First off, I just want to say how incredible this site is! I searched and searched and got to about page 19 before I decided to make my own post, specific to me. I'm a senior, and I've always wanted to do film editing. I have some great schools in mind, but I'm worried about money and if I will even get accepted.

Here are my specs:

SAT: 1950
ACT: 28
GPA (unweighted): 3.5 ish

Here are the schools I'm looking at, but I definitely need a back up... I think, anyway. These are way too pricey. I live in TX, which is great for UT Austin, but I don't know if I can get in there!


USC
Chapman
CalArts
UT Austin


I do primarily music videos... I don't know how that is going to ruin my changes... Here are some of my works:

some examples

In addition, I was wondering if school portfolios disapprove of music videos made with actual film footage, like so.

Help me Film School advice forums!
You're my only hope.

Hi Gonevidder,

I'm an NYU Film Grad with 10 years production experience. If you're interested, I have some things about the reality of working in film versus what most young people believe about it.

Let me say your music vid looks awesome. It's already superior to the work you will be doing at any one of the schools you just mentioned.

What most people don't understand, and I certainly didn't, is that film schools were invented in the 1960s. Back then you couldn't rent a movie or buy an HD editing system at Best Buy. Over time, they have become more and more irrelevant.

When I was in school I actually taught professors how to edit on the AVID. If you've begun editing on a Mac with Final Cut Pro you are already using the same software they use in these film schools.

Here's the kicker. Nobody in the industry cares where you went to school. What they care about is your reel. And you are doing the right thing already by making videos like the one on youtube.

Before you apply to any school, find out exactly where your tuition goes. I have friends who went to USC and it's the same thing. They don't train you on how to actually get a job or work in the business. When you graduate you are going to be in the same position you are now; looking for work and trying to figure out how to edit professionally.

The answer is to keep editing. Find filmmakers who need an editor and offer to edit their movies for free to build your reel. Take online courses, or come to LA and work for free at an editing house and they will teach you everything.

Sadly, most film school grads end up doing this anyway. I mean, working for free. It's brutal and it's really tough if you have student loan debt.

Before you spend a lot of time and energy on a portfolio take a look at the equipment at these schools and the student films. Most schools use the same cameras and editing systems that a good high school has.

Don't worry about getting accepted into school. If you really want to work in film you will discover that nobody cares if you even went to college. They care if you have a good attitude and if your portfolio is good. And you don't get a portfolio from school; you get it from working hard and teaching yourself.

The great news is that if you give up the idea that you need school you can actually be working in the business a lot faster.

That's my 5 cents. Let me know if you have any other questions.

Best regards,

Seth
www.filmschoolsecrets.com