You’ve taken the plunge. You’ve mustered your courage, told family and friends, and have accepted the prospect of years of raised eyebrows—all because of your decision to go to film school. But which school should you go to? This is where the real quest begins.

Film school is not the easiest educational opportunity available. It is competitive, difficult, and usually very expensive. And there are still many who argue that the school of hard knocks is the best film school of all. What isn’t debatable, though, is that film school provides a concentrated, confidence-building initiation into the art and craft of making motion pictures. And while you’re learning specific tools for personal statement, this type of education is constantly dangling the seductive possibility of a lifetime of creative pursuits. You’ve established that this particular temptation sounds pretty good. But how do you choose a film school that’s right for your goals and hopes, not to mention your lifestyle and artistic bent?

There are hundreds of film programs in colleges and universities across North America. In order to find the one for you, you need to consider what you hope to get out of your film school experience. And while that may sound obvious, the fact is that most prospective students do not properly evaluate the long-term ramifications of this vital career choice.

THE GENERALIST

Most prospective film school students regard this specialized education as their gateway to a future in “The Industry.” Often not sure of exactly how it can help them infiltrate the notoriously closed world of Hollywood, they figure it’s a step in the right direction. The truth is that, along with providing immediate exposure to the tools of the craft and immersion in the aesthetics of moviemaking, better institutions will indeed provide access. This includes access to well-known visiting moviemakers, interaction with classmates, and opportunities to connect with alumni.

Most programs are geared toward teaching specialized techniques with particular equipment in an effort to provide a practical production background. High-profile programs such as those at USC, UCLA, NYU and Columbia have also traditionally provided a network of contacts throughout the industry. Following their lead, programs at schools such as the University of Texas at Austin, Florida State University at Tallahassee and Cal State University at Northridge (the recent recipient of the IndiGo Award for Excellence in Education by the Association of Independent Feature Film Producers), are emerging as powerhouse “production/introduction” programs, as well.

USC is the school perhaps most well-known for its illustrious circle of alums with professional honors. From George Lucas and James Ivory to Robert Zemeckis and Bryan Singer, USC has been the choice for a large contingent of the world’s most prominent and successful moviemakers. USC’s proximity to—and involvement in—the Hollywood community has helped create a vibrant environment with working industry professionals regularly teaching courses. The school isn’t content to rest on its reputation, however, and is continuing to pursue new technologies with the recent completion of the Robert Zemeckis Center for Digital Arts, devoted to the latest in digital moviemaking techniques.

One of the USC’s bigger challenges relates to its size. As one of the larger programs in the country, the school is an environment where students are sometimes in competition for equipment and opportunities. Fortunately, production classes are still quite small.

THE FUTURE MOGAL

Be sure to choose a film program whose instructors understand the industry. How recently did class leaders work in their field?

Did they work in it at all, or is the program comprised entirely of academicians? It’s one thing to hone your skills as a writer, director, cinematographer or sound designer. It’s something entirely different to make inroads into the “system”—the network of studios, production companies and organizations with alternative sources of financing and distribution that do business with Hollywood. It’s hard to overemphasize the fact that a truly successful moviemaking career is as dependent on understanding how the Hollywood machine works as learning the creative and technical ropes. Be certain your prospective school shares this philosophy. Look for educational opportunities like USC’s Peter Stark Producing Program, which exposes students to creative issues while focusing an unusual amount of attention on the business aspect of the industry.

Building your credibility and portfolio, even as a student, is a Herculean task, one that can continue to influence your career trajectory years after graduation. General programs that stress the ethereal ‘moviemaker as storyteller’ approach can lead to a sense of ‘now what do I do?’ upon graduation, while a strong business grounding and associated internship opportunities are essential to anyone seeking to navigate the mainstream industry.

THE ARTISTE

What ever happened to a good old art school education? Some institutions still see film school as a specialized form of art school. In the old European tradition, some schools maintain an air of artistic celebration and subversive statement; they’re bastions of intellectual experimentation and creative freedom. But let’s be clear: a good film school is not an “art school.”

That said, there are a few schools that do foster an art school atmosphere of personal statement without neglecting the vocational aspect. CalArts in Valencia, California, is one such school, offering students an artistic environment for experimentation and statement. Yet CalArts also provides the hard skills which will be valued after graduation should an animation company come knocking, or a writing or producing opportunity make itself known. Both the live action and the animation programs at CalArts call for students to make personal, artistic statements, while simultaneously equipping them with the skills needed to support themselves in the industry.

Aside from such factors as the kind of film school you’re interested in attending, cost and geography will play a role in your decision. The assumption that one must attend an LA school in order to succeed commercially is a myth (the makers of The Blair Witch Project are just one of many recent examples); students need to consider where they want to settle after graduation.

Where you go to school is where your contacts are concentrated, and where your experience has been formed. An education at a strong local film school means immediate access to that metropolitan area’s circuit of film and television. Also, smaller schools often have tighter alumni networks, both in that region and among alums who have ventured to LA or New York.

Excellent regional programs can provide (1) personalized instruction, (2) greater access to equipment and (3) increased opportunity for experience in local film/television. For instance, San Francisco State University film graduates have a strong presence in the thriving Bay Area film and television community. Strong regional institutions like Florida State University at Tallahassee, North Carolina School of the Arts, Vancouver Film School, Ithaca College, and University of Texas at Austin are just some of the schools that are providing students with the practical experience that will carry them through their careers.

Many of these excellent regional programs try hard to help their students succeed. Florida State University at Tallahassee, for example, pays for all—yes, all—of its students’ film production costs. All films FSU students make, including thesis films, are paid for by the school. This is an extremely rare situation, but one which frees the students from a gargantuan added debt. FSU also requires a thesis film from its undergraduates and pays for this as well. The lucky students who are accepted here each year (15 freshmen, 15 upper level transfers from other FSU campuses and other schools and 24 graduate students) certainly have a leg up in terms of access to the funds and equipment associated with making films. What FSU might lack in daily contact with industry notables, it goes a long way to make up for by offering students the hard skills and nurturing environment they need to succeed.

Lastly, when considering film schools it’s prudent to remember that there are many schools of marginal accreditation and legitimacy that exist primarily to generate money for themselves. Investigate whether a prospective school’s degree program is legitimate, and speak with graduates to learn whether they were pleased with the experience. MM