My Film School Experience: Katie

In 2013, I moved from Orlando, FL to Chicago, IL. I was heading out to attend Columbia College Chicago’s MFA program for Creative Producing in the Cinema Arts + Sciences program. The whole decision to go back to school was kind of weird at the time. Part of me wasn’t certain it was a necessary decision and the rest of me felt so certain, it was like a magnet pulling me in.

I remember when I was driving into the city for the first time. My mom was helping me make the move and as we drove up Lake Shore Drive, staring up at the buildings, I kept thinking “God, I hope I made the right decision.” Flash forward to 2015 as I watched the buildings disappear in my rearview mirror and I kept thinking “I don’t want to leave.”

The decision to go to film school isn’t a straightforward one. There was so much about it that was enjoyable and exactly what I needed and there was so much of it that was difficult, required sacrifice, and a lot of personal soul-seeking. For one thing, school is ridiculously expensive. Despite a large scholarship, I still came out the other side with a lot of debt. Sometimes, I don’t ever think I’ll pay it off. But knowing what I do now, I don’t regret it either.

If it takes crippling debt for me to do something I genuinely enjoy, it will have been worth it. #hamilton

I would say that if you’re someone debating whether film school is the right choice for you, start with the research. Take it seriously. A lot of people may tell you “But art school? Pick something with more security.” But I’d say, if you feel certain about your drive to study film, then go for it but be aware of the fact that it won’t be easy — not school, not the career, and definitely not the lifestyle.

It is expensive, so consider what financial options you have and look at more than just one school. Figure out what will suit you the best with the money you’re willing to pay. Take time to think about what your needs are and what the best ways to fulfill those needs will be. If you’d rather go the route of the school of life, there’s nothing wrong with that either. Seriously.

You don’t need a degree to go into entertainment production. Just go out, get started and be ready to put in the work. There are so many resources (books, workshops, websites, etc) that will teach you everything you need to know for a lot cheaper than an institution will charge you. For me? I wish I could say I was self-assured enough to go that route but I wasn’t. One thing I know about myself is that I thrive in a more structured environment that an institution provides. The deadlines and guidance are exactly what I need to get myself into full-steam-ahead mode.

Something else I found was invaluable about school was being surrounded by other filmmakers. It made networking a lot more accessible. And because everyone was on the same level (generally), we all could lean into each other and make projects together for little to no money. You can find these resources outside of school but it does require you to go and to seek them out.

It’s part of what I enjoyed most about going to film school though: the exposure to things (films, filmmakers, resources, experiences, theories etc). It would have taken a lot more time and effort to have discovered and learned on my own. I guess that’s just to say that it expedited the process for me in an environment that was concentrated with people that wanted to do the same and people that wanted to teach it.

I will say that sometimes the environment became too lax for me. But as a student, I really enjoyed being in the environment of college at an art school. The feeling of being around other people and letting their creativity spark your own and vice versa was always great.

-Katie