IFH 026: Is Film School Really Worth the Cost?

Published: Nov. 24, 2015, 1 a.m.

Is Film School Really Worth the Cost?
Let me start by saying that I’m a big believer in education and constant learning throughout life. I believe that the only way to truly experience the amazing things the world has to offer is by educating yourself as much as humanly possible.
With that said, people who go to film schools to educate themselves about the basics of filmmaking are fools. Now full disclosure, I was one of those fools.
A little about me, I’ve been in the film industry for almost twenty years. I started my filmmaking journey by attending a technical college in Orlando, FL in 1995. My first job in the industry was in the post-production world.
As years went by I learned different crafts and wore different hats; I became a director, writer, producer, editor, colorist, post-production supervisor and visual effect supervisor.
I’ve done pretty much almost every job imaginable in the film business. In my multicolor travels I’ve had the opportunity to work with numerous indie filmmakers, with Oscar® and Sundance winners and even a Moose Jaw Film Festival winner, so every kind of filmmaker under the sun.
When I went to film school non-linear editing was just getting off the ground. No AVID, Final Cut or After Effects. No DSLRs. No RED Camera. No Mini-DV cameras. No low cost digital VFX. No YouTube. No DVDs with awesome film commentaries and by the way, the Internet was just getting started.
Listen to the episode for the skinny!