Opinion
 

Here's looking at you, UH film students

by Natasha Haskins

Use your time at this University wisely. Major in something that you love and could see yourself doing for the rest of your life. Don't just settle for a job or major that's not deserving of your qualifications, and most of all, don't think money, money, money.

I will never forget the advice given by the legendary filmmaker Spike Lee when he spoke here in February. This advice is something I needed to hear, especially after being seated next to an annoying individual who said, "Communication majors are a joke." I am a communication major, and after I graduate in December 2004, I plan to attend one of the top five film schools in the United States. Some may see this as a waste of time and money, but to me, producing and directing music videos is an appealing prospect. So for those creative and dedicated liberal arts students, this column is for you. I want to give you some useful information that you will need to consider if you plan to attend graduate film school. 

You need to know most schools want you to have at least a 2.5 grade-point average. However, some schools like the University of Texas at Austin, New York University and Howard University don't take GPA into consideration as heavily. What these prestigious schools do take into consideration is the creativity and determination of an applicant.

Conduct background checks on the schools in which you are interested. For example, most people don't know there are three different types of film schools: industry, independent and experimental. The industry schools, like the University of Southern California, train students to assimilate themselves into the Hollywood system with the expectation that some producer or company will give them large amounts of money to make feature films. The independent schools, like NYU and Columbia, train students to strip down their filmmaking to the essentials and then raise their own money to make their films independently. Experimental schools, like the San Francisco Art Institute, teach students only the art of film, and encourage them to make art without any thought of the business end.

I, myself, am going to attend an independent school, which will allow me to work under the big studios like Paramount and Fox. I want to gain experience, receive the big wig money, and eventually start my own production and distribution company. All this is possible -- it just takes heart and determination. 

I could go on and on about the research conducted and the specifics of film school, but I'm going to stop here and leave it up to you to determine if this is what you want. For further useful information, visit Film School Confidential at www.lather.com/fsc. After visiting the Web site, you will look at life after graduation in a whole new light. And remember: don't give up on your dreams. At times it may seem hard, but nothing worthwhile in life is easy. You may just be the Steven Spielberg, Francis Ford Coppola or Spike Lee of your generation.

Haskins, an editorial writer for The Daily Cougar, 
can be reached via dccampus@mail.uh.edu.