This is a guest post by Cinematographer Ryan E. Walters.

With the rise of popularity and accessibility of film schools since the 1960′s & 1970′s, aspiring film professionals have had the difficult task of choosing where to begin their career path. Is it best to go to school to get formal training, or jump right in and start working? Today with the plethora of free online resources, it makes the choice of formal schooling less appealing. But what is the right choice, and the best way to prepare yourself for a career in the film industry? Let’s take a look at what you have to gain, and what you have to lose by following either path. (more…)

Since graduating from NYU, I have met many DIYers who have expressed a desire to go back to film school to learn more about the craft of filmmaking. But they are typically surprised when I explain what is typically taught in the first year at any major film school. In this blog post, I’d like to share with you a very simple way to get a similar filmmaking experience to what a student at NYU, USC, or New York Film Academy gets — without paying a lot in tuition. (more…)

You don’t have to have a bachelor’s or graduate degree in film in order to become a successful film maker—but you do need to have talent and knowledge of the industry. Open courseware are online classes that are offered entirely for free. The catch? You can’t claim college credit or ask for a professor’s assistance. But you do have access to an abundance of educational resources with which you can teach yourself. Resources typically include recorded video lectures, course readings, project outlines and old exams with keys.  So no matter if you need to learn the basics or what to freshen up your knowledge, consider taking the open courseware featured below. (more…)

Film schools are a great place to learn the basics of filmmaking and meet like minded collaborators. They also provide a structured environment to experiment and hone your craft. Unfortunately, I’ve met more than my fair share of young NYU and USC film school alumni deeply in debt with no clear job leads or any idea how to start making movies for a living. I’ve also met many DIYers who wonder if they missed out by skipping school. With tuition costs continuing to rise, and HD equipment costs continuing to plummet, the film school debate is worth reopening in 2011. My goal in this post is to shed some light on the specifics of investing in film school and also share some cheaper alternatives to get a film education in a classroom setting. (more…)