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A film school is a generic term for any educational
institution dedicated to teaching moviemaking, including film production,
theory, and writing for the screen. Usually hands
on technical training is incorporated as part of the curriculum, such as
learning
how to use cameras, light meters and other equipment.
Most schools are tied to existing colleges and universities, often in art
or
communication departments. Some are privately owned
and not tied to universities, such as technical schools offering associate
degrees.
The oldest film school in the world is the Gerasimov
Institute of Cinematography in Moscow.[citation needed] Various debates
have
raged over the years on the importance of film school
in allowing one to enter the film industry. Of course, examples can be
offered
from both sides, as directors Francis Ford Coppola
(UCLA Film School, MFA film directing), Martin Scorsese (NYU Film School,
MFA film directing) and George Lucas (USC Film School,
BA film directing) graduated from prestigious film schools, whereas
Stanley Kubrick and Alfred Hitchcock had no formal
college film training at all. The rapid rise of independent filmmaking
and
digital video have changed this debate somewhat, as
anyone with a few thousand dollars can shoot their own film (and some have
done so quite successfully) with little formal knowledge
of the industry. Thus, it can be argued that the high cost of attending
a
film school can now be spent on making films and learning
through practical experience. Others argue that film school is important
because it builds on the knowledge and experience
of others, allows students to develop their skills under the guidance of
professional
instructors, and affords students the opportunity
to network and connect with others interested in filmmaking, as well as
with those
who may eventually offer them careers in the industry.
One example is that the more prestigious schools allow their students to
showcase
work in film festivals near the end of the semester
for film producers and executives.
Many usages of the term "film
school" now refers to film AND television or video and even mass media
and animation. Very few "film schools"
shoot real film, but rather use video in shooting
and in screening movies in classes.
Film
Editing Schools
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