New York City is admittedly the largest center for filmmaking outside Los Angeles, and therefore, it offers quite a few New York film schools. Some schools are known to many yet some are waiting lists for several years. Obtaining a film education in schools like New York Film Academy, Columbia University, New York University and lots of others may give a touch doubt on the quality aspect however, there are flaws of this schools generally that unable film school student from becoming their dream film career. Allow me to share some considerations that may shed some light of understanding to you about film schools in New York and what to go for before enrolling.
THE COST The cost of tuition for most film programs is exorbitant, to the issue that one could actually fund a film for what the college requires in tuition! It could be challenging to find a career after you graduate for those who still have great deal of debts bugging you even you probably have enough connections in the industry.
LACK OF REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCE New York film schools and most of the others are apt to have an education employing “student film” projects, classes and simulated environments for their students. This kind of approach is actually inadequate on your preparation of students to prove themselves from the film industry as well as not set for the accumulated body of work and knowledge for the dynamics of a real film shoot. Thus, many graduates from film schools have a problem finding work in the film industry, for the reason that industry itself does not count film school as real-world experience.
NOT ENOUGH CONNECTIONS This aspect may just be the worst flaw many traditional film schools fail to recognize. The film business runs on industry connections-you simply don’t get work if you do not have them-and because film schools use separated, isolated environments, most students graduate these programs without having connections whatsoever. A degree in film school is useless regardless of the quality of education- it’s like being “all dressed up with no place to go.”
THE SOLUTION: MENTOR-APPRENTICE LEARNING
For students to experience the real-world environment of filmmaking and building their network of connection while studying, this innovative approach to film education known as the “mentor-apprentice” method is making almost all these possible. Film schools applying this approach place students in actual film production companies being apprentices whereby one can learn from their mentors who are film professionals working with real film projects instead of just planning simulated environments for them. While students are learning, additionally they get the opportunity to generally be industry insiders enabling them to find work once they graduate plus, the tuition fee of this kind of education encompasses only a fraction to what most film schools charge.
You’ll want to take the Mentor- apprentice approach into great consideration in selecting your film school. Some New York film schools haven’t determine this out yet.