Noob on the Scene!

The most important thing to do is work at it... use that sony camcorder and shoot a couple narrative shorts, work on your story telling and editing skills, the more you practice the better you'll be. I would work on things that way, with the help of books, and people on the board here before spending money on a workshop or school. Yes, there is benefit to be had from both, but you'll probably get more out of it if you've already done some work on your own.

Hi.

I had written many a short screenplays in my spare time for literally years before I ever even used a cam. Then, I was fortunate enough to get my hands on a lower grade "prosumer" Panny cam about a year ago. I started with just making goofy short movies when me and my friends didnt have anything else to do. Through experience, the shots got a little better, and I learned a couple ins and outs along the way. Through a little motivation and a little confidence from my friends, I upgraded my cam and equipment, and now I am beginning to make "real" movies. Im having a blast as I get a little better at the trade.

I have pretty much self-educated myself, and while it probably shows in my work to some degree, I have learned a ton by reading the right books. My advice would be for you to start out by reading a few "beginner" type books on DV, screenwriting, and filmmaking. If it still holds your interests and you have the proper assets (actors, crew, materials, time), move on to some books by Steven Katz- along with other various advanced reading materials. Make some movies!! After you do all these things, and your still motivated to get better, then you will know exactly what to do. You wont have to ask. Good luck and most importantly have some fun.

Just wanted to say -- WELCOME!

Welcome!!

Welcome to our community. As you have questions, ask them and they will get answered.

"I was planning on attending film school originally, however now I see it as a waste of time and money to go and get a "degree" in film making. I've caught the notion that a degree gets you nothing and experience gets you everything in this business."

"If they are a waste, what should I do to get my foot in the business?"

I used my 'waste of money' to get 2 different staff jobs, numerous paid crew positions, and a jump start on the competition(people looking to get my spot on the crew). I now have my own house, my own car, a big screen TV, a Canon GL2, and yesterday I turned 23. I do video work full time.

How much real experience do you think you'll get in a year? Don't expect to get paid when you don't know what you're doing. So that means you'll have to have a full time job to pay your bills and hopefully once a month(if your EXTREMELY lucky) you'll be on a professional set.


Not trying to brag; just wanted to let you know it's not a waste of money. It's only a waste if you don't put effort into film school.

Deception,

i see from your resume on your site that you went to Full Sail. That is where I was considering going before I started searching online. and on most sites like this all of these people keep putting up posts saying "film school is a waste of time and money" and "no one hires film students...only people with experience" and "film schools flood the job market with people who don't know what they're doing and no one will hire you..." and all this other negative stuff. Also the $68K + living for Full Sail nowadays is pretty expensive! (I know it's now a Bachelor's degree and they have HD Production, 3 new soundstages and a Backlot, but $70K is a lot for 21 months) I was all gung ho to go to there and bust my ass but all I've been hearing is how I won't be able to find work and no one will hire me and I'll have a student debt and be waiting tables etc. etc.. What was your experience at Full Sail like? Obviously you think it is worth it.....I just would like to hear something positive.

Keep in mind, the only things I've posted about film school (IIRC) is that I didn't attend as I had a family and a career that prevented me from doing so. College will open doors, period. If your roommate ends up being a famous person (and you didn't set them on fire at some point during school), they may take you along for the ride (as long as they think you have value).

G'day and welcome!

Film school is posh if you've got the cash and time, and you want to land an industry job. Experience and indie films are better if you want to carve your own niche. You can learn all the same stuff in film books, and make the same connections hanging out at the local bars.

CorpusSianProductions said:

Hello, everyone. I've been a casual observer of Indietalk for awhile now and am finally starting to get into actually taking a step into filmmaking and videography. I have a million questions that I can't seem to find the answers to by scanning the site. I was planning on attending film school originally, however now I see it as a waste of time and money to go and get a "degree" in filmmaking. I've caught the notion that a degree gets you nothing and experience gets you everything in this business. However, I still lack the technical knowledge to go out and make anything worthwhile. I was wondering what everyone thinks of those "workshops" you can go to for 4-8 weeks (like the one offered by nyfa) to get the technical info I need. there is a digital video and film version of these programs and I'm not sure if they are worth my time. But for the $40-70 thousand it would cost for film school I could buy all the equiptment I want and make my own films. If they are a waste, what should I do to get my foot in the business? (I already help out a local videographer but he barely works, and I shoot skate films for my bro on a sony handheld camcorder....and thats about it)

any feedback would be helpful.

Click to expand...

Just my lowly two cents...

By all means, pick up a camera that you might want to use to shoot something... Get to know it backwards and forwards -- top and bottom. Shoot with it a lot until it becomes an extension of you...

Having said that...

Learn to write a good story and don't neglect the importance of a good script (not that you would -- just my two pennies... LOL)

Good luck!

filmy

"I was all gung ho to go to there and bust my ass but all I've been hearing is how I won't be able to find work and no one will hire me and I'll have a student debt and be waiting tables etc. etc.. What was your experience at Full Sail like? Obviously you think it is worth it.....I just would like to hear something positive."
-CorpusSianProductions

Full Sail has it's plus and minuses.

The major plus is being able to call a production company and saying "I'm looking for work. I have a film degree and I'm looking for some experience" . I truly believe I landed my Fox 66 audio job and my current editing/audio job. It's GREAT having something to offer in the beginning, especially if you don't know anyone in the industry, I did not.

When I went to Full Sail we only had 1 year programs. Everything did feel rushed. We did learn the basics of everything though. But you said they have it at 21 months? That's a lot better.

People are right, film degrees aren't a guarantee, at all. It took me a few months to get my first paying gig. I sent out probably 50 resumes to any place in Michigan. I spent several hundred dollars making resumes, demos, cover letters, and mailing them out. I think I am one of the 'lucky' ones though, I have classmates who have a small fraction of the production experience I have now.

And by lucky, I mean I worked my ass off in school, got perfect attendance award, and worked my ass off even harder trying to find a job while my classmates waited for people to come to them.


You said you work with a videographer...you're already leaps and bounds ahead of where I started. Use him as a reference, ask him if there's other people like him that could use the help. Call other places and mention you've PA'd on whatever projects you have worked on.

Keep a log of everything you work on, the position, who it was for, and the date. I have an excel sheet that I have on my thumbdrive(and stored on the internet as well). I upload the excel sheet right to my website:

http://www.deceptionfilms.com/exp.htm

And I'm able to send that to companies as a quick reference of what I worked on.

yeah, i knew going in that there is no definite in this business, getting a good job is a combo of luck, timing, and hard work in any field. It seemed like everyone online was saying that it would all be a waste. I'm glad to hear you guys don't think that way. I am still nervous about the $$$ however. Full Sail's tuition is now $68K.....but it is a 21 month program for a Bachelor's degree. They tell me its so expensive because you are getting a Bachelor's in half the time it usually takes and that most 4 year schools would cost you about the same. and they are one of the few schools teaching HD Production. They've built a new Film Center which houses 3 soundstages and a set construction area, and also have built a Backlot of various exterior locations (a house, New York, New Orleans, a warehouse etc.) to enhace production values for student projects. My question to you (Deception) is.... in hindsight, the option of going to Full Sail at $68K + living expense vs. what you paid and all the new features they have, and associates vs. bachelor......is it worth a go?

whatever it takes to put yourself in the way of opportunity, then it's up to you to recognize them and grab them...but getting them to happen around you is the first step. School will help you do that. A degree will let people look at your resume more seriously...when you have the same amount of experience (school productions count), your degree will trump their self taught (just lost a job to someone who had less experience than me, but had a degree). Although I'm going into this all self taught, I encourage education.

Another big plus to the high cost of Full Sail is that you can go back in the future to learn new technologies, etc... without paying more. That's what I've been told anyway, perhaps my understanding of it is a little skewed, but from what I understand that's a sweet deal.

"yeah, i knew going in that there is no definite in this business, getting a good job is a combo of luck, timing, and hard work in any field. It seemed like everyone online was saying that it would all be a waste. I'm glad to hear you guys don't think that way. I am still nervous about the $$$ however. Full Sail's tuition is now $68K.....but it is a 21 month program for a Bachelor's degree. They tell me its so expensive because you are getting a Bachelor's in half the time it usually takes and that most 4 year schools would cost you about the same. and they are one of the few schools teaching HD Production. They've built a new Film Center which houses 3 soundstages and a set construction area, and also have built a Backlot of various exterior locations (a house, New York, New Orleans, a warehouse etc.) to enhace production values for student projects. My question to you (Deception) is.... in hindsight, the option of going to Full Sail at $68K + living expense vs. what you paid and all the new features they have, and associates vs. bachelor......is it worth a go?"


I wouldn't get caught up on the HD hype...basics are basics, no matter the format. Though it does sound better, and I'm sure using the latest gadgets would help you out.

When they say 2 years at FS is like 4 years, they mean it. You will spend sometimes 12 hours a day, 5 days a week at school. Usually it's 8 hours a day, 4-6 days a week though. The time is usually split between class and labs. To be honest, I went to Full Sail specifically because it was 1 year long. I really can't help you on what to do.

If Full Sail isn't meeting your needs, check out other schools. My girlfriend went to Brookes(in Cali) for 4 years, and I'm often jealous of what she got to do out there. She loved it too. She's getting her masters in marketing, so I can't comment on how much easier it was for her to get a job in the same area (Michigan), since she is still doing the school thing.


FYI:

Every co-worker I have worked with, to my knowledge, has a degree in film/arts/broadcasting. Especially the younger people I have worked with. There's actually only 1 person I can think of that I know didn't goto school, a 55 year old gaffer.

thanks for the feedback. I'm really stoked about going. And Will...you are right, if any new tech comes out then you can go back and take a class on it as long as the class isnt full......it seems pretty sweet to me.

Unless you live in FL, how often you going to actually do that? ;P