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Los Angeles Film School Classroom

FILM DIRECTING LOS ANGELES
SO, YOU HAVE AN IDEA FOR A MOVIE AND WANT TO KNOW WHAT TO DO NEXT?

So, you have a great idea for a movie that you want to make. That’s excellent. But you’re unsure of your next step. That’s understandable. It’s also the reason Film Connection exists. We help you with the next steps.

Make no mistake about it, Los Angeles is a great place to pursue your dream. In fact, ever since filmmaking moved west in the early 1900s, Los Angeles (and Hollywood) has thrived as the movie capital of the world. This has created a great infrastructure for anyone wanting to learn filmmaking. Because the Film Connection film directing training is headquartered in Los Angeles, we can tap into the city’s film infrastructure in ways that most people can’t and help you pursue your dreams of making a movie.

In fact, a large number of Film Connection students come to us for just this reason—they have an idea for a movie and don’t know the next steps. First of all, having an idea for a movie is a great place to start. ALL movies start with an idea. If you’re passionate about your idea and determined to get it made into a movie then the Los Angeles Film Connection film directing externship (or online option) should be on your checklist of next steps. Our directing training is designed to guide you and help you transform your idea into a movie. Here’s how we do it.

HOW THE FILM CONNECTION TEACHES YOU TO BE A DIRECTOR

The late, great filmmaker Stanley Kubrick (2001: A Space Odyssey; A Clockwork Orange, The Shining, Eyes Wide Shut) once said “the best education in film is to make one.” That statement is the fundamental principal of the Film Connection film director methodology–you come to us with your idea for a movie and we teach all the steps necessary to get your movie made. Using the auteur theory of film directing, here’s how we do it.

SCREENWRITING.

Remember that idea you have for a movie? The first step in getting your idea made is to create a screen play for that idea. Why? Because ideas themselves are essentially meaningless (unless you are a movie titan)—they are a lot like opinions; everyone has one. In the movie business, ideas that are backed up with a screenplay are a valuable currency. Screenplays can be sold. Ideas can’t.

So, The Los Angeles Film Connection film directing mentored-externship pairs you with a professional screenwriter who has feature film credits to help turn your idea into a screenplay. Throughout the training you will work directly with your screenwriting mentor to flesh out and refine your screenplay.

The importance of this approach cannot be overstated—without the screenplay, there is no movie. A good screenplay tells a story in a way that translates into film. This sounds a lot easier than it really is which is why we team you up with a professional screenwriter. Here’s what a few people you may have heard of have to say about the art of screenwriting.

“People have forgotten how to tell a story. Stories don’t have a middle or an end any more. They usually have a beginning that never stops beginning.”
-Steven Spielberg (writer/director of The Sugarland Express, Poltergeist, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, AI: Artificial Intelligence.

“A story should have a beginning, a middle and an end… but not necessarily in that order.”
-Jean-Luc Godard (leading French New Wave director famous for the auteur theory of directing).

“If your goal is to become a film director, you must master screenwriting.”
-Akira Kurosawa (lauded Japanese filmmaker who wrote Seven Samurai, Rashomon and Last Man Standing and whose screenplays were adapted for The Magnificent 7 and A Fistful of Dollars.

FILMMAKING AND DIRECTING: LEARNING SCREENWRITING.

In order to make your idea into a film, you will need an understanding of all aspects of filmmaking. While you take our structured course curriculum online, we immerse you in the filmmaking process by placing you (as an extern) into a Los Angeles film production company.

Not only will you be observing first-hand how professionals go about making films, you will be thrust into the real-world filmmaking environment. You’ll learn hands-on and over-the-shoulder how films get made, step-by-step. You’ll learn about “hurry up and wait” and how to thrive in absolute chaos. And you’ll be working on turning your screenplay into your vision of your movie as you go through our film directing training. If online is more your style, you’ll still receive direct, one-on-one lessons with your mentor, a working filmmaking professional who can guide you through the process. Have a question about something? All you have to do is ask them. We’re talking direct person-to-person, not lectures.

In addition, you’ll learn what it means to be a film director by learning all the skills necessary to becoming a professional director.

• Storytelling: Without a story, there is no film.
• Scene Settings and Look: The Magic Behind What’s in a Shot.
• Working with Actors: Getting the Performance You Are Looking For.
• Working with the Crew: Making a Movie Requires an Army
• Working with the Editor: We’ll Fix It in Post.
• Budget Considerations: The Business Side of Filmmaking

What makes the Film Connection film directing approach special is the way we connect you with a working professional inside of a Los Angeles film production company. Choose to do the in-person externship and you could be surrounded by film professionals while they work on real-world film projects. We believe the benefits of this disruptive approach to film school is obvious but in case they aren’t, here’s what people you’ve probably heard of have to say about traditional film schools.

“The real trouble with film school is that the people teaching are so far out of the industry that they don’t give the students an idea of what’s happening.”
-Brian De Palma (The Untouchables, Body Double, Mission: Impossible, Scarface)

“…the curriculum is often abstract and not relevant to real life, teachers and students don’t connect with resources and experts outside of the classroom, and schools operate as if they were separate from their communities.”
-George Lucas (American Graffiti, and the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises

THE PITCH MEETING: WHERE YOUR DREAMS AND GOALS CAN BE MET.

Still remember that idea you have for a movie? By now, you will have been working with your screenwriting mentor for months to get your screenplay honed and sharpened and ready to be pitched. You will have learned a lot about film production and film directing and used that knowledge to make a sizzle reel—a short promotional video designed to sell your idea to those who can fund it.

Your mentors will prepare you for this pitch meeting, which will take place in Los Angeles in front of film and TV executives. You will go into the meeting armed with your elevator pitch, sizzle reel, screenplay, budget breakdown and plenty of guidance on what to expect from your mentors. If you’ve done it right and they love your idea and are impressed with you and the stars align, you’ll get the green light to make your movie.

DOES THE FILM CONNECTION APPROACH TO DIRECTING WORK?

Obviously, a lot of our students don’t get the green light to make their movie on their first try. Meanwhile, they’ve gained valuable experience on the screenwriting, production and pitching processes, made top level industry contacts and have gained a better understanding of how things actually work in the real world.

• And sometimes magic happens, like it did with these students recently with the help of their mentors.
• Film Connection graduate Anne Marie Cummings movie was optioned by Intrinsic Value Films.
• Film Connection graduate Victor Cobb sold his script to a company in Atlanta that turned it into a Lifetime Original Film Project.
• Film Connection graduate Ofu Obekpa sold his script and directed his own feature called Klippers starring WWE’s Kevin Nash.
• Film Connection graduate Melissa Merkel flew to Los Angeles for her pitch meeting and her screenwriting mentor put her on a Lifetime Series Project he was working on the first week she was there.
• Film Connection graduate Yuqing Chi wrote Lost in Love which is being directed by Emmanuelle Gallissi.

THE NEXT STEP IS UP TO YOU

If you are serious about seeing your idea for a movie turn into reality, we encourage you to apply to the Film Connection film directing externship, or our online option for one-on-one film education.

If you work hard, are dedicated and passionate, you can do everything we’ve been talking about in as little as six months. The Film Connection film directing training is open enrollment, which means you can start anytime. Are you ready to make your movie?

THE LOS ANGELES FILM CONNECTION FILM SCHOOL ADVANTAGE

1) Locations-Hundreds of Them.

Los Angeles is the undisputed heart of the film industry, but that doesn’t mean you have to study here. The Film Connection has locations all over the United States, from Houston to Atlanta to New York to Philadelphia, and many other cities. Your path to Hollywood can begin right near where you live. In fact, you can even get one-on-one, curriculum-backed lessons right at home. Ask about the online option to learn more.
Learn near where you live. Advantage: Film Connection.

2) Low Tuition, Graduate Debt-Free.

Don’t bury yourself in student debt to go to film school: you could kill your dreams before they ever take flight. We’ve developed a system of training you that is highly effective and affordable. Our tuition rate is so low that even if you finance, you can graduate with little or no student debt.
Low tuition, no add-on charges. Advantage: Film Connection.

3) On-the-Job Training.

Select the in-person externship option and we’ll put you in a real film production company to train. Your “classroom” is on-the-job, and on the set of real film productions. You can’t get any closer to the action than that! If online is the way you fly, you can still forget about classrooms and wasting time and money. Enroll with us and you will receive online lessons with a professional in the industry who will guide you through our industry-oriented curriculum. There’s no place for classrooms in our program. Whether you want to jump in and learn in Los Angeles where there are more real-world opportunities than any other town or want to do it all from the comfort of your own home or office, we can help you get going in months, not years. Many industry pros agree that connecting with a professional and learning in a real-world manner is the one of the best ways to learn.
Real-world experience, no classrooms. Advantage: Film Connection.

4) One-on-One Mentoring With a Real Pro.

As a film extern or online student you’ll be paired with a mentor, a seasoned industry professional with real film credits and connections. All training happens one-on-one, with no competition or interruptions from other students. Learn at your own pace. Ask any questions you like. Train with a mentor who can open doors for you.
One teacher to one student. Advantage: Film Connection.

5) Endorsements From Major Film Professionals.

Who endorses the Los Angeles Film Connection? We’re endorsed by the best in the business because they see our results!
Lots of endorsements from real film professionals. Advantage: Film Connection.

6) Real Job Placement Assistance.

Many of our externs don’t need any help finding work after graduation because they end up getting hired by the companies where they externed! We’re so determined to help you break into the film industry that every Film Connection (RRFC) student is automatically enrolled in our Stay Connected Program which offers active job placement assistance for up to 12 months after graduation.
We don’t just hand you a cold-call lead list when you graduate. We help you find work. Advantage: Film Connection.

7) You’re On the Inside at the Beginning

Whether you’re training in-person inside of a working extern in a real film production company or area learning via online delivery and one-on-one lessons with a filmmaking pro, we’re connecting you to the inside of the industry. This means you’ve got the opportunity to learn straight from a pro and prove your skills and dedication to a professional who has connections in the industry.
Get on the inside track of the film industry. Advantage: Film Connection.

8) One-on-One Tutoring.

Stumped with homework? Never fear. We offer tutoring to all students in good standing.
Tutoring for when you need it. Advantage: Film Connection.

9) Real Industry Connections.

In this business, connections are everything. Isn’t it ironic that you could spend 2-4 years in a Los Angeles film school and never make enough industry connections to get you started? That’s because the film industry pros don’t hang out in the classrooms—they’re working on the set. This is perhaps your biggest advantage to being a Los Angeles Film Connection extern—you’re learning on-the-job where the pros are working, and you can make the connections you need for the future.
Real world film industry connections. Big Advantage: Film Connection.

10) Pitch Your Own Film to Hollywood

Ask around and you’ll learn that it’s not enough to get a film education in Los Angeles: if you want to break into film, you need to have a film to pitch. The Film Connection’s curriculums are geared toward helping you develop your own original film idea, and when it comes time to graduate, we’ll arrange a meeting with actual L.A. film industry executives and give you the chance to PITCH YOUR FILM to them.
A real chance to break into Hollywood. Big Advantage: Film Connection.

Los Angeles, California is not only the 2nd largest DMA in the nation—it’s also the film capital of the world. Every year, thousands of aspiring filmmakers, actors, screenwriters, and film school graduates flock to Los Angeles looking for their chance to “make it big.”

Countless films and major television productions are shot on Hollywood sound stages and on location throughout the Los Angeles area. With all this film activity and so much demand for talent, you might think it would be easy to find your way into this business, but the opposite is true. Most hiring is done from within, and getting noticed and making connections can be quite difficult.

With Film Connection, you’ll be given the insider’s view of the business. Our mentors are directors, screenwriters, cinematographers, and producers working in the business today. We’ll place you in a fully immersive environment where you’ll get one-on-one attention from your mentor and the chance to build a great working relationship. Not only will you be observing first-hand how professionals go about making films, but you will also be thrust into a real-world filmmaking environment. You’ll learn hands-on and over-the-shoulder how films get made, step-by-step. You’ll learn about “hurry up and wait” and how to thrive in absolute chaos. What’s not to love?

And you’ll do it for much less money and in a shorter time frame. Film Connection programs are six to approximately nine months long and tuition is a fraction of the cost of those “name” schools. Why spend time in the classroom, and deal with big student loan debt, when you could be gaining valuable experience in the field?

In the studio, on location – or in your home

Film Connection has multiple locations throughout the Los Angeles area to give you more access to our programs. Baldwin Hills, Beverly Hills, and the Hollywood Hills are all close enough to make an easy commute (even with traffic). But what about those times when making any trip is a hardship?

As 2020 showed us, “normal” can change in a matter of days and not change again for months – or maybe even years. The Film Connection remote learning option still gives you unfettered access to our mentors, production companies, and the industry as a whole.

Film Connection feels being on the set is the best way to get the sights, sounds, and touch of the filmmaking process. But we also feel job commitments, family commitments, and just plain old life commitments shouldn’t get in the way of your learning opportunities, either. In fact, with remote learning, you can be mentored by any of our mentors around the country!

Make the most of your opportunities

We’ll give you one-on-one time with a mentor, months of time on the set or on location, and the experience you need to make your movie or work within a production company. But we all know making it in the entertainment industry is just as much who you know as it is what you know.

So we bring the “who” to you.

Remember, you’ll be on the job with working professionals. Everyone you meet is a possible connection, a future employer, and a potential co-worker. There are all kinds of egos on the set at any one time – just make sure yours doesn’t get in the way. If you act responsibly, do what’s asked of you, and learn when to add to the situation (and not detract), you’ll be remembered as someone that can be counted on.

Treat every interaction as if you’ll be seeing them again down the road. Because, if you play your cards right, you will. Hollywood is notorious for using the same group of people for specific jobs. Whether you’ll be working with them, using them for your own film, or need them for a reference, how do you want them to remember you?

These relationships just can’t be made in the classroom. You need to be out in the field, running the cables, learning the gear, just in the middle of the action. And that’s what the Los Angeles Film Connection is all about. Work hard and earn the opportunity to get fully immersed in the glitz, glamour, and grit of the film-making industry.

Los Angeles Film Connection Mentor

Although the Film Connection makes it so you don’t have to live in Los Angeles to break into the filmmaking business, it certainly doesn’t hurt to live in the City of Angels. And not just because LA is the entertainment hub of the world, either. Our Los Angeles mentors have built quite the body of work, both on the silver screen and on the small screen.

They have more than 25 years of experience in cinematography, directing, editing, production management, and directing. They’ve produced feature films starring Mark Ruffalo, Anthony Mackie, Ethan Hawke, Winona Ryder, Jon Hamm, and more. They’ve worked on theatrical releases, Lifetime movies, documentaries, award-winning shorts and commercials, music videos, fashion videos, and more.

With movie and TV writing credits, directing and producing festival-winning feature films, and experience both in the U.S. and abroad, our L.A. mentors are as versatile as they are knowledgeable. They are experienced Steadicam Operators with experience shooting in both film (Super 8, 16mm, 35mm) and digital (Alexa, Dragon, F5/55, Blackmagic Cinema) as well as editing in Adobe Premiere CC, Avid Media Composer, and DaVinci Resolve.

What more could you possibly be looking for in a mentor? And you could have them all to yourself when you enroll in one of our Film Connection programs.