[Stef2k5]

Geehrte User,

ich bin derzeit Fachabiturient an einer Wirtschaftschule und werde im Sommer 2005 mein Fachabitur erlangen.

Mein imenses Interesse für den Film-/Medienbereich hat mich schon vor Monaten dazu gebracht, mir Gedanken über einen Studienplatz in dieser Sparte zu machen.

Nach ausführlichem Informieren über die zwei bekanntesten Fachhochschulen im Bereich Film (Potsdam, München) und diversem Mailverkehr mit Studierenden an den beiden Fakultäten bin ich zu der Erkenntnis gekommen, dass ich nicht in Deutschland, sondern in den Staaten studieren möchte.

Kurz und prägnant: Die besten Regisseure der Welt kommen aus den Staaten ... und von ihnen möchte ich lernen.

Die deutschen Fakultäten sind mir in vielerlei Hinsicht zu spießig und unprofessionell.

Ich habe in Erfahrung bringen können, dass ich mit der Fachhochschulreife an einer Uni in den Staaten studieren darf. Nun suche ich dort gute Film-/Medienhochschulen, die als mögliche Studienorte in Frage kommen.

Meine finanzielle Situation sieht so aus, dass ich von meinen Eltern nichts erwarten kann. Lediglich 3000 Euro gespartes kann ich bis zum Ende des nächsten Jahres aufbringen.

Was ich bräuchte, wäre also eine Uni, die quasi voll für mich aufkommen würde. Nun habe ich schon in einigen Threads gelesen, dass amerikanische Fakultäten spendabel sind, wenn die potenziellen interessant sind.

Das Prinzip "von nix kommt nix" ist mir klar ... und so habe ich mich vor Wochen entschlossen, einen 'Amateurfilm' zu drehen. Ich erstelle derzeit eine Story und möchte dies dann mit freiwilligen, begabten Darstellen verfilmen.

Dieses Projekt wird, je nach Umfang und Darstellern, viel bis sehr viel Zeit in Anspruch nehmen. Notfalls würde ich mein Studium auch um ein Jahr verschieben ...

Nochmal zusammengefasst, welche Fragen für mich offen sind:

a) Welche bekannten, gut angesehenen Filmhochschulen gibt es in den Staaten, die Voll-Stipendien vergeben?

b) Ist ein Projekt, welches ich gerade vorbereite, hilfreich, um ein Stipendium anerkannt zu bekommen?

Ich würde mich über Antworten sehr freuen, und wünsche noch einen angenehmen Abend.

Steffen

[Michu]

Zu diesem Thema hier:

http://www.auswanderer-forum.com/for...ic.php?t=14455

Gruss
Michael

[Stef2k5]

Herzlichen Dank für den Link!

Edit: Beantwortet aber leider nicht ganz meine Fragen.

Gruß

[tk89]

Hello Stef2k5,

I’m not all that familiar with film schools in Europe so please take anything I say with a certain degree of skepticism!

To begin with, I don’t really agree that all, or even most of the top directors are from the States. True, there are many talented big budget directors in Hollywood and many excellent independent filmmakers in NYC (generally speaking), but I’d say that a lot of the really interesting work is being done outside the US now.

I think in terms of technical skills, the US has an advantage over Europe because of the size of the budgets and use of the latest technology, but directing is not that closely connected to technical production skills.

You seem to know this already, but there is a huge difference between directing a film, writing a screenplay and shooting a film as a cinematographer. These are very different skills and you should decide which you want to pursue before setting off for film school.

Also, if you want to become a shooter/camera person/cinematographer, you don’t really need to go to film school at all. Of course, it may help you make industry contacts, but the best way to learn to shoot is to work as a camera assistant for an established shooter and work your way up to director of cinematography. Here in the US, a top cinematographer can make up to $30,000 per day shooting commercials for TV so there is a lot of money to be made if you’re a talented shooter with a distinctive style.

To become a film director, you don’t really need to go to school either. Until the mid 1980’s, very few film directors went to film school; most of them were self-taught or came from theater. Nowadays, of course, most filmmakers in the US do go to some kind of film school, but it’s mostly for the contacts and networking advantages.

For writing as well, film school is not an absolute requirement. You may want to just take a few workshops on basic screenwriting and once you learn the basic writing format, you can go off on your own and start writing the next “Casablanca”!.

Also, there is a tremendous difference in the US between undergrad film programs and graduate programs. For example, the undergrad programs at USC and NYU are very large, impersonal money making programs that teach mostly technical skills (how to light, operate cameras, grip and gaff) but don’t teach you how to write a narrative screenplay or how to direct actors.

In order to really learn the craft of filmmaking in the US, you have to go to one of the graduate film programs such as NYU Tisch, USC, AFI or Columbia Univ. But then again, the film grad programs are extremely expensive and it’s possible you may do better by taking your money and making a feature film instead.

In America, the goal of any film student is to graduate with two important items; a good short film and a saleable feature film script. With these two things, you can get yourself an agent and start getting paid work. Unfortunately, only a select few people get such deals right away and sometimes it takes years to reach a level where people will pay you to direct a movie. More often than not, a film student will end up teaching or moving on to another profession. It’s a very tough business!

My advice to you would be to make a good short film or even a clever low budget feature film and send it out to different film festivals. If you do well, you’ll have producers contacting you for work. If the film does well but there are no job offers, take the film and submit it to film schools at NYU and USC and even U of Texas at Austin. There’s a very good chance one of these schools will offer you a full scholarship if they like your work.


Just keep in mind that most film schools in America really teach a certain narrative style that stresses strong story telling with an emphasis on a clear beginning/middle/end and characters with clear obstacles and goals. Most student films tend to be somewhat experimental and this makes it very hard to judge the story-telling skills of prospective students.

Also, please keep in mind that film schools in Europe are just as good, if not better than, comparable schools in the US. Filmmaking is simply about telling a story through images and you don’t need a huge budget with million dollar special effects to do that.

About 30 % of my fellow students at Columbia were from Europe and most of them were there because they were rejected from their various national film schools. I’m sure that given a choice, most of them would have preferred staying in Europe!

The US style of filmmaking is slowly spreading to Europe and Asia but this is not necessarily a good thing. The only reason I can think of for you to come to the US for film school is if a school were to offer you a full scholarship or if you planned on working as a technician in computer graphics, etc.

If you want to direct movies, check out the European options first and only then consider the US. Europe still turns out many of the top directors in the world and more and more money is going into European films. You may want to stay there for a bit and see what kind of connections you can make before jumping the pond!

Hope that helps--

[tk89]

Ooops. Double post.

[Cloedi]

@tk89

I just happen to come across another one of your postings and thought I'd let you know that I really like your advice! It is very interesting to get your insight...also it is nice to read you mentioning UT ...;-)

LG
Claudia

[tk89]

Hi Cloedi,

Thanks so much for you very nice message

I think U of Texas is great! My dad went to Texas A & M, which is their hated rival, but UT has so many strong programs and schools (and money!) that you have to respect everything that the school's accomplished. Even if you don't like their football team.

Did you go there?

Warm Regards,

Ted

[Stef2k5]

Hey tk89,

thank you very much for your informatively and helpful answer.

As i said.. a short film is already in progress, at least the story.

I'll make a trip to NY next year... i worked a lot this year, so a flight is now payable for me . Maybe,.. just maybe ... we'll enjoy a coffee together ;-) ?!

Anyway - thanks again!

Greetings from rained Germany...

Steffen