NYFA or coffee bitch?

[Victor]

OK so heres the deal, I want to be a filmmaker. My parents have accepted this and want me to go to college, which Im still not sure I want to do. My aunt, who's in the business (shes a prop-master), agrees, although she went to some college in Bumfuck, Montana so no way Im doing that. Im a Junior in HS and my grades arent all that good, I kind of hate the shit out of school, but my grandmother says that if i can get all A's and B's she'll send me to the NYFA six-week summer program. Which is really cool, Id love to do that, but also: If my aunt is working this summer, my mom said there was a chance of me being able to go and be an assistant assistant assistant's assistant for no pay. Frankly, Id much rather do this, because Id make contacts and get experience on a REAL movie set. And who knows, if I get a job this summer, maybe there'll be one next summer, with money in it. Shit, and after that maybe a fall job..Ill be in the industry already, who needs fucking film school then? Dont know, dont know...Im trying to figure all this shit out. Anyone have advice, opinions, anyhting?

[Xixax]

Hook up with Bonanzataz. He went to the NYFA's summer deal twice. One of the movies he made there is online here, too.

You lucky bastards. Making all these life-changing decisions without family and mortgages to get in the way. I envy you - sort of.

[A Matter Of Chance]

I did the NYFA program and really liked it. This is my first response... and this is an old thread so no one will ever read it, but still, it was a great experience.

[picolas]

welcome..

[Ghostboy]

Just do a bunch of stuff and see what works for you. Being a coffee bitch can get you a lot of education in filmmaking...I know for a fact. Sometimes, I wish I had gone to film school, but it's mainly because that would have meant another four years of 'coasting' after high school (not that film school is necessarily easy, but jumping right into business has had plenty of drawbacks). Anyway, just go with your gut instinct, and if you don't like whatever you do, try something else.

[TheVoiceOfNick]

Since this thread got revived from the dead, I might as well add something (don't I always?)...

Gaining experience in the industry is great, but having some type of formal education really does help too... very few are the filmmakers that skipped school and went on to become big filmmakers. If you want to work for a big production company as a coffee bitch in the future (not counting the conection you have with your family member), you'll need to have a degree... they rarely want people without degrees entering their company... you'll still start at the bottom, but you'll have real chances of moving up and getting to know really important people... most studios won't hire you if you don't have a degree, and if you aren't looking to be hired and just intern, you have to be a student to begin with!

Nick

[Ghostboy]

Crap, I thought this was a new thread...I didn't notice it was from February. Crazy.

[mutinyco]

I did both the basic and advanced courses at NYFA a decade ago. They're basically in it for the money. They'll offer you the basic equipment, but since you're working with other novices, unless you have money to spend on pros or REALLY know what you're doing it's a crapshoot. I know people who paid for the course and never even finished the films because of logistics. I finished all my films usually under strained circumstances -- but I finished them. If you plan on doing filmmaking on your own -- being an indie filmmaker -- the same money spent on NYFA could also go into a couple of mini-DV shorts. NYFA will teach you the basics. It's up to you to do something with 'em.