I think that experience is the best tool. But you have to ask yourself, where are you going to get the best expierence? In a class room where you'll be surrounding by knowledgable teachers who can show you how and what you need to do. Or sitting in your backyard tinkering with your home video camera.

It's more of a personal choice but I believe that film school is a useful and important aid.

--QD Jones

I guess where I'm coming from is I've already finished schooling for another industry and am still paying off student loans and can't feasibly move across the country to take film school. I'm sure there are others like me too, I would rather put 10,000 into good equipment and learn on my own then to start 2-3 years from now in debt with crappy equipment. Does the industry require a diploma or are you mainly judged by the merit of your work? For example my current occupation is an electronics technician, this isn't a field that you could readily learn on you're own and be able to get a job without a diploma of some sort. Do you know what I mean?

---------------------------

Check out my photography site at
www.jphphotography.ca

If film schools are not available ,Try online film school programe by Newyork Alternate Film School. That seems good. www.filmschoolonline.com

cheers

This is what I think (we'll use a little metaphor here):

Film school will give you a map of the city. It will tell you want street the house is on, what it looks like, how to get it, what to do when you get it, stories of people who've gotten it, but what it won't do it give you the key to let you in the door.

Basically what film school is good for is meeting people and making connections, becuase as the say in Hollywood it isn't what you know, but who you know.

If you're a guy that's self motivated and love film then do you really need film school? With today's technology (the internet) young filmmakers have access to endless information right at their finger tips. The ability to communicate with other filmmakers all over the world is priceless.

However wether or not film school is necessary is really a personal choice and depends on the individual. Ultimately you'll have to make the decision for yourself. No one can really know forsure except for you.

If you have the oppourtunity to go to s decent film school, then try it out...what the heck. After a few weeks if you like it and feel you're learning alot then stick with it. If you hate it and feel that it is a waste of your money, then quit and use the money to make a movie.

good metaphor Strongbad??? Strongbad makes all the right points. It will come down to a personal opinion.

"Anyone who has ever been privileged to direct a film also knows that, although it can be like trying to write 'War and Peace' in a bumper car in an amusement park, when you finally get it right, there are not many joys in life that can equal the feeling." - Stanley Kubrick

My best friend and film partner and I toured California our Sophomore year of high school looking at various schools, namely their film departments. We visited the Los Angeles Film School which is right is the middle of Hollywood. I will be the first to tell you that when we toured it we were amazed but soon realize dthat we didn't need film school. By this time we already had a few short films under our belt and started on our feature film. We had told the lady that was giving us the tour everything we had done to complete the films and she actually said that we didn't even need film school.

To make a long story short, the way I made up my mind was thinking aobut this: Would you rather spend $40,000 on film school (which is the price of one year at USC with your added film costs) or would you rather spend $40,000 on an actual film that you can show and get your foot in the door and possibly even get it sold?

Both have pros and cons but that's my opinion.

www.factorfilms.net

joe mamma where are you from? i live in winnipeg and i applied to emily carr. i dont know if its for everyone but it was exactly what i was looking for.

"your a child" "i'm not a child" "well your an idiot" "i'm not an idiot" ...."then give me the gun"

OK then after getting out of High School what would you suggest doing if you're not going to attend a film school?

Most parents wouldn't want to hear their child is no going to college so he can work in a movie theater and spend $40,000 on making movie.

Factor films: How old are you, and what are you planning to do/ what did you do after you were done with High School? Did you just keep honing your craft, while trying to make it while working at a regular job?

For me I've already finished my post secondary education and I'm getting close to my 10yr reunion. Right now I'm in the middle of house shopping so my priorities are mainly that for the immediate future. The job I have right now is fine but I don't know it that is what I want to do for the rest of my life you know? I learn by doing so I picked up a digital video camera and figured I'd learn about filmmaking, last year I picked up a piano and taught myself how to play. From all of the things I've done I found that alot of my skills are used in the movie business (Sound recording/mixing, electronics, photography, musical composition etc) so here I am with a digital camera, a 1st draft script and a bunch of friends eagerly awaiting the start of filming.

As far as a kid out of highschool I would recommend taking a trade first at a community college. Most trades will apply to movie making anyway, say if you take a 1yr carpentry class you can work for awhile and put some cash away while making no budget short films. Then once you've got some cash together try making a feature. Of couse this is advice from a guy with no real film experience so take it as you will.

Jory: I'm from Saskatoon SK

---------------------------

Check out my photography site at
www.jphphotography.ca

quote:

---

?i?Originally posted by Strongbad
Most parents wouldn't want to hear their child is no going to college so he can work in a movie theater and spend $40,000 on making movie.

---

My parents heard almost exactly that. Except I worked at Disneyland and spent $10,000 on making a movie. I know they didn't really think that was the most wise choice I could make. But I'm SO glad I didn't listen to them!!

=============================================
The aim of an argument or discussion should not be victory, but progress.
Joseph Joubert, essayist (1754-1824)

quote:

---

Jory: I'm from Saskatoon SK

---

Really? I may be moving there in a year or so.

I think someone else from Saskatchewan was posting here a while back. Unfortunately it seems most of the film stuff is in Regina, not Saskatoon.

I was thinking about this the other day. As I'm a senior in high school I have to start thinking about my future (dang it!). I love film and dream of someday going into the film business. But what I think now and what I think in ten years could be very different (I can admit that I'm young and don't know as much about life as I would hope).

With this in mind I'm going to go to college (a university that could offer me more then just film) and see what life has to offer me. If film works out then great; if it doesn't then I have some other options.

To sum everything up, going to film school is a personal decision and no two people are going to agree what is right or wrong. It's like asking what's better: Coke or Pepsi? It's impossible to answer.

--QD Jones

Mark, I agree Regina does seem to have a bit bigger film base but I honestly don't know why. I think it may be that since it is the capital of the province Americans assume its the largest/nicest city. I think Saskatoon has a lot more to offer than Regina for locations. We have had our share of films here though they were mostly straight to video releases. Terry Gilliam filmed Tideland in the Qu'Appelle Valley in Saskatchewan, initially I was under the impression that he had shot The Brothers Grimm here. Saskatchwan is also home of the series "Corner Gas" I'm not sure whether it is even broadcast outside of Canada but its actually a pretty funny show.

Later

---------------------------

Check out my photography site at
www.jphphotography.ca

Yeah, I have 'Corner Gas' on DVD. I actually saw the stage show the main actor guy does last time I was in Saskatoon.

That and 'Trailer Park Boys' are about the only Canadian shows I know of :).