Is film school a lucrative career

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child wants to study film also. There is no reasoning with them. At least it can't be worse than getting an English degree, right?

It’s definitely worse.

Agree, sorry OP.

Good writers (ie, English majors) are in demand, though poorly compensated.

[Anonymous]

<The field is the problem, not the school.>

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All the people I know who work successfully in some aspect of film, come from wealth and / or from families connected to the industry. All of them.

I know someone who went to a no name school and has won national awards (Emmy, Academy nominations) and he isn’t from wealth, just a very middle class family ans grew up in a flyover. However he loved doing and studying and practicing from a young age. We always enjoy seeing the name scroll by on credits.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Film school and Theater degree are two different things.

My kid is in the USC School of Cinematic Arts(SCA).
https://cinema.usc.edu/

Under SCA, there are number of majors
- Animation & Digital Arts
- Cinema & Media Studies
- Producing Program
- Film & Television Production
- Writing for Film & Television
- Interactive Media & Games

My kid is in Animation and Digital Arts.
It's the only 'arty' major + school that I sort of agreed with.
The acceptance rate was 2%, and I actually didn't expect my kid to get in.

The program is just the best imo, and seemed like a real deal.
They only select 16 kids per year for the major.
(Hence acceptance rate was 2%)
Last year, two kids didn't commit because they had to pay full price, so only 14 kids for the entire major (they don't even fill up the spots from waitlist or anything)
The faculty members are top notch from Disney, Dreamworks, etc.
With all this support, exclusiveness, connection, etc., I'm kind of hopeful that my kid would start a decent career in the field after graduation although the field is pretty tough one.

I still advised my kid to minor in Computer Science, and my kid is also pursuing a CS minor.
This is another great thing about attending USC (vice art schools)
It's challenging and the kid is pretty busy.

If you kid is into making movies, then Film/TV Production.
It's also the best in the country/world, but the field is probably even much tougher than animation.
I don't know how much you get to pay, but only you can tell if it's worth it.
My kid got a half tuition scholarship so it was an easy decision.

If your kid is into Acting/Theater, it's a different thing.
It's one of the least lucrative majors on the average.
USC has School of Dramatic Arts
https://dramaticarts.usc.edu/
Many schools have Theater majors.

So he hasn’t graduated yet and you don’t know what the actual job prospects will be. CalArts would have been a better degree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DD is interested and has high targets like USC and UCLA, I know it's very difficult to get into and it's v expensive.

what do kids do after graduating with a Theater degree? is it easy to find work in LA with this degree?

Only in adult films

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Film school and Theater degree are two different things.

My kid is in the USC School of Cinematic Arts(SCA).
https://cinema.usc.edu/

Under SCA, there are number of majors
- Animation & Digital Arts
- Cinema & Media Studies
- Producing Program
- Film & Television Production
- Writing for Film & Television
- Interactive Media & Games

My kid is in Animation and Digital Arts.
It's the only 'arty' major + school that I sort of agreed with.
The acceptance rate was 2%, and I actually didn't expect my kid to get in.

The program is just the best imo, and seemed like a real deal.
They only select 16 kids per year for the major.
(Hence acceptance rate was 2%)
Last year, two kids didn't commit because they had to pay full price, so only 14 kids for the entire major (they don't even fill up the spots from waitlist or anything)
The faculty members are top notch from Disney, Dreamworks, etc.
With all this support, exclusiveness, connection, etc., I'm kind of hopeful that my kid would start a decent career in the field after graduation although the field is pretty tough one.

I still advised my kid to minor in Computer Science, and my kid is also pursuing a CS minor.
This is another great thing about attending USC (vice art schools)
It's challenging and the kid is pretty busy.

If you kid is into making movies, then Film/TV Production.
It's also the best in the country/world, but the field is probably even much tougher than animation.
I don't know how much you get to pay, but only you can tell if it's worth it.
My kid got a half tuition scholarship so it was an easy decision.

If your kid is into Acting/Theater, it's a different thing.
It's one of the least lucrative majors on the average.
USC has School of Dramatic Arts
https://dramaticarts.usc.edu/
Many schools have Theater majors.

So he hasn’t graduated yet and you don’t know what the actual job prospects will be. CalArts would have been a better degree.

Hell No.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All the people I know who work successfully in some aspect of film, come from wealth and / or from families connected to the industry. All of them.

I know someone who went to a no name school and has won national awards (Emmy, Academy nominations) and he isn’t from wealth, just a very middle class family ans grew up in a flyover. However he loved doing and studying and practicing from a young age. We always enjoy seeing the name scroll by on credits.

I'm sure outliers like this exist but I work in the industry and it is entrenched with nepotism and wealth. Completely entrenched.

[Anonymous]

As a PP said, film and theater - two very different things. Very different recommendations for schools based on which choice. NYU, Juilliard, DePaul, Northwestern, Yale Drama (grad), SUNy Purchase or the London schools for theater.
NYU (indie with H'wood connections), UCLA (art house) USC (commercial blockbusters), Columbia College in Chicago, and lately Full Sail in Orlando (gaming and production)-- for film.
As for employment, stop thinking that way. It's 2022. Literally nothing stopping you from creating and distributing and profiting from your work. All about getting good work out there. The world is desperate for quality content and great writing. Check the WGA schedule of payments for how lucrative writing for TV and film can be.
As for producing, you don't get a job as a producer (outside of TV). You bring in a good project and get it sold - bam, you're a producer. That's how it works. None of this requires school. All of this requires the connections you can make in the better schools

[Anonymous]

VCU

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Film school and Theater degree are two different things.

My kid is in the USC School of Cinematic Arts(SCA).
https://cinema.usc.edu/

Under SCA, there are number of majors
- Animation & Digital Arts
- Cinema & Media Studies
- Producing Program
- Film & Television Production
- Writing for Film & Television
- Interactive Media & Games

My kid is in Animation and Digital Arts.
It's the only 'arty' major + school that I sort of agreed with.
The acceptance rate was 2%, and I actually didn't expect my kid to get in.

The program is just the best imo, and seemed like a real deal.
They only select 16 kids per year for the major.
(Hence acceptance rate was 2%)
Last year, two kids didn't commit because they had to pay full price, so only 14 kids for the entire major (they don't even fill up the spots from waitlist or anything)
The faculty members are top notch from Disney, Dreamworks, etc.
With all this support, exclusiveness, connection, etc., I'm kind of hopeful that my kid would start a decent career in the field after graduation although the field is pretty tough one.

I still advised my kid to minor in Computer Science, and my kid is also pursuing a CS minor.
This is another great thing about attending USC (vice art schools)
It's challenging and the kid is pretty busy.

If you kid is into making movies, then Film/TV Production.
It's also the best in the country/world, but the field is probably even much tougher than animation.
I don't know how much you get to pay, but only you can tell if it's worth it.
My kid got a half tuition scholarship so it was an easy decision.

If your kid is into Acting/Theater, it's a different thing.
It's one of the least lucrative majors on the average.
USC has School of Dramatic Arts
https://dramaticarts.usc.edu/
Many schools have Theater majors.

So he hasn’t graduated yet and you don’t know what the actual job prospects will be. CalArts would have been a better degree.

CalArts = Artistic Talents

USC SCA = Artistic Talents + Intelligence

[Anonymous]

It’s a competitive field but extremely lucrative if your one of the smart ones who makes it. The producing and writing sides are, imo, the best. USC has an amazing film school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a PP said, film and theater - two very different things. Very different recommendations for schools based on which choice. NYU, Juilliard, DePaul, Northwestern, Yale Drama (grad), SUNy Purchase or the London schools for theater.
NYU (indie with H'wood connections), UCLA (art house) USC (commercial blockbusters), Columbia College in Chicago, and lately Full Sail in Orlando (gaming and production)-- for film.
As for employment, stop thinking that way. It's 2022. Literally nothing stopping you from creating and distributing and profiting from your work. All about getting good work out there. The world is desperate for quality content and great writing. Check the WGA schedule of payments for how lucrative writing for TV and film can be.
As for producing, you don't get a job as a producer (outside of TV). You bring in a good project and get it sold - bam, you're a producer. That's how it works. None of this requires school. All of this requires the connections you can make in the better schools

Not true at all about producing. First, all the producers in TV are writers. Second, in features (both studio and independent) producers to different jobs from financing in independent films to giving script notes, setting shooting schedules, casting, basically running the set. UCLA had a great film producing department.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a PP said, film and theater - two very different things. Very different recommendations for schools based on which choice. NYU, Juilliard, DePaul, Northwestern, Yale Drama (grad), SUNy Purchase or the London schools for theater.
NYU (indie with H'wood connections), UCLA (art house) USC (commercial blockbusters), Columbia College in Chicago, and lately Full Sail in Orlando (gaming and production)-- for film.
As for employment, stop thinking that way. It's 2022. Literally nothing stopping you from creating and distributing and profiting from your work. All about getting good work out there. The world is desperate for quality content and great writing. Check the WGA schedule of payments for how lucrative writing for TV and film can be.
As for producing, you don't get a job as a producer (outside of TV). You bring in a good project and get it sold - bam, you're a producer. That's how it works. None of this requires school. All of this requires the connections you can make in the better schools

Not true at all about producing. First, all the producers in TV are writers. Second, in features (both studio and independent) producers to different jobs from financing in independent films to giving script notes, setting shooting schedules, casting, basically running the set. UCLA had a great film producing department.

The point is don't go-looking to be hired as a producer. In film, it's a job you create and something you get asked to do once you build a reputation

[Anonymous]

My DD majored in film at Chapman University. She’s unemployed

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DD is interested and has high targets like USC and UCLA, I know it's very difficult to get into and it's v expensive.

what do kids do after graduating with a Theater degree? is it easy to find work in LA with this degree?

She’ll actually get a film degree not a theater degree if she wants to work in films. Yes, it’s extremely lucrative for the smart, hard working and outgoing people.