what should i major in?

[Walter Biscardi]

[thewanggao] “What school and what major would be the BEST combination (assuming I can get in) to allow me to one day open a heavy-hitter post house?”

Being a heavy hitter as a post-house one day is all about your experience, not college. I went to Syracuse University for College, but the reason I’m successful in post production is because I’m a good story-teller and I have worked on some very high profile jobs. I got noticed for those jobs just by the quality of my work.

Walter Biscardi, Jr.
https://www.biscardicreative.com

Director, “The Rough Cut”
https://www.theroughcutmovie.com

Now Posting “Good Eats” in HD for the Food Network

“I reject your reality and substitute my own!” – Adam Savage, Mythbusters

[Shane Ross]

But going to film school and majoring in film productions gets you a very rounded knowledge of all aspects of film making. VERY helpful. You’d have a leg up over the people who majored in Business or Economics.

Shane Ross
Alokut Productions
http://www.lfhd.net

[Walter Biscardi]

[Shane Ross] “VERY helpful. You’d have a leg up over the people who majored in Business or Economics.”

Normally I would agree with your post, but one of the most talented new people I’ve met majored in Business. He interned with me for a while and is now working at the local PBS station. He had more vision and knowledge about how to be truly creative in this industry than most of of the folks I’ve met right out of college who took media production as a major. He has a true passion for filmmaking and it shows in his work.

Walter Biscardi, Jr.
https://www.biscardicreative.com

Director, “The Rough Cut”
https://www.theroughcutmovie.com

Now Posting “Good Eats” in HD for the Food Network

“I reject your reality and substitute my own!” – Adam Savage, Mythbusters

[Graeme Nattress]

Well, I studied mathematics (because I enjoy it), but used my free time to act, write, direct, do camera work, do special effects for and read about video. There is absolutely no replacement for actual practicall knowledge, ability and accomplisment. You don’t learn by attentding courses, you learn by doing. Also, many of those who teach in such establishments, do so because they could not succeed in the real world of work. That is not to dengirate in any way the various readers of this forum who do teach, teach exceptionally well, and make successfully business producing/editing/directing etc/ too, but I think we’ve all come across those in universities who talk utter rubbish and get, especially video technology, totally wrong.

I’ll give you an expample from my time lecturing in graphic design applications at a UK university: I was told a story about the previous head of department of graphic design. This previous head was told, upon asking of a printmaker in the department, that in CMYK, the K stood for khaki.

So, study what you enjoy, what you will succeed in because you enjoy it. Don’t expect your studies to be useful in any way other than to prove you’re capable of studying. Now take your free time and if you wish to succeed in video, succeed by doing. Get a camera, get an NLE, get some friends and start writing, acting, directing. Watch TV and movies, but watch them critically. Try to do everything needed in a video production. Examime sound recording, music, and sound effects. Write scripts. Do everything, read everything, learn everything, but above all, enjoy.

Graeme

– http://www.nattress.com – Film Effects and Standards Conversion for FCP

[Alexander Gao]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH Mr. Ross, Mr. Biscardi, and Mr. Nattress. I know you are all very expert in what youdo. I have a few more questions:

For Nattress: I know that you write many advanced plug-ins. Would you say your knowledge in math is a crucial part to that aspect (because I know a lot of post houses generate in house code). Also, in response to what you said, I do everything possible right now that I can, and I’ve made 2 20 minute films for school, but I get the impression that true experience can only be learned in college, and from getting focused training.(As opposed to surfing creativecow and reading books). Is this not entirely true?

And to all including the above mentioned: Is it better to go into college in a general fashion, or try to go to a specialized school for production, etc., keeping in mind my before mentioned aspirations?

Thanks again everyone.

Alexander Gao

“When the revolution happens, I’ll be leading it.”

[Alexander Gao]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH Mr. Ross, Mr. Biscardi, and Mr. Nattress. I know you are all very expert in what youdo. I have a few more questions:

For Nattress: I know that you write many advanced plug-ins. Would you say your knowledge in math is a crucial part to that aspect (because I know a lot of post houses generate in house code). Also, in response to what you said, I do everything possible right now that I can, and I’ve made 2 20 minute films for school, but I get the impression that true experience can only be learned in college, and from getting focused training.(As opposed to surfing creativecow and reading books). Is this not entirely true?

And to all including the above mentioned: Is it better to go into college in a general fashion, or try to go to a specialized school for production, etc., keeping in mind my before mentioned aspirations?

Thanks again everyone.

Alexander Gao

“When the revolution happens, I’ll be leading it.”

[Jeremy Garchow]

Graeme hit it on the head. Major in cool stuff 101, 102 & 103. Take classes that interest you, even if it’s basket weaving. A well rounded education is extremely valuable when you join the world of the working stiffs, no matter what people tell ya about specializing.

You want to learn about the technical side of the business? Read and intern. There’s a ton of books out there about digital video, film, color, and engineering. Go to school, make some friends, use school resources to travel and practice another language. DOn’t worry about owning the world quite yet, you’ll have plenty of time for that if you really want to choose that path. You must first gain experience, and the only way to do that is to get up everyday and learn as much as you can from other people. If there’s a professor that sparks your interest, make sure you take the time and go chat with them outside of class. Ask for help. Use the gift of experienced knowledge to further your own curiosities. When there’s no one around to answer your questions, make the most of your time by researching what you want to know more about. Most importantly, you have to remember to have fun along the way.

Good luck in your choices.

[Shane Ross]

When you have a passion for a thing, you don’t need to major in it to be good at it. Robert Rodriguez did not go to film school, he learned by doing and doing and going. N. Night Shamalayan made films since he was 8. Steven Speilberg was making films before he went to film school. You really don’t need to go to film school…but it wouldn’t hurt. Depends on the school. Sitting in lectures all day teaches you nothing but theory so you can get along with producers and writers. But hands on schools, you get your hands dirty right away. I attended Montana State University, and we made films from our first class…super 8. Then each class was a different hands on class. Very real world, so I did learn by doing. Find a school like that.

Or…major in literature or business and have film as a big hobby and do lots and lots on your own…read about various techniques on the web.

But nothing beats real hands on stuff…I will agree with that. Film school gave me a well rounded education so that, if need be, I could make a film on my own…I know the process. Not all film schools do that.

research.

Shane Ross
Alokut Productions
http://www.lfhd.net

[Graeme Nattress]

I use incredibly little university level math in programming. However, I guess I have a brain that can do math, and university didn’t knock that out of me. I’ve been programming since I was 10 years old, so I think the programming lead to the math, not the other way around. I went to uni to do what I enjoyed.

I think going to film school would have knocked the stuffing out of me. I did some work in the film department and worked with some of the lecturers there in the uni that I was lecturing in, and it’s not a place where I would go to learn to do. It seems all film schools that I’ve come across talk more about semniotics than actually making movies or shorts. I think that kind of artsy aproach is woefuly impractical, and judging from the end of year tape that I got, the results were laughably bad, and even us making movies in our garage had a better understanding of lighting, plotting, camerawork etc. and we had a fraction of the budget. Our stuff may have been crap, but it was entertaining and we did manage to get quite an international fan following, which is more than can be said for most.

You’ve got to get out and do. If goingg to college helps you do that, then it has succeeded. But you’ve got to get out and do on your own terms – not worry whether you pass or fail by their criteria, but that you your self are learning as a filmmaker. Don’t let the other idiots on the course pull your work down because they’re meant to be editing that piece you directed. Make sure you edit it your self as well as you can’t rely on anyone on the team to put in the hard work and do as good a job as you would do. Do whatever it takes.

I’m so lucky I avoided film school. I’d not be where I am today if had gone. This is all from my experience. Things differ around the world (I’m from the UK, but live in Canada now) and some courses are better than others. Take the spirit of what I say, not think my experiences are facts for your situation.

I think a highly practical college course would be much better than an academic university film school.

Graeme

– http://www.nattress.com – Film Effects and Standards Conversion for FCP

[Debe]

I certainly agree with everyone here. I do want to point out that for as many guys in the industry who didn’t go to school, 100 did. Perhaps 1000. I don’t know. But it’s LOTS more.

The college degree can get you in the door faster, and can get you up the ladder faster. Instead of spending 10 years doing various flavors of duplication, shipping, inventory, assisting, etc., you could possibly knock that down to 3 to 5 years before you get a big promotion when you’ve earned a degree. The guys who made it without one are more of an exception that the rule. You greatly increase your chances of getting where you want to be a lot faster if you spend your four years in college.

If you intend on running a post house, a few business courses should be a must. Accounting is so important when you’re a little company. Even if you hire someone to keep the books, you should really understand what it is they do, ‘cos you’re the one that has to sign the tax return. Global Econ probably is a business course that wouldn’t do you much good for running a post facility, unless you plan on having offices all over the world! There are a lot of realities about running a company that are boring as snot. If you learn ho to do them right, you don’t have to spend nearly as much time dealing with them.

Being a well-rounded individual is very important. I have a BA from a local private university. My majors were Art History and Video Production. When I interviewed for my second real job after college, it was the Art History background that the VP of Post was interested in. After he hired me, he told me that he figured he could teach practically anyone with the aptitude to edit. My interest in art told him that I likely had a good eye, too, and that’s not something he could have taught me. I probably wouldn’t have been considered for that job if I hadn’t earned my degree.

I didn’t go to “film school”. I went to “TV school”. I learned a lot of the basics of production. I learned how to (and more importantly, how NOT to) work with a team, I learned what a proposal and a treatment are. I learned about writing scripts and telling stories, and I figured out where my strengths were through trial and error. Anyone who worked on the big project that I co-produced my senior year in college knows that I’m not necessarily cut out to produce. I’ve learned a lot since then. I learned a lot of basic lessons in college that perhaps could have been disastrous had I learned them in the real world. When it’s other people’s money, and something goes horribly awry due to inexperience, it’s a whole different ball game than when it’s a class project. I admit that I learned a lot more in my first year after about post than I did my entire four years of college, but I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to learn what I did when I did if I hadn’t have spent those four years in college. Ok, four and a half years. What…I DID have a double major!

I did do outside projects. I worked with a group that did really baaaaad parody videos on the weekends. Yes, they were so very baaaaad. So bad that we’re getting together next weekend to watch a couple of them and make a DVD commentary track for the groups 20th anniversary party that will happen sometime this summer. But it is largely their fault that I’m here!

So I guess what I’m saying is what the other guys are saying, get out there and do stuff, but consider that college is a giant stepping-stone that will help launch you. You don’t have to major in film or video. Major in English. Major in writing, Major in psychology. Major in anything that interests you and will give you a unique perspective on the world that your competition won’t have. And take a couple business classes!

There, I’m done!

debe