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Studying Film in the UK?

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0490043

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Original poster
Mar 29, 2004
202
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Hi

I'm in my last year of high school here in Canada. I have wanted to become a film maker for a very long time. I was planing to take the Digital Film & TV Production course at the Toronto Film School but I'm kind of turned off with it. Now I find myself playing with the idea of studying film in the UK. I have a European passport along with my Canadian. Does anyone know any schools with a good film program, have any idea of the cost or other useful info?


Thanks
 
Last edited:
Welcome to our world, Bowie. I started by going to college in a generic "film" video production major. However, as I moved along, I realized that digital/analog video isn't film. I dropped out and spent two years researching schools. I settled on Columbia College Chicago. It has one of the top undergraduate film programs in the world and is now the largest film school in the world.

I chose Columbia College for several reasons:

First, it's real film we're working with. We shoot on film and splice it by hand. There is digital video courses, but it's frowned upon here. Film is film, video is video. Period.

Second, it let's you concentrate on an area such as producing, cinematography, screenwriting, etc. There are many reasons why this is wonderful for an undergrad program. Undergrad film schools (including the big ones: NYU, USC, UCLA) don't have concentrations. You just dabble in a bit of everything without becoming proficient in anything. You'll leave most undergrad film schools working as a P.A. Big deal. Anyone can be a P.A. If you concentrate on Cinematography, for example, you walk away with the skills and knowledge to be a cinematographer. You'll easily land a job in the grip/electric and even the camera departments, which is a big step up from a P.A.

Third, the faculty are filmmakers. My screenwriting teacher wrote and directed the film Jane Doe starring Calista Flockhart. One of my Script Analysis teachers was a reader for Disney. They know their stuff and are willing to help.

Fourth, competition. As I mentioned, Columbia is the largest film school, meaning that everyone is vying for awards and recognition. You have to stay on your toes to gain recognition, just like in the industry. You can just waltz through the program, but no one will respect you, and that's what matters the most.

Fifth, connections. As mentioned before, our faculty are filmmakers. They know people. We're the only school to have a permanent campus on a studio lot. It's part of the school's Semester in L.A. program, in which you study at the CBS Studio lot for several weeks, then get hooked up with great internships. Want to intern for Ridley Scott, anyone? Our school makes that happen.

I hope this helps. Columbia's website is http://www.colum.edu and our department's website is http://www.filmatcolumbia.com . Good luck, Bowie!
 
OnceUGoMac said:
Welcome to our world, Bowie. I started by going to college in a generic "film" video production major. However, as I moved along, I realized that digital/analog video isn't film. I dropped out and spent two years researching schools. I settled on Columbia College Chicago. It has one of the top undergraduate film programs in the world and is now the largest film school in the world.

I chose Columbia College for several reasons:

First, it's real film we're working with. We shoot on film and splice it by hand. There is digital video courses, but it's frowned upon here. Film is film, video is video. Period.

Second, it let's you concentrate on an area such as producing, cinematography, screenwriting, etc. There are many reasons why this is wonderful for an undergrad program. Undergrad film schools (including the big ones: NYU, USC, UCLA) don't have concentrations. You just dabble in a bit of everything without becoming proficient in anything. You'll leave most undergrad film schools working as a P.A. Big deal. Anyone can be a P.A. If you concentrate on Cinematography, for example, you walk away with the skills and knowledge to be a cinematographer. You'll easily land a job in the grip/electric and even the camera departments, which is a big step up from a P.A.

Third, the faculty are filmmakers. My screenwriting teacher wrote and directed the film Jane Doe starring Calista Flockhart. One of my Script Analysis teachers was a reader for Disney. They know their stuff and are willing to help.

Fourth, competition. As I mentioned, Columbia is the largest film school, meaning that everyone is vying for awards and recognition. You have to stay on your toes to gain recognition, just like in the industry. You can just waltz through the program, but no one will respect you, and that's what matters the most.

Fifth, connections. As mentioned before, our faculty are filmmakers. They know people. We're the only school to have a permanent campus on a studio lot. It's part of the school's Semester in L.A. program, in which you study at the CBS Studio lot for several weeks, then get hooked up with great internships. Want to intern for Ridley Scott, anyone? Our school makes that happen.

I hope this helps. Columbia's website is http://www.colum.edu and our department's website is http://www.filmatcolumbia.edu . Good luck, Bowie!
Click to expand...

Columbia Chicago sounds great but as one who went to one of the big three film schools in LA and taught at another -- get thee to LA where the business is. Unless you have excellent contacts in NYC, where NYU is an excellent school, just NYcentric in faculty/focus. Main thing: DO EXCELLENT WORK. It will pay off. That is one thing that other people cannot do: the excellent work you can do.
 
California said:
Columbia Chicago sounds great but as one who went to one of the big three film schools in LA and taught at another -- get thee to LA where the business is. Unless you have excellent contacts in NYC, where NYU is an excellent school, just NYcentric in faculty/focus. Main thing: DO EXCELLENT WORK. It will pay off. That is one thing that other people cannot do: the excellent work you can do.
Click to expand...

Agreed, go to L.A. to work. There are too many people that stick around Chicago after they graduate expecting the industry to come to them. That said, I'm moving back to the U.K. after I graduate. I'm not too intersted in the Hollywood model. That's just my style.:D
 
Here's a little second hand advice:

A while back I was looked seriously at film school...I was seriously looking into it for college.

Then I met a man who is heavily involved in the film industry as well as with the music industry. For his sake I won't name him, but if does anything to bolster my credibility, he's worked with people like Bob Dylan, John Lennon, Johnny Cash and Eric Clapton...as well as working on several big name films.

Basically he told me this: film school is a waste of time...the methods they teach you in film school work, but most of the time you'll be learning Hollywood-style filmmaking, which doesn't work for all of the indie films you have to make looking for a break into the big industry. When you deal with real film in school you can end up spending 5 grand of your own money anyway, and you're limited in where you can go with the project. In essence, he said that the best thing you could do if you're really interested in getting into film is to go to into college in a wide-ranging discipline, then straight up make a film. Just sit down with a friend, plan it out, get the equipment and make a film. You'll learn so much from actually having to do everything on your own it'll be more valuable than any film school.

He told me that's exactly what he did...after dropping out of NYU film school.

Needless to say, looking deeper at the situation, I'm convinced. Now, it's not to say that film school is worthless, but it's just not entirely worth the time and money involved.

In any case, think about it and make up your own mind. :)
 
OutThere said:
Here's a little second hand advice:

A while back I was looked seriously at film school...I was seriously looking into it for college.

Then I met a man who is heavily involved in the film industry as well as with the music industry. For his sake I won't name him, but if does anything to bolster my credibility, he's worked with people like Bob Dylan, John Lennon, Johnny Cash and Eric Clapton...as well as working on several big name films.

Basically he told me this: film school is a waste of time...the methods they teach you in film school work, but most of the time you'll be learning Hollywood-style filmmaking, which doesn't work for all of the indie films you have to make looking for a break into the big industry. When you deal with real film in school you can end up spending 5 grand of your own money anyway, and you're limited in where you can go with the project. In essence, he said that the best thing you could do if you're really interested in getting into film is to go to into college in a wide-ranging discipline, then straight up make a film. Just sit down with a friend, plan it out, get the equipment and make a film. You'll learn so much from actually having to do everything on your own it'll be more valuable than any film school.

He told me that's exactly what he did...after dropping out of NYU film school.

Needless to say, looking deeper at the situation, I'm convinced. Now, it's not to say that film school is worthless, but it's just not entirely worth the time and money involved.

In any case, think about it and make up your own mind. :)
Click to expand...



Thank you!

Thats what I'v been trying to tell my parents, but they're not buying it.
 
OnceUGoMac said:
Welcome to our world, Bowie. I started by going to college in a generic "film" video production major. However, as I moved along, I realized that digital/analog video isn't film. I dropped out and spent two years researching schools. I settled on Columbia College Chicago. It has one of the top undergraduate film programs in the world and is now the largest film school in the world.

I chose Columbia College for several reasons:

First, it's real film we're working with. We shoot on film and splice it by hand. There is digital video courses, but it's frowned upon here. Film is film, video is video. Period.

Second, it let's you concentrate on an area such as producing, cinematography, screenwriting, etc. There are many reasons why this is wonderful for an undergrad program. Undergrad film schools (including the big ones: NYU, USC, UCLA) don't have concentrations. You just dabble in a bit of everything without becoming proficient in anything. You'll leave most undergrad film schools working as a P.A. Big deal. Anyone can be a P.A. If you concentrate on Cinematography, for example, you walk away with the skills and knowledge to be a cinematographer. You'll easily land a job in the grip/electric and even the camera departments, which is a big step up from a P.A.

Third, the faculty are filmmakers. My screenwriting teacher wrote and directed the film Jane Doe starring Calista Flockhart. One of my Script Analysis teachers was a reader for Disney. They know their stuff and are willing to help.

Fourth, competition. As I mentioned, Columbia is the largest film school, meaning that everyone is vying for awards and recognition. You have to stay on your toes to gain recognition, just like in the industry. You can just waltz through the program, but no one will respect you, and that's what matters the most.

Fifth, connections. As mentioned before, our faculty are filmmakers. They know people. We're the only school to have a permanent campus on a studio lot. It's part of the school's Semester in L.A. program, in which you study at the CBS Studio lot for several weeks, then get hooked up with great internships. Want to intern for Ridley Scott, anyone? Our school makes that happen.

I hope this helps. Columbia's website is http://www.colum.edu and our department's website is http://www.filmatcolumbia.com . Good luck, Bowie!
Click to expand...



That's one hell of a school! I took the virtual tour and sent for some more info.

Thanks for your help!
:)
 
OutThere said:
Here's a little second hand advice:

A while back I was looked seriously at film school...I was seriously looking into it for college.

Then I met a man who is heavily involved in the film industry as well as with the music industry. For his sake I won't name him, but if does anything to bolster my credibility, he's worked with people like Bob Dylan, John Lennon, Johnny Cash and Eric Clapton...as well as working on several big name films.

Basically he told me this: film school is a waste of time...the methods they teach you in film school work, but most of the time you'll be learning Hollywood-style filmmaking, which doesn't work for all of the indie films you have to make looking for a break into the big industry. When you deal with real film in school you can end up spending 5 grand of your own money anyway, and you're limited in where you can go with the project. In essence, he said that the best thing you could do if you're really interested in getting into film is to go to into college in a wide-ranging discipline, then straight up make a film. Just sit down with a friend, plan it out, get the equipment and make a film. You'll learn so much from actually having to do everything on your own it'll be more valuable than any film school.

He told me that's exactly what he did...after dropping out of NYU film school.

Needless to say, looking deeper at the situation, I'm convinced. Now, it's not to say that film school is worthless, but it's just not entirely worth the time and money involved.

In any case, think about it and make up your own mind. :)
Click to expand...


Not really. There's no right or wrong way to make it. Will film school gaurantee success? No. Will film school hurt? No. I'd say go to film school, learn what you can, practice making films there, and make connections. Also, where are you going to learn about proper lighting, splicing, editing, etc.? As for straight up making a film yourself, plan on spending at least $50,000 for a bolex shot feature. Unless you're talking about a DV movie, which isn't a film, imo. DV movies suck.
 
----Bowie---- said:
That's one hell of a school! I took the virtual tour and sent for some more info.

Thanks for your help!
:)
Click to expand...

No problem, If you have any questions, let me know. :)
 
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