Choosing Los Angeles Film Schools To Attend
If you’re an aspiring film director, film producer, film editor or screenwriter looking for an education in filmmaking in Los Angeles, you probably already know that deciding among Los Angeles film schools is easier said than done. The home of the Hollywood film industry, Los Angeles is practically cluttered with film programs which range from basic trade school programs to master’s degrees, and just about everything in between. If you’re trying to decide which one is right for you, here is a short summary of the types of schools that are “out there” to help you narrow down your alternatives.
COLLEGES Understandably, a number of southern California’s universites and colleges offer well-respected film majors-USC and UCLA among them-with both undergraduate and graduate degrees offered in a variety of aspects of filmmaking. In case you are the well-rounded education type (undergraduate degrees with general education courses), then taking the college path is a good idea. But keep in mind that schooling can be quite expensive in colleges and universities. You could make your network of connection inside the film industry to really succeed in launching your career sooner and that means you can clear off student debts.
DEDICATED FILM SCHOOLS There are also numerous Los Angeles Los Angeles film schools that are dedicated to the filmmaking arts (or perhaps an array of media arts). These programs vary widely in length, learning approach, and value. Some schools take much more of a collegiate or conservatory approach (like the AFI Conservatory or CalArts), or maybe more of a trade school approach (like Los Angeles Film School). These programs can offer an even more intensive focus on filmmaking, but tend to also be very costly.
THE MENTOR-APPRENTICE ALTERNATIVE The problem inherent with most film schools that take either the college or trade school approach is they adhere to a traditional education format, in which the subject matter is actually taught in isolation (i.e., out of the “real world”). This is often quite problematic for film students because the film sector is all about connections and real-world experience, and traditional education can offer neither of these. With the tutelage of real working professionals in the mentor-apprentice approach, students are going to be exposed to real film production companies plus the gap between film schools and the film market is drawn closer. (Film Connection is known as a school that uses the mentor-apprentice approach.) Mentor-apprentice learning enables students to achieve real-life experience and inside connections while experiencing their curriculum-and since there is no campus to maintain, the cost of mentor-apprentice learning is actually much less than the tuition charged by almost every other film schools.
Not every film school approach is perfect for everyone, making it imperative that you understand your alternatives in order to make a good selection for yourself. When deciding among Los Angeles film schools, however, be sure to take a look at the mentor-apprentice alternative.
