Don't know this guy, and he may very well be an asshole.. But notwithstanding, you guys (NFS) are better than this. Everybody screws up and drops something at some point in this industry. More often than not, it's a necessary part of every crew member's journey. I'm not certain if this was user error or the rig, but it doesn't really matter. Contributing to internet shaming is never cool, and this guy's career could very much suffer from all of this press. What if it was you? Someone just happened to be there at the time to get it on camera, which is unfortunate.

You're not directly shaming him, but you're feeding the fire and serving as a catalyst for your audience to do so. As a respected filmmaking educational platform, it would be nice if you showed more integrity.

I'm saying this as a long time user of the site. It's a great resource and I definitely appreciate many of the informative and educational articles. But this particular kind of modern media reporting -- the kind that gets a lot of attention/clicks at the expense of someone else, just gets under my skin.

thanks nicolás. I studied at SCAD in Savannah, GA. The program certainly had its flaws like most schools... but again, I'm really glad I went.

Interesting post. It’s great for young filmmakers to be able to really weigh out the pros and cons before jumping into a film program. I remember how difficult the decision was for me 4 years ago.

I did ultimately go to film school, and I’m extremely happy that I did. Although there was plenty of bullshit that we put up with, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I don’t think there is one single right way to go about it, like the post states very well in reason number 6.

There are endless variables in one single young filmmakers journey, so we can’t view the subject in black and white. Fortunately, I was able to produce enough content in high school to receive a good scholarship to film school, which made the program affordable for me. It can definitely get incredibly expensive without help from scholarships. But if you have good taste and work hard you can definitely find ways to make it work for you.

I think if you seriously want to be a filmmaker (not a videographer), and have a good work ethic / really give a shit about your work, film school is a really great way to streamline the growing process.

These are the major benefits I gained from the experience:

1) Collaborators/Relationships

Like the author mentions, film school is a great place to meet like-minded peers who are willing to just make stuff. I also went to an art school instead of a film conservatory, so I was able to work closely with so many different types of artists on a wide range of film/video projects (advertising students on spec ads, fashion students on fashion films, sound design majors, motion graphics, VFX, etc.) I met many amazing, talented people who not only nurtured and challenged me as an artist, but also became some of my best friends who I’ll continue to know and work with for the rest of my career.

2) Gear/Resources

Our department was equipped with five RED ONE-MX’s, four Sony f3’s, two Arriflex 416’s, a Sony f65, two c100’s, a full G&E department with the essentials, a fischer 11, and several stages and recording/foley studios. We had access to great equipment and were able to practice and learn the gear without great risk and solely for the purpose of improving our craft. Almost everything I know about lighting comes from the fact that I had access to the tools so I could just get out in the field and figure it out. We also had access to super 16mm cameras, which is a rarity outside of film school early on in a DP's career. Being able to shoot film a number of times while in school really enlightened my philosophy of exposure and pushed me forward as a DP. This is simply too expensive and difficult to do outside of some form of training program.

3) Portfolio

I shot some of my best work while at film school. I grew exponentially as a filmmaker and my cinematography greatly improved. Having great resources and plenty of friends/crew to work with goes a long way. You also learn a lot from crewing for other DP's while in school. Everyone has their own methods that you can apply to your own work. There’s no way to know for sure, but I’m pretty certain I wouldn’t have my current body of work if it wasn’t for the people and equipment available to me at film school, and I likely wouldn’t be working as much as I am now.

4) Mentors/Motivation

Although there were some not-so-great professors at my school, there were several that were a great influence for me. That’s one aspect of film school that I feel rarely gets talked about: mentors. Having a mentor early on in your career that you can ask questions and have review your work is extremely beneficial. Also, having assignments is great because it forces you to get off your ass and go shoot. A lot. Having that ultimatum really helps build momentum so you don’t stay stagnant. And eventually, if you care and work your ass off, you get better.

5) A Well-Rounded Education

Honestly, I learned so much from other classes outside of my film degree, like liberal arts courses. Much of what I learned in those courses influenced my filmmaking. I also took several fine-art/drawing courses that certainly helped me really understand light and shadow. There were also loads of acting classes that the school offered. I would probably say that I learned more about directing from those courses than I did from several of my film classes. Having a college education is certainly a benefit. It’s not about getting a degree, it’s about applying yourself and gaining knowledge and experience.

7) Student Discounts

Pretty self-explanatory. But most rental houses have awesome student discounts (some up to 75%, and some are even free.) This is an insane advantage. While in school I got the chance to shoot on the original Alexa for free, and I also rented a 5-lens set of Cooke S4’s for next to nothing compared to the usual price. Having this resource gives you access to great tools for even small, low-budget shoots.

All in all, it’s certainly different for everyone. There are so many different paths. But I don’t think any young filmmaker should be discouraged from attending film school. I certainly don’t regret it. There are ways to make it work for you and your budget. Sure, there is some bullshit. There are a few unqualified professors and that can be frustrating. And you’ll have your share of pretentious and annoying students to deal with along with tons of terrible projects.. but you will find that at any art or film school. If you apply yourself and work hard, film school will definitely advance your craft and career. Obviously you don’t have to do it to be successful in the field, but film school does supply you with great tools, experience, and relationships that will last a lifetime. Also, college is a blast.

(Another note: We shouldn't fail to mention some of the great contemporaries who DID go to film school:
Jeff Nichols, David Robert Mitchell, Destin Daniel Cretton, Steve Annis, Rachel Morrison, Adam Stone, Chayse Irvin, to name a few. Not all of the great filmmakers who went the film school route went back in the 60's and 70's.)

awesome app though.. been waiting for a good pre-viz program to use.

Is it not available for desktop use? Would be so much better on my computer than my phone...

Sorry I missed this, is it still available to watch online?