Well here is the thing, those guys give the basis on how to make a film. It is like in art school there is the kid that is going there for anime drawing and gets told constantly for fine art. After leaving you take those structured principles and play with them in anime and break them properly you get better looking anime. Not saying one is better than the other, but this idea that professors damage the intelligent sounds like it comes from those misinformed on what smart is instead of smart looking. I can judge by statistics that the possible energy drinks you drink before going to work may kill you one day, but does it honestly do it in a heartbeat or flash? No. Film school or not you still need good structure or else you come off as Andy Warhol who made Sleep. Filmmaking is like the English grammar, visual communication by 24 pictures a second.

The cost problem that is constantly talked about, without suffice to the greats, I suggest just going to a local university and going to the film school it has. Before applying, have a scholarship that pays everything. Tutions are cheaper and you learn how to handle people like medical students do.