film school or a feature
First let me say I’m a supporter of higher education across the board. In college you’ll learn more than just your major. All those general education classes do pay off. And there’s something to be said about the “college experience” as well. But as it applies to the film industry, I recommend taking classes outside your major as well. Learn about other cultures and topics. As a filmmaker you will rely on just about everything you know, so know as much as you can.

There is a school of thought that it’s better to take the money you would spend on film school (or the money your parents would spend) and make a movie instead. Unless you’ve worked on several films, made some shorts, and know people in the industry who are already established, I don’t recommend this. Sure you hear of success stories but there are thousands of filmmakers who took this road whose films never see the light of day (don’t get me wrong, there are countless people who went to film school who aren’t successful either).

As an example, I know of a filmmaker who dropped out of film school to make a feature film. When I heard that is first film was going to be a feature I thought it was ambitious. When I heard it was a period piece I thought that was really ambitious. Then I saw the film. The opening shot was amazing: lots of extras, period props and sets, a really tremendous production. But the film sucked. He had the heart, drive, and dedication to pull off it off but he made stupid mistake after stupid mistake. The writing wasn’t very good, the casting was terrible and the structure and pacing of the film left me so board I almost walked out. These are all things that you’ll learn in film school. Now the next film he made was a short and it was much better. It was obvious he took the things he learned on the feature and applied them to the short. Now you might be thinking that the feature was his film school, but he spent a lot more money of the feature than he ever would at film school to learn the same things. Personally, I think he would have been better off going to school, making those mistakes on student films, and then making his feature film directorial debut.

reasons to go
Aside from the general education argument I mentioned before, I think film school is the best and cheapest way to make some short films. Here’s why.

Film schools have everything you need to make short films. Cameras, lights, grip equipment, sound equipment, stages, editing facilities, and most importantly people who know what they’re doing, people that are required to share that knowledge with you. You will have all of these things at your disposal. Granted, the equipment and facilities will probably not be state-of-the art, but they are good to learn on.

The way the classes are structured is extremely beneficial as well. Most film schools will start you out small, shooting on Super-8 or Mini-DV to learn the basics. Super-8 and Mini-DV are great mediums because it doesn’t cost much to make mistakes; the schools know that. It’s a lot cheaper to make a bad Super-8 film than a bad 16mm film. They’ll have writing and directing classes to teach you about structure. They’ll have editing classes to teach you about pacing. You get the idea. Film school is an excellent (and cheaper) place for trial and error.

Film Schools in large universities also have an advantage… the university. If you need a score for you film, hit up the music department. Actors, the theatre department. These are definite advantages, but don’t be afraid to look for professional actors and composers when making your student films. You’d be surprised at the quality of talent that will be willing to work on your student films.

creativity vs the tools
I took Drawing 101 at a community college before I knew I wanted to be a filmmaker (though I think drawing is a good class to take if you want to be a director or cinematographer). The professor came in and told the class that Drawing 101 was not a creative class. He was going to tell us what to draw and how to draw it. Many of the other students hated him for it because they thought it was their artistic right to draw how and what they wanted, but they missed the point.
Many classes you’ll take in film school are designed to teach you the tools you'll use to create your art. The idea is not to mold you into a particular type of film maker but allow you to master as set of tools and rules that you can apply to your art later on. Once you master these tools and understand the “rules” you will be better prepared to use the tools in different and more creative ways and to break the rules when you know that the film will justify it. “Momento” is a good example of a film that broke the traditional rules of editing. Christopher Nolen knew what the rules were before he decided to break them. And break them quite successfully he did.

what to look for
There is a huge variety of film schools. When I say “Film School” I mean a college or department at a four-year university. There are other organizations that provide shorter workshops such as The New York Film Academy, The Workshops, FullSail, and Action/Cut Film Seminars. Honestly, I don’t know much about these programs. They may provide you with hands on filmmaking (and they may have better technology) but you’ll miss out on all the other things that a four-year university has to offer, not to mention a degree. Trying to learn in three weeks what you should be learning over four years is a lot like cramming for a test, it’s not always the best idea. If you’ve gone to one of these workshops, I’d like to here about it. Let me know HERE.

If you’ve decided on the university route, you’ve got a lot to choose from. When most people think of films school they think of NYU, USC, UCLA and AFI. These are the largest and most well known film schools with the most industry alumni and probably the best equipment. Just have a look at their websites to give you an idea. I believe they are geared to teaching mainstream narrative film and television. They probably have the best internship programs and job placement services. If you want to get your student films seen by industry professionals, they’re probably the best too. If you’ve attend any of these schools, I’d love to hear what the experience was like. Let me know HERE.

I would definitely consider these schools from what I’ve heard about them, but there are other options and things to consider. For one, I believe these schools will own the copyright on your films and scripts. That means if someone wants to purchase your film or option your script, the university may get the cash. This is what I’ve heard and I don’t know for sure. It is an important question to ask the school if you are considering going there. If the school does own the copyright on the work, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t enroll. Chances are the movies you make in film school won’t garner any offers anyway; it’s just something to consider.

focus and specialization
The first two issues you should ask the school about are Focus and Specialization.

Some schools will focus on narrative mainstream film production that generally leads to a career in Hollywood or independent film. Others may focus more on documentary or experimental. And others may be better rounded. SIUC, where I went to school, has a tendency to support and encourage documentary and experimental film. You can learn narrative filmmaking there, but the interests and experience of the faculty are more documentary and experimental in nature. When asking about focus, also find out if the school requires you to make particular types of film. You may be required to produce a documentary or experimental short. That’s not a good or bad thing, but it’s something you should inquire about. It would be a disappointment to enroll in a school that will try and force you down a creative path that you’re not interested in.

Frequently, film schools will offer a degree with a specialization in directing, writing, sound design, editing, cinematography, or any other area of film. These schools are good if you already know what you’d like to focus on. Often what will happen is several classes of different specializations will collaborate to produce one student film. But the competition to be the director or writer can get a little crazy and there is a possibility that you may not get to direct any of your own films. There are other schools that offer a more general education that covers all aspects of filmmaking. You’ll learn how to do everything and graduate with sort of a jack-of-all-trades type degree. I would imagine the best schools offer a combination of both. You can take classes where you’re guaranteed to be the director but you can also take classes where you’ll work collaboratively on one film.

Working collaboratively is good because you’ll learn and understand the department structure and hierarchy of a film set. The camera department will be responsible for camera, art department for props and set dressing, and so on and so fourth. Projects where you do everything yourself or when you have to convince other people to help you when they're not getting a grade can be rewarding but very daunting. It’s very draining to direct a film when you’re the person also doing the makeup, lighting, and special effects… and you had to be up three hours early to pick up the camera equipment and costumes.

Working independently is good too because you’ve got more room for creative control and experimenting. When you’ve got four or five people who have a vote on how to make your movie, you could loose out on your directorial vision.

The main point here is to ask the school about it focus and specialization and make your own decision.

facilities and faculty
All film schools are going to be behind the times when it comes to technology. It simply moves too fast for educational institutions to keep up. But while all schools are behind, some schools can be way behind. That goes not just for the tech level of the equipment but also the tech level of the faculty. When was the last time they were working in the “real world” with current equipment? Do they keep up with technology trends by reading trade magazines and attending tech expos such as NAB. It’s one thing for the college to not have state-of-the-art equipment, but it’s another to not even be aware the equipment exists. So make sure the faculty is up to par when it comes to the technology you’ll be expected to know about when you graduate (especially if you want to be a sound mixer, editor, or a cinematographer).

Equipment and facilities will vary wildly from school to school. The big schools (NYU, USC, UCLA) will no doubt have the best when it comes to cameras, screening rooms, sound stages, editing equipment, etc, etc.. You don’t necessarily need the best equipment to get a good education but there are a few things you should ask about and keep in mind when looking at schools.

Before I suggest what you should look for there is the digital vs. film issue that should be briefly be addressed. Many people believe that film as a medium is going to be phased out by the new digital technologies. They might be right but I personally believe that film as an origin medium will be around for a long time. That means I think people will continue to shoot on film then transfer to some format of DV for editing and distribution. But I think film schools owe it to their students to offer classes in digital formats as well as film. When a school says it has DV capabilities, find out what that means. There is a huge difference between Mini-DV and HD facilities and cameras. Video doesn’t just mean video anymore. There’s VHS, Super VHS, Hi-8, Digi-8, Beta, Beta-SP, Digi-Beta, DV, Mini-DV, DV-Cam, DVC Pro, and HD just to name a few. Every format comes with benefits and drawbacks (and I can’t begin to tell you what they are).

cameras
Selection, support, accessories, and the Camera-to-Student Ratio. It’s very difficult for film schools to maintain a good inventory of cameras for two reasons: 1) Students generally aren’t very careful (cameras get broken quite frequently). 2) Cost and new technologies. A used Arriflex SR II* 16mm camera body can cost $10,000 (and that’s just for the body with no lenses or accessories). Higher end video cameras such as Beta, DVC Pro and HD can cost just as much if not more.

The number of cameras a department has should depend on how many students are enrolled (the Camera-to-Student Ratio). If there are 30 kids enrolled in the Mini-DV class and only three Mini-DV cameras, you’re going to have a problem. A good ratio is about 5 to 1. That’s 5 students for every camera. However, schools shouldn’t be expected to keep two dozen 16mm or HD cameras on hand because it’s just too expensive. So make sure that the department isn’t admitting too many students to 16mm and HD classes and causing a demand for equipment it can’t support.

Regardless of how many students there are, film schools should keep a variety of Mini-DV cameras (such as the Cannon XL1 or Sony PD-150), Super 8 cameras, and 16mm cameras (Bolex, Arriflex S, Arriflex SR II, Aaton XTR). They should probably also have some Beta-SP and DVC Pro or DV CAM cameras if not a few HD models.

Camera accessories are important too. In addition to a large selection of lenses (both zoom and primes) film schools should have follow focus for the lenses, video monitors, and a couple of 16mm cameras with video tap. You can make good films without these accessories, but if you want to be a cinematographer or assistant camera you’ll need to know how to utilize this equipment (especially the lenses and follow focus).

Make sure that the school has good tripods and good tripod heads. Nothing is more irritating than a bad tripod and head. It’s also a plus if the school has a dolly (Chapman or Fischer), but these are so expensive most school won’t have one.

sound equipment
I can’t give you as much advice on sound as I did camera, it was never my interest. On most films, the sound is recorded on DAT tapes. Your school should have DAT recorders for recording sound as well as DAT decks for post-production. Many film schools still rely on the Nagra. The Naga** was the sound recording work horse for the film industry for a very long time. It is still a very reliable recorder and many films schools use them. I’ve been told that many professional sound mixers still keep one on has as a back up (because DATs aren’t as reliable). If your school is still using Nagra that’s fine, just make sure they have time code. I can’t tell you how important this is for post production. Whether your school uses Nagra, DAT, or new MP3 recorders, make sure they are all time code.

When you shoot video the sound is usually recording by the camera but a sound mixer is still required. The school should have good field mixers that you’ll use with either the video cameras or DAT recorders.

The recorders and mixers aren’t everything. There should be a good supply of microphones; both lavalieres and shotguns. Good wireless mics are a big plus. Don’t forget to ask about the cables and boom poles that you’ll need as well.

soundstages and screening rooms
Soundstages and auditoriums can be very expensive. When looking at your school's sound stage (if they have one) there are a few things to consider: 1) It should be accessible (you can get your sets in there without much trouble). 2) It has a good power and lighting grid (a stage is no good if you there’s no place to plug in a 5K HMI). 3) Its quiet (the whole point of a sound stage is to shoot in a controlled and sound proof environment).

Almost every school has screening rooms (whether they’re film schools or not) but you should make sure at least one room can project 16mm, if not 35. The facility should also be able to project a variety of video formats as well (at least Mini-DV and Beta, if not all the way up to HD).

lighting and grip
Lighting is everything. I would prefer to shoot a film on Mini-DV with a good lighting package, than shoot on 35 with no lights. Lights aren’t as expensive as other film/video equipment so the school should have a good supply. Ideally the inventory should include Tungsten, HMI, and fluorescent lights (Kinos). There should be range in size and intensity as well (100 watt all the way up to 5Ks, if not higher). Some lights (anything above a 2K) drain so much power that you can’t plug them into a standard wall outlet but they should still carry them even if they don’t leave the sound stage. You can rent a generator if you need larger lights on location.

In addition to the lights, and just as important, is the grip gear. Grip gear is used to for rigging and placing the lights where you need them and then shaping by light using flags, nets, and reflectors. Look for a copious stock of c-stands, light stands, nets, flags, scrims, reflectors, clamps, etc..

post production
I don’t know as much about the technology of post production as I’d like to. It changes incredibly fast and it’s hard for film schools (and me) to keep up. I can tell you this much: Editing is done almost entirely with computers. Your school must have a selection of nonlinear editors. Look for computers running AVID or Final Cut Pro, the industry standards for film editing. Also make sure they have decks that support a wide variety of video formats (at least VHS, Mini-DV, and Beta) and time code DAT (for your sound). It’s also important they have a large storage capacity on these systems. As video goes into a computer it takes up a large amount of hard drive space. When you’ve got 15 students editing 15 projects on a couple of computers, it’s important there is enough space for all 15 projects. I recommend purchasing your own hard drive to keep your projects on (and taking it home with you when you’re not editing). Make sure that school will let you do this.

But what if you’ve shot your film on 16mm and edited on the computer and you want to get a 16mm print for festivals? Transferring your edit on the computer back to 16mm film is called matchback. I’m not going to get into the details about this here. Just ask the school if it can support matchback.

In addition to the nonlinear editors to edit your project's picture, there is still the issue of sound editing and mixing. Again, I don’t know as much about this technology as I’d like to. The school should have mixing rooms running Pro-Tools or similar software. They should also have 16mm mag machines, DATs, and Nagras. It’s a plus if they have Foley and ADR recording booths.

Now that I’ve gone through the digital post facilities a school should have, I personally think it’s a good idea to learn on “older” equipment as well. I cut my first 16 mm film on a flat bed Steenbeck, mixed the sound back to 16mm mag, and conformed the negative for a 16mm print. I think learning these (arguably out-of-date) systems gave me a better understanding of the theory and process of film post production. One way or another these processes are still used though they may have evolved into a newer format. I don’t know any filmmakers who conform their own negative. It’s a tedious, time consuming and risky business… but it gave me a better understanding of the rules of editing and how my film gets from the camera to the big screen.

external resources and affiliates
There are going to be some pieces of equipment or services film schools just can’t keep on hand or provide. Processing and printing for example. The school should have deals with labs that have student discounts on processing, printing and transfers. It helps if they also have deals with vendors that sell tape stock and other expendables. And it’s especially beneficial if the school has contacts with rental houses where you can obtain cameras, grip and electric equipment (such as bigger lights and a generator), or anything else it doesn't have..

A friend of mine wanted to shoot his film on Super 16. The school didn’t have any Super 16 cameras so he rented a camera package from a company that was out-of-state. I've also worked on several graduate thesis films that rented their entire lighting packages.

finally
Talk to as many people as you can. Take the tour for sure, but once it’s over see if you can talk to the faculty and students. Ask them some of the questions I’ve brought up here. I would also go one step further and see if you can find some recent alumni to pester. They’re the ones trying to apply the schools education in the real world.

All in all, I’d shop around. Don’t just decide to go to one of the big school blindly, there might be something better out there for you.

*The Arri S, SR, and SR II are no longer in production with Arriflex. They are older cameras but still very reliable. Arriflex is now producing the SR III camera body.

**When I write about The Nagra, I'm referring to the older Nagra III and IV. Nagra has kept up with technology and released the Nagra V and other digital recording products.

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