I guess I can only speak from my personal opinion, but there is a big gap between the film school world and the real life making movies. Other than providing a basic guide to movie making, film school can't really offer any greater insight than what you can access today through infinite resources on the internet. You just have to be auto motivated to educate yourself. The tools are readily available for a LOT less money than what film school would cost you. Which has become absurd and close to being considered a scam. I believe that at the end of the day film schools do have some merit. They provide you a place to mature, make mistakes, and collaborate with friends, but they should be more focused on how do you land a job in the industry, rather than teaching you the ideas of high art. Can anyone really teach you how to be a great filmmaker, painter, singer, an artist? Gather cheap basic equipment and do it yourself.

For someone who didn't know the work of Linklater until Boyhood. I later saw Slackers and Dazed and Confused. I think there isn't any other American director that has been able to capture a truly authentic and honest voice of what it's being young and in the moment. His work is always going for utmost possible realism.

I'm sorry for your loss. Filmmaking friends are a special breed. We rely so much on each other throughout our lives.