The primary value of film school lies in the connections formed there.

That's how George Lucas and many others got started (after going to "USC Film School").

He talks about it here.

That school started as the School of Cinematic Arts in 1929, and it still carries the same name.

It is pricey, more than $900 per unit, but there are many high quality alternatives for less.

Work place experience is not easy to get these days, not even as a PA (making coffee and picking up the dry cleaning)...

.....a degree program is a better choice than say a "film school"

Not sure what you are asking. Film schools at Universities give advanced degrees -- even PHD's. I agreed that those degrees mean little (except in teaching) but the opportunity to meet people, make connections -- that's the thing. But if you're asking should she pursue some other type of degree (like Business) and then take a crack at a Film/Media type job, I'd say YES. Law School. A law graduate (from just about anywhere) with a nice sample reel always has a leg up. Of course, Film School is much much more fun than Law School and much easier to get accepted.

"The primary value of film school lies in the connections formed there."

That only holds true if you attend USC, UCLA, or NYU. All other university film schools are, for the most part, only dreaming. Few other film programs, if any, offer the "connections" Bjorn is speaking of.

Jay - you forgot CalArts and AFI .. and the very best one, of course, School of HardKnocks.

AFI is not a university, it is a "Conservatory" (although they do offer an MFA). One of the problems with AFI is you almost have to prove you don't need film schooling to get accepted.

CalArts is hard pressed to be compared to the reputation of the "big three."

I did metion the school of hard knocks -- a.k.a. "experience."

It really depends on what your daughter wants to do. Graduate schools are long on theory, history and aesthetics, pretty short on practicum. Relatively few graduate schools that I know of prepare a graduate for entry into the world of video/TV production, although several provide an excellent education for would-be teachers.

On the other hand, many arts institutes (e.g., Seattle Art Institute,) film schools (e.g., Vancouver, Canada Film School) and community college programs are usually long on practicum and short on theory -- lots of hands on experience in shooting, editing, lighting, etc., often with external internships in real-world video/TV environments.

Both my wife and youngest son graduated with AA degrees in video production from community colleges in the 1990s. Both have been working in the industry ever since. My wife's internship was in the Boeing Company's film and video production department, during which she was paid quite well.

Several who have responded to your inquiry have mentioned networking and this is a very important aspect of advanced degree work. From a job point of view networking is at its best when done within or close to the market area in which the individual will be working. In other words, it's probably better to go to NYU if you want to work in New York than to go the UCLA.

It's often a good idea for a graduating student to work for a few years before continuing with studies; it gives them a chance to see what the "real" world is like in their field of interest, and to see what additional study they need to succeed.

Good luck to your daughter,

Jack

Many thanks for the replies - much food for thought. I will pass them on to her.

I'm also going to check with the local community new channel (which is really very good)

Thanks
RalphM