Hi Chiara,

I don't know anything about the DFA-- but I can give you some general advice.

1) They work only digital-- this means you will not learn how to use 16 and 35mm film, which is still the most prevalent medium in the film industry. This is, to my mind, a huge problem, and will be a very big hinderance in your future career.

2) 95% of film schools are really just cheap cash-ins on something that there is a huge demand for. At schools like this, you won't learn anything, and feel hugely frustrated by the whole experience. If you are going to go to film school, then only go to a reputable one.

3) If you can't get into a reputable film school, then don't go at all. (A lot of famous filmmakers are film school rejects). Instead, work your way up in the industry-- it's the old fashioned way, but it works. If you are just starting out, then get an entry level job as a runner. You'll learn a lot by just being on the set.

I say all of this as a former film school student myself-- most people in the industry look down on film school graduates, they would rather have someone with real world experience. Honestly, when I get work or meet someone new, I don't tell them how I got my education. Instead I tell them what jobs I have done.

So my advice to you: Unless you get into a great school, save your 20 grand, and try to work your way in.

Read my Production Blog!
www.mazinpower.com

I agree with mazin_power. I'd like to be cheerful here, but I've heard nothing but horror stories about NYFA in general. Their tuition is just crazy. If you do want to go to school you'd save a lot of money by going to community college or 4 year school. As mazin mentioned you learn by doing.

I'm in school and I have to admit it isn't as easy to do things as it was in highschool.

Should I go to school is a popular question and mazin for some reason I'm a little surprised that even today they still don't care about degrees because there are quite a few people at the film production company I'm at that are going back to school.

Honestly, it's a tough one-- but I think, inevitably, it comes down to work experience.

I do think that, on a personal development level, film school can be a wise choice for people-- it was certainly the right move for me. But from what I've seen, employers rarely care at all wether you went to film school or not- they would rather see what you have done. Maybe it's different in the US, but this is certainly the case here in the UK.

(And at the worst level, they will lower their opinion of you-- I saw a survey of employers here in the UK, asking if they hired film school graduates. Most said "no" and a few basically said "hell no.")

This is fair enough, I suppose, but I did find it difficult at the start of my career-- film school certainly didn't give me any advantages vs. other non-film school graduates.

I don't mean that to sound bitter- I'm glad I went to film school, and it was totally worth it-- just be aware that it isn't the be-all-end-all way to get into the industry.

Read my Production Blog!
www.mazinpower.com

I'll provide an opinion based only on life experience, since I have plenty of it. I didn't go to film school, but know people who did. I went to music school.

In film, much like in music, you require good deal of creative talent in order to create quality works. No school will teach that talent. In film, much like in music, you can start on your own by reading a lot (for film) or practicing your instrument (for music), then doing it on your own, making short films with your friends (or playing in a band with your friends, in your basement/garage). The more shorts you make (songs you write for that band), the better you become. If your talent really shines, and you have some luck, you get hired to do simple jobs on a professional production (you get signed for a record deal). On the strength of your talent, as well as your personal marketing skills, you can climb that Parnassus and, hopefully, eventually achieve recognition, success and artistic freedom to do what you wish.

What a proper, good film school (or music school) does is provides you with skill set often equivalent to many years of personal experience. The combination of required reading (which, in all fairness, you can do on your own) and required practical work (which is heavily compressed and is difficult to accomplish on your own at such pace) provides a solid foundation without holes. You get to learn technology, theory, basic rules, standard process, as well as historic perspective. You won't be re-inventing the wheel; you'll already know what it looks like and how is it best used. For me, music school made it so much easier to do a lot of work; from being able to quickly write out a four-part brass section when one is needed, to the ability to quickly write down that wailing guitar solo from a CD, produce a full orchestra score in a few days, to re-arrange a Mozart string quartet for a country-western band (complete with pedal steel), etc, etc.

A good film school also gives you access to some very bright minds in film, whose opinions, advice and even random thoughts can provide excellent catalyst for your own inspiration.