Advice is needed here. My parents don't have enough money to let me study in USA. I only can choose UK and AUS. I got two options.

1. Study Architecture in AUS (I don't really have big interest in studying Architecture to be honest. But it's the only one other than film that i at least have little interest in it.)

2. Study Film in either AUS or UK. (I really like film, i'm actually studying BA Public Relations now and am suffering for some personal issues and do not like what i am about to become. I was too naive that time to think that Public Relations may be the nearest step for me to get involved in movie industry some day.)

In my opinion I've always doubted AUS' universities can offer good film courses, I doubted some UK's universities as well. This is one of the many reasons that stops me from choosing to study BA in film. Sorry if i offended anyone, I didn't mean to.

I read some post in this forum. Some say you do not have to study BA in film as they do not teach much in BA, you might as well get a MA in film to learn more. Is that true? And i also fear that what i'm about to study in BA in Film is not what i expected as well. What do you really learn in undergraduate film school?

I'm afraid i cannot find a decent job after i graduate BA in film in UK and even harder in AUS i think and almost impossible in Malaysia(I'm Malaysian Chinese). At the same time, i'm very worried i might not be able to finish my architecture degree as well due to lack of interest. Sigh...

Can anyone who is studying and studied BA in film out there give me suggestion, advice. And someone who love film as much as i do but ended up didn't study BA in film share your experiences with us? What do you all think?

hi glad to see that you are from Kuching which is the home town of Tsai Ming Liang

concerning about the money issue, i am applying only for a MFA course in Hong Kong Baptist Uni. i heard it is the best in asia. not sure.

i don't think a BA in Film is good for applying a MFA. but i do think the experience of working with or studying about moving image (or say time based media) which are broader than just "film" is an advantage for sure.

my advice is to try to make some short films or work in several films, see if you have the ability and patient(you will see!). then decided if you wanna enter this career or not.

good luck!

Hahaha... Tsai Ming Liang is my senior, we went to the same high school in Kuching. You're from Kuching as well? You're now in London? I'm now at Leeds, UK. Hahaha...

Any other advice???
Is BA in film necessary? Is it true that students don't even have chance to touch camera during BA?

hi yuan ling,
yeap i've also heard that mfa in film teaches more than bfa.but i think this is because it is a master degree.. so it makes sense that they are more concentrated.any major will do the same i guess..

so if you really love filmmaking and want to give the best for it, you'll want mfa. but if you can't go to mfa for some reasons, bfa will be enough. in fact, many directors were just attending bfa and get successful (furthermore, some didn't go to film school at all). you just need to fully make use of the lessons given in the bfa.

if you don't love what you're doing, then stop doing it. it will be just wasting your time, energy, etc. so don't go to architechture if you think you can't finish it well.

take a bfa in film OR take a mfa in film and majoring in something else, but relates to film (communication, psychology, sociology, etc).you'll actually need that to make meaningful movies. but don't take film for both bfa and mfa (universities will unlikely accept bfa film students for mfa film). read the course descriptions carefully before applying so that you're sure what you're gonna get. short courses will also help.

lastly,
the tone of your post seems a bit pessimistic... the keyword to be successful in this area is hard work. it's not degree or the university we attended. so i believe, your passion to films can motivate you to work hard and eventually be successful.

hope this helps! =)