Could work...
PlanB said:
am a highschool student and I plan to become a film-maker. (I don't really care for fame or super-mainstream success, I just really want to make films that people can find, and enjoy.) Tell me if you think my plan will work, I have it mapped out:
I am a highschool student as I already said before, Next year I am going to go to boces (a trade school paid for by the highschool) for television production where I will learn a lot of the basics. I'm going to work my ass off there (I don't in school) and the program is offering internships to 2 local stations, one is pbs and the other is the station formerlly known as NY-55, (no idea what channel it is now), I hopefully will get one of those internships. After learning from experienced people, I plan to try to get some connections and then make a film of my own.
Please tell me what you think.
I posted this on IMDB and no one really made any helpful replies.
Ahhhhh... To be in high school with the opportunity to do it all over again... LOL.
PlanB, sure this plan can work but in addition to this plan, I would strongly suggest getting involved in filmmaking as soon as possible i.e., start making some short films on MiniDV, work with actors, camera work, editing, etc. In other words, I would start getting my feet wet now. If you don't have any equipment, look into the possibility of a public access station near you. Almost anyone can now afford a cheap MiniDV camera and a basic editing program to get you started.
The reason I say start now is so that once you feel you're experienced enough to either a) make a feature or b) make a career launching short (can be difficult but possible), you can start working toward it. This could easily be a couple of years from now if you start pretty soon.
The idea of becoming an intern is outstanding. In fact, once you're out of high school. I would definitely recommend becoming an intern in Los Angeles at one of the multitude of production companies that are out there. Every month, at least 20 to 30 production companies list unpaid intern positions available RIGHT NOW. I know... I'm on a list that lists many of these positions on a weekly basis. If you're a filmmaker AND an intern at a production company with some motivation and committment, I can't help but think this could easily catapult you into a very decent position at an early age. Unfortunately, this is what a LOT of film school graduates find out after they graduate. Unless you are that 1 in 10,000 that makes an unbelievable film in film school... Worthy of representation and distribution, you'll end up having to get a job anyway. Why not have 6 months worth of cash saved up and then take an unpaid internship? It's almost a no-brainer and had this been available when I was young and unmarried, I would have jumped at it!
If you're a highly motivated intern at a production company with some films already under your belt, you could easily develop that into a paid position within 6 months if you bust your ass (as you said you were willing to do). A lot of interns do NOT bust their ass (even when it would behoove them to do so) and end up with stupid jobs that have nothing to do with the film world.
Luckily, I've been able to get my daughter to do just this and at age 23, after having been an unpaid intern for less than 6 months, she is now the assistant to the Director of Development (making $40K a year) and knowing how she is, she'll end up with that job or better within a year... *NOTE: She's not even a filmmaker, just a lover of films and a screenwriter.
The interesting thing here is that within the last six months, she has met some pretty decent celebrities. All of which have their own production companies and are allowing her to submit her screenplays to them...
In this day and age, this is, I think, one of the best ways to make contacts in the biz.
GO FOR IT.
filmy