How to Prepare for Film School?

Answer 1

If attending film school is your dream, whether you’re still in high school or changing careers later on in life, there are important steps you can take to prepare and become a more competitive applicant. By following this guide you’ll be ready for a stress-free application process.

Step One- Make Movies

This may seem obvious, but if you want to go to film school you should start making movies and film projects of your own. You’ll start building a portfolio of your work, get practice editing, directing, and filming, all while doing something you love. You’ll have some great examples of your work to show film schools. You don’t need the best equipment or special effects to be creative; as long as you have a simple handheld camcorder you should be filming in your spare time.

Step Two- Join Groups

Whether it’s the film club at school or a local community organization of people that like to make films, try and find some group to join. This will allow you to interact with people that share your passion, possibly providing useful tips, ideas, or assistance for your films. Plus, you can add your club or organization experience to your film school application, showing that you truly are serious about filmmaking.

Step Three- Do Your Research

Every film school is different in their admission steps and requirements. The only way you can be prepared for all the paperwork, interviews, and portfolio submissions is to know what you’re getting into in advance. Make sure you meet all the requirements for the schools you are interested in. Researching will give you a heads up as to what type of film samples they want to see and how many you’ll need to make. This will save you valuable time when application time rolls around without any unexpected surprises. Then you can make sure you meet their deadlines and priority acceptance dates.

These three steps will have you ready to open all your acceptance letters. You’ll be more than prepared for film school by filming as often as you can, socializing with other filmmakers, and researching admission guidelines.