Question by ludaman14: What should I Major in? I need advice!!?
I’m a freshman in college and currently am an undecided major. I am debating between two majors right now; electrical engineering and film. I know that Electrical Engineering should be the obvious choice because there are more job opportunities in that field, and a job is basically assured after college. But then, I love film. I love movies. I enjoy making up my own stories, trying to create characters in my head. Write down some dialogue for them and imagine it playthrough. I always wonder what an audiences reaction would be like if I were to actually take a camera, get some actors, myself even, and MAKE some sort of short film. But I have never had the chance to due to lack of money and equipment. And now I am in college. I am an undecided major, so therefore I am not taking any film making class because people keep telling me that I won’t be successful in it, and that it doesn’t assure me a job. But I don’t want to pass off the opportunity. I want to try it out. I will sign up for a film making class next semester because I really want to see how I do in something that I actually am interested in. Maybe I have a hidden talent and it needs to be pushed out, maybe I’ll be successful. Who knows? But then, what if I am not?
This is where I need help. Should I major in Electrical Engineering? I am OK at math and all that, but the idea that i’m going to have to DO mathwork annoys me and I don’t find it appealing. I won’t enjoy it and will not give it my all. However, I feel something when it comes to film. I feel that I could be good at it. But then there’s the reality check that always comes to mind. Which do I choose?
BTW!! I enjoy computers, I enjoy fixing things and working with my hands. I enjoy taking them apart and upgrading them. I do it, even without knowing, I learn and it sticks with me. Should I do something with that? What majors offer something like that? Also, Video Games. I love video games. I don’t know about making them though, would it be fun to do? What major do I take to learn that? Please give me some advice. I will greatly appreciate it. Thanks.
Best answer:
Answer by Furby
I had the same problem choosing between film/media and psychology.
You’re young and this is a time you can use to try out different things (the thinking behind this being that if it doesn’t work out, you have time to get on the right track whichever that may be, and you would be qualified at a decent age).
The fact that you like fixing things is good and that can be used in the media for maybe building sets and props…if you enjoy coming up with your own stories you could try directing…even youtube is a good place to start. There are places where you can rent equipment, look on ebay for second hand equipment, buy the equipment slowly and eventually you will have a decent collection, even if they may be a lil old (i.e. not the latest model out), as long as they work and you know how to use them then its cool…just do what you can. The best thing you could do now is start to build you portfolio of your original work…again…youtube is a good place to start. Maybe you could approach companies to do some work experience in your spare time…bare in mind that these positions will usually involve you being the person who gets people tea and runs to the shop to buy a missing prop but I think as long as you are in that environment, it cant be bad. You just do what you have to and start building your contacts list by hanging around people already in the industry…
You could think about studying engineering and getting the full qualification while getting into film in your spare time so that when you finish studying engineering, you can try and go fully into film but if that doesn’t work out, you have something to fall back on…Like I said at the start, I had the same problem and now that I’ve done them both (qualification in psychology and experience in media), I’m at the point of deciding which one I want to go into. If I choose media, I have a portfolio of work to show from work experience and stuff I did in my own time and if I choose psychology, I have the qualifications for it. Plus…I know that a lot of people hiring in the film industry prefer someone who has experience of working in the industry rather than a film qualification.
Hope I have been of some help and hope you make the right decision…
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