“Connections” is a broad term that has been misinterpreted. So just to clarify, this program will not hook you up with Spielberg level executives, agents, or producers. Those connections are earned long after you’ve demonstrated your talent/ability to create good content.

We also talk about what “foot in the door” really means in this business, because it is also a misconstrued term. The Chris Rock clip is great because the Jamie Kennedy character in the clip, a film school grad grabbing coffee, is the kind of thing you get when you do get the classic “foot in the door”. Those entry level gigs within the studio system are typically menial jobs that don’t directly relate to directing or filmmaking.

Really getting your “foot in the door”, from our view, is learning how to network and connect with other working professionals and position yourself as a creative professional from day one. So you start off like a Tarantino or Kevin Smith and don’t try to kiss ass and hope somebody notices you or gives you a handout.

Let me know if this is helpful.

Seth

Clearly, the appeal of being immersed in a communal environment, like a big camp or school, has its appeal. For people with unlimited income, it can definitely be a fun time. NYU was fun, but impractical.

Student films at NYU look like the ones at NYFA. They are sad little exercises. They are the kind of practice movies that a beginning filmmaker should be making…on their own, for as little money as possible, to get the hang of making movies. But to pay all that money to make the kind of little itty bitty shorts like the one shown above is just nuts.

The truth is everything you are learning there at NYFA is available for next to nothing. The reason I created this site is because I think the school, and those like it, are capitalizing on the fact that our culture raised people to believe school is necessary for success and disregards self learning. Yet in the film business, most of the working filmmakers from grips to ADs learned the very same things without any school. It’s a very small percentage that paid all that darn money to learn in this isolated school environment.

And it’s interesting that you say the equipment sucks. Everyone in the biz knows this, but to hear it from an actual student is illuminating. It begs the question where the heck is all that tuition money going? That’s what seems off to me.

And wouldn’t you think that if you are paying so much money to be there you would get access to the best equipment?

You may also wonder what you will do after you finish as far as directing goes. Typically film students are financially depleted without funds to shoot their own movies, because all their money went to school. This is insane. If you are really wealthy and have the money available to make a move after school then more power to you, but that is not the case for everyone. And for people who do have some money saved up but are in the middle class, to spend this crazy amount of money using sub par equipment and learning basic filmmaking lessons, just to have the communal experience in a “school” environment is insane.

Just get on one film set or connect with a local filmmaker, as demonstrated in the course, and you will find your own community of working pros.

Also, if you’ve only been on student film sets then you would do yourself good to get on some pro film sets ASAP. They are completely different experiences.

Thanks

Seth

There is absolutely no shame in not having a degree. A degree has become a social ego trip that really means nothing. Please check out the site http://www.dontgotocollege.com and uncollege.org. If you go to school go because you genuinely want to learn about whatever topic you are studying and it will actually help you create a career you love; don’t go because you think you should or you aren’t good enough if you don’t. Your kids won’t care. They’re your kids!

And the idea that college is a “real” education is nonsense. Take it from me, and honors grad from NYU. It’s a lot of pomp and ego trips.

You’ll learn more from getting on a real film set and working with a real filmmaker than taking a course. And it costs less!

Best,

Seth

I’m also thinking to go to film school. I already found one which has a very practical programme it’s the London Film School in London(UK). But price is just killing me!!! I would take a student loan BUT there is no guarantee that I can get one in UK cos I’m not the UK or EU resident…

But I feel that without any high education after some time.. I’ll feel shame that I don’t have a degree… probably u gonna say that that’s stupid but when my kids will ask me if I have a real education it’ll be a shame to say that I don’t…
And my parents won’t be glad to know that their’s daughter couldn’t get any degree.. that’s sad.. that’s what I worry most of.. cos I know that I can learn filmmaking in many different ways…

So we all have doubts. But even if I won’t be able to go to this school I’m gonna take their’s workshops cos those tutors are really experienced…

Moriarty only ever appeared (briefly) in two of Doyle’s stories! If there was ever an ‘arch’ character it was Irene Adler, or as Holmes called her, “The Woman”. This film casually kills her off.

I suggest, if you are really interested in seeing Sherlock played right, you look at the BBC TV series currently airing, or even the 1980s TV series with Jeremy Brett playing the quintessential Holmes.

You’re right to prefer the obscure “Young Sherlock Holmes”, I think. Both modern films have been so loose with the legacy of the stories as to not really mention using them.

By the way, the audience laughed at the dramatic climax in the theatre I saw it in, too.