If you have ever considered making a career in FIlm-Making & Television industry, you probably have come across the idea of attending a “Film-School”. The world-renowned filmmaker and director George Lucas who has made outstanding series like Starwars graduated from the USC School of Cinematic Arts, and the Coen brothers went to NYU. That then leads you to research what some of the best schools are. Well, we have already gone the extra mile for you. This article covers the Pros & Cons of attending film school, the best countries to study filmmaking, the top 10 best film schools in the world, and film schools with the highest acceptance rates. We have also added some piece of useful information, especially for young filmmakers wanting to make a career in the industry so be sure to stick around till the end.
Pros & Cons of Attending Film Schools
Pros:
Community
Community is being surrounded by like-minded people, hard-working people who all love the same thing that you do, that keeps you inspired in your field of study at all times. In the case of film-making, from the moment you wake up, to the moment you sleep you’re always talking about films, thinking about films, watching films, and at the same time, you’re among people who take it very seriously. To be in a place that is structured completely around cinema and film-making, you receive an enriched experience.
Network
The same community you walk and talk with becomes your network. You are defined by people standing beside you in your network. These people will later become sources of ideas for creating new content or become film investors who are gonna help you produce your debut first film and give you the big break you deserve only because they know you and they know your worth through college. You need to cultivate these relationships from the college level.
Guest Lectures
One of the most prominent pros of attending a film school is getting the opportunity to be present in guest lectures. Film schools usually invite guest lecturers, especially alumni who have graduated from the same college or university and gone on to be renowned figures to talk and explain to students their ideas and the stories of their journeys. Sometimes you get famous directors, famous writers, and famous producers to come up on the stage and you get to witness the living legend who might have made your favorite cinema.
Cons:
Cost
You’re spending money on tuition, school projects, and living expenses—money you could spend making films and studying filmmaking on your own. You could also save that money to earn free/vacation time to work on screenplays or make no-budget films.
Not The Only Way
Everyone who wants to become a successful filmmaker will spend hundreds of hours watching and studying films, learning hard and soft skills, and practicing their craft. Film school is one strategy to condense that process and contain it within a safe environment with available mentors. There are other ways to do it.
Top Countries to Study Film-Making
The best countries to study Film-Making and holding the highest-ranked Film schools in the world are:
- UK
- US
- Canada
Top 10 Film Schools in the World
USC School of Cinematic Arts, USA
The USC School of Cinematic Arts has been confirmed to be one of the best movie schools in the world where students can learn all the major disciplines of the cinematic arts. They offer degrees in animation, digital arts, cinema, media studies, writing for screen and television, cinematic arts, media arts, film & television production, and interactive media.
The American Film Institute, USA
The American Film Institute enables students to produce as many as four personal films all throughout the course of their study and to get expert advice on their films including the likes of “Twelve Years a Slave” by director Steve McQueen. The American Film Institute Conservatory offers MS degrees in cinematography, directing, editing, producing, production, design, and writing as well.
Vancouver Film School, Canada
Vancouver Film School is a well-known school for entertainment arts so the film school’s reputation is that the Government of Shanghai has selected the Vancouver Film School to rebuild the nation’s creative industry from scratch. The Vancouver Film School offers courses in film production, makeup design for film and television, 3D animation, and visual effects, digital design, game design, entertainment, business management, sound design for visual media, and writing for film and television.
National Film & Television School (NFTS), London
National Film & Television School is a film, tv, and gaming school that was established in the UK in 1971 and featured in 2021 ranking by the Hollywood Reporter amongst the Top 15 international film schools. The National Film & Television School offers courses in photography, cinematography, directing science and natural history, directing documentaries, directing commercials, sports, production, script development, screenwriting, filmmaking, and character animation.
La Femis, France
La Femis was founded in 1943. Located in Paris, it is one of the most reputed film and television schools of PSL Research University. It provides programs and courses taught only in French but also provides a medium to exchange programs with several U.S institutions such as Cal Arts and Columbia University, NFTS, etc. The La Femis offers courses in cinematography, directing science, natural history, directing documentaries, directing commercials, sports production, script development, and many more.
London Film School, England
The London Film School mainly focuses on building craft and production skills in a practical environment. It has been named one of the best international film schools in the country in 2021. The London Film School mainly offers Masters’s courses and degrees such as MA Screenwriting, MA Filmmaking, and MA International Film Business. Furthermore, the school even offers several practical-based workshops and operates as a busy working studio, producing up to 180 films every year.
California Institute of the Arts, California
The California Institute of Arts has been ranked as America’s top college for students in Arts by Newsweek, and The Daily Beast. The California Institute of Arts has set its pace for educating professional artists since 1970. CalArts offers a variety of unique programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels within its six world-renowned Schools-Art, Critical Studies, Dance, Film/Video, Music, and Theater. Apart from providing both Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programs, the school also offers several practical-based internship programs to curate some of the best filmmakers of the generation.
LA Film School, California
The Los Angeles Film School was founded in 1999 by a group of Hollywood professionals. It has been voted as the best film school for vets in 2022 as well as holding a place among the top 30 film schools in the US for 2022. The Log Angeles Film School prepares the next generation of creative professionals for a future in the entertainment industry. It offers both bachelor’s and master’s degree courses in filmmaking, film production, film cinematography, film direction, film production, animation, visual effects, game art, music production, audio production, and entertainment business.
Film & Television Institute of India, Pune
The Film & Television Institute of India was founded in 1960 on the premises of Prabhat Studios. The Film & Television Institute of India mainly aims to create a new generation of storytellers, and visual & performing artists who have a passion for motion pictures and want to learn by making their own hands-on projects. The film school offers courses such as direction & screenplay writing, cinematography, editing, sound recording & sound design, art direction & production design, screen acting, and screenwriting for film, tv, and web series.
Sydney Film School, Australia
The Sydney Film School is a private film school that is based in Waterloo. Founded in 2004 by industry professionals and film lecturers from the University of Sydney. It has been awarded the Top Film School Accolade by the Hollywood-based Variety Magazine in 2020. The school has been known to employ industry professionals with real credit; lecturers have had a major impact in their chosen fields. The Sydney Film School currently offers two courses-Diploma in Screen Media and Bachelors of Screen Production. It also offers short-term courses such as Comic Book Storytelling, Directing Actors & Storytelling Masterclass.
Piece of Advice for High-Schoolers
What you need to understand is Film schools offer intangible assets and knowledge. If you’re going to film school solely for information, save your time and money and get on a more self-taught process as the information is all out there on google, youtube, and books. There’s no secret knowledge about becoming the next Spielberg who graduated from USC. Film schools only teach you the fundamentals and set up a rigid base and foundation. It is up to you to learn it as a language for the rest of your life. It is a craft that you need to develop yourself.
Students in high school interested in making a career in the Film-Making industry are growing rapidly every year. This has made this field very competitive and selective as well. We have tracked the application and admission data for several years and revealed that the minimum score for getting into any of the notable film schools is a 3.0 GPA and the acceptance rates at these universities deem to get even lower. While every film school has unique requirements and is very competitive, there are a few with a less complicated admission process.
Top 5 Film Schools in the US with the Highest Acceptance Rates
| College Name | Acceptance Rate |
|---|---|
| Emerson College | 45% |
| Loyola Marymount University | 50% |
| Chapman University | 58% |
| Wesleyan University | 21% |
| New York University | 21% |
Conclusion
While the industry of film-making and television may seem all fame and luxury but all that glitter is not gold. It is really hard and that probably goes with any other field of study as well. And getting into the best film schools in the world is even harder.
We at Stoodnt, are here to make the admission process easier for you. Book a session with one of our professional counselors today to get information and personalized admission guidance. Or if you need help with admission, you can view our UG Admission Packages or MS Admission Packages to find the one best suited for you. If you have any other questions, you can contact us at customer[dot]support[at]stoodnt.com. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Youtube, LinkedIn, and Telegram.
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