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Do you have to go to film school/get a degree in film to be a movie director?

Do you need a degree in film or do you just go out there and call yourself a director (okay, maybe not exactly, but is there some other important process if you don't need a degree)? And I'm not talking about indie films or short films... I've already called myself a director for that stuff.
And if you DO need a degree, what's the best film school to go to? I'm thinking UCLA but they don't offer scholarships. Any other ideas?
Thanks!

Asked By: Krashman101 - 9/3/2012
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker
Short answer: No. You do not need to go to film school in order to become a movie director. Steven Spielberg is a film-school reject and still became a director despite not having a degree in film.

Longer answer: Only Steven Spielberg is Steven Spielberg. It's extremely difficult to become a feature film director, or even a commercial director, and you'll need an extraordinary amount of talent, tenacity, technical skill, and luck. Movies are expensive to make, and the director is the one who is essentially the captain of the ship and will ultimately determine if it sinks or has a glorious sail. Convincing a movie executive that you are the one capable of commandeering that ship is hard. Very, very hard. If you're labeled the creative genius of your class at a top film school like USC, NYU or UCLA it's very possible your reel of student films will help you land your first job. And if you knock your first job out of the park, you might get your second. Most film school students aren't the stars of their class, though, and many struggle to find and maintain work while paying off their debt. There are a lot of ifs and maybes involved for a degree that can be very costly and time consuming to obtain. Most people who do have film degrees don't become directors. They wind up working in development, distribution, acquisitions, marketing and in other capacities. Many either can't find work or burn out and pursue another career.

Many people working in the film industry never went to film school. Some start their careers as low-paying assistants and climb up the ranks, and others make connections through their "day jobs" working in the industry in other capacities. Still, very few become movie directors due to simple supply and demand. There are far more people who call themselves movie directors than there are movies to be made. You might want to consider getting a degree in something more versatile and attending a summer program or a study abroad where you can get more experience in the craft of filmmaking. FAMU in Prague is ranked as the one of the best film schools in the world, and two top US universities (NYU and American University) have programs with them that are open to non-majors from other colleges. I know several kids who've gone there, and they've gotten a lot of useful technical experience in writing, editing, lighting, directing, producing, and sound.

Take advantage of the resources you might already have available. It's free to create a YouTube channel to potentially broadcast your videos to millions, so if you don't already have one, get one. Cameras and editing software can be quite affordable. I'm not trying to suggest that this is the way you'll become a movie director - it's not - but it could give you a chance to exercise your creativity now and to get feedback from others.

I'm linking an article below that might be interesting and helpful to you as well as the HR film school rankings.

~ skylark : )
Answered By: Skylark ♥ - 9/3/2012
Additional Answers ()
As said above, you don't need a degree, but experience and the right techniques are key. Make sure you are accustomed to new technologies that are being used. You'll be amazed by the softwares available these days. I am not sure if you have heard about Edictive. I was particularly amazed by this cloud based film management tool. You can hire crew and cast talent, share information, incorporate budget and schedule film phases. It's a complete solution from Pre-Production to Post-Production. You have to check it out! Visit: https://edictive.com/
Source(s):
Movie making enthusiast
Answered By: Taylor - 9/4/2012
Has nobody taken you aside yet and told you the odds against you ever being a "real director"?
One in a thousand?

Don't waste your time and money in Film School. You might end up sleeping on the streets of Hollywood in a cardboard box and retrieving half-eaten burritos from dumpsters.

“‘The “majority of students majoring in film and television will not be having careers in those professions” - Stephen Ujaki, Dean of Film & TV at Loyola Marymount NY Times, 7/5/11

"Check out film school alumni success stories: pretty slim pickins. All of NYU and USC’s big names are from back in the 60s, 70s, and 80s. You haven’t heard of anyone who went to the Art Institutes, Full Sail, or NYFA making it big. Even so, for every one student who gets a good job or makes a headline, there are thousands more who are saddled with debt, drop out of the industry, or have no clue how to get started on their career. We double dog dare you to show us any film school grad that warrants the insane cost of these schools."

"But unfortunately, even though all the evidence is pointed against it, film schools have become a thriving money making machine. Many film schools bank over $50 million last year. It’s a gold mine. Sadly, most aspiring filmmakers would rather spend $100K to sit in a classroom and play with a Macbook than hear the truth. And they usually end up using that $100K degree to get a job picking up coffee or dry cleaning for someone else." [Film School Secrets]
Answered By: PE2008 - 9/3/2012
A lot of directors started out as actors. you need to know how things work, you can't just run out and get hired as a director because you think your one. having a degree is not going to be a guarantee of anything.
Answered By: R K - 9/3/2012
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