Sundance, Cannes, the BFI London – if these words ring any bells or capture your attention, it’s possible that you’re an aspiring film student on the hunt for the next opportunity to showcase your creative potential.
Representing just a few of the world’s famous film festivals, events like Sundance give film students and graduates a stage where they can display their visual portfolios, in the hope of inspiring the audience and emerging from the crowd with a few more employers’ interests.
That’s why film schools are at the forefront of artistic innovation and applause.
Supplying a global stage for their learners’ talents to be recognised and appreciated, film schools match students with the courses, studios, equipment and faculty members that will best suit their creative direction.
Steering students towards their individual visions and values, rather than leading them off route, film schools also try to fulfil every angle of an applicant’s artistic journey by showcasing their creative potential.
Luckily for film students, the future worlds of work look promising.
Demanding naturally creative, agile and imaginative people to fill out-of-the-box and bespoke roles, future workplaces will grant aspiring producers, directors, designers and animators with an employable advantage.
As explained in the PwC Workforce of the Future 2030 report, “Some optimists believe AI could create a world where human abilities are amplified as machines help mankind process, analyse, and evaluate the abundance of data that creates today’s world, allowing humans to spend more time engaged in high‑level thinking, creativity, and decision-making.
“Automation will not only alter the types of jobs available but their number and perceived value. Those workers performing tasks which automation can’t yet crack, become more pivotal – and this means creativity, innovation, imagination, and design skills will be prioritised by employers,” notes the report.
Treating creativity like currency, students that graduate in artistic trades and develop their innovation, design and innovative skills may have a higher chance of being chosen by future employers.
Following on from that report, film schools must also have a firm grip on their student development tactics.
Introducing them to insightful internships and instilling the skills that will support their desired careers, a film school is where a creative’s future starts.
Here are three film schools that are capturing students’ creative potential…
SCHOOL OF DESIGN, VICTORIA UNIVERSITY OF WELLINGTON – NEW ZEALAND
Offering the largest specialised design programmes in New Zealand (NZ) and staffed by lecturers and tutors renowned for their leading research and practice, Victoria University of Wellington (VUW) is where you can start framing your creative potential.
With Wellington becoming the 2nd best city in the world for its tremendous quality of life, according to the Deutsche Bank Mapping the World’s Prices 2019 report, also scoring 1st place in 2018 for its first-rate lifestyle opportunities, your studies at VUW will coincide with New Zealand’s most creative start-up city.
One of Victoria University of Wellington’s most prized offerings includes the Miramar Creative Centre (MCC). The MCC is located in the heart of Miramar: ‘New Zealand’s Hollywood’, where you will find the Weta Group of Companies (of Lord of the Rings, TinTin and Game of Thrones fame). Through this proximity and networking platform, students make use of the impressive connections through internships, mentorship and insightful visits.
At VUW, all staff have impressive industry experience driving their research programmes. For example, a current academic is developing a project with support from the renowned Sundance Film Festival, and two others are continuing collaborations with Epic Games.
Merging design with the future fields of film and technology, VUW graduates are valued for their creative, innovative and independent thinking skills.
That’s why the diverse selection of study routes at the VUW School of Design includes the Bachelor of Design Innovation (BDI) with the opportunity to major in Animation and Visual Effects, and the Master of Design Technology (MDT), which is annually certified by the globally-leading software company SideFX – an extremely competitive certification.
Arriving with career aspirations, students leave VUW with an agile and artistic flair, ready to take on the world of film in Wellington and beyond.
GRIFFITH FILM SCHOOL, GRIFFITH UNIVERSITY – AUSTRALIA
Inviting you to explore your passion for film, animation and games design, Griffith Film School at Griffith University in Australia is preparing the next generation of filmmakers, animators and game designers for creative and exciting careers within the international business of film, television and digital screen media production.
By linking you to expert industry practitioners and academics while teaching cutting-edge creation for multimedia and digital game development, 2D and 3D animation and screen production, Griffith gives aspiring creative students a great start to their career.
As you’ll see from the student opportunity section, there’s always something fun and engaging happening at this film school.
Through the LiveLab, the Griffith Film School produces creative content, innovative thinking and professional services alongside the best production companies in Australia.
And through the school’s industry connections, students enjoy the chance to travel to Cannes International Film Festival to attend events, meetings and workshops where they can connect with global leaders in the industry.
In addition, guest speakers have included Hollywood Directors Gil Bettman and Mark Travis; multi-Oscar award-winning producer Lord David Puttnam CBE; Academy award-winning animator Adam Elliot; the esteemed Gobelins School in Paris; and renowned animators and motion capture experts.
If you’re held back by financial burdens, note that the school offers a few scholarships to help international students fulfil their creative potential.
With dedicated support and artistic avenues for the next-best directors, actors and producers, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t give Griffith Film School a go!
SEATTLE FILM INSTITUTE (SFI) – USA
SFI is a private, for-profit film school in Seattle, Washington.
Anchored by film industry professionals, SFI captures students’ creative potential through a broad selection of formats.
With undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in the study formats of Filmmaking, Producing For Film, Digital Arts, Animation & Game Design, Acting For Film, Audio Production & Sound Design and Composing for Film, there’s a discipline to suit every learners’ artistic direction.
To resonate with their mission, students must try and develop the specific creative and technical expertise, as well as the critical employability skills needed to launch their careers in today’s fast-paced film environment.
That’s why SFI supplies a hands-on, production-based approach so students gain a rigorous, well-rounded education in film, immersing themselves in the filmmaking process from day one.
Supported by a faculty of experienced, working professional filmmakers, actors, writers, editors, composers, cinematographers, agents and other specialists, SFI continues to inspire students with exclusive networking events, insightful faculty lectures and talks by guest speakers.
Showcasing students’ impressive work, you’ll see a variety of videos that display commercial reels, directing reels, recording sessions and more.
Alternatively, if you want to boost your media skills and you’re on the lookout for continuing education classes, otherwise known as ‘extension classes’, keep checking this page to see if any additions will make the list.
*Some of the institutions featured in this article are commercial partners of Study International
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