Where to start? If you’re still in grade school, consider a camp like Teen Video Intensive. Otherwise, ask yourself what elements of film interest you: production or acting (I took acting to be a director). Let’s say you have a knack for editing; don’t take a year in film with the expectation to be an editor. Inquire what the community colleges in your area offer for Final Cut or Avid courses. While you’re at it, take a film fundamentals class along side some art history, screenwriting, analog photography, and some sound engineering. These classes are also great investments for acting students. I assumed a lot of this was going to be elaborately laid out in the course, and I assumed incorrectly. You get what you put into the program.

Which school to attend? Correction: where do you want to end up after school? First, are you staying in Canada? North America? Do not know? If you’re planning North America, (more often than not) it is all about connections. The network you build during school will aid your career immensely. So where do you go to make the best connections? If (ex.)documentaries are your thing, I’m sure other people will share the same interests at a school that specializes in documentaries. If you don’t know what your thing is, find an inexpensive film school and feel it out there. Local colleges/universities offer great introductory programs. Things you should consider while shopping schools include: instructors, equipment available, courses offered, and class sizes. Also, be aware what schools offer degrees verses certificates and what courses are transferable. If you have any questions about the local film schools, be ballsy and buy some beer for a couple of film students and quiz them out. Ask them about their teachers, what projects they’re working on, and the curriculum. Knowing your course plan before entering the semester makes the year cake. School is your opportunity to make as many films as you can with the small cost of your tuition, abuse that.

Done school, now what? To be perfectly honest, there is no surefire way to have a career in film; you have to bank on a lot of determination and luck of the draw. The most concise piece of advice is: try and start work in the industry as soon as school’s done. Nothing is worse than looking at a resume and the last thing on it was film school a few years ago. To reiterate, film is a lot about who you know; if you didn’t take the time to establish a network during school, you’ll have to start from the bottom. Great ways to build/strengthen your network include:

Workshops, you make great contacts there and it keeps your muscle intact, you can never know too much information.

Opening nights and galas for film and theatre, they’re crawling with film community people.

Independent films; they’re a great way to meet people trying to start their careers (*cough*, like you).

Don’t be that person who is trying to hook their image/ideas out; go make friends. Being a dependable/consistent friend is the most valuable thing in the industry. With that in mind, be aware of people using you.

Good luck.