For Our Health

There is probably not a single person who hasn’t dreamed of being a movie star or a rock star at some point in their life. The glamour and glitz mesmerize us, not to mention the large outpouring of cash. These fantastic dreams give way to others for most of us but a few decide that a career in entertainment is what they most want to do. If this applies to you, consider planning for that future in film during college.

There is more to making a film than just hiring the acting cast. Hundreds of people work on a film production to get it from the idea stage to the release date. In the film industry, there is a place for all sorts of professionals with a variety of talents. You could be in at the beginning as a screenwriter, location scout, production assistant, set designer, costume designer, director, producer, and more. After the film is “in the can” there are the sound mixers, editors, and the rest of the post production team.

Whatever your aspirations, it all begins with a thought and an education. Getting an education is an important part of securing a film job. It is the first step. When you step on a film lot, the people that you will be working with want to know that you have progressed in your desire for a film job past the dreaming stage. They want to see what you can do. For this, you need a good background in the basics of film and some experience in your chosen specialty.

A good college film school program will give you what you need. Film companies today are looking for hands-on training even from college graduates. With that said, choose a college program with those goals in mind. Theory of film is fine, but it is no substitute for practical usage of equipment.

Every school has its own philosophy when it comes to facilitating a curriculum. Some schools spend more time in the classroom reviewing film principles and others will combine extended lab time with a bit of theory for a well-rounded program. After all, it is the basic tenets of sound, design, and lighting that have helped us to build on the equipment used during the early days of films. We have moved from silent films to realistic sound effects and from the monsters of Ray Harryhausen to the creatures of Rick Baker and digital aliens.

College programs can take other forms besides the traditional four-year degree. Distance learning programs have become popular in the last few years. Students that want to pursue the education they need for a film job but don’t have the time to attend a traditional college can find what they are looking for over the Internet. Distance learning programs are springing up everywhere and they offer a variety of courses.

In the quest for knowledge, don’t forget to check out these schools carefully. All schools are not accredited or are too new to have a well-established curriculum. Choose a school that offers the classes you need with the hands-on training and access to professors that will support your endeavor.

Technical schools are a great proving ground for young film enthusiasts. They emphasize the practical aspects and give a student the chance to work with state-of-the-art equipment that you only see in studios and on movie sets. More and more film companies are looking at technical degrees as a positive for future employees.

The technical schools or colleges that you are investigating may require an internship for graduation. Most internship opportunities are not paid ones but provide real-life experience in the film world. Students who graduate from these schools have an added bonus. The ones who make a lasting impression on their supervisors may have a job after graduation. It will be entry level but your foot will be in the door.

There’s certainly more to making movies than acting. Film jobs are filled by a variety of people with different skill-sets to bring a production to life. Movie production careers are facilitated by a good education and hands-on experience. Lisa Jenkins, a freelance writer for JobMonkey, has researched the film industry and helps people understand movie industry careers ranging from sound designer jobs to film producing jobs.

By Lisa Jenkins