Does the school you attend make that much of a difference in your chances at a career in Hollywood?
No. The school you attend has very little to do with where you’ll end up. Why? Because if there’s one thing the entertainment industry doesn’t care about, it’s your education.
Sure, you’ve gotta know what you’re doing. Yes, you need to network.
But how you get to these points is irrelevant. Ask Tarantino who dropped out of high school. Chris Nolan who studied English in college. Or James Cameron who dropped out of college entirely and worked as a truck driver while learning to write.
If there’s one thing the entertainment industry doesn’t care about, it’s your education.
Personally, I did the normal thing. Attended film school right on Sunset Boulevard in the heart of Hollywood. My directing teacher was a member of the DGA. My sound design teacher worked on Law & Order during the day and taught us at night. I graduated with honors with one of the most polished reels in my class.
Did this land me a job in the industry? Not in the least.
The reality for wanna be writers and directors is that after you put your heart, soul (and bank account) into film school, there’s nothing waiting for you. No one is going to hire you to direct a movie. Ask me and my fellow classmates!
After graduation, many wanna-be filmmakers work odd jobs just to pay rent. Others end up actually working in the industry, but in a job that has nothing to do with directing. Still others call it quits and move back to you know….Iowa.
It took years for me to finally write and direct my own projects. And it took equally long to truly understand the craft of story telling. You see, as educational as film school was, I graduated without understanding the deep truths of telling a story for the big screen. And I’m not a solo case of this.
So back to the question, which film school should you go to?
The answer is simple: One that will truly teach you the craft, and do it in the right way. A school that will assist in networking with other filmmakers. And finally, a school that educates you in the least amount of time possible with little money spent.
Because regardless of where you go to school, you’ll end up the same as everyone else. A film school graduate faced with the daunting task of paying rent, buying food and funding your own films in order to gain credits as a writer and director.
This is the indisputable fact of the entertainment industry.
Regardless of where you go to school, you’ll end up the same as everyone else. A film school graduate faced with the daunting task of producing your own projects in order to gain credits as a writer and director
So what’s the good news? You can achieve this with Write & Direct.
Write & Direct is cohesive training that will make you unstoppable as a filmmaker. During the training you’ll write and direct your own film with the goal of submitting to film festivals and IMDb.
More importantly, you’ll learn how to do it right. From development through post production.
I too am an independent filmmaker, currently wrapping production on a film as this blog post is typed. Back in 2020 while on another movie, the idea of Write & Direct hit me, and I’ve been on mission to create this school ever since.
I know what you need to know to get started as a filmmaker.
Write & Direct is the film school that can shave years off your pursuit of the craft. Trust me, I know what it’s like to do it the “normal” way.
I hope to see you on the other side!