If you have ever sat in a darkened theater thinking how you would have made the film you are watching differently, you might have more than a passing interest in filmmaking. But, you might wonder, what does it take to actually do just that; what does it take to get the chance to make a film of any kind? There are several things you need to have happen before you get that opportunity, starting with the innate talent and creative vision that every good filmmaker needs to have. Next, you have to have the knowledge of the equipment and how it works, especially if you have never had the chance to get your hands on the great cameras, lights and other items. Then, you need to know about how to scout and set up a location and all the other subtle nuances that go into a successful movie magic moment. Some of these are inborn, present inside of the moviemaker to be. Some of these are brought out by film courses, either on location as an intern for a moviemaking pro or for most people, in a film college.

There should be no one lesson in film school that is more important than others, after all, you need to learn everything that is offered there. The cost of going to filmmaking college is too expensive not to get the full impact of the education that you are trying to get. After all, why go through the expense, the time and the extraordinary effort that is needed to do well to not take full advantage of what is being offered? The better the school, the better the education and the more likely you are to follow your dreams to a career in the film industry, however that also means that the cost of the education is even higher than the average. So, do you need the full educational experience to learn everything that you need to know in film making school? There are two sides to that, one saying that you have to have a well rounded education, period and one that says that taking specific film courses might be enough for the average person. Read the rest of this entry »

“Acting: An art which consists of keeping the audience from coughing.”
- Ralph Richardson

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Picking a film school can be a very hard decision, and since movie making is always very expensive, not a cheap decision either.

If you’ve clicked on this article title link and you’re a budding filmmaker, chances are you want to go to school for it, if you’re not already there. And if you’re not there yet, but want to get a great film education, there are hundreds of choices to choose from. One is better than other. I will give you my own insight into what I found when searching for a Film School, both online and offline.

First and foremost, you must decide what is your passion and what kind of film you want to make or work in. If you’re a die-hard artist and want to work in the independent film scene, or just as a movie artist, there are a so many choices for you.

Let’s start by looking in New York. They have the most developed art scene for film, and great schools to boot. Do some research into the schools, and see how they are rated against others in the field you’re looking at. Chicago is also good choices if money is a large factor in your decision. But here you must know the hard reality: a good film education will cost you, it’s just a fact of life.

Now, if you want to direct your skills towards Hollywood, there’s really only one place to go if you really want to make it: Hollywood. Los Angeles and its surrounding cities have hundreds of two-year film schools for you to take on. They don’t cost a lot, and you can get lots of hands on training and project work. However, usually you won’t get too far with a two year education. As per my knowledge goes, you often need a 4 plus year education. Read the rest of this entry »