quote:

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Originally posted by Magikplp

Brian that is quite a message, really well established.

The only thing I wouldn't say is that "film school is useless." I haven't gone to film school myself but I am a firm believer, it's up to the person on how they use their resources. If you go to film school, make contacts, gain valuable skills, it can increase your odds of finding success.

To break it down more simply, it's not the gun that is dangerous, it's the person using it that is.

Nothing fancy, just honesty.

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I didn't intend to imply that filmschool itself is useless. What I was saying is that the degree itself is relatively meaningless for someone hoping for a job in the entertainment industry. There are a lot of useful lessons an aspiring filmmaker can take away from a filmschool which suits him/her, but that education in and of itself is not enough to build a career on.

And you're right, it is the person who must determine what kind of education is best for him/her. While one filmschool may be perfect for the guy over there, it may be the wrong choice for the other person over here. It's up to each person to thoroughly research all of the schools that are of interest and make sure that investment in time and money is worth it while understanding that the investment is only the beginning.

Brian Dzyak
Cameraman/Author
IATSE Local 600, SOC
http://www.whatireallywanttodo.com

I thank Frank B or any other "inspiring filmmaker student" has everything they need on this thread to start their research.

BTW Brian I just visited your website and I think any high school student/potential grad student should check out your website for a boot camp knowledge of the industry. Great information.

Nothing fancy, just honesty.

quote:

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Originally posted by Magikplp

I thank Frank B or any other "inspiring filmmaker student" has everything they need on this thread to start their research.

BTW Brian I just visited your website and I think any high school student/potential grad student should check out your website for a boot camp knowledge of the industry. Great information.

Nothing fancy, just honesty.

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Thank you. I created the book and the website with very honest intentions. Because I have been through this and continue to work in the industry. Film schools and most books out there sell unlikely dreams to aspiring film students year after year. And most of those workshops and DVD "how to's" take advantage of the naivete of young, enthusiastic and excited aspiring filmmakers. I was one of them who bought into some that dream.

I wrote the book to the person I was about twenty years ago. Had I known the information that I wrote in the book, my own career would have been shaped very differently There's no telling if I'd be where I want to be, but I wouldn't have spent so much time just trying to figure this whole thing out. The book is meant to give the newcomers a head start on the business, so that they can make wiser choices and focus their efforts on the things that could get them the careers they want.

Honestly, some of the books that are on the shelves now are just plain BS. There is one in particular that gets me very angry because it is nonsense. It uses gratuitous name dropping and short definitions for jobs, but it gives on useful information at all that an aspiring filmmaker should have. Yet it seems to attract more attention than mine, which IS meant to give useful information.

There are a lot of people in this business who genuinely want to help the newcomers, but the "resource" crowd is permeated by too many who are just out to take advantage of the young and naive. It's important for any aspiring filmmaker to determine what he/she wants for a career and then to weed out those who are only telling them they want to know from those who are genuinely trying to help. That's what my intention is with my book and website. It's kind of my own penance for not learning more before I jumped in. I only hope to help others avoid the problems I discovered by accident.

Brian Dzyak
Cameraman/Author
IATSE Local 600, SOC
http://www.whatireallywanttodo.com

I'm glad you're very passionate about your book and I hope you do find some success. Had I read your book about 5 years earlier, I could have had a different outlook myself or at least a headstart as you put it.

My only question (my advertising background kicking in) how did you market your book? (maybe this belongs on another forum, hehe -- as I am helping to market a financial book on the side). Please shoot me a message to keep it private if that is what you like. Thanks

Nothing fancy, just honesty.

quote:

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Originally posted by Magikplp

I'm glad you're very passionate about your book and I hope you do find some success. Had I read your book about 5 years earlier, I could have had a different outlook myself or at least a headstart as you put it.

My only question (my advertising background kicking in) how did you market your book? (maybe this belongs on another forum, hehe -- as I am helping to market a financial book on the side). Please shoot me a message to keep it private if that is what you like. Thanks

Nothing fancy, just honesty.

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Just like this....going to the people who are passionate enough to reach out for real information from real professionals. The book actually began as way to save ME time because I was answering the same questions over and over and over again. I realized that putting all of the answers that people REALLY needed to know in one convenient place would be valuable for them and for me (to save time). I would love to be able to just say "go read the book" because it honestly DOES answer all of the questions people have, BUT I can't just do that for a lot of reasons. An internet forum isn't an adequate arena to give complete answers (thus the book), so I do what I can to answer the surface question and then "urge" and "recommend" that people go to the book. And it honestly isn't for money. My percentage is too low to make a real difference. My honest interest is to help "save" aspiring filmmakers from making unnecessary mistakes on their way to the career they want to have.

I've also had Google AdWords and Facebook Ads running when I don't have time to devote to checking various forums. It's all about just letting people know that the book is out there and letting them know why it is better than 99% of the garbage that is out there... and that sometimes includes some of the answers people get on forums like this one. Some of the answers I've seen in various places are clearly coming from fairly uninformed people who are only repeating what they've heard from others. The information in my book comes DIRECTLY from professionals who work regularly in the industry. It took a while to write because of the time it took to nail down the people worth talking to.

So marketing is about investing TIME on forums like this and making phone calls to schools and professionals. It's not easy, but I've always known that aspiring filmmakers don't generally get any information beyond someone trying to sell them a "dream" (You CAN be a successful Director!, or "Hollywood 101"). I'm here offering real information from my twenty years of personal experience and information from countless other working professionals I know. I can't make anyone listen to me. All I can do is put it out there and hope that they take the time to listen and learn so that their own career is as successful as they want it to be.

Brian Dzyak
Cameraman/Author
IATSE Local 600, SOC
http://www.whatireallywanttodo.com