DV Guru http://www.dvguru.com DV Guru http://www.dvguru.com/media/feedlogo.gif DV Guru http://www.dvguru.com en-us Copyright 2008 Blogsmith, LLC. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/My Life As A Childhttp://www.dvguru.com/2007/01/11/my-life-as-a-child/http://www.dvguru.com/2007/01/11/my-life-as-a-child/http://www.dvguru.com/2007/01/11/my-life-as-a-child/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Ahh to be young again! Full of dreams, uninhibited, not a care in the world...except for how many DV tapes it will take to record you friend Joey's birthday party...

My Life As A Child is a 6-part documentary series where children record their lives on video from a first person perspective. The Learning Channel selected 20 youngsters ages 7 to 12 for the project, checked out some video gear to them, and let them tape for 4 months. The footage they captured makes up the 6 one-hour episodes, and marks a first for TLC in melding user generated content and television. The show claims to be "frank, intimate, and eye-opening" as children share their perspectives on growing up in the 21st century.

I couldn't find any hard DVGuru info about the production (camera info, production notes, behind the scenes info.) Still, I can't help but be a bit fascinated by the fact that this sort of thing wouldn't have been possible 7 or 8 years ago. The relative price of camcorders, this generation's experience with video, and the popularity of "viral" video content all seem to culminate in a project like this one.

My Life As A Child airs on Monday, February 26 at 7PM (ET/PT.)
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]]>childrendocumentaryLearning ChannelLearningChannelMy Life as a ChildMyLifeAsAChildAdam Nielson2007-01-11T08:27:00+00:0018 minute film schoolhttp://www.dvguru.com/2006/10/30/18-minute-film-school/http://www.dvguru.com/2006/10/30/18-minute-film-school/http://www.dvguru.com/2006/10/30/18-minute-film-school/#commentsFiled under: , ,

18 minutes of film schoolHmmm should you go to film school or not go to film school? How about going for 18 minutes. 18MinuteFilmSchool.com is a brief, 21 point guide to making a movie from idea to profit. These tips will help get you going in your quest of producing an independent film. If you have more questions, then maybe film school is for you. If those 18 minutes were all you needed, then best of luck to you. Even if you aren't thinking about higher education at all, these tips are a good read. Now don't come late to this class or you'll miss everything.
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]]>18 minute18MinuteadviceeducationfilmguideindependentoutlineoverviewschoolRussell Heimlich2006-10-30T06:33:00+00:00Ten reasons you should go to film schoolhttp://www.dvguru.com/2006/10/20/10-reasons-you-should-go-to-film-school/http://www.dvguru.com/2006/10/20/10-reasons-you-should-go-to-film-school/http://www.dvguru.com/2006/10/20/10-reasons-you-should-go-to-film-school/#commentsFiled under: ,

Last week I listed 10 reasons you shouldn't go to film school, figuring the anti-establishment argument would be the more controversial of the two (thus posting it first). Many who took exception to my points didn't seem to understand that I was also planning on posting a follow-up article exploring the flip side of the argument (although, in my mind, the reasons to go seem a lot more obvious). Hopefully these points will give a prospective film schooler some food for thought.

10 reasons you should go:

1. Peer connections.
Your classmates may be the most valuable resource you'll ever have. Go through the program, make friends, find alliances, and when you get out, stay in touch with everyone. As long as you realize there's life after film school and don't burn your bridges while you're there, you'll be able to find collaborators for your own projects, or possibly get a job on another classmate's project. While you're there you may even meet a writing or producing partner--the Joel to your Ethan Coen. That's not a good comparison, since they're brothers, not classmates, but... you get the point. Also, peer connections aren't the only advantages that come with a film school degree; you'll also get...

2. Industry connections.
Because film is a so-called "glamour" industry, everyone and their mother wants to work in it; this means the barriers to entry are more prohibitive than they are in, say, the hospitality industry. Breaking in is hard. But going to a program like USC or NYU gains you instant connections to an alumni network. This can be in the form of your professors keeping in touch with previous students who now work in the industry, it can be through your school's career services, or it can even be in the form of finding out at a job interview that your would-be boss also went to your alma mater (suddenly your job prospects are looking up). But for many of these interviews, to even get your foot in the door you need...

3. Technical know-how.
While listing 10 reasons not to go to film school, I asked, "can art be taught?" While that inspired some debate, I don't think there's any doubting that craft is certainly teachable. One commenter noted in support of the "art can be taught" argument that, while in film school, he was being taught how to draw; I would argue that being taught to sketch "mediocrely" [sic] is, in fact, merely an instruction on craft. So while no one can teach you how to be the next Scorcese, they can teach you camera framing, continuity editing, or high and low-key lighting. If you think you want to specialize--that is, if you want to be an editor or cinematographer, for example--then film school can certainly give you the technical knowledge to be proficient in those areas. And while you're learning the technical aspects of film, you're also getting....

4. Intelligent feedback.
Your professors and peers, being educated and theoretically intelligent when it comes to film, can give you sophisticated feedback on your own projects and ideas, and help mold you into a better filmmaker. Outside the haven of film school, it's not easy to get together a group of film-aware individuals, and have them critique your project. Considering that film school typically takes place during your formative years, the collective wisdom and advice you receive during your attendance could help inform your whole career. And much of this advice comes from...

5. Mentors to push you.
Shooting a no-budget DV flick with all your friends in it, and then showing it to that same group of friends and getting their "that's me on screen, this is awesome!" feedback, may not be the best way to develop your inner auteur. If you go to film school, you may or may not meet a great professor that inspires you in your studies, but if you do, that experience alone can be worth the price of admission. A good professor can push you to work harder and be more daring than you would be on your own; even if you don't find any particularly great teachers, however, the professors can collectively teach you...

6. History and theory.
Even if you want to make experimental, avant-garde films, you're still standing on the shoulders of giants. Not knowing theory and history is the equivalent of saying ignorance is bliss. Many young aspiring filmmakers cultivate a belief that "truly" creative films are created in a vacuum--and it's easy to buy into this, given Hollywood's current penchant for remakes, adaptations, and other "homages"--but skipping an immersion in history and theory is one sure way of shooting yourself in the foot, not only in terms of your own knowledge of what's been done before, but in terms of...

7. Credibility.
Diplomas are a necessity in many professions; film is not one of them (I'm still waiting for someone's "directed by" credit to be capped off with a "Ph.D"). Nevertheless, industry vets looking to separate the wheat from the chaff will often take you more seriously if you graduated from film school; at the very minimum, it shows you're serious about it (because, as already stated, everyone and their mother wants to be in movies). Of course, what truly matters in film is not where you went to school, but what's on your reel and what credits you have to your name; that is, what you've actually done. And in order to accomplish things, you need...

8. Time for your projects.
If you opt out of film school and do the 9-5 thing, pursuing your own projects on the side can be prohibitively difficult (to a certain extent, this depends on what your day job arrangements are). Working a day job and saving up your money to work on your own blood-sweat-and-tears project has a certain romantic appeal to it, but you'll need funds, equipment, free time, and last but not least, collaborators. Film isn't like writing, where you can sit down and do it yourself; for the most part, you need someone in front of the camera, too. And even if you're shooting a documentary all by yourself, you're most likely going to need large chunks of time set aside to shoot, which you might not be able to swing with an employer who expects you to show up to work every day. Film school gives you the collaborators, framework, and the time and space to work on your film pursuits (unless, of course, you go to a film program where only one in ten gets to actually produce his or her project, and everyone else becomes crew...). Also, if you stay in film school, you're more likely to...

9. Stay the course.
If you throw yourself into the working world, you'll tend to go where the opportunities are, and often times they aren't always film-related. I'm not saying that you'll come out of school with your sights set on being a writer/director and somehow end up becoming an air traffic controller, but I am saying that it's likely you'll take some detours along the way. Having elected not to go to film school (at the graduate level) myself, I'm speaking from experience--while I'm currently doing graphic design at MTV, I'm not doing film or video per se on a daily basis. If you go to film school, by contrast, you're setting aside three years to focus on film alone, and it's one way of ensuring that you won't get sidetracked. No matter how focused you are, however...

10. You either have it or you don't.
Yeah, it's the same as my #10 reason not to go to film school, but that's exactly the point; it applies to both lines of reasoning. If you're truly motivated to express yourself through the medium of film, ultimately... you're going to find a way to express yourself through the medium of film, degree or not.

No "10 reasons why" list is ever going to make up anyone's mind about film school (nor would a "3,457 reasons why" list). Ultimately the decision of whether or not to go to film school is dependent upon personal, not general, reasons: whether you enjoy the classroom environment, how well you get along with professors, how independent you are, what your level of film education and technical abilities are when you're making the decision, what type of films you eventually want to make, how you want to make them, and a hundred other personal factors.

Still, these are ten pretty fundamental reasons to go (or not). If you've read both arguments and crave further food for thought, check out MovieMaker's interviews on this very topic. Or, chime in with your opinion in the comments.
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]]>Ryan Bilsborrow-Koo2006-10-20T10:09:00+00:00Ten reasons you shouldn't go to film schoolhttp://www.dvguru.com/2006/10/11/10-reasons-you-shouldnt-go-to-film-school/http://www.dvguru.com/2006/10/11/10-reasons-you-shouldnt-go-to-film-school/http://www.dvguru.com/2006/10/11/10-reasons-you-shouldnt-go-to-film-school/#commentsFiled under: ,

Every aspiring filmmaker asks the age-old question at some point: should I go to film school? Will I be a better filmmaker for it, or will I spend a lot of money on education only to end up taking a job as a waiter to pay off my debt, wishing I'd spent the money on a guerrilla DV short instead? It's a tough question, but unfortunately no one can make the decision for you; the only universal piece of advice anyone can give you is, "it depends." And while I've made my own choice--indeed, my personal site is located at nofilmschool.com--I can see it both ways. Thus this week I'll look at 10 reasons why you should skip the .edu; next week I'll throw out 10 justifications for sending in your application.

First of all, I should note that when I talk about "film school," I don't mean taking a couple of film classes in college; I'm talking about shelling out for a specialized film program like USC/NYU/AFI/etc.

Ten reasons you should not go:

1. Your favorite filmmaker didn't go to film school.
Some of the directors working today who didn't attend are Steven Soderbergh, Robert Rodriguez, Quentin Tarantino, Richard Linklater, Spike Jonze... of course it depends on who your favorite filmmaker is, and plenty of famous directors are film school alumni, among them some of the most decorated. The trio of Spielberg Lucas, Scorcese, and Coppola all went to film school--but that was a different era, before the invention of...

2. Digital Video.
One of the primary reasons to go to film school back when Scorcese et al. attended was to gain access to the tools. 35mm or Super 16 equipment was too expensive to own and celluloid film was much more difficult to shoot on and edit. But nowadays many films showing in theaters (well, indie theaters, at least) are shot with the very same cameras that hundreds of our DVG readers have sitting at home on their desks. The DV revolution has a long way to go, but today the obstacles are more often related to distribution and raw talent, not equipment. Gaining access to a motion-picture camera is no longer a good reason to go to film school; besides...

3. Film school is expensive.
It's easy to justify spending six figures on an education because you're investing in the future. Plus there is a loan structure in place for repaying your debt, and there's a vague promise of a job once you have a degree in hand. But tuition is incredibly expensive, and you'll be paying it off for years to come, unless your last name is Rockefeller. If you think you have a great idea for a film--and that's a big "if," requiring enormous amounts of faith in yourself--then you may be able to produce your project for a whole lot less money than the six figures you'd spend on a degree. And once your labor of love is done, you can distribute your project using...

4. The Internet.
The biggest difference between today and 30 years ago isn't the advent of DV cameras, it's the advent of mass, free distribution like YouTube, iFilm, and a hundred other online sites. You could have all the talent in the world and a DV master of your piece de resistance in hand, but without the ability to put it out there for some recognition, you'd be up the creek. In today's era of amateur filmmakers being snatched up off of YouTube, however, you can be assured that there's an audience out there, there's a way to put your film in front of them, and there's a cadre of scared executives ready to hire anyone who understands kids these days. Another relevant aspect of the internet is the informational aspect; you can find intelligent film reviews, interviews, and forums for discussing movies online, which didn't exist several years ago. All of these things help you find...

5. The Long Tail.
Pre-interweb, it was much more difficult to find niche content that catered to your personal interests; but now, as Chris Anderson has written, even smaller films manage to find an audience, profitably. Even if you're making a niche film about heroin-addicted Latvians who skydive blindfolded while listening to Jethro Tull (actually, that sounds pretty interesting), you can find an audience for it. Ten thousand interested audience members spread across the country won't get your film seen in any one theater, because the geographic concentration of them is far too sparse to sell 100 tickets at any given location, on any given night. But ten thousand interested viewers on the internet means your film can get viewed ten thousand times and passed on many times over, through email, blogs, and myspace. Suddenly you're the authority on terminal-velocity Latvian addicts and have lined up funding for a sequel, without ever stepping foot in film school. And the Long Tail isn't just relevant as a producer, it's also relevant as a student, because...

6. Netflix + books = critical studies.
Classic, avant-garde, and generally obscure films used to be hard to get your hands on. Film school, once upon a time, was a great way to see movies you couldn't see anywhere else. But 90% of the movies you'll see in film school today are available on DVD. Not only that, but instead of having to pay $4/pop to rent them on your own, you can just sign up for an all-you-can-eat DVD rental service like Netflix and watch, rate, review, and queue films to your heart's content. Combine this with a few trips to the local bookstore and some Amazon listmania to get yourself a set of film history and theory books, and you've got a halfway decent critical studies program in your bedroom. That is, assuming you're motivated enough to put in all the work on your own, without grades, peers, and deadlines--which is not easy. Still, you can always...

7. Learn by doing.
Between the corporate video, television, and feature film industries, there are plenty of jobs out there. Rather than paying to learn, you can get paid to learn (Mark Cuban seems to have done okay with that). Regarding film specifically, there are advantages and disadvantages to this approach: the disadvantages are that you may not be surrounded by like-minded peers who can give you valuable feedback, you may get on a track that's not of your choosing (instead of being able to focus on one specialty at film school), and you may not have much time outside of your day job to pursue the projects you really want to. The advantages are that you're supporting yourself instead of going into debt, you're building up your resume, and you're gaining an understanding of how the real world works. And learning by doing is better because...

8. You can't teach art. Can you?
At the heart of the "should I go to film school?" question is an even more basic question: can art be taught? No. Yes. A little bit? Who knows. Personally I've always felt that there's something fundamentally disingenuous about teaching how to create. Yes, as a professor you can explain how a piece of art was created, you can further a student's understanding of the art form as a whole, and you can refine a student's technical know-how. But there's no right or wrong way to create. Of course, on the flip side, having a great professor who gives you good feedback and pushes you in the right direction can make the whole film school experience worthwhile (I'll talk about this next week). But many professors teach formula as technique, and you want to make sure it's your own vision on screen, not your professor's. Regardless...

9. Don't study film, study life.
My problem with Hollywood today is not a lack of craft, and my problem with film school is not a lack of theory; both of these areas of expertise are arguably more refined today than they've ever been. But what's mostly missing in Hollywood today is the writing--what's actually being said--and while they can teach you in school how to say what you've got to say, they can't tell you what to say. If film school costs $100k, I'd say you'd be better off traveling the world, reading a lot of books, doing volunteer work, and meeting a lot of people along the way. If you skip film school to travel the world and you're insecure about your understanding of the 180-degree rule, read the Wikipedia entry on it and be on your way. If, in the course of your travels, you discover that you're not interested in being a filmmaker after all, that's probably for the better too, because you would've realized that eventually, even if you got your degree in film. Because ultimately, when it comes to filmmaking...

10. You either have it or you don't.
Barry Diller said recently that "talent always outs." That is, if you're talented, you'll eventually make it, regardless of whatever obstacles you encounter along the way. Film school can help you become a better filmmaker--it can refine what's already there--but if you don't have the raw creativity, ability, and motivation from the start, you're doomed even if you've got a degree in hand. Conversely, if you've got what it takes, you'll eventually make it, whether you go to film school or not. This is why there's no right or wrong answer to the film school question; it's reductive, but... you either have it or you don't.

This is an age-old debate, so please post your own thoughts and experiences in the comments; next week I'll be posting ten reasons to enroll.
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]]>filmschoolschoolRyan Bilsborrow-Koo2006-10-11T14:06:00+00:00Adobe announces the Digital School Collection for K-12http://www.dvguru.com/2006/10/06/adobe-announces-the-digital-school-collection-for-k-12/http://www.dvguru.com/2006/10/06/adobe-announces-the-digital-school-collection-for-k-12/http://www.dvguru.com/2006/10/06/adobe-announces-the-digital-school-collection-for-k-12/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Kids know digital media better than their teachersAdobe thinks it is important for kids to develop multimedia skills in the classroom, along with selling units of Photoshop to eager kids. That is why they've announced the Digital School Collection. The bundle, aimed at K-12, featuresPhotoshop Elements, Premiere Elements, Acrobat, and Contribute. Included for teachers are lesson plans and tutorials to better integrate digital learning with their curriculum. When I was in school, we never had audio/video courses but if we did, I believe I would have found my calling earlier. Digital content creation is an important skill to have because this technology is becoming more prominent in our lives everyday. And it is about time we see a big push in digital media; the teachers have a lot of catching up to do since the kids seem to pick up digital video/imaging like the ABCs. Just check out YouTube, MySpace, and these kids for example.

Did/do you have video courses at your school? What are they like?
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]]>adobedigital mediaDigital School CollectionDigitalMediaDigitalSchoolCollectioneducationk-12schoolstudentsteachteachersRussell Heimlich2006-10-06T11:36:00+00:00VOD For Schools and Librarieshttp://www.dvguru.com/2006/10/04/library-video-company-releases-the-first-video-on-demand-solutio/http://www.dvguru.com/2006/10/04/library-video-company-releases-the-first-video-on-demand-solutio/http://www.dvguru.com/2006/10/04/library-video-company-releases-the-first-video-on-demand-solutio/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

You know what my favorite days were in elementary school? Filmstrip days! That's right, I am old enough to have watched filmstrips... although I think that's more a commentary on lack of funding for education, than my age (only 28.) But, lest we wax political here at DVGuru, lets move on.

My teacher would wheel in the AV cart from down the hall, pull down the projector screen, and fire up the old flicker show. It was a mixed bag at best. If we were lucky, maybe a Disney character doing math problems. I'm not sure why, but my favorite part was the Tick-Tick-Tick of of a reel that had reached it's end. I doubt many schools use filmstrips these days, but in my experience, most are still in the digital dark age. The Library Video Company hopes to change that.

A new product called Safari Montage offers a broadcast quality, plug & play, video-on-demand server for schools and public libraries. It comes pre-loaded with 1000 shows targeted at a specific age group, and offers subscriptions to additional content. Because the video is stored locally on the server, It supports up to 55 instances of simultaneous playback for the same clip, and offloads much of the stress placed on a library's current broadband connection. It also helps avoid many of the problems associated with streaming.

We use a service very similar to this at the local television station I work for. It's nice to see it being adopted in a place where more people can have the on-demand experience. Now if they could just tack that Tick-Tick-Tick noise on at the end.

Click "Read" for a link to the press release, or click here for a video demonstration.
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]]>educationLibrary Video CompanyLibraryVideoCompanysafari montageSafariMontagevideo-on-demandvodAdam Nielson2006-10-04T03:13:00+00:00Special promotion of Avid software for studentshttp://www.dvguru.com/2006/08/25/special-promotion-of-avid-software-for-students/http://www.dvguru.com/2006/08/25/special-promotion-of-avid-software-for-students/http://www.dvguru.com/2006/08/25/special-promotion-of-avid-software-for-students/#commentsFiled under: ,

Avid Back 2 School ProgramAvid Technology, Inc., today announced the launch of its Back-to-School promotion - a campaign designed to give students access to the professional video, audio, and 3D character animation tools used by industry pros, at student-friendly prices. It's rough being a student, but student pricing is a nice perk. Speaking of perks...

Students who purchase Academic software and receive Avid's "Industry All-Access Pass" will have exclusive opportunities that include:
  • Receiving discounted and free third-party products from companies such as G-Tech, Serious Magic, SmartSound, FinalDraft, Sorenson Media, PowerProduction Software, and PerspectX;
  • Communicating with select film, television, music, and animation professionals, via e-mail;
  • Having a chance for an industry professional to visit their school; and,
  • Receiving a free copy of "The Movies," an interactive video game that simulates building your very own movie studio.
And here are a list of the packages this applies to
  • Avid Xpress Pro Academic software, which offers professional video, audio, film, effects, and DVD authoring tools in one box for $295 USMSRP per license;
  • SOFTIMAGE/XSI Academic character production software, priced at $295 USMSRP; or,
  • Pro Tools Academic software, starting at $149 USMSRP.
You can find more information at www.avid.com/backtoschool Now Hit the books!
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]]>AvidcheapdealdealseducationpromotionsavingssoftwarespecialsRussell Heimlich2006-08-25T00:30:00+00:002006 Adobe Design Achievement Award winners announcedhttp://www.dvguru.com/2006/08/08/2006-adobe-design-achievement-award-winners-announced/http://www.dvguru.com/2006/08/08/2006-adobe-design-achievement-award-winners-announced/http://www.dvguru.com/2006/08/08/2006-adobe-design-achievement-award-winners-announced/#commentsFiled under: ,

Adobe has announced the winners of the 2006 Adobe Design Achievement Awards. Nearly 1,500 entries were submitted to this year's competition by students from schools in 24 countries. I am blown away by some of these entries. There are some seriously talented students out there and I encourage you to spend some time viewing the winners in each category. You can also view a video of the judges in action.
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]]>achievementadobeawardawardsentriesjudgesschoolstudentstudentswinnersSheila Ward2006-08-08T23:43:00+00:00Excellent book for learning the basicshttp://www.dvguru.com/2006/08/05/excellent-book-for-learning-the-basics/http://www.dvguru.com/2006/08/05/excellent-book-for-learning-the-basics/http://www.dvguru.com/2006/08/05/excellent-book-for-learning-the-basics/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Following up on a previous post, an excellent book that will help you become familiar with the basics of digital video is Digital Video Basics by Douglas Spotted Eagle. It is a small book, but it covers a wide variety of topics. The sections are short, easy to read and include great illustrations. It doesn't matter if you are working toward making your first documentary or trying to make better home movies, this book will be a great addition to your library.

And a tip to all you vacation videographers, please keep your finger off the zoom button. Your family will thank you.

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]]>basicsbeginnerbookdigital videodouglas spotted eaglefamily videogetting startedGettingStartedhome movieslearnnewbiezoomSheila Ward2006-08-05T20:59:00+00:00Podcast workshops in SF taught by NPR proshttp://www.dvguru.com/2006/03/10/podcast-workshops-in-sf-taught-by-npr-pros/http://www.dvguru.com/2006/03/10/podcast-workshops-in-sf-taught-by-npr-pros/http://www.dvguru.com/2006/03/10/podcast-workshops-in-sf-taught-by-npr-pros/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

This weekend (March 11th & 12th), AudioLuxe will conduct Podcast workshops which will be held at the studios of KQED in San Francisco.  "You'll train at the professional studios of KQED Public Radio in San Francisco. Courses are limited to six participants per group; each group is balanced to achieve a similar range of skill levels across participants. Intermediate and Advanced courses are also available." Registration is $350. Sounds very good, though not for me - promised myself never to deliberately record my voice a long time ago.

(via BoingBoing)
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]]>national public radioNationalPublicRadionprpodcastsAjit Anthony2006-03-10T12:30:00+00:00School vs Just doing ithttp://www.dvguru.com/2006/02/23/school-vs-just-doing-it/http://www.dvguru.com/2006/02/23/school-vs-just-doing-it/http://www.dvguru.com/2006/02/23/school-vs-just-doing-it/#commentsFiled under: ,

We have mentioned Self-Reliant Filmmaking blog before. It is one of those blogs where the writer, Paul Harrill, speaks modestly but all the while being insightful. He had a couple of points to say about FreshHDV's Interview of Josh Oakhurst that had me nodding in agreement. Paul, like me but unlike Josh, believe that P2 is here to stay for sometime. But it is a minor point because frankly none of us can tell where this bloody thing is headed. And I wouldn't gamble a dime on it much less the time writing why.

But this quote from Josh simply irks me: "I believe film school used to mean something when it was only about access to equipment. Since the advent of cheap, quality digital cinema (lets say 2000 as a WIDE release), potential film schoolers have had numerous options to get ahold of equipment which are far cheaper than paying for a film degree. Claiming a film degree now is just the same as claiming a BA in anything else - you're a dime a dozen. Credentials, name dropping, and a diploma do not make great art - or even begin to suggest you possess the possibility to make great art."
Going to school to have a friggin job at the end of it is absurd, and so is having a diploma. Josh is right in that, and unlike in the past, you don't need to go to school to get your hands on decent equipment. However, I would hard pressed to imagine how a young filmmaker could raise to about $10K for and camera and computer (though I admit it would be cheaper than paying for school).

The point of school is simply to learn, even about subjects that really are of no interest to you. Looking back, I would not trade any more film classes for the mandatory Philosophy classes I had to endure. Time in Film school or even better a Liberal Arts program should be spent exploring. And even with film skills, you will learn a lot more in school, with less holes and more confidence. No amount of Internet browsing or reading books at Barnes and Nobles is going to make up for that. Working and learning in the industry means nothing, you will learn rules, how things are done, not about what you want to say.

I do think besides school, the most important learning tool is actually making a film, however difficult that might be. But filmmakers are not born filmmakers, they grow into it. When I was in school, I was suckered into helping this young kid (I am guessing around 17) on his film. He made a big deal that he was young and that he had the balls to do what he was doing. At first, I was impressed but it took no more than a line of his direction to know that he had no clue. I simply could not make myself come back for the second day.

Now all of these positives about going to Film school can be found outside its walls. But Film school can make it a little easier, buy you some time, let you grow out some. You will learn quickly that everybody at school is as confident and obnoxious as you are with your "skills." You will be forced to collaborate. Learn to absorb the compliments and criticism from your peers and teachers.

Mind you, film schools have surely deteriorated. I won't mention any names but any place that promotes itself as a means to get you famous or work should be avoided. Look at schools where they talk about exploring and if they say in the literature "a place to waste your time on your ideas and other trivialities," jump on it! If I were to pick a school, I would not look any further than the North Carolina School of the Arts. Recently while driving cross-state, I stopped to examine the school that brought about David Gordon Green. It was beautiful but in that naked kind of way. Tall cement structures, I wanted to sign up for something. Trendy but earnest Kids were still carrying their film cannisters. And more importantly, you got the sense these students were pondering something and loving every second of it.

There comes a time when you have to be single-minded in what you want to create but it is also important that there be times when you are not so. Frankly, if you don't, you will have nothing to bring to the table except "look at me, I made a film."
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]]>josh oakhurstJoshOakhurstp2paul harrillPaulHarrillself-reliantAjit Anthony2006-02-23T21:34:00+00:00Ripple Training Releases FCP Color Correction DVDhttp://www.dvguru.com/2006/02/10/ripple-training-releases-fcp-color-correction-dvd/http://www.dvguru.com/2006/02/10/ripple-training-releases-fcp-color-correction-dvd/http://www.dvguru.com/2006/02/10/ripple-training-releases-fcp-color-correction-dvd/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

The art of color correction is certainly one of the more complicated processes that take place during the production of any film, because of this Ripple Training has released an entire training DVD to help you out during your next production. The 4-hour DVD is aimed directly at Final Cut Pro users and is packed with a number of video tutorials. I took a look at some of the sample tutorials from the disk and they looked extremely informative and were easy to follow. The DVD will run you $99 and should help you brush up on or learn a bunch of new techniques for getting the look you want out of your next project.

[Via HDforIndies]
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]]>Color CorrectionFCPFinal Cut ProRipple TrainingRippleTrainingMike Burgoyne2006-02-10T09:30:00+00:00Microsoft Trying to Aid HD-DVD in Format Warhttp://www.dvguru.com/2005/12/29/microsoft-trying-to-aid-hd-dvd-in-format-war/http://www.dvguru.com/2005/12/29/microsoft-trying-to-aid-hd-dvd-in-format-war/http://www.dvguru.com/2005/12/29/microsoft-trying-to-aid-hd-dvd-in-format-war/#commentsFiled under: ,

While we know the clout of Microsoft in your corner does something for your reputation, it's nothing like when Microsoft starts to economically make it a benefit to support your up and coming technology.  According to the EETimes, Microsoft is offering vendors various benefits to support HD-DVD instead of Blu-Ray.  One such instance, Vista, the next version of Windows, will have native support for free, while supporting Blu-Ray costs vendors an extra $30 in royalties per drive.  Also, Microsoft is said to be offering cash incentives to support HD-DVD (I imagine in the space of free copies of Vista for manufacturers.)

[Via Engadget]
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]]>dvdhd-dvdhddvdRandall Bennett2005-12-29T22:15:00+00:00The CellFlix Cell Phone Film Festivalhttp://www.dvguru.com/2005/12/28/the-cellflix-cell-phone-film-festival/http://www.dvguru.com/2005/12/28/the-cellflix-cell-phone-film-festival/http://www.dvguru.com/2005/12/28/the-cellflix-cell-phone-film-festival/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Here is a novel idea, how about a film festival where all the entries are shot via cell phone, well that is just what the CellFlix Festival is aiming to do. The festival is being put on by Ithaca College (a place I am quite familiar with) and is backed by a $5,000 prize for the best entry. The rules are simple, put together the best 30 second film with nothing more than a video enabled cell phone and enter it via the festivals website. The deadline for entries is January 10th so get out there and start shooting, well until you get interrupted by an incoming call.
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]]>cell phoneCellFlix FestivalCellflixFestivalDVguruflim festivalMike Burgoyne2005-12-28T07:30:00+00:00Final Cut Pro Bootcamphttp://www.dvguru.com/2005/12/27/final-cut-pro-bootcamp/http://www.dvguru.com/2005/12/27/final-cut-pro-bootcamp/http://www.dvguru.com/2005/12/27/final-cut-pro-bootcamp/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Know a friend who's cuts aren't so final?  Maybe their razor tool isn't that sharp, or they don't know how to roll deep with the roll tool.  In any case, they've got some recourse if they're in or around NYC in March, at the Jewish Community Center in Manhattan.  For $300, you get two sessions of Final Cut Pro bootcamp, focused towards documentary filmmaking.

Also at the center, if you're interested in learning how to improve your filmmaking skills, they've got classes on punctuation and grammar, as well as a screenplay writing workshop.  Anyone heading to any of these classes, make sure you come back and let us know how they went!
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]]>boot campBootCampfinal cutFinalCuttrainingRandall Bennett2005-12-27T18:14:00+00:00StudentFilmmakers Maghttp://www.dvguru.com/2005/12/23/studentfilmmakers-mag/http://www.dvguru.com/2005/12/23/studentfilmmakers-mag/http://www.dvguru.com/2005/12/23/studentfilmmakers-mag/#commentsFiled under: ,

Yesterday, we reported on the Creative Cow Magazine.  Now, the folks from StudentFilmmakers are also releasing their own mag.  During DV Expo west, they announced the new publication, but we're still waiting for an official application to start circulating.  The magazine targets more than just students, they're looking to cover something for everyone, from animation to live action, from directors to cinematographers, they say there should be something for everyone.  Expect it to start becoming available after the holidays, and closer to CES.
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]]>filmmakersmagazinestudent filmmakersStudentFilmmakersstudentsRandall Bennett2005-12-23T22:06:00+00:00Creative Cow: The Magazinehttp://www.dvguru.com/2005/12/22/creative-cow-the-magazine/http://www.dvguru.com/2005/12/22/creative-cow-the-magazine/http://www.dvguru.com/2005/12/22/creative-cow-the-magazine/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Creative Cow MagazineCreative Cow is one of the best forum sites on the Internet.  It attracts people from all segments of video, audio and film to gather and talk about their chosen profession (or hobby.)  Their community leaders are known for their great tutorials, and they frequently show up on our rundown of top tutorials.  Now, they've gone and done it; they've released a magazine!  Creative COW magazine is aimed at industry types who wnat to be up to date on the latest tips and tricks.  The mag is free to individuals and businesses inside the United States, and only costs $25 for international folks.


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]]>creative cowCreativeCowfreemagazinesubscriptionRandall Bennett2005-12-22T11:36:00+00:00Flash Forward this February!http://www.dvguru.com/2005/12/17/flash-forward/http://www.dvguru.com/2005/12/17/flash-forward/http://www.dvguru.com/2005/12/17/flash-forward/#commentsFiled under: ,

Video extends beyond pixels, and even moves to vectors.  If you're into Flash, and even use Flash for some of your motion graphics work, listen up!  Flashforward hits again this February.  For the uninitiated, Flashforward is one of the bigger conferences about the vector-based mograph software.  During the conference, exhibitors show off their flash-based solutions, while other flash professionals can get together and network, and the sort.

March 1st, they're having an awards conference to highlight the best technical and creative executions of Flash animation.  The conference is at the Seattle conference center from February 27th through March 1st.  If you're interested, registration is $49 for the film festival / exhibits pass, and runs up to $1,000 for a premium all-access badge.
 
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]]>Randall Bennett2005-12-17T12:23:15+00:00Liquid Universityhttp://www.dvguru.com/2005/12/16/liquid-university/http://www.dvguru.com/2005/12/16/liquid-university/http://www.dvguru.com/2005/12/16/liquid-university/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Liquid, while only being about a month old, has apparently spawned it's own users group!  Alug, formerly Plug, is going to be holding a Liquid training seminar January 14th and 15th in Tewksbury, Mass. home of Liquid creators Avid.  Joe Figura, Tony Terrana and Dave Stone will be presenting their seminar on Liquid.  The seminars will be classroom style, hence Liquid University, and the tuition is actually cheap!  $60 a person for the day.  The seminars don't mention whether they'll be showcasing advanced techniques or not, but to me for $60 it isn't that bad of a deal.  If you're in the New England area, follow the link and sign up.
 
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]]>Randall Bennett2005-12-16T15:30:00+00:00A Side Of The Industry Never Seenhttp://www.dvguru.com/2005/12/16/a-side-of-the-industry-never-seen/http://www.dvguru.com/2005/12/16/a-side-of-the-industry-never-seen/http://www.dvguru.com/2005/12/16/a-side-of-the-industry-never-seen/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Totally Unauthorized at filmhacks.blogspot.com has been covered all over the place from the L.A. Times to Craigslist's Top Ten Hollywood Blogs. If you're even mildly interested on what happens behind the scenes from a crew member's point of view, then this is a must-read.

Peggy Archer (not her real name) gives us the lowdown on everything from what schedules are like, the highs and lows of film crew life, as well as her personal social life, or her attempt to have one since she can work up to 14 hours at a time. It's an awesome inside peak for anyone who would like a primer on daily filmmaking life.
 
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]]>Zadi Diaz2005-12-16T07:45:33+00:00