The never-ending question of whether one should go to film school is worth it. Here, self-made, self-taught writer (first and foremost) and director Kevin Smith gets asked by a fan and film school alumni (in huge debt) whether anyone should study cinema formally.
Personally, I think that it’s a very gray area. There are dozens of real life examples of self-taught filmmakers and especially in the day and age we live in today, it’s possible to make a film, a music video – anything – if you put your effort into learning the craft through reading books, watching films, listening to commentaries and reading technical and theoretical magazines. However, nothing beats having a hands on approach by getting on a set with a real crew, real equipment, actors and atmosphere – which film school can provide too. Both have benefits, but in the end it comes down to a choice one makes and that choice will be shaped by circumstances such as if you live in Kansas (hey, John Carpenter decided to move out of here to attend USC), or if you are willing to spend 100-200 thousand dollars on such an education.
Now let’s see how Kevin Smith really feels about film school.
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