I live in the UK and am currently doing my A levels. One of which is media studies. I was hoping some of you could give me some advice. This is want I think will be the best plan to get into the film industry: After finishing A levels, do a 3 year film production course at university and hopefully after that get into the National film and television school in London. Then after that hopefully begin working as a fairly low down job on film/TV sets. At the same time I want to make my own films as I would like to one day become a Director/2nd unit director or editor (I?m not sure yet). Some time during this I want to move to LA (maybe straight after graduating ? again I?m not sure). I don?t think I need to move straight away as the UK has a good film industry (just look at the Oscars!!) with big studios like pinewood and Ealing.
So my question is, is this a good plan to get into the industry or should I forget about the University and film school and just try and get a job as a runner then trying to work my way up. I thought the courses would give me good experience of using pro equipment and being taught by professionals without the pressure of a working production.
Whatever I do I will still make my own films as I like directing. Hope that isn?t too much to digest and someone who is experienced can give me some good advice.
Rob - UK
Rob - UK
I have no idea how the government run film business works
in the UK. But here in the states I bypassed all the schooling
and started at a fairly low down job on film/TV sets when I
dropped out of high school. That's how I worked my way up.
It was interesting to me that four/five years later, when I had
four/five years of experience, I started running into my high
school friends. They had four/five years of schooling (and all
the debt) and were starting at a fairly low down job on film/TV
sets. I was even in the position to hire one when he applied
at the effects house where I'd been working for 18 months.
I was always glad I didn't spend four to six years in school and then start at the bottom. I just started at the bottom without school.
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The aim of an argument or discussion should not be victory, but progress.
Joseph Joubert, essayist (1754-1824)
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The aim of an argument or discussion should not be victory, but progress.
Joseph Joubert, essayist (1754-1824)
