As many of you know or can probably gather, the Film & TV industries are two of the toughest and most unconventional industries to get into. It's an extremely competitive area built upon lucky breaks and who-you-knows, and whether we like it or not, that's the way its always been and still is. But it's not impossible. There's a vast amount of options and paths that can be taken in an attempt to climb the metaphoric 'ladder'.
When I decided that I wanted to try my luck in the field back in college (09/10) I felt the only path I had was going to University. In retrospect I can see that that wasn't necessarily true.
Why University/Film School?
I was born and raised in a town in Sussex (South England), and though I had always enjoyed film and TV I had been more or less as disconnected as I could have been from the industry. I think this ultimately played a part in why I was so fascinated in the area - I had literally no idea how any of it was done as a kid - and it intrigued me. Even from a young age I had an interest in working in film - in particular SFX/VFX, how they could possibly create these things I knew couldn't possibly be real amazed me and I wanted to be a part of it.
Having a complete ignorance of the industry and knowing no one related to the field whatsoever it seemed only logical for me to pursue my career aim via University. With this I chose to study Digital Film Production at The University Of Greenwich. The reasons for Greenwich at the time were for a few reasons: I wanted a BSc based course (more technical approach compared to BA), I thought being based in London was a big advantage and I was encouraged by the lead tutor (special thanks to Val Brown for all her guidance and support!) at the University on the open day.
So what can I say for University/Film School having graduated? Let's break down the advantages:
When I decided that I wanted to try my luck in the field back in college (09/10) I felt the only path I had was going to University. In retrospect I can see that that wasn't necessarily true.
Why University/Film School?
I was born and raised in a town in Sussex (South England), and though I had always enjoyed film and TV I had been more or less as disconnected as I could have been from the industry. I think this ultimately played a part in why I was so fascinated in the area - I had literally no idea how any of it was done as a kid - and it intrigued me. Even from a young age I had an interest in working in film - in particular SFX/VFX, how they could possibly create these things I knew couldn't possibly be real amazed me and I wanted to be a part of it.
Having a complete ignorance of the industry and knowing no one related to the field whatsoever it seemed only logical for me to pursue my career aim via University. With this I chose to study Digital Film Production at The University Of Greenwich. The reasons for Greenwich at the time were for a few reasons: I wanted a BSc based course (more technical approach compared to BA), I thought being based in London was a big advantage and I was encouraged by the lead tutor (special thanks to Val Brown for all her guidance and support!) at the University on the open day.
So what can I say for University/Film School having graduated? Let's break down the advantages:
- Gain knowledge.
It's a great way to gain knowledge of the industry in your own time without the pressures of looking for work. - Meet and work with like minded people.
My course was very hands on and practical - constantly working on productions in teams. It's a great way to get used to running and working on productions with different types of people, constantly learning and coming up with solutions to problems. You'll make a lot of bad stuff, work with a lot of people you don't get on with - but that's the best way to learn and improve. I've met people at University who I would never want to lose contact with. - Get access to industry equipment.
Yeah, universities may not necessarily have the latest and greatest equipment, especially cinema gear but most well regarded ones should have a reasonable range, and it's a fantastic way to get access to gear to gain experience with. I currently work in a fairly large London based kit rental company, and I can now say that Greenwich was reasonably well equipped; being objective. If you're considering university be sure to ask what they have equipment wise if they don't tell you - it'll be a good gauge. You can always ask people online (myself included if you want!) to find out if what they say is reasonable if you're unsure. - (Hopefully) get opportunities.
These could be in the form of chances to work on productions or at companies as a runner, or maybe just to speak to or hear from industry professionals. All valuable experience. - Time to plan.
University gives you a taster of what the industry is like - allowing you to think about what exactly you want to do with your career and how you could start that journey once you graduate. - Helps build up a CV
With the industry being so tough to get into even the most basic of jobs are highly competitive and often require good, solid CV's to give you a fighting chance. Being at University is a good way to help build up credits - both on your university productions but also on other productions/positions, I found I had the time to work on other productions as well as get work experience whilst at university - this may or may not have been possible if I were having to work full time.
So University has a lot going for it (bare in mind these were my experiences, others will almost certainly vary), but it's a vastly expensive option that ultimately may not be necessary for everyone. There are so many other things you can do (often in conjunction with one another) to help get your start in the industry:
Non Institutional Learning/Experience
- Hunt for work experience/unpaid positions
Though I recommend this even at university, it is perfectly possible for you to get unpaid work on productions with little to no experience. Yes, it'll be harder, but if you can find the right people and position and come across hungry enough for the place someone would be willing to give you a chance. Bare in mind to not necessarily look for advertised experience - short term work experience can often be got by polite emails. - Look for runner/driver work
Productions are often looking for drivers and runners, again, they maybe unpaid but if you're comfortable driving it's a great way to gain contacts and be close to productions. - Start making things
If you're the creative type, or even if you're not, it's always possible to start making stuff yourself, even better if it's with some friends. Even if you have to shoot with nothing but an phone camera and edit in movie maker, anyone looking to write/direct needs to know how to tell a story, in which case the equipment doesn't matter. There's no better way to learn than to do it. - Learn independently
This was crucial for me, even at university. I arguably learnt more off my own back than I did on the course because I spent time researching into things on my own. And there's no reason you can't do this outside of education. There's books, websites and video tutorials which are a fantastic way to learn not only the basics but even some more complicated aspects of film making. - Make use of contacts
If you're fortunate enough to know anyone working in the industry, even if they're friends of a friend of a friend, do your best to get in touch - at the very least you can chat to them about their experiences - ask for their advice. And maybe even get yourself some work. - Offer to make things for people
If you can get access to some basic gear you could always look to ask people you know if they want a video made for something (even for free) - whether for a event or small business or otherwise. If it's free, they've got nothing to lose and it gives you a subject to work with that you can use on your CV or portfolio.
So there you have it, my basic list of suggestions for people who feel University may not be for them. I'm sure it's not conclusive, but I hope it's somewhat useful for a few of you reading this.
Do I personally regret going to University? No, not at all. Truth was, I had no idea what I wanted to do & I wouldn't have got anywhere without it. But not only that, it was a challenging but enjoyable time where I gained valuable knowledge and experience which also lead to other opportunities. I met some great people and had some memorable, if not always good experiences (the bad ones are always useful though!).
Josh.