Current Contemplations: An Open Letter to the Biola Film Student

An Open Letter to the Biola Film Student,

As much as you may love the school, your friends, and the fact that you are in Los Angeles DOING THE THING and GOING AFTER THE DREAM, you may not always love the film programme.  Before, during, and after my time at Biola I have heard the repeated refrain: why do I have to get a degree? Especially at a school where, let's face it, the programme is not USC or UCLA, and as a result, you wonder if you're wasting your time.  After all, everyone (the professors included) joke that you don't really "need" a degree to get a job, and what's better than real-world experience? And you know plenty of people who never went to a four-year university who are in THE INDUSTRY working right now!

Well, I'm here to tell you that your time at university and, yes, your degree, DOES actually "matter".

Let me preface this by saying that I am not planning on becoming a 1st A/C, a key grip, or a studio driver.  You would be right in assuming that all of these roles (and many others) require technical knowledge that a four-year school like Biola doesn't necessarily provide.  And I too know plenty of people who are perfectly fine with taking the "university isn't for everyone" route and are happily and successfully working in THE INDUSTRY.  I was also, it is worth mentioning, a "bad" film student in that I never wanted to touch a camera or a piece of editing software if I could help it.  And to make matters worse I questioned whether or not I "really wanted to do the film thing" multiple times throughout my studies.

However, all of that being said, I am going to assume that you do believe that going to university was the right choice for you (over a technical school or something else).  I am also going to assume that your ultimate career goal is, indeed, in some capacity in the film industry.  If both of these statements apply to you, then I want you to know that you are NOT wasting your time at Biola for three (closely related) reasons.

1) A degree does actually mean something.  It means the "oh so coveted" word "experience".

I moved to New York City to try to make it in the Big Apple with nothing more than an undergraduate film degree to my name and a belief that in the entertainment business degrees were "nice to have".  But after quite a few interviews and applications to be an assistant in fields as diverse as publishing, music, art galleries, advertising, and, of course, film, something quickly became apparent to me: degrees mattered.  A lot.  In every single interview that wasn't related precisely to film-making, I had to justify my experience and try to prove to them that my education could translate to their industry.  The answer I kept getting? "You'd make a great assistant, but we want someone with more experience."  The only ones where I was a serious contender for the position? Film studios.  In fact, at the end of the interview I actually succeeded at, I heard: "...and the fact that you have a film degree is a huge plus."  The verdict? Just the fact that you have a degree in the subject you studied does in fact count as that "experience" you feel like you are missing out on while getting it.

2) Degrees mean keeping your options open.

Another benefit of getting a bachelor's? It means you can apply to a variety of jobs that simply require a four-year degree in anything.  For instance, if you decide to travel and you want to teach English in a foreign country for a year.  Or, if you're still not sure what you want to do, you have the option to go to grad school and study something else.  The point is, just having a four-year allows you to have more options at your disposal for what type of path(s) you want to take.  And a film degree can only help your chances at getting hired IN INDUSTRY, never harm them (see point number 1).

3) University means allowing yourself the time to cultivate your community and yourself.

This is, perhaps, the most important reason to get a degree at Biola although it doesn't feel like it when you're young, eager, ambitious, and ready to start your career.  There is only so much time in your life where you're able to set aside a good amount of time and take a conscious effort to understand yourself and be a part of a community that you care about and that cares about you.  This is not something to devalue or to throw away.  After graduation, you realise how extremely important it is to have that support group externally, and to have a strong sense of yourself internally "to keep the dream alive".  And if that wasn't enough, people who are successful collaborators IN INDUSTRY for decades usually are so because they met in college.  Biola offers an amazing community of thoughtful, interesting, and passionate film-makers who care about collaboration and encouragement.  These are rare things to find.

So, young film-maker, these are the reasons I advocate for you to "stay and get that degree".  Even if it's at a film school where networking and connections post-graduation feel thin at best.  The opportunities are always out there if you stay determined and keep putting yourself out there.  The identity you're forming and the friends you make are not investments to take for granted or dismiss as "unimportant".

Now is the time to make sure your entire self-worth isn't put into your career.  Now is the time to form hobbies and try new things.  Now is the time to make sure you establish emotional anchors that will keep you grounded through battling the rocky seas of Hollywood where everything changes and new deals are made Yesterday.  Because, believe it or not, the cliche is true.  Without an identity outside of film-making and people to share your accomplishments with, when you do finally secure that coveted BIG BREAK, the Legendary Opportunity feels pretty hollow.

Sincerely,
Someone Who Has "Made It" in New York City