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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

Get an MFA from NYFA, or buy a Scarlet, could use some advice from you pros

Brian Merlen said:
I recently graduated from Southern Connecticut State University with a degree in Video Production (on honor roll) and was wondering if any of you could advise me on what you think is the best course of action for me now. Come December it will be an entire year I have been unable to find a full time job in broadcast or film. I have done some freelancing on a DSLR and own Avid, FCP7, and CS5, but freelancing is not self sufficient for me. I have also interned for a firm and am looking to intern more. I enjoy the technical aspects of the field immensely, with an emphasis on troubleshooting.

I am trying to decide if I should get an MFA or buy a Red camera at this juncture, I took Reducation in May and could run the camera proficiently since I study up here consistently. I don't currently have the cash for either option, but Stafford loans are one of the few easy credit options these days so getting the MFA cash would be easy as filing out a FAFSA. Though I really don't have an interest in teaching at this time, it couldn't hurt to have a brand name school attached to my resume, I also am considering doing workshops at NYFA, but I think an MFA sounds more legit. I am sure my grades would make getting the Stafford loan a piece of cake. Saving for the camera would also not take long, I know how to have some willpower and live in moderation.

What do you think would be the better course of action for me? I still owe 16k for the Bachelors, but that's not really a lot of cash anyway, and I have been doing part time non industry jobs to squeeze by, in addition to family assistance. I know times are tough but any advice some pros could spare would be highly appreciated. I could get the cash together for either option, given enough side jobs and effort. I actually had enough cash to get a fully loaded Scarlet X package, but paid off half my Bachelors loan with it instead a few months prior to the Nov 3rd announcement (sometimes feeling a little remorseful about it:scared:). With a will there is a way, I can get that cash back and own a legit camera package in no time though. I just don't know what the best course of action for me might be given the current economic climate and the fact that my resume is lacking professional real world experience. Thanks for any advice you guys can provide me!
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SCARLET!!!!!!!
 
Many people here forget that there are other jobs aside handling a camera.
While I'm not a big film school fan, I do believe that earning a degree that is useable in any field is of value.
When you enter the job market you will be in competition with everyone else out there. If I were going to decide between two different applicants with the same skill set, but one had his or her degree, who do you think I would choose?

You can always buy the next even better Scarlet after you graduate .
But as Mike mentioned earlier... Why ask people you don't know to decide your future?
 
Jonathan Stevenson said:
Very true. No one has ever asked to see my bachelors in cinematography. You can learn 1000% more by doing.

Get out and shoot.
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So why the hell don't you tell them its a masters degree then!.. I would ;)

What filmmakers really need is a PHD (Pig Headed Determination)
 
I started out by studying english literature at the University of Toronto, but did a few cinema studies courses as electives. I've always loved watching films and those courses became my favourites. That love of watching films and studying them grew into a desire to create them so I cut my studies at the university short and moved to LA to attend the NYFA campus there. Honestly, my experience was great. I just did the one-year intensive program rather than the MFA program though.

The key thing to remember about trade schools (or any school for that matter) is that you will get as much out of it as you are willing to put in. The teachers at NYFA were a bit of a mixed bag, but some of them were quite knowledgeable and cared about their students as long as you demonstrated to them that you actually cared as well. I would think that it's easy to become jaded as a teacher when some of your students either do not care about their own education or are lazy. Why would you want to go out of your way to teach somebody who doesn't want to be taught? Learning is a two-way street.

In my class of 16 people we had seven who were really passionate and involved and wanted to do good work and a bunch of people who seemed fairly indifferent or, at the very least, didn't seem like they cared enough to work hard and learn on their classmates' projects. As long as you identified yourself early on as one of the people who is willing to work hard then you'd never have any shortage of classmates with the same mentality willing to help you. Or teachers willing to jump through hoops to explain anything that you didn't fully understand. We had two teachers who worked in the post-production department at NYFA who were especially great. They stayed up until the early hours of the morning with us for about two weeks straight while we were editing our thesis films teaching us different tricks. I still talk quite regularly with some of my classmates from the program and some of us are still working in film in some capacity.

It was a neat experience and I feel that I benefited greatly from it. As with any experience though, your mileage may vary.
 
I have directed nationaly airing music videos, and regional spots since I was 22... No one ever asked for my degree... ever. Its a great milestone in a human beings life to get a degree, but get it for something else other than filmmaking. spend the money on the cam in my opinion, if filmmaking is a passion and you see it as a road you need to follow.

best of luck.
 
Get the camera if you wanna shoot, if you wanna do more you gotta learn the language kinda like music. You need a camera period, but at school they will give you one, though it will be a not so great one. NYU is great school, if you can get in there, where I am, totally worth it, I wont talk bad about a school I don't know. My friend went to NYFA left after 6months, angry he had spent money he could have used for something else.
 
squinonescolon said:
To play devils advocate, I've been in the film industry for 12 years, nobody has ever asked for my resume, just my demo reel, and after a while, they don't even ask for that, they go on reputation. Something to think about.
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Experience is the real pay of life. Whether you get it in a film school or in the field, experience is what counts. That, gives you the ability to perform as expected, and leads to developing connections with like-minded people.
 
Brian Merlen said:
I recently graduated from Southern Connecticut State University with a degree in Video Production (on honor roll) and was wondering if any of you could advise me on what you think is the best course of action for me now. Come December it will be an entire year I have been unable to find a full time job in broadcast or film. I have done some freelancing on a DSLR and own Avid, FCP7, and CS5, but freelancing is not self sufficient for me. I have also interned for a firm and am looking to intern more. I enjoy the technical aspects of the field immensely, with an emphasis on troubleshooting.

I am trying to decide if I should get an MFA or buy a Red camera at this juncture, I took Reducation in May and could run the camera proficiently since I study up here consistently. I don't currently have the cash for either option, but Stafford loans are one of the few easy credit options these days so getting the MFA cash would be easy as filing out a FAFSA. Though I really don't have an interest in teaching at this time, it couldn't hurt to have a brand name school attached to my resume, I also am considering doing workshops at NYFA, but I think an MFA sounds more legit. I am sure my grades would make getting the Stafford loan a piece of cake. Saving for the camera would also not take long, I know how to have some willpower and live in moderation.

What do you think would be the better course of action for me? I still owe 16k for the Bachelors, but that's not really a lot of cash anyway, and I have been doing part time non industry jobs to squeeze by, in addition to family assistance. I know times are tough but any advice some pros could spare would be highly appreciated. I could get the cash together for either option, given enough side jobs and effort. I actually had enough cash to get a fully loaded Scarlet X package, but paid off half my Bachelors loan with it instead a few months prior to the Nov 3rd announcement (sometimes feeling a little remorseful about it:scared:). With a will there is a way, I can get that cash back and own a legit camera package in no time though. I just don't know what the best course of action for me might be given the current economic climate and the fact that my resume is lacking professional real world experience. Thanks for any advice you guys can provide me!
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DO NOT PAY FOR THE DIRECTORS PROGRAM AT NYFA!!

I hope I do not offend anyone here, but EVERY director I have worked with from that program has been rough to say the least....Im really not sure what they are teaching over there, but they should just stop.

From my hiring experience the producer program is decent and I've hired a scripty that was extremely competent through NYFA. I heard they recently started a cinematography program, but I have yet to work with anyone that has gone through it.

I suggest spending the money on the camera....If you were debating the camera or an education from SVA or NYU I would say go get that education.

NYFA is in many ways the "quick fix" when it comes to film schools, anyone can attend as long as they cut a check.
 
Lets go through the choices:
Broadcast or film. If broadcast, you have most of what you need, a bachelors in video production and we hope a good demo reel. You say you couldn't find a job, that's either a bad reel, or a lack of contacts. There are lots of cousins, nephews, in-laws, daughters and sons out there making 5 figure salaries in this financial environment, if you had the reel and contacts, you would have the job, alternatively you could be in the wrong place. You need to volunteer or work as a P.A. as much as you can to start to create those contacts.

If feature film is what you want, unless you're a writer-director type, with a guerrilla crew available (again contacts!), I'm afraid your best bet is to move to LA. Yes, you can make things happens somewhere else, but why make it harder on yourself?

I think the main thing to do is to be ruthless with yourself. You say you got a degree in video. Did you produce anything worthwhile? Yes, you had good grades but those won't get you into the big four USC, UCLA, AFI, NYU which should be the only places you should consider for the expense. Did you create a wonderful piece? That should be all that matter.

The second piece of the puzzle where do you want to work?, in the office(writer, producer, exec producer, etc) or in the field(director, DP, camera operator, etc) If the office sounds good to you, go to school, learn the theory and most importantly get contacts in the industry through your classmates, and again, the best place for this--not the only one--but the best, is LA, you'll be carrying a lot of coffee and lunch for someone, but they might give you a break when the time is right.

If you think you're talented as far as writing/directing, or can find someone to team up with, and want to work in the field in film as fast as possible I think this is the only legitimate answer where getting a camera is a no-brainer. Get the most basic Scarlet you can (you must have a rental house close by) and then split the rest of the money you have into several shorts. For instance if you had 15k left over I would split it into two 5-7 minute shorts, and try to shot them over a period of no longer that a year. If you're good--and lucky--you could have plenty of material to choose from for a reel, or even better something that you may be able to submit to festivals.
Just tick the boxes, and little by little, you'll see where you fit.
Good luck,
Steven
 
Why the fuck would ever consider getting a degree at NYFA? It's honestly nothing more than a scam, an institution bent on taking money from the unsuspecting and the naive. I would never ever consider going to film school at such a horrible place. If you think getting an MFA from NYFA will impress anyone, you're dead wrong. Just because they have a RED, doesn't mean jack shit. At NYU we have 2 RED Ones and have just ordered two new RED Epics for student use. NYFA isn't the only school that houses a RED.

As blunt and callous is my statement, I only say it because I don't want ANYONE to fall victim into that scheme of a "school". It's just a waste a money and you will come out extremely disapointed. If you want to get a MFA worth paying for, come here to NYU or even our rivals at USC, but NEVER consider NYFA even an option. Never!
 
Michael Pyon said:
Why the fuck would ever consider getting a degree at NYFA? It's honestly nothing more than a scam, an institution bent on taking money from the unsuspecting and the naive. I would never ever consider going to film school at such a horrible place. If you think getting an MFA from NYFA will impress anyone, you're dead wrong. Just because they have a RED, doesn't mean jack shit. At NYU we have 2 RED Ones and have just ordered two new RED Epics for student use. NYFA isn't the only school that houses a RED.

As blunt and callous is my statement, I only say it because I don't want ANYONE to fall victim into that scheme of a "school". It's just a waste a money and you will come out extremely disapointed. If you want to get a MFA worth paying for, come here to NYU or even our rivals at USC, but NEVER consider NYFA even an option. Never!
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+1

EXACTLY!!!
 
Hi，Michael！ ^_^

I heard that NYU/USC and all other famous film school's MFA program is hard to apply because there're so many people out there applying for them and all the schools only take those who are highly-experienced and creative.

I'm thinking about applying for NYC/USC too, but I have the doubt that what will the students be taught? since they all have working experience and creativity, why don't they just get to work and meeting more people?

NO offense but I'm just confused and I want to know what is taught in school and the major changes you experienced after you finished your courses!

thanks!
 
Mikael Wu said:
I'm thinking about applying for NYC/USC too, but I have the doubt that what will the students be taught? since they all have working experience and creativity, why don't they just get to work and meeting more people?
thanks!
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Contact, contacs, contacts. That's what those schools are for more than anything.
 
It's all about the contacts you make and the opportunities you recieve at a place like NYU and USC. It's a safe haven for you to practice your creativitiy as a filmmaker.
 
Google has made school irrelevant.

(EDIT)
For learning purposes. Networking and being in a social setting with like-minded people is the real reason for film school.
 
Thanks for the input, much appreciated
 
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