Question by cuddleworthy: Film School Question?
I have 85 credits currently in my community college and plan on attending Vancouver Film School. I want to enter the Film Production field. However, it’s a year long of comprised studying and in the end, you get a diploma. Other film schools in Florida only run during the fall and they offer a B.F.A
My question is that which would be better: getting a year’s worth education or two years at a local college? Both cost around $ 30,000 total. Thanks.
Best answer:
Answer by dmaud56
Depends what it is you are majoring in at a local college. Ultimately though, the real world does not value knowledge, it values skill, as “higher learning” has always been the domain of the ruling elite. It was designed that way by the ancient Greeks, and it has been kept that way throughout the history of the western world. The reason corporations began requiring it with greater intensity in the early 1980’s, was to keep minorities out; they required it, knowing most did not hold college degrees. Much in the same way in New York many places are expensive because housing realtors know that minorities can not afford the housing costs. Its also the reason why there are toll bridges in the eastern cities; constantly having to pay $ 5 to use a bridge is not much for middle class and higher, however for someone in Spanish harlem or whatever the new equivalent is, that is a small fortune.
If I was you I would go for film school if the “local college” isn’t a practical applicable skill. If its a skill, like accounting or computer science, or math even, hey, go for it. The local college I mean. However if its some humanities crap, or something requiring a bigger degree like business or any of the sciences, I would go for film school. The film industry is not what you think; there are actors, directors and producers of all levels. Just like in the business world there is big business, and there is small business, its all the same. In any field, with any group of people, you have bright stars, and then you have the ones that are not so bright. It just so happens that with Hollywood, because of the relatively unorganized nature of the business, we hear about the famous people a lot so what I’m I saying?
You need film directors, crews, actors and producers for more than just movies; you need them for commercials, news shows, you name it. The reason the people at Hollywood are as big as they are, is because most are more skilled than the rest. Or, they may not have skill at all, but they have a powerful onscreen pressence, or a vision so unique it rakes in big $ $ $ $ $ $ .
The point I am trying to make is that film school may turn out to be more practical than you realize, provided what the local college is teaching is not a skill that is. If its humanities, trust me on this, those degrees are worthless. With film at least you have an actual skill, and since you end up in debt or losing money either way anyway, you can always go back to college later as it has no age limit. The odds of making it big in film are slim, but, that is the same as saying, the odds of becoming a martial arts master are also slim.
It does not matter what you take up; in any field, in any endeavor, its just like the stars in the sky. Some are bright, and some are not so bright, so it is ultimately up to the individual. Think man; there are many Psychologists, but only one Freud. There are many Electrical Engineers, but only one Tesla. Its not what you choose to do, but how hard you work at it, that makes you special or not.
good luck.
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