I have heard the argument time and again amongst filmmakers about whether or not film school is worth it. I don’t know that there is a true right or wrong answer, but I can tell you for certain that it’s going to be different for everyone. Having spent time entrenched in both worlds…working as a freelance artist with no formal education outside of what I learned from my mentors and then conversely working within the collegiate system while pursuing higher education, I’ve seen and heard the argument from both sides.

Is it wholly impossible to apprentice under someone or study independently and teach yourself the techniques of filmmaking? Of course not. I did this for many years before I decided to pursue a formal education. On the opposite side, will a degree magically open every door within your career and immediately set you on the path to success? Probably not. But here is what my degree did do for me…

Film school allowed me the opportunity learn and grow as an artist without the pressure or fear that comes with making mistakes in a professional setting. If I completely flubbed a shot, no one was going to fire me. And trust me, I flubbed a shot or two in my early days. If anything, a mentor or peer would dust me off and offer gentle guidance to get me back on track. This spirit of fostering growth and development has been vital to my own success within the industry, and I strive to carry it with me into my classroom. I work diligently to create an environment where my students feel empowered to take risks, knowing that growth often is born out of our mistakes. My hope is that, over time, they too will develop the resilience to dust themselves off and creatively carry on.

During my time in school, I also met and worked with a lot of incredible people which allowed me to work on a large variety of projects where I played a significant role in the production. This wasn’t something I had experienced in my early freelance career. Though I was grateful for the opportunities, most of the work that I was doing was in low level positions where I had virtually no voice in the production. I felt trapped and as though there were few paths forward that allowed for any upward momentum within my career. Film school changed that.

Film school also afforded me the opportunity to handle and work with gear that I couldn’t possibly hope to afford at that time. This was pivotal in helping me to build up my technical skills while also helping me to make difficult choices about when and where I wanted to invest my own money when it was time to start building my own professional kit. This idea of accessibility is vital in helping to provide students with the skills that they need to be successful in the field. From day one, my students are placed in environments that allow for maximum access to the materials that they need in order to flourish.

All of these things were important in helping to shape my career, but the two most important things that film school gave me was the fortitude to tackle projects even when they felt daunting, and a greater understanding of the type of artist that I wanted to be. For the first time, I was having real conversations about my influence as a artist and what the message was behind my work.

As a teacher, I carry these lessons into my own classroom. I encourage my students to create new work that challenges them and their skillset. To be unafraid of failure. And more importantly, to be bold enough to look inward and ask themselves who they are as artists.