How far can you go without attending film school

Let's say you don't have the necessary experience or relevant qualifications from film school, is it still possible to become something of a success in the industry these days? I mean, I know it's important to network and form connections, because it's a case of "who you know" rather than "what you know", but if you haven't studied film-making/script-writing at college or uni, can you work your way up simply by self-teaching?
 
Let's say you don't have the necessary experience or relevant qualifications from film school, is it still possible to become something of a success in the industry these days? I mean, I know it's important to network and form connections, because it's a case of "who you know" rather than "what you know", but if you haven't studied film-making/script-writing at college or uni, can you work your way up simply by self-teaching?

I hope so.
 
I don't think you need film school. When it comes to art people will hire you for your talent not your credentials. Most game companies dont require a degree even though they prefer it. If you're a pro coder or 3D modeller and can do something better than most people they'll hire you even if you never went to college.
 
Most kids that come out of film school don't know f-all. Well, they do, but it's not the level you'd expect. They don't come out trained professionals, they come out experienced students starting their journey into professional filmmaking or obscurity.

Students get out of film school exactly what they put in. Most don't put in what's needed. It's the same for those who don't do film school. Same for life.

What do these all have in common?

Peter Jackson
Ridley Scott
James Cameron
Steven Spielberg

http://sqlj.org/famous-film-directors-who-didnt-go-to-film-school.html

Answer: Yes, you can be a successful filmmaker without going to film school.
 
I don't think you need film school. When it comes to art people will hire you for your talent not your credentials. Most game companies dont require a degree even though they prefer it. If you're a pro coder or 3D modeller and can do something better than most people they'll hire you even if you never went to college.

Although in essence true, going to film school will force you to comply to deadlines.
Deadlines can be very motivating to do something :P

I went to artschool in 2001 to study audiovisual design (aka the art of filmmaking).
At that time hardware for filmmaking was really out of reach of most people: without artschool I wouldn't be where I am now.
I'm not telling you need it.
But I can tell you it can really help you forward.
There is one important condition that has been mentioned before: the output depends on your own input.
Garbage in = garbage out.
No effort = no progress.
Just like when you learn it on your own. The big difference is you have peers to work together with and to learn for and you'll have teachers you can ask things and who will give you unasked advice as well.
This can be harsh and unpleasant, but progress can be much faster than when "asking your parents, who will love every frame you'll shoot as long as it is safe for work" ;)
Besides that it can help you create a network of professionals around you.

With and without film school you can go to multiple oscars, emmies, BAFTAs or to total oblivion spending your career as couch potatoe.

Education is just 1 parameter in a complex calculation that will form your future.
 
your question sounds kind of strange to me

"How far can you go without attending film school?"

what does it mean. when your target is to win an oscar then filmschool might be not your best option.
but when i ask your question in just a little different way "what does it take to win an oscar?"
then you will quickly see that there is no answer to this question. or maybe the only answer is, if you want to receive an oscar you must work on films. it is like asking what does it take to win the lottery? well at first you must buy a fortune, but other than that you have no influence. so this whole question will not lead us anywhere.

the other question is, does it make sense to visit a filmschool? yes of course it makes sense, what ever type of school we are talking about it makes sense. it is way easier to learn things at school than teaching yourself, school is a great way to network, you get feedback at school, and when you are lucky you get a degree that you can prove that you learned something. so school totally makes sense, it has nothing to do with film.

you american people are in the very unlucky position that you have to pay for your school (we dont have this concept in germany - school (or university) is allways for free). so in my opinion the only real question is, will it pay off to have such an enormous investment to go to a filmschool.
and to answer that you should know what are your expectations? would i pay 100 grand to learn how to make movies? surely not. would i pay 100 grand to get a diploma and to network? maybe yes.
would i pay 100 grand got get entertained for a few years? sure if i have a rich dad ;)

edit

but you are from the UK, i have no clue if you people have to pay for education or not. if enducation it is for free in the UK, then go for it, if not see the above.
 
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Let's say you don't have the necessary experience or relevant qualifications from film school, is it still possible to become something of a success in the industry these days? I mean, I know it's important to network and form connections, because it's a case of "who you know" rather than "what you know", but if you haven't studied film-making/script-writing at college or uni, can you work your way up simply by self-teaching?

I hope so.

i hope so too! :lol:

seriously tho, what are our first steps as amateur filmmakers? to what kind of people will we turn for help? generally, how does the whole story begins like? let's say we have our scripts ready, what happens next? :)
 
It probably depends on your film school, but I have worked with a couple of people who have went to a local one, and they really didn't seem to learn hardly much at all. At least not much useful to modern filmmaking in the 21st century.
 
I dropped out of film school half way through. I'm not a professional in any manner, nor did I drop out because I had found a film job (although I did raise $19,200 for my film via crowdfunding). But my main vice with film school is that the lecturers (where I was based, and it was actually a very reputable course) were so stuck in the past.

I was a month into my second year and we were set a task of making a short film based around a classical piece of music or one of these surreal paintings, and we weren't allowed to use dialogue. I decided then and there it was time to quit. Doing these little tasks were a load of shit. I wanted somebody to show me how to load film into a camera, and what different film stocks do, but it was very theory based, and the practical was just 'meh'.

I know a good few people from the course who have had their love of filmmaking diminished by going to film school.
 
Without film school, you can go all the way.

With film school, you've bill collectors forcing you to take a H.S. teaching job instead.

Interesting you put it that way... A lot of college students do actually get H.S. teaching jobs by choice.

The government has a wonderful program called Teacher Loan Forgiveness. You get out of college with your shiz tons of debt (which if you're smart is actually pretty easy to get rid of before graduating) and become a teacher for 2 or 3 years in one of the incentive states. Then bam, all your debt is gone. Also I'd like to note with this, becoming a teacher in some states is just too damn easy, like Mississippi is a simple two month course and state test.

Quit your job if you want or whatever. Personally I wouldn't mind teaching film to High School students and then doing my features during the summer. Or even working at a studio nearby while teaching.
 
No degree guarantees a job. (Full Sail even tells you their degree alone won't get you a job.) Him not having a job is on him.

Well, duh!

Walk out of a door with a MBA, or an IT degree, opportunities flowth over. Thousands of employers are looking for you. If you can't eventually land a MBA or IT job, the problem might be you.

Walk out of the door with a Full Sail degree, NOBODY is looking for you to direct their film. Directing job openings, of which there are very few, go to established directors, of which a Full Sail (or even a MBA) degree won't get you in their club. You'll need the kind of smarts and hustle (and luck) you don't need to pay anybody a dime for to get in that club.

If you have the smarts and hustle, forget film school, just go conquer Hollywood -- the odds are the same.

If you're not so smart, splurge on film school and grip the rest of your life, paying off the debt all the while.
 
Well, duh!

Walk out of a door with a MBA, or an IT degree, opportunities flowth over. Thousands of employers are looking for you. If you can't eventually land a MBA or IT job, the problem might be you.

Walk out of the door with a Full Sail degree, NOBODY is looking for you to direct their film. Directing job openings, of which there are very few, go to established directors, of which a Full Sail (or even a MBA) degree won't get you in their club. You'll need the kind of smarts and hustle (and luck) you don't need to pay anybody a dime for to get in that club.

If you have the smarts and hustle, forget film school, just go conquer Hollywood -- the odds are the same.

If you're not so smart, splurge on film school and grip the rest of your life, paying off the debt all the while.

Honestly, don't speak about it unless you've attended it. I don't have debt, none. I attend Full Sail. You give the wrong impression.

Your odds are not the same for getting a job in "Hollywood", Full Sail has studios check yearly for potential students with high GPS and excellent demo reels to join them. If you aim directly for a directing job then you're silly. Get a general crew job with one of Full Sail's board studios (20th Century visits pretty often).
 
... we were set a task of making a short film based around a classical piece of music or one of these surreal paintings, and we weren't allowed to use dialogue. I decided then and there it was time to quit. Doing these little tasks were a load of shit.

I've always sort of liked off-beat challenges. I've had the occasional client where I needed to adapt/interpret/twist a weird idea or concept into a presentable form and it's sort of fun - in a hair-raising kind of way.


I wanted somebody to show me how to load film into a camera, and what different film stocks do, but it was very theory based, and the practical was just 'meh'.

The learn-by-doing school. That's the route I took. The theory's okay, but the practical from those who do it every day is almost less important than the other "lessons" they teach.


I know a good few people from the course who have had their love of filmmaking diminished by going to film school.

And there have been others who have exploded out of film school.


There's no real answer to the film school yes/no question. Everyone learns in their own way.
 
Honestly, don't speak about it unless you've attended it.

Really? Shall I do exactly what Full Sail wants me to do and empty my pocket book? No. Instead, I can do math. It doesn't add up.

Your odds are not the same for getting a job in "Hollywood"

Sure it is. Only certain people have what it takes to direct big films, and they get it there with or without film school degrees.

If you aim directly for a directing job then you're silly.

What??!!! You mean I'm going to fork out all that money and NOT DIRECT??!!! Now who here doesn't dream of becoming a director? I'm a FILMMAKER, not a grip. I'm (and most of us here) aren't going to fork out a shit load of cash for a grip career.

If you are happy with your choice, good for you. Others, however must consider the downside. And it's a canyon.
 
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