[mikeymike]

I own a company that does visual effects for features and television, about half my staff went to film school the other half just learned it over time and came to me with the necessary skill set. I don't really bother with resumes per se, I have to see their 'reel' basically work they've done so what film school they did or didnt go to is irrelevant based on their reel. Great film school, shit reel, no job...no film school, great reel, job...film school is one thing and one thing only, networking. Anything you need to get ahead in this industry can be learned without schooling but the networking potential you can't put a price on. I went to Vancouver Film school, my first 3 jobs were because students I had gone to school with recommended me. When I started my company, my first big contract was from a former student who went on to producing and signed us to do the work for all the films they had in the pipe for the next 2 years. I had a former teacher call me and tell me to talk to one of his students who was being offered money for his script, it got made, I got a production credit and paid by the studios for helping to get that made and all I did was advise him and on and on...what I've made from my connections from film school is infinitely more than the 35k it takes to go...that said...I've had some guys I went to film school who ended up tending bar, working at banks, and on and on so if you're cut out for this life then it can pay off, if you think it'd be a fun job then you're fucked, cause it's never ending work and the guys looking for fun crap out quick and they lose that chunk of money they put into school.