Film School Applications: Expert Advice

New York Film Academy’s senior director, David Klein, shares advice on choosing a film course, getting a place, and setting yourself up for future success.

As with all subjects, there are a number of factors to consider when choosing a film studies degree.

You might want to start by checking out the highest ranked and most prestigious universities offering film degrees – but remember it’s not as simple as just tracking down the best film school.

Instead, it’s important to make sure you choose a course and location that will match your individual interests, strengths and inspirations.

Choosing where to study

Location can certainly have a big impact on the student experience, Klein says, and it’s partly for this reason that the New York Film Academy (NYFA) has a number of different campuses.

“For those that want an immediate introduction to Hollywood, our campus at Universal Studios may be ideal, but if someone wants the independent film culture of New York and the gritty urbanity that is so filmic, our East Coast campus is probably the right choice.”

He adds, “For others, they may want to study in a foreign country such as our Australia campus or our new New Delhi campus.

"Each one has a unique and interesting flavor. A student needs to decide which locale will provide the most inspiration and then follow his or her heart.”

Teaching and facilities

Of course, as well as considering what kind of environment you’d like to study in, you also need to think about the kind of learning opportunities you want from your degree.

Klein believes there’s no substitute for practical experience, so advises students to find out how many independent or group projects the course will allow them to complete – and what kind of equipment they’ll have access to.

In addition, Klein highlights the importance of having a strong faculty. This should include a range of experts in the field, but most importantly, good teachers.

The best way of finding out, he says, is to ask the school if you can sit in on a class; that way you’ll get a real feel for whether the learning environment and teaching style will work for you.

Applying for a film degree: How to impress

Once you’ve pinned down your ideal film studies degree, or at least made a short list, then comes the really nerve-wracking part – convincing the school to offer you a place.

The most important qualities to display, Klein says, are “a strong drive and ambition to make films and an aptitude for creativity.”

Of course, having some previous experience of film-making is certainly an asset – but if you haven’t had the chance to build up a list of credits, don’t panic.

“We don't expect our applicants to have significant film experience prior to attending,” Klein says.

“Of course, some have experience, but what we really want to see in an application is creativity and passion in some form – whether it be filmmaking or another arena.”

Next steps: Launch your career in film

Nowadays the accessibility of technology means anyone can “pick up a camera and start shooting”.

But understanding “the grammar of film language and the art of film storytelling” is a much lengthier process.

However, this process can be condensed by attending a film studies course, Klein believes. Strong mentorship and expert guidance allows students to “find their voice as filmmakers” much more quickly.

That said, he warns that a film studies degree in itself is not a guarantee of industry success – even if you are one of the lucky few who attend a top film school.

Success, in the end, is down to the individual: “To be recognized as a filmmaker, one must make good films and persevere, regardless of the challenges that come up.”

So, over to you. Give us a wave from the red carpet...