After a lecture entitled, TheBusiness of Art, at a big NYC University, a photography undergraduate student approached me for advice.
“The school just offered to help me max out credit cards for funds to finish my final year.If I took the same amount I spend on tuition, and instead invest it in starting my own photography business, would it be worth it?" she asked.
She handed me her portfolio, or "book" for a quick overview.
I've seen hundreds of professional and student books in my days as a Creative Director in advertising and marketing.
Within 20 seconds, I could tell her portfolio was in the top 5% of any I'd encountered, both professional and amateur.
Stunned, I asked, "How much it would cost to finish school?"
"35k, not including fees, housing, books, etc." she said.
"Let's take a walk," I offered.
With a few of her friends, we grabbed a slice of NY pizza and strolled down the cobblestones in lower Manhattan.
"In your case, validation from a "photography degree" amounts to less than a fleck of lint in a gnat's bellybutton" I said. “With a ton of hustle you'll be light-years ahead of your peers by the time they graduate. You'll be making what you'd save in tuition within a year. Start shopping this thing around!"
I could tell she was a go-getter.
I never heard back from her, but I felt like I had saved someone a ton of money.
That was photography.
Now let’s look at a film school education
Recently, a friend's son just got accepted to film school at USC.
NYU and USC are the world's premiere film schools.
I found myself musing on the young photography school student's predicament years ago.
Hanging out with Spielberg's kids? (yes, they go to USC)
Pulling cable on HBO shows, 10 generations of film grads deep, waiting until the boom operator or 3rd assistant director dies?
The barrier to enter in filmmaking is ZERO when just about everyone has a camera in their pocket and a Youtube channel.
It boggles the mind.
Not being in Hollywood day-to-day, I'm not sure how much leverage degrees in lesser film schools carry, though a quick survey indicates they aren't charging much less than NYU and USC.
See fraud?
Say fraud!
Ironically, the value of film school-style education - away from Hollywood - has never been more important.
Media making skills are becoming as important as reading and writing.
They are no longer a "nice extra".
They are no longer "enrichment".
The Youtube era and all the video sharing platforms that come with it are making and consuming billions of visual and aural media hours per day.
According to one book packaging expert, our screens with their sound and motion are usurping the 500-year reign of books.
Being able to learn to persuade with sound and motion should not cost $150,000 buckaroos!
Animating Kids! boils the essentials of a NYU & USC film-school down to a 3rd and 4th grade level.
Yes!
We've reimagined the process with stop motion.
On a table top.
With a small-group, project-based focus.
The energy is off the charts.
With an app and smart-device, all the fundamental Hollywood tools are at your fingertips.
5+ hrs and 140 follow-along worksheets of step-by-step, secret recipes for $597.
One year of online streaming lessons, all backlines and P.D. training.
Or do $99 for our basic White Hat level starter recipes for one-year.
Save $149,403.00!
Give your kids this new literacy for a few dollars per head.
They be running circles around their film school peers later.