The Film School Way

Coping with changing technology and a struggling economy takes creativity for both school and student

by Jennifer M. Wood | Published January 21, 2010

An Academy of Art University student takes to the streets of San Francisco.

For much of 2009, recession-focused stories stole the headlines for many media outlets. But increased unemployment rates and a failing housing market aren’t the only side effects of a falling economy. With less money to go around for loans or scholarships—not to mention a lack of employment opportunities upon graduation—students have been some of the hardest hit by the current economic situation. With the additional costs of equipment and film production, how have film students in particular fared? MM assembled a roundtable of a half-dozen of the world’s top film educators to ask this question and more.

Participants include: Eduardo A. Rufeisen, director of the School Motion Pictures & Television at Academy of Art University (AAU); Keith Sensing, executive director of the International Academy of Film and Television (IAFT); David Shulman, director of the Seattle Film Institute (SFI); Bill Smith, vice president of education at the Los Angeles Film School (LAFS); Duncan Thompson, CEO of International Film School Sydney (IFFS); and Jordan Kerner, dean of the School of Filmmaking at University of North Carolina School of the Arts—and Film Producer (UNCSA).

Jennifer Wood (MM): How do you think film education itself is changing and how is your program adapting to the constant changes that occur within the film industry?

UNCSA: The film industry is in a constant state of ebb and flow. One year new technology is the enemy, the next it is the bedrock. One year films are all sequels the next they must all be original. One year the sky is falling and the next the sky is the limit. To have graduates who can succeed in any market, or an ever changing one, we need to teach good old fashion storytelling. If the story is a compelling path and the characters evolve as a result of the story, you will always have a good chance of a great film. Just add comedy and tears with enough surprise and momentum. We need to expose each student to cutting edge technology; help them to make at least one film or more each year; and ultimately help them to be as good a thinker as they are a shooter and we will have done our jobs. Finally, UNCSA also requires that thought be given to the value and worth of the story. Is it the best execution possible? Will it stand the test of time. That is a goal for me with our students as much as it is a goal in my own films.

IFFS: Film education is leaving behind it’s academic obsession with film noir, its elevation of art cinema above all others, and is on the forefront of adoption of the creative potential of new technologies. Our program is making technically self-sufficient filmmakers, with a profound understand of filmic storytelling and the need to elevate, exhilarate, edify and entertain its audiences. Our graduates are capable of finding high production values whilst working cheap, and of making courageous and engaging films that speak to the needs of audiences dissatisfied but entrenched in mainstream movie going. Above all, our students are trained in maximizing value from available resources (time, money, people), high artistic achievement, the use of cutting edge technology, and maximising the emotional journey of audiences through profoundly unique and engaging characters, and narrative audacity.

AAU: The whole film industry is changing fast. Technology is constantly improving the production tools and making them more reasonably priced. Today an independent filmmaker has HD cameras and editing equipment at his/her disposable purchased at affordable prices. These new circumstances create a democratization of the filmmaking process. The distribution is also going through a revolution with the Internet and websites like YouTube providing content. Soon the average household will be getting their programming off of the Internet tailor made for their taste.

Network channels, cable, DVD and movie theaters are reevaluating their distribution process and opening doors on the Internet. ITunes certainly found a great model for the music industry.
All of these trends impact education, and Academy of Art University is evolving in real-time. Instructors here are successful, industry professionals. They are passionate about change and bring with them the latest in technology, creative thinking, and hands-on learning. Students are inspired by this environment and gain the experience to create art designed for a fast-paced industry.

IAFT: Although the film industry is always changing, there is one constant that has consisted throughout the past 100+ years of filmmaking: People want to be entertained with interesting stories and characters. That is at the heart of everything we do at IAFT. Our primary goal is to inspire students to convey visual stories in unique and personal ways that will capture an audience’s attention no matter how it’s delivered – be it the movie theatre, the Internet, TV, etc. We train students to explore and use all varieties of traditional and new media, but the underlying emphasis is on developing and telling compelling narratives.

SFI: As the industry becomes more diverse, students have more opportunity. It’s our job to translate those changes into a mind-set that everyone including faculty understand. Our faculty are constantly using the energy and vitality of the changes in the industry to motivate the students and to make them aware that the world they will soon enter is full of possibility.

LAFS: I don’t think that the core principles are changing—at the heart of it all, the important thing is telling a story and telling it well. The change is coming in the form of the tools we use to capture and deliver that story: students with a camera, a laptop, and some editing software can get hands-on experience like never before. It allows us to set our expectations much higher.

Because technology is becoming more accessible, there is a lot more interest in independent films. There’s a do-it-yourself mentality among a lot of young filmmakers. It’s exciting to see how passionately they’re pursuing filmmaking with a DIY attitude.

MM: Though the official report is that the recession is over, it’s hard to ignore the impact that today’s economy has had on educational institutions. How has it most affected your institution?

LAFS: Across the country, a number of applicants have had a more difficult time securing the finances to attend college. That’s been a problem for all colleges, but hopefully the economy will improve, allowing students more options to fund their educations. What has remained consistent is that the driven, passionate students who want to be in the film industry find a way to make it happen.

SFI: Students are putting more time and effort into deciding whether they should go to film school. They want to make sure there is a viable “return” on their educational investment.

MM: With the widespread availability and affordability of digital moviemaking tools, aspiring moviemakers are getting their cinematic feet wet much earlier. Have you noticed any change in the number or quality of applicants in recent years?

UNCSA: We have had many applicants and entering freshmen who have had a camera in their hands since they were seven years old or younger. They know how to shoot—they have often shot a lot. It is our job to teach them how to execute the stories that are important to them on a professional level.

IFSS: Students approach our school with a sense of self-selecting excellence. They are more informed, more adventurous and creatively ambitious. When they read our school’s philosophy, they understand the impact of the approach we take and its potential effect on their careers and creative longevity. Film students are becoming more and more discerning about what a good program can offer them, and how it can expand, focus and furnish their ambitions.

AAU: Students have become more technology-savvy over the years, but the understanding of the human aspects of the filmmaking process is still a challenge. Does the affordability of a great sports car make you a better driver? Not really. Eventually, through education, one will become better…
A young director has to understand story, how to direct actors, how to motivate the crew to keep working hard and give their best. They also have to understand the story aspects present in filming and editing the picture. Filmmaking is heavily dependent on technology, but it is still a people business.

MM: Digital technology has also led to the sprouting of newly energized film communities in areas outside of L.A. and NYC. How has this “backyard moviemaking” affected your institution?

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TAGS 3-d 3d academy of art university avatar bill smith david shulman duncan thompson eduardo a. rufeisen film education film school international academy of film and television international film school sydney james cameron jennifer m. wood jordan kerner keith sensing los angeles film school moviemaker magazine moviemaking school motion pictures & television school of filmmaking at university of north carolina school of the arts seattle film institute

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