Film schools/courses - a necessity or not?

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  • Film schools/courses - a necessity or not?

    So, here's the deal. A screw up in my application for a Masters in Film & Video has left me off the course for a year. I've been writing screenplays - well, trying to - for a good four or five years now. I figured the degree in Film & Video would just help me further - perhaps provide some contacts/direction and, of course, open my eyes to the film-making side of the industry (something I'm interested in, but, mainly as a second to my screenwriting).

    Anyway, unless a miracle happens, that all seems redundant. As it stands, I'm off the course.

    Which begs the question - how important are film/screenplay courses in relation to the success of a screenwriter? I mean, is it worth shelling out thousands of pounds/dollars to undertake something that may not further your progression/ability all that much? I just really don't/didn't know what to expect from the whole thing.

    Even though I'm off the course, I'm still weighing up my options for next years. Of course, in the interim I will be writing screenplays like there's no tomorrow.

  • #2
    Re: Film schools/courses - a necessity or not?

    It depends on the individual first and foremost and the course second. I'm glad I did my MFA because I knew next to nothing about screenwriting or filmmaking going in, so I learnt a lot. Plus I got to live in NYC for three and a half years and had the time of my life.

    This might sound a bit cliched but it's what you put in to a course that counts. In screenwriting class I was viewed as prolific because I came with new pages every week. It amazed me that people were shelling out big bucks and spent their time whineing that they couldn't write. At least an hour was taken up every class with what amounted to group therapy for lazy rich kids.

    If I had my time again I would go west coast (USC/UCLA) rather than east but I wouldn't swap the overall experience for anything.

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    • #3
      Re: Film schools/courses - a necessity or not?

      In screenwriting class I was viewed as prolific because I came with new pages every week. It amazed me that people were shelling out big bucks and spent their time whineing that they couldn't write. At least an hour was taken up every class with what amounted to group therapy for lazy rich kids.

      When I became obsessed with pool (and, more importantly, gambling on my pool game), I had trouble turning in new pages every week.

      In fact, it go so bad that one of my professors took me aside mid-semester and advised me to switch to writing a script about pool, because I was obviously doing the research, and it was close to my heart.

      "You could take a notebook to the pool hall," he said. "It would be perfect. Talk about writing what you know."

      My response: "No, I like to keep pool and screenwriting separate. Maybe someday I'll write a pool script, but not while I'm in school."

      Stupid, stupid, stupid.
      Last edited by Tony R; 07-16-2009, 02:48 PM.
      Ralphy's Fvcking Blog

      "
      Ever notice how 'monogamy' rhymes with 'monotony'?" -- Christian Troy

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      • #4
        Re: Film schools/courses - a necessity or not?

        Okay -- so what kind of stuff did they have you doing?

        I'm certainly no expert on screenwriting - far from it - but I've read the books, I've read the screenplays, I've watched the films and I've written plenty of short and feature-length screenplays. Are any of them perfect? Definitely not. I feel I know the basics, though. I have a little experience in the field.

        If these kind of screenwriting course are solely about inspiring and coaching young screenwriters to produce copy, I, honestly, don't see the point. I have no trouble coming up with ideas and going out and penning stuff. I don't need to be motivated by someone else to get my **** together and write something. I don't suffer from a lack of ideas -- my main problem is juggling too many ideas at one time.

        The envrionment - being around other like-minded individuals would be a bonus, though, right? Or not?

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        • #5
          Re: Film schools/courses - a necessity or not?

          I took 2 screenwriting courses, one the intro course about what screenwriting WAS, which taught me the importance of format & structure, and I wrote a feature in the class, just going with what he lectured about every day. By the time it was done, I'd had a 96 page feature complete to turn in while every other student was between 7 and 20 pages. But it got my first feature out of the way, and was really worth it.

          The 2nd class was on non-fiction screenwriting and I started iwht a short I'd already written. The professor was impressed with it (plus I was the only one who showed up with a completed script) and passed it on to a lady who runs a Community of Writers, who gave me a scholarship to their writing camp. That, for me, was the biggest thing, because it was just being with other serious writers for a week - I've gone back every year since.

          You definitely will get back what you put in to it as long as you look at it as having something you can learn. If you know pretty much everything about format & structure then you may want to skip entry level classes, but there's always something new to learn.

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          • #6
            Re: Film schools/courses - a necessity or not?

            All that matters is that you write well. HOW you get there... well, there's the rub.

            Reading tons and writing regularly -- still the gold standard and in all likelihood always will be.

            EXTRA BONUS: no student loans to repay.
            I'm like an opening band for the sun.
            -- Eddie Vedder: "Push Me / Pull Me"

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            • #7
              Re: Film schools/courses - a necessity or not?

              Film school for a screenwriter I wouldn't think would be entirely necessary. There are courses for screenwriting, like the one offered at Writer's Bootcamp that has a long list of success stories that works really well for the upcoming writer.

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