m planning to! Hoping it’s the best decision

As a student, those cons destroyed me😟

16 and i'm interested in directing my own movies/music videos and so much more, the idea of being in the physical classroom with connections is so cool, the only problem would be proximity to friends and family and tuition costs, though i have a few years to figure that all out

i never went to film school, i started to watch youtube tutorials back there in 2008, since then i started to create videos, bad, better, good. practice is the most important thing. Right now i work as director in ads agency and in my free time i create youtube tutorials but for the new generation of spanish speakers kids who wants to become a filmmaker. :)

I didn't go to film school, I just learned by youtube about 3 years and now my work is videographer at Vocational school in bogor, indonesia.. 😀

Trained as an actor right before the internet took off. Went from in front to behind seeing how terrible the market is for parts the fit my archetype circa '07. Havent turned back. Love making stories.

im attending a film program in a university of Ecuador plus seen all kind of youtube filmaking-channels, got the subscription acount on MZed and been reading pdf, epubs or digital books that i can get free. love making film but more than that, love studying it!

I started making videos when I was 12, my biggest passion was Martial Arts (I train Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai. I wrestle from time to time.) I'm 25 years old now and have been filming elite UFC fighters and others but I was doing it all for free, for freelance work I've charged anywhere from 50$ to 150$, safe to say I didn't really make any money from film-making but I do love it and enjoy it. I would honestly do it for free if I didn't have to eat, or have a roof on top of my head. I enjoy this, I love this and it's where I found myself and see myself. I'm looking into international student loans since I'm not American and I don't even live in America (never been) and I hope it works out for me, LA is crazy expensive and my girlfriend lives in San Diego so I hope it works out for me because I'm depressed and totally unmotivated with living lately. There's no hope for a ghetto bastard like me

I'm just a sophomore in high school, but the biggest pro I've seen has been making relationships that can take you places. I can master camera work and editing on my own, but it seems like film school gives me the boost I need to get a solid job

I plan on transferring to MassArt for film in a year or two after I get my core classes done. I might even do some summer classes there for credits because I'll be paying so little for my first year of college.

No Film school for me but I might try to take some classes at a local CC that offers classes.

I was planning on doing two years at community college then transferring to Long Beach for film but during my first semester at community college all I could think about was the western I was going to make in December over break, so naturally I got terrible grades in all my classes. During December while filming I got an email from the college reminding me to submit payment for my next semester but I ignored it and by the end of the shoot I decided to drop out and go full time with the real estate company I had been doing videos for and keep making films on the side. Eventually someone saw screenshots from my western movie on a Facebook filmmaking group and asked me to DP their feature Hollywood western. I think I’m learning more now than I could at a film school where I would most likely slack on the school part. If you learn what your passion is early in life, it makes the grind much more worthwhile.

I just watched an entire ad thinking I was watching this omg 😆

I love acting but I love the idea of being part of the team who create the video/films and I’m at that point in life if wether I should choose something where I have good job security such as IT tech and stuff like but I really love the film industry

I studied tv in college, in terms of skills I didnt learn anything until I got a job after, however the course was great for making contacts. getting work industry is largly due to ‘who you know’, the ‘what you know’ comes after. I currently work ENG camera for a station in Ireland.

Some of these were touched on briefly in your video. I'd like to expound a bit... Pro: 1) Comprehensive: While you CAN learn on set through mentors, and at home through RU-vid and Masterclass, unless you know how to design a film curriculum (and if you do, you probably don't need to attend film school), your education will have significant holes. Not that film programs cover every nuance of filmmaking, but your education is likely to be more complete. As such, most often in a "classroom" environment, you achieve the same level of learning as the "DIY" method much more quickly (albeit more expensive). However, given the time savings to becoming employable, you can start making that investment back much sooner. 2) Professional Critique: While you can share your works during the learning process with professionals whom might have a few moments to offer their two cents, having consistent (sometimes harsh) guidance from someone committed to your learning has significant value. Con: 1) Timeliness: It takes time for any curriculum to be updated to include modern processes. While much of filmmaking is grounded in tried-and-true methods, current techniques and technologies might better be found by attending workshops with those developing those procedures and equipment. 2) Relevance: As mentioned, you might be "stuck" with a professor who prefers a type of camera or NLE you don't care for, but until you escalate to a level where you can influence production decision-making, chances are you'll come across that equipment, and it's always good to have those arrows in your quiver. However, as many successful filmmakers say, there's no ONE right way to make a film, and while film programs share what works time-and-again, working under the wing of an professional on a (non-student) set may garner more insight. While each film-maker a preferred discipline (lighting, sound, camera, editing, writing, etc.), it is important to have a working understanding of each, to be efficient and productive on set. As one producer said (and I'm paraphrasing here), "I don't need to know all the in's-and-out's of lighting. That's why I'm very selective of who I hire as my gaffer. I trust his design will support my vision...but I must be well-versed in that discipline, to effectively communicate that vision, to respect the cast and crew's time (and my budget)."

Been film making since I was 13 lol. Obviously it was exceptionally.....bad. I'm currently studying civil engineering for thr wrong reasons but my passion is film and music. I've taught myself the piano and filn through youtube and online content on the internet. If i'm being honest, I find thr internet to be a larger resource and I'm able to learn on my own time at my own pace. A mentor would be great tho but for now I look to you guys and film riot, slanted lens, etc so i really appreciate the educational videos mayne

I've become quite fearsome after viewing this lol. I just joined community college for DIGITAL VIDEO & CINEMA PRODUCTION aka film school, and plan to major with an Associates. I don't want to feel like I'm wasting two years of my life and I don't want to spend money on something that can go towards gear or something I can learn through youtube or skill share. Oh God, I hope I've made the right decision. It's my 2nd day in school and I have shot a few travel vlogs and concerts, I've done minor editing, I purchased a good camera and I've always had a passion for films and videography. I'm hoping I can learn all the basics and more from school, so I can apply it to my real life. The life of a creator is such a gamble.

Go to film school if you're rich, don't go if you're not rich lol. The Aputure youtube channel is the best bang for your buck with the tuition at free-99! Good topic and information in this one! #AputureDegree

I went to two film schools and dropped out of both within the first year. They were both advertised as hands on practical courses and that was a big reach. Now I've been hired as a freelance DP a good bit and in 2019 I've started my own video business.

In my opinion the biggest things you miss out on is critique and networking. Yet, that is no where near worth it to go spend all the time and money film school takes. By the time you are done you could of used all that time and money to do so much more. It's like going to school for business. When you are done after 4 years you have a degree. If you would have just started your business, who knows where you could be with 4 years of trial and error.

I did a film degree in the UK, It wasn't the best degree in the world but it gave me a foundation to work with. The university had studios and gear i couldn't get otherwise so i took advantage of that and started making productions on the side earning me money and experience. Since graduating i have constantly been making video productions that i wouldn't have been able to if it wasn't for university and the great RU-vid film making community. In short if you can go to film school and you want to make films do it, you wont regret it!

Well I’m not sure if a qualify for the giveaway because I’m still a student. I plan on going to film school when I’m done high school, and I really hope to get into film school haha. I love film making and love your page!

I'm going to get a master's degree in computer science next year, but when I don't study i make videos. I have not much subscribers or high quality videos, but i won 2 little film contests anyway. I just use my old GoPro Hero 3+ Silver and a Nikon j1 with a mic and some lights if necessary. After 2 years and a half of activity on RU-vid, while watching guides and uploading videos, i realized that making movies as 2nd priority gives me a lot less time, but i can shoot whatever I want and meanwhile I have 2 skills (computer science & filmmaking). Last but not least, a really important thing in order to get success in filmmaking is to have an idea for what movie you want to make, in fact you cannot go forward if you don't know what to shoot, even if you have tons of knowledge and skills learnt at film school or outside, but you may have a good story in mind and maybe get some help to create it with experts, or just simple equipment, and get epic results.

As a cinematographer I never went to film school at all but 2 of my films not only screened at TIFF but are currently on Netflix...all thanks to RU-vid and the drive to learn and work hard.

I think i will inevitably enjoy doing both ^_^

As someone who's about to graduate from film school, I'm very happy about my experience and I wouldn't change it for the world, you don't need to go to film school to become a successful filmmaker or have a solid career. Especially in an era of RU-vid, smartphones, Instagram, and TikTok with nearly endless loads of context to be educated by.

I NEVER attended any film schools because of RU-vid!!!! I been doing videography/cinematography for 6 years and 1 and a half years doing this full time as my career. Before I went into doing this full-time, I graduated with a BBA in IT and had an IT job for several years until I couldn't bare the cubical life (feels like I have a greater purpose)! Also able to help support my family and dog so the online training are really helpful with being a full-time dad and editor (when not out for filming). I'm a proud graduate from RU-vid University!!!

I think it doesn’t matter if you go to film school or not. If you put in the work and spend as much time as possible on building your skills you will make it. There is no point of paying all this money for school if you don’t work. It’s all learning by doing in my opinion!

No film school for me I decided to challenge myself to make a RU-vid channel (noisefilm) with a host who is not me. That way I could focus on filming, setting up lights, editing etc. 10month later I started getting minor job offers and now I am about to start a small business.. pretty much learned everything I know from reading and watching RU-vid tutorials. 🙌🏻

I think I officially made my mind up. Im not going to film school lol.

Agree.

I went to film school in the mid 90’s and grad school in 2000. Both private. I look back and think it was totally worth it. I would have chosen public state school for undergrad then private for grad had I been exposed to a time machine. Invaluable were the people I met who I still work with 20 years later. And at the end of the day I have a college education that included classes I still consider some of my favorites even though they didn’t have anything to do with film. (Italian, Art History, Copywriting, advertising, Everyday Life in American History and let’s not forget weightlifting.)

I think it would be fun to build community by going to school. I would like to do Film Concentration and dive into script writing too, but I want to be an actress. I want to learn about film & acting as much as possible.

I'm going to film school mainly for the connections. I find it difficult to find people around me who genuinely want to make films as I do. It's just mostly friends doing it as a favor or just casual collabs.

I've been making videos for 3 years now. Didn't go to film school. Was giving a DSLR camera by a friend and just started doing it more and more. Looked up a lot of tutorials and shot everything I could. Now I have a full time job shooting and editing.

I have tried film school and it wasn’t personally for me, though I can see how others may benefit from it. The school itself should be considered heavily too, as I think my school’s program was not a fit for me. Film school in my experience actively and directly discouraged creativity and complicated work, doing easy tasks instead to train button-pushers. The most valuable experience I’ve ever gotten in filmmaking was my personal work. Learning setups, working with real actors, and the professionalism and equanimity demanded on set is much more valuable than button pushing. You can make friends anywhere and they don’t have to be cinephiles to help you. Plus, like others said: you can just watch RU-vid, and playing YT videos was usually what my instructors did!

I honestly slip and fell into filmmaking. I was looking for a hobby outside of making music, a friend of mine convinced me to buy a camera, so I did. It's been 7 years since I made that decision. I've never taken a formal film class just studied a bunch of Film Riot content and others. To get better with my cinematography I would shoot videos of landscapes, friends, family and nature. I think the one major thing I missed out on with film school is the network. I find myself convincing friends and family to crew for me. Mind you NONE of them have experience. All in all, I feel like by not going to film school I was able to make more mistakes and become a bit more knowledgeable about the basics. Currently, I'm reading more books on cinematography, watching Ron Howards Master Class and patiently waiting for Spike Lee's Master Class. I say all this to say Film School or not there's still a shit load of stuff to learn. The field is constantly evolving and growing and reshaping. Always stay half cup empty or full....i really don't know how that saying goes, but you get the picture.

i'm currently in film school and i don't regret my decision. these years have been amazing

I didn't go to the film school, but, I always wish if I could. Simply I was not able to afford it.. But, these days, you can learn everything yourself ;)

We just finished a feature war movie, playing in 1943, Reveille. Most of our staff had some kind of film school education, while we executive producer had non. Also our cast was mixed, and two actor actually got Film Prizes for best male actor, one of them with film school and the other one without. I think at the end of the day it is all about preparation. A film school gives a lot of them, but will it be actual the preparation needed for the project? The next you should teach is the importance to understand the commercial part of making a film. If you don't make money you wont make the next movie!

Just a guy with budget problem. Can't even afford all these different kinds of cameras yet, trying to learn film making. I thought going into a film school would be a good experience and will be able to learn more stuffs and would also be able to get my hands of all these different kinds of gears. But, then again school is expensive.

See that’s my thing I dont know if I’m coming out there with a job/career

I went to filmschool in germany. It helped me to make the first step into the industry. Is it necessary? Don‘t know. Would I prefer to spend the money on gear than on fees? YES! YES! YES!

I don’t know if anyone will see this, but I need advice. I want to be a director, possibly through film school, but my biggest reservation is this: for every Tarantino or Nolan, there has to be hundreds or more people that went to film school and never went anywhere

UK people be vibing right now

Did two years at TAFE (similar to technical college) here in Australia doing a broad film course and finding myself liking Sound Department. Didn't attend the last three weeks of TAFE as I had lined up a Boom Op gig on a low budget (but paying) feature. I think it was worth it for the networking and fast set experience I got. As well as being able to dip my toes in the water and in every department.

turn the volume up

I'm going the Tarantino way (skip film school and learn by making movies instead). Maybe they won't come out great at first, but I believe that discipline and determination can go a long way.

Let’s just say I go film schools in NYU. Do I have to study something besides that like go study something else in college

I Want To Go To ‘The New York Film Academy’ In Los Ángeles. I want to learn more about filmmaking and meet people and connections who can help me become a film director one day. The only thing that scares me is the fact that film school, on like Med School,Vet School, etc, Doesn’t guarantee you a job. I’d Pretty much have to spend years working as a DP or a job they give me. And my dream of directing my own feature in Hollywood with my own story,etc, I don’t think will happen. Do you have any info you can tell me?

I want to be a Video editor and a videographer... All the knowledge im using im getting it from RU-vid. Shot so many weddings and few music videos bt now i feel like going to a film school and step up my game

I went to film school, but I didn't go for film-- I went for their Recording Arts Technology program. I learned a lot about recording everything from music to foley to film post-production. Unfortunately, I spent most of that time thinking about how I should've gone into their film program... which definitely wasn't helped when I tagged along with a group to a remote cabin three hours away to do location audio recording all weekend. It was an amazing experience, and I spent the whole time wishing I was behind the camera instead of holding a boom pole. C'est la vie.

Im a junior in highschool, I wanna do filming and editing, because it’s the only thing I feel like I’m passionate about but I see a lot of videos saying collages are useless and if it is and end up not making money or I just idk, I’m lost

I went from making funny RU-vid shorts when I was 15, to Filmmaking (Wedding Films, Commercials, Promotional Work) Full Time by the time I was 20.....and I owe 100% of that to Film Riot! There are a million others now, but when I started in 2010 it was basically Film Riot!

I find it awkward that I am reaching out to someone I don’t know to ask this question. But we don’t know anyone in the film industry. May daughter was accepted to both NYU Tisch and Emerson College Film. NYU Tisch is going to be $ 80,000 (out of our pockets) more than Emerson. Are the contacts and location of NYC worth 80k more ? She would be taking out about 80k in loans