Premium Members Lohengrin Zapiain Posted August 3, 2007 Premium Members Report Share Posted August 3, 2007 Hey, her you have my 2 cents: First of all: film school is hugely overrated, a degree will NEVER get you a cinematographer job, it actually would not get you a PA job either so don?t worry about that. I work 100% in drama production and the people I work with come from the 2 worlds: school and hands on experience: whether you decide to go to school or not that is only the beginning, you will learn some theory and get to shoot your own stuff but you WILL start your real education once you get into the professional world. Don't misunderstand me, I went to London Film School and I spent the 2 best years of my life over there, just shooting 90% of the time and parting the other 10 but is important to know that you will have to start from the button once you leave the school and nobody looks at a cinematographers resume for a Degree. Second: when it comes to steadicam you are on the right track, go to a workshop, start practising a lot and get to work into the camera department, you will eventually find your way into operating. I understand if you get frustrated about passports requirements and visas. I myself hold a Mexican passport and had a lot of trouble trying to live into a country that has a real film industry but you just have to try very hard, persevere and keep looking. Now I'm a Canadian resident and since I moved to Canada (2 years ago) I got 15 full length new credits in my resume... so just keep trying. I know is going to be very frustrating but there is a way... I promise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Charles King Posted August 4, 2007 Premium Members Report Share Posted August 4, 2007 Hey, her you have my 2 cents: First of all: film school is hugely overrated, a degree will NEVER get you a cinematographer job, it actually would not get you a PA job either so don?t worry about that. I work 100% in drama production and the people I work with come from the 2 worlds: school and hands on experience: whether you decide to go to school or not that is only the beginning, you will learn some theory and get to shoot your own stuff but you WILL start your real education once you get into the professional world. Don't misunderstand me, I went to London Film School and I spent the 2 best years of my life over there, just shooting 90% of the time and parting the other 10 but is important to know that you will have to start from the button once you leave the school and nobody looks at a cinematographers resume for a Degree. Second: when it comes to steadicam you are on the right track, go to a workshop, start practising a lot and get to work into the camera department, you will eventually find your way into operating. I understand if you get frustrated about passports requirements and visas. I myself hold a Mexican passport and had a lot of trouble trying to live into a country that has a real film industry but you just have to try very hard, persevere and keep looking. Now I'm a Canadian resident and since I moved to Canada (2 years ago) I got 15 full length new credits in my resume... so just keep trying. I know is going to be very frustrating but there is a way... I promise. Now that's the best darn straight forward explaination I have read. Thanks for being straight to the point. Reality can be hard to hear and some people think a film degree will definitely give you the dream of your life. Well, think again... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trung Dau Posted August 4, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2007 Thanks everybody for the advice! Wish you all have a good weekend! Of course film degree doesn't give me the dream. But it will give me knowledge, foundation and a chance to work in industry film. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Lohengrin Zapiain Posted August 5, 2007 Premium Members Report Share Posted August 5, 2007 Thanks everybody for the advice! Wish you all have a good weekend! Of course film degree doesn't give me the dream. But it will give me knowledge, foundation and a chance to work in industry film. Knowledge... well yes you will get some knowledge from film school but film making is a craft so don't get disapointed once you find out that this "theorical knowledge" is sometimes too far away from the reality of a film set (this is mainly caused by the fact that film teachers are ofthen NOT experienced film makers). Foundation... yes it will but your main education will come from watching other's cinematographer's work so please go to the movies, watch TV, thats the best education you can get, get a sense of what you like in terms of lighting and composition. A chance to work in film industry... wel this is the tricky part... I'm not even sure if that's true. If you ask 10 diferent film makers you will get 10 complete diferent stories of how they got their break so I'm not even sure about that. But what I can tell you is that film making is a labour of love so keep trying and you will get there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trung Dau Posted August 5, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2007 Thanks alot Lohengrin!! I'm watching movies everyday. i take most of time for watching movies. I hope i learn from them. My mom said If i want to get great design or drawing, I need to look and watch orther designers, drawers' product. That's not coppying from them, that's for learning from them. All i can do know is finding a good but cheap rig :rolleyes: . And try to go to US for the workshop. When is the next workshop after OCtorber? I think i can't get the Workshop on OCtorber. I must stay in the Netherlands for the IBC September 2007 and the workshop is full now. Thanks everybody for the advice! Wish you all have a good weekend! Of course film degree doesn't give me the dream. But it will give me knowledge, foundation and a chance to work in industry film. Knowledge... well yes you will get some knowledge from film school but film making is a craft so don't get disapointed once you find out that this "theorical knowledge" is sometimes too far away from the reality of a film set (this is mainly caused by the fact that film teachers are ofthen NOT experienced film makers). Foundation... yes it will but your main education will come from watching other's cinematographer's work so please go to the movies, watch TV, thats the best education you can get, get a sense of what you like in terms of lighting and composition. A chance to work in film industry... wel this is the tricky part... I'm not even sure if that's true. If you ask 10 diferent film makers you will get 10 complete diferent stories of how they got their break so I'm not even sure about that. But what I can tell you is that film making is a labour of love so keep trying and you will get there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Erik Brul Posted August 5, 2007 Premium Members Report Share Posted August 5, 2007 Thanks alot Lohengrin!! I'm watching movies everyday. i take most of time for watching movies. I hope i learn from them. My mom said If i want to get great design or drawing, I need to look and watch orther designers, drawers' product. That's not coppying from them, that's for learning from them. All i can do know is finding a good but cheap rig :rolleyes: . And try to go to US for the workshop. When is the next workshop after OCtorber? I think i can't get the Workshop on OCtorber. I must stay in the Netherlands for the IBC September 2007 and the workshop is full now. Hi Trung, Well, i do receive the last years all kinds of mail from below : http://www.theworkshops.com/ Maybe they have some nice workshops for you, it seems affordable. They offer also a Steadicam Workshop : http://www.theworkshops.com/catalog/course...amp;SchoolID=21 Best, Erik Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trung Dau Posted August 6, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 6, 2007 Thanks alot Lohengrin!! I'm watching movies everyday. i take most of time for watching movies. I hope i learn from them. My mom said If i want to get great design or drawing, I need to look and watch orther designers, drawers' product. That's not coppying from them, that's for learning from them. All i can do know is finding a good but cheap rig :rolleyes: . And try to go to US for the workshop. When is the next workshop after OCtorber? I think i can't get the Workshop on OCtorber. I must stay in the Netherlands for the IBC September 2007 and the workshop is full now. Hi Trung, Well, i do receive the last years all kinds of mail from below : http://www.theworkshops.com/ Maybe they have some nice workshops for you, it seems affordable. They offer also a Steadicam Workshop : http://www.theworkshops.com/catalog/course...amp;SchoolID=21 Best, Erik Thanks a lot. I think i should take some :D But the steadicam workshop is already this September. I already get the catalouge for this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.