# Decision -- Los Angeles Film School?



## Michael Rose

So it's like this: my entire life, since the age of about eight or nine, I've dreamed of being a filmmaker. Literally, I've prepared as hard as any young man can. I direct, write screenplays and constantly watch as many films and television shows as I possibly can. However, I have a decision to make: I know I'm talented. I know, at some point, I will make it in the film industry as a director. This is my life. Yet I struggle with the biggest decision a young filmmaker can face: which film school do I attend?

Right now, my GPA is a 3.7 -- weighted -- and I find myself in the odd situation to choose between a one-year, rushed course such as the Los Angeles Film School -- which I quite liked when I visited -- and USC or UCLA. I appreciate the USC alumni and the education one can receive, but I find myself at odds with the idea of being so massively in debt, especially since my mother and I put so much stock in my eventual career (or at least hope). When looking at USC, I love the school, but the realization for me is that four years of schooling, two that aren't even related to film, seems like a big stretch. 

In addition to all of this, I actually have a spring internship with Universal and another after that with a very prestigious company. So the question is once again: with all of the connections I might make in those internships, am I losing out by not attending USC or UCLA? Or should I take a one- year and take my chances trying to be a filmmaker? Any help or advice would be appreciated.


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## Willi

Remember a film degree, whether it is an AS or a Ba or MFA will not get you a job anywhere. 
If that money is spent on a BS in engineering or Architecture, that will get you a nice well paying job upon graduation. Dedicate your free time to crewing on other peoples projects and direct your own. 
You can always intern during the summers and get an MFA after you get your undergrad.


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## Willi

As for LAFS, the school's reputation has got a lot better in the past 5-6 years and some alumni are making names for themselves (Brian Taylor-Crank, Kyle Newacheck- workaholics)
However I have heard the school is having money problems so they are increasing enrollment numbers.


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## Michael Rose

Perhaps. I understand that it isn't the degree that earns the job, but rather the hustle and hunger. I have that. I've succeeded with that. It seems that the Los Angeles Film School does have some fantastic qualities, but I do wonder about their reputation as it seems to keep slipping with every review I read.


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## Michael Rose

And more importantly, I worry about fellow classmates. Since the school is a pay-and-in, I would imagine some aren't as dedicated and would rather not work and live the high life in Los Angeles.


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## enderx02

Don't limit yourself to schools in Cali. have you looked into UNC School of the Arts? It is, hands down, one of the best film schools in the country. you basically get thrown into the industry your first year. It is a very rigorous program that has you working 24/7, literally. you have film classes (producing, directing, editing, etc) every day up until 11pm. and on the weekend you crew on the upperclassman's films. the first months of school you are working as a grip, electrician, producer's assistant, 2nd AD, prop master, art department PA, and so on. and first year, you write your own 5 minute script, shoot it on stage, and edit it. all paid for. you make a film every year, and that is not to count all the films you make on the side with friends and classmates. first year and you are already networking. the school is a network within itself. a limited amount of people are chosen for it is a conservatory but it is an amazing little community of artists that share similar desires. (about 80 first years are accepted and by the end of the four years, only about 50 will graduate.) by 3rd year, you will be concentrating on your field - art direction, cinematography, etc. and 4th year you will make a film that will be sent to LA. all paid for. you will be working with people who have worked hard and will continue to work hard for this industry. the faculty is AMAZING and consists of Michael Chapman (DP for taxi driver), Tom Ackerman (DP for beetlejuice, jumanji), THE Peter Bogdanovich, and many more amazing filmmakers. David Gordon Green, director of All the Real Girls, George Washington, and Pineapple express is an alumni. and when it comes to internships, UNCSA is amazing. 2nd, 3rd and 4th years were recently crewing on the series The Walking Dead, as well as the Smurfs, and the new film The Hunger Games. Iron Man 3 will be filming shortly, and UNCSA students have an opportunity to crew on it, as well. If you go to UNCSA you are pretty much guaranteed a job in hollywood, if that is what you are looking for. but they also encourage the independent route. when hiring, people are most likely going to pick someone who went a conservatory like UNCSA rather then a school like NYU or USC because they know you are a well rounded filmmaker and you've worked almost every single position.
For schools like USC or UCLA you are just paying for the name. For the education you get at UNCSA, the tuition is a pretty good. it is an amazing school that will have you working nonstop but it's worth it if it's your dream. cali is far away but i know several people who have travelled the distance to get to UNCSA. 
The best of luck to you!


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## R3i6nm8n

Well LAFS is a trade school and unfortunately those schools tend to have a bad rap in the "industry." For one year at LAFS you're paying as much as it would cost for two years at UCLA. I'd say you should go to SC or UCLA. The networking there is very helpful, their alumni are everywhere in the biz and it looks good on the old resume.

As for Enderx02 above me, I know very little about UNC's film program but your ignorance saying that it's just paying for name is false. Sorry to tell you that although many schools have made strides, the big film schools still carry the most weight. And nowhere you go "guarantees" you a spot in Hollywood. It's all about networking in this business. I know a couple of genius NYU people that studied under the best and they can't get a job to save their life and I know a couple of guys who went to the local junior college and have worked on big features. 

Either way back to the post, I'd say go to the university, networking is priceless in the biz. Good luck.


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## enderx02

I'm not here to argue nor try and say you should go to UNCSA rather than a school in cali. And I am not trying to undermine the credibility of such schools.  They are amazing schools with amazing film programs! If I had the money, I probably would have gone! but that was before I was introduced to UNC School of the Arts. A lot of filmmakers see schools like NYU, Chapman, USC, or UCLA as their only choice because of the name. I will agree the name and the schools alumni and history help a lot. I just don't want you to feel like those are your only choices. UNCSA is one of the best kept secrets when it comes to film schools. 

Your worried about the debt that goes along with those schools? And your worried about having to wait two more years? UNCSA is so affordable and every film you make here is paid for. And you are thrown into the film world your first year.

And your worried about losing out on internships. Like I said, UNCSA will hook you up with some amazing opportunities.
Also, check out some discussion boards about UNCSA - it might help.

My advice to you would just be to check UNCSA's program out. 

To R3i6nm8n, I'm sorry if I came off as ignorant, it was simply a misunderstanding. I'm here to give Michael Rose advice, that is all.


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## Michael Rose

Do they really have a bad rap? Isn't Chapman a one-year? USC is far too expensive and definitely not equal to a year in LAFS.


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## Mike_V

chapman is 3 years for grad and 4 years for undergrad.
also, students dont only choose schools based on name. I chose chapman because i own the films i work on as a key creative. I chose chapman because the faculty was very well balanced. The tuition is also a factor and the fact that it is close to LA also makes a huge difference. 

It's a terrible assumption to say that students choose a school based on its name.


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## Art Holmes

It really depends on what your priorities are.

I went to LAFS for 3 users and have an Associates with their recording school and a Bachelor's for their Entertainment Business program.

I certainly don't regret my time at LAFS. My main priority as a student there was networking do in that regard it is excellent as far as the instructors and their background.

The problem with LAFS is their business model being for profit.

I saw A LOT of changes and not for the better in the 3 years I went there.

At first it was great. They had four programs for film, recording, gaming, and animation. Then they expanded to include the business degree, and music production, and at this point I've lost count of the number of programs they have??? Without creating more space.

So they're sacrificing learning to bring in more people so they can get that student loan money and make their profits which apparently it's not great so that makes the recruiting efforts more aggressive while continuing to sacrifice current students opportunity to learn.

Which means that they market to the dreamer with the only qualification being that they qualify for loans.

So the environment is a whole lot of delusioned wannabees mixed in with a very small amount of winners.

So that was the most disappointing thing for me.

There's also a high turnover rate there with great instructors being let go because of their wacked business model.

No regrets as it got my foot in the door but you really have to take responsibility for your own destiny in that place and have your priorities straight as far as life after LAFS.


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## Paul Iverson

Art Holmes said:


> I went to LAFS for 3 years and have an Associates with their recording school and a Bachelor's for their Entertainment Business program. I certainly don't regret my time at LAFS. My main priority as a student there was networking do in that regard it is excellent as far as the instructors and their background. The problem with LAFS is their business model being for profit. I saw A LOT of changes and not for the better in the 3 years I went there.
> 
> At first it was great. They had four programs for film, recording, gaming, and animation. Then they expanded to include the business degree, and music production, and at this point I've lost count of the number of programs they have??? Without creating more space.
> 
> So they're sacrificing learning to bring in more people so they can get that student loan money and make their profits which apparently it's not great so that makes the recruiting efforts more aggressive while continuing to sacrifice current students opportunity to learn. Which means that they market to the dreamer with the only qualification being that they qualify for loans. So the environment is a whole lot of delusioned wannabees mixed in with a very small amount of winners. So that was the most disappointing thing for me. There's also a high turnover rate there with great instructors being let go because of their wacked business model. No regrets as it got my foot in the door but you really have to take responsibility for your own destiny in that place and have your priorities straight as far as life after LAFS.



You bring up many good points. I did the tour at LAFS and like their Recording Arts AS program very much (FYI - I have a BA in Film/TV from Hofstra, graduated in '95. I'm 43 now). But the aggressive recruiting and other things I have read are not flattering.

I want to be a re-recording mixer/foley artist. What other schools in SoCal (where I live) have good programs/classes for that?


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