Is this film school course worth taking?

I am not exactly a newbie here, but I wasn't sure where else to post this, when it comes to discussing film school. I was thinking of taking this course:

http://www.rais.ca/Motion Picture Arts

It's almost 12K and I was wondering if it was worth the money, or if they do not really teach enough...? Other people who I have talked to that went to different film schools, say that it was a waste of money and time, cause what they learnt was obsolete, and didn't help them in the filmmaking world of the current day. So I was wonderng what you thought of this course from the looks of it. I took a tour of the school, and it seemed... okay, but not sure, since it was just a tour, and I cannot get a full impression from it.

I talked to one student who is currently going there so far, and she says it's good, but that is just one person's opinion so far, where as other's from other film schools says it ended up being a waste of money in the end, when they could have put that money to better use. So what do you think?
 
Is it worth it to you? One of these days, you'll have to make your own decision without polling the Internet first.

Film schools may or may not be a waste of money. That's a matter of the individual, not popular opinion. You can learn proper, foundational skills and techniques on older equipment. Learning how to work with a team, on which this program seems to put some decent focus, could be beneficial.

Half of film school is really in making connections. Taking initiative to get connected outside of the school, through the school's network, matters. You can go in and attend every class and turn in your projects and do the bare minimum required to pass, and you may have wasted your tuition. Or, you can go in not only to learn but to expand your Rolodex and maybe even get your foot in the door for job prospects beyond the school and you may have made the most of your tuition.
 
What AcousticAl says: it not only depends on curriculum or equipment, but also on your efforts. You get out of any education what you put into it. BS in = BS out.

We can't tell you whether or not that school is any good. Or whether or not any school will be any good for you.
I bet you first need to apply to get accepted?

So we are back at the same square: you need to make a new short. Wheter or not you go to filmschool.
 
Okay thanks. Well I might be applying before I make my next short. It depends on how long the next short takes to get the pre-preproduction done on, vs. how long they are accepting new applicants.

So basically when people say they didn't learn anything cause the course was teaching obsolete stuff, they just weren't putting enough effort into it?
 
Okay thanks. Well I might be applying before I make my next short. It depends on how long the next short takes to get the pre-preproduction done on, vs. how long they are accepting new applicants.

So basically when people say they didn't learn anything cause the course was teaching obsolete stuff, they just weren't putting enough effort into it?

You are aware that your portfolio is important while applying?
It doesn't have to be perfect, but it has to show potential.
And you are aware that once you are in filmschool you'll have strict deadlines?
 
...............

So basically when people say they didn't learn anything cause the course was teaching obsolete stuff, they just weren't putting enough effort into it?

This is you trying to fit everything in one rule.
Neither of us said that.
Al said: it is possible to learn skills on old things.
I said: I noticed that lazy students complained the most about not learning things.

To elaborate on the latter: after graduated I discovered there was still a lot I hadn't been taught. I wished I was. I also discovered that all the extra effort I put into studying resulted in a much better understanding of a lot of things than most of my peers. I also realised in hindsight that I could have made even more videos and learned even more.

Good luck with your application.
 
Okay thanks. I can try to get an extra short film done before applying, but if I am to make the next enrollment, I don't think I will have time. However, I can use the short film I made before on my portfolio and hopefully that will be enough.
 
If you are serious about applying, then make it your absolute #1 priority to make another short film - even if it is (likely) only 5 minutes long, or even less. If you can't do that, then don't waste your time and your money, even if you're accepted.
 
I can try to get an extra short film done before applying... I don't think I will have time.

Bullshit.

You are so caught up in a single, narrow set of rules as to what you need to make a short film (finish the script, find actors and a crew, etc.) that you will never finish anything if you stay on that path.

I seem to remember this being suggested a few years (years!) ago when you were still constantly complaining about not being able to find a full cast and crew for anything. Write a poem. Can't write poetry? There's plenty of good stuff out there in the public domain (http://www.public-domain-poetry.com). Pick one!

Now, record the poem being read... audio only. Then storyboard, shoot, and edit a visual representation of that poem. Sure, you may need a couple of actors to help depending on the poem, but they don't require ANY dialog. Or maybe you don't use people at all. You can make more than one! Very few resources are required here. It's a good way to excercise your visual composition skills, and your editing skills. And your sound design. And your storyboarding, and directing, and...

See where I'm going with this? Quit finding more excuses, or waiting until you get an opinion you like from the Internet (which you won't), before you get off your ass and do something.
 
Bullshit.

He already said "I don't think I have the time" instead of "I will make the time."

I'm not wasting any more time on these posts. His posts are a huge waste of everyone's talents here. Talent that can actually be applied and put to use.

Sounds harsh but that's the truth.
 
Bullshit.

You are so caught up in a single, narrow set of rules as to what you need to make a short film (finish the script, find actors and a crew, etc.) that you will never finish anything if you stay on that path.

I seem to remember this being suggested a few years (years!) ago when you were still constantly complaining about not being able to find a full cast and crew for anything. Write a poem. Can't write poetry? There's plenty of good stuff out there in the public domain (http://www.public-domain-poetry.com). Pick one!

Now, record the poem being read... audio only. Then storyboard, shoot, and edit a visual representation of that poem. Sure, you may need a couple of actors to help depending on the poem, but they don't require ANY dialog. Or maybe you don't use people at all. You can make more than one! Very few resources are required here. It's a good way to excercise your visual composition skills, and your editing skills. And your sound design. And your storyboarding, and directing, and...

See where I'm going with this? Quit finding more excuses, or waiting until you get an opinion you like from the Internet (which you won't), before you get off your ass and do something.

Okay thanks. I can make a short without actors and crew. But last time I did that, I was told on here, that it didn't count as a short film and it was just a series of shots, that didn't count as an actual short. This one here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DIHgnJEDog

So I thought that was true, and therefore, it doesn't count as a short film unless I get a cast and crew, and do an actual fictional narrative.

But if the one I did that was just a series of shots counts, then I can put that in my portfolio as well.
 
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YOU ALREADY KNOW you don't need actors to tell a story.

Folks, HE KNOWS THIS TOO!

Stop wasting your time on his posts. I am putting a stop to this nonsense. He doesn't need a long helpful response telling him the difference between shots and a story. HE KNOWS! He is wasting all of our time.

This is not going to continue like this for another year. 6 years of this nonsense is enough.

Log off. Come back with SOMETHING and prove yourself. Even if you have to log off for a couple months.
 
Sorry I don't mean to waste time, it's just the last time I posted a short with no actors, I was told on here, that it didn't count as a short film. So why tell me that, if it does count then, or what was the problem?
 
Yes, I realized Al told me that I don't need actors to make a short, but how come when I posted a short on here before, without actors, people on here told me that it didn't count as a short film? Why? Why were they going against what Al said, if that's the case?
 
You have been here 6 years you know the difference between random shots and a story!

If you continue to troll your posts will be locked and you risk your membership here.
 
Okay then, I see. Sorry. I have some short film scripts now. I will try to pick the best one and see if I can get a couple of actors in time to make it before a deadline for submitting for the enrollment. I'll see about writing a script that can be narrated with minimal production audio as well.
 
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You shouldn't get caught up in semantics either. If YOU say it's a short film, and another person says it's a camera test, defend it, and tell them it's a short film! Only you know the answer to it. Was it really a camera test or shot test, or did you make an experimental film?

Al told you how to tell a story reading a poem. That is NOT a random shot clip, and you already know the difference.

I didn't want to have to type that, as that is exactly the type of time wasting I am talking about. People tell you things and you don't listen and everyone ends up repeating themselves or posting detailed things you already know, or never apply.

Please stop wasting people's time.
 
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