The £6300 Question Answered

The term at LFS wrapped nearly three weeks ago, having work on two 16mm black and white films as focus puller (person who adjusts the focus on a deep field shot) and editor. Great experiences, though I can't say the money spent was entirely justified, nor the thought of being over $120,000 US in debt by the time I graduate with uncertain prospects about my career has prompted me to withdrawl from the school.

Let's face it, everything I've learned here I can get back at home for little or no cost, plus real world experience of doing it prove to be more valuable than an environment of academic protection, for myself anyway. Still, I can't advocate one way or the other about the necessity of film school, though I tend to agree with Kevin Smith when he said they're good for cinematographers, technicans and historians, but direction and writing, while can be taught the basics, are specific skill sets that you either have the talent for or not. DV Guru posted an article here on 10 reasons you shouldn't go to film school, citing the availability of low cost digital video technology to Netflix to filmmakers such as Tarantino didn't attend. However, the article correctly points out nobody can make the decision for you on attending, rather it depends on your needs and learning styles. While law and medicine require degrees to practise, art has been a field humans have accelled in with or without schooling. On the flip side, the article has a link to another advocating 10 reasons you should go to film school. Each article contains reader responses with varying opinion.

Personally, I feel that doing things like my passion for travelling will enrich my life more, providing the seeds for stories as movie projects. Technical aspects are best learned at my own pace rather than in a rigid academic structure where you may not even get the chance to DP, direct or edit. Who wants to hold a boom microphone pissing away £6300? You can make your own movie with that budget (albeit varying quality of course). Some people will disagree and think I'm stupid but whatever, I'll be the first to admit I'm a failed director if things don't work out. Then I'll step out of the limelight and become a librarian or whatever else. I have enough interests in life to keep me occupied which is how it should be. There's more to life than one singular pursuit.

Having said all this, I'll go to work on my own independent projects.