| So you want to be the next Spielberg or Peter | | | | thirteen-is-to-one. |
| Jackson or maybe just Oren Peli, who directed the | | | | And there's the Los Angeles Film School, which was |
| hit "Paranormal Activity" for under fifteen thousand | | | | founded in 1999. Among its renowned guest |
| dollars. If so, you may want to consider enrolling in | | | | speakers are Jason Reitman as well as Diablo Cody. |
| Los Angeles film schools - simply because most of | | | | Tuition fee: more than $41,000, with a student body |
| the industry is right here. But the first question you | | | | of 595. The movie "Gamer" which starred Gerard |
| have to ask yourself is: how much are you willing to | | | | Butler was co-directed by one of LA Film School's |
| spend? | | | | graduates. |
| The first school that should pop out of your mind is | | | | {All of these programs are prestigious, but they are |
| the very popular USC - where the giant names | | | | also the typical classroom atmosphere.|While the |
| George Lucas, Robert Zemeckis, Bryan Singer and | | | | programs provided by these renowned academies |
| Judd Apatow came from. The cost for just two | | | | are equally {prestigious|impressive, they still follow the |
| semesters? Over thirty thousand dollars, not including | | | | usual classroom setup. None of them provide genuine |
| supplies or room and board, according to the USC | | | | one-on-one mentors where a student can observe a |
| website. That is two "Paranormal Activities". While it's | | | | professional at work regularly and learn on the job. |
| true that they have great professors, some of the | | | | Women in Film does offer such a program annually |
| classes would be too full - with over 100 students in | | | | which sounds promising but a search on the internet |
| them. | | | | found no success stories associated with the |
| Don't discount the American Film Institute in your list. | | | | program. |
| Tuition for one year alone is nearly forty thousand | | | | CBS, fascinatingly, offers a mentor program (in fact, |
| dollars, as per their estimates. For some people, that | | | | they offer two mentors) for television writing. One |
| amount is nothing compared to the fact that you | | | | of the mentors is a senior-level writer for one of |
| would have the reputation of graduating from the | | | | CBS' current drama or comedy series. The program |
| same school where Darren Aronofsky, Ed Zwick as | | | | boasts of a segment where creative feedback on |
| well as Terrence Malick came from. But then again, | | | | their writing as well as tips on their career objectives |
| there may not be enough space for one-on-one | | | | are given. The second of the mentors is a reputable |
| activities with a class size of 100. | | | | CBS network or studio executive from whom |
| The cost of education at UCLA differs according to | | | | students get to meet on a regular basis to discuss |
| your residency: if you are from California, then you | | | | their work, get comments and support regarding |
| need just USD 6,000 per year, otherwise, you need | | | | their career. This course and the Women in Film |
| USD 20,000! Once again, classes are huge, even if | | | | program are both free to students. |
| you are being taken under the wing of such | | | | It seems like Los Angeles film schools are missing out |
| luminaries as Peter Guber and Joe Roth. | | | | on a great opportunity - if they provided such |
| Another reputable school that offers an | | | | one-on-one mentoring programs, there would possibly |
| undergraduate degree on film and television is Loyola | | | | be a lot more stories of big achievements from their |
| Marymount. Their fee is approximately USD 34,000 | | | | students. |
| per year. Student-teacher ratio is small, approximately | | | | |