An Open Letter To Parents Of Prospective Film School Students

You wanted a doctor, and instead you got a kid who goes to midnight openings of science fiction movies you’ve never heard of. We can only imagine the look on your face when this same child told you they wanted to go to film school.

We get it, because many folks consider film school a massive swindle. There is no correlation between having a film degree and getting a job in film. And have you seen what those schools charge?

The good news is that we’re the better, less expensive alternative to those rip-off programs. For a fraction of what those schools charge, we connect your child with our network of professionals in your area who will guide them every step of the way. That way, the added cost of moving to a larger, more expensive city is not being tacked on to your kid’s pipe dream.

Any career in the arts is dicey. But our professionals will put your kid’s feet to the fire. These are pros who make their living doing the very thing that your kid wants to do. They’re not going to waste their time with someone who isn’t doing their assignments or making their regular meetings. If your kid doesn’t have it, they’ll let them know. Fast.

Which is why our program is the smart option for you and your son or daughter. Rather than wait years and years and go hundreds of thousands of dollars into debt, you and your family will know within months if this life isn’t for them. You’ll know it quickly and painlessly.

But the more likely scenario is that we’ll provide the training and experience for your child that will make him/her attractive to the people who do the hiring in this business. Think about what you do for a living. What matters more in your profession: the degree or the experience?

We appreciate that you’ve taken an interest in your child’s decision-making process towards higher education. We have put this page together in an attempt to address most of the questions or concerns you might have. There are many options in choosing a film school or filmmaking program, and we are grateful for your consideration–if there are any questions we have not answered, please do not hesitate to contact us at 800-295-4433.

	Reliable The Film Connection has been in business for over 30 years with corporate offices in Hollywood, California. We know what we’re doing, and we’re not going anywhere. Since 1983, thousands of Film Connection graduates have gone on to make a living in film business. At any point during the course, if you or your child have a question, concern, or just need clarification on something, we’re always an email or phone call away.
	Practical The Film Connection course trains your son or daughter in the filmmaking crafts using our learn-by-doing method combined with our structured course curriculum, where your child is thrust into real film shoots to work on real film projects. This not only results in a condensed learning curve, but it also insures that your kid will learn the right way, the professional way, through on-the-job training. Your son or daughter’s Film Connection mentor is often able to work around work schedules, meaning the student can keep his/her day job or satisfy other commitments and still attend our film school alternative.
	Professional The Film Connection film school alternative is an associate member of the National Broadcasters Association (NAB), The American Federation of Radio and Television Artists (AFTRA), and the Society for Professional Audio Film Services (SPARS). We’re also a member in proud standing of the Internet Business Bureau and the Chamber of Commerce on the Web. Additionally, all of our mentors are experienced, working professionals in the film industry who are successfully making a living at their chosen discipline. To say we’re industry sponsored is an understatement.
	Motivation The Film Connection was developed over 30 years ago when we recognized that traditional film schools and trade schools weren’t doing the job and were nothing short of diploma mills. We decided back then that there was a better way, and that’s when the Film Connection was born. Over the years, we have refined and honed our courses and grown our film industry contacts and connections. We want your kid to succeed. We want all our students to succeed. That’s why we only accept one out of every 20 applicants (five percent). That’s why we don’t take on lost causes just to put a few bucks in our pocket.
	Other Resources Perhaps the truest indication of the value of something is what others say about it. After all, it’s easy to blow smoke about yourself, it’s much tougher to get others to do so. The following links take you to comments from the media, our students and mentors. Press/Media Comments Success Stories Student / Mentor Written Testimonials

Celebrating over 30 years of the Film Connection’s unique mentor/apprentice method of teaching film and television production skills, we feel our offerings are more timely and relevant than ever to up-and-coming film producers, directors, screenwriters, editors, camera operators, lighting directors, and other film careers.

Please feel free to contact Brian Kraft by either email at [email protected] or by phone at 800-295-4433 if you have any questions about The Film Connection, the film school alternative.

Brian Kraft
Consultant Film Connection