You love movies and want to be a filmmaker. But what’s the best way to get there? For many it’s moving to Los Angeles and attending film school. But is a film degree really where it’s at? Do you need to go to film school to have a career in entertainment?
As incredible as film school can be, it may not be the silver bullet you think it is.
If you look at successful directors, the answer to the film school question is all over the map. Quentin Tarantino is a high school drop out. Steven Spielberg was rejected three times from USC. Chris Nolan attended University College London, but studied English, not film. James Cameron dropped out of college. M. Night Shyamalan graduated from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.
These are wildly successful filmmakers, with drastically different degrees of education.
So if we stop right there, we’d be tempted to say, “Film school’s not worth it.” Right? I mean M. Night is the only one who actually went to a legit film school before starting his career.
But here’s the thing: Regardless of whether film school is worth the money, there’s one fact that is indisputable, and there’s no getting around it:
You must learn the craft.
There is no success to be found as a filmmaker if you don’t learn the craft. From the conventions of story telling to the nuances of editing. And everything in between.
Sure, there are one-hit wonders who crank out a successful film, but then they don’t know how to do it again. And I don’t want that to be you!
Every aspiring director must not only understand the craft, but invest thousands of hours in mastering the craft. And the key to begin right is to obtain the right education with the least amount of money spent. This is key.
Why? Because practicing the craft will cost a lot. Tuition should comprise a very small amount of your overall spend in becoming a filmmaker.
The key is to obtain the right education with the least amount of money spent.
Too many aspiring filmmakers nuke tens of thousands of dollars on film school only to be hit with a stark realization after graduation:
Nobody is going to hire them.
The only writers and directors who get hired are the ones with experience. The ones with credits on well done productions. Credits on IMDb.
If you can’t get hired without experience, what’s your first step as an aspiring director?
To begin making movies. But it’s on your dime.
And this is the entire problem with film school.
Is film school worth the money? That depends on how much money you have to your name. If you can attend school and afford to live and begin making self-financed films, then sure. Go for it! But if this isn’t you, another education path is gonna be the ticket.
Outside of money, another massive challenge for aspiring writers and directors is a dependence on crew. What happens if on day three of production your sound guy doesn’t show? Or the camera operator flakes? Or the one with the lights is sick?
For many filmmakers, their production stops right there.
If you want to write and direct movies, you have to know it all. You can’t afford not to. You need to be able to get movies made, even if you have to be the sound mixer. Or the DP. Production designer, location scout, casting director, editor and sound designer.
Because unless you can pay all of these people their normal day rates, you can’t rely on them.
This is what Write & Direct is all about.
Write & Direct is the film school that teaches you how to make movies from development through post production in literal, actionable steps. You will gain the required knowledge of the craft for drastically less time and money spent than on a traditional film school.
Trust me on this — I did it the hard way. $60K in school loans only to start as a production assistant on studio films, barely paying rent. Then I jumped into the trenches of independent filmmaking where I had to work full time as a web designer because indie film doesn’t pay.
Over the years I’ve learned how to do it all, and can help you side step some of the landmines that claim the passion and careers of so many aspiring filmmakers.
This isn’t training on how to shoot weddings or real estate commercials. This will teach you how to become a narrative filmmaker who understands the craft, and rapidly jumps into making movies. And the training is just the beginning!
Write & Direct is backed by a 100% money back guarantee.
Learn the craft from an active filmmaker.
I hope to see you on the other side!
If your answer is yes, Write & Direct is your inciting incident. It's your catalyst in the journey to becoming a filmmaker. There's nothing else quite like it. Enroll today or find out more below:
Write & Direct is cohesive training that begins with development and takes you through pre-production, production and post. Whether you've made a few short films or are completely new to filmmaking, this online film school can transform your future.
