How important is formal education in becoming a videogragher?

Question

i am becoming more and more interested in shooting and editing videos. i have been able to learn alot on my own through forums and tutorials and have even made my own music video for my band. i want to learn more but more in the way of an apprenticeship rather than college as i want to do more low budget independent production rather than big budget hollywood affairs. i mainly want to focus on music videos and other short projects not tv/movie production. i have a close relative that can help me get camera experience interning at a newsstation and already have a pretty good understanding of editing software. do you think this would be a better route for some people or will it be not enough for what i want to do. as i said i am more of a hands on learner and dont want to prodce movies or tv just short stuff like music vdeos concerts commercials ect. thanks for your opinions suggestions

Answer 1

if you intend to be a lone wolf and have no need for money or peer recognition, then by all means drop out and dope up.  Forget the cable company, they just want free workers or only hire for a couple of hours a week for in-studio supervised work, you point the camera where they say, how's that for creative expression?  Not even a small market TV station is going to hand over $50,000 worth of equipment to a drop-out junkie. To be worthwhile to a TV station you need to do more than point a camera. You need a command of English, to compose a story spoken as well as viewed. To understand simple instructions so that you will be allowed the freedom to take gear out of the studio and into real life. Responsibility is not automatic with a diploma, but it can help you make a statement that you are serious.

Answer 2

I actually think you're on your way. You seem to have the motivation and the drive to get things done.

Personally, when I went to film school for three years, I've regretted not working on more student film sets. The few that I have been on (and since) have produced more learning experience for me than in the classroom. But with that said, I also took away plenty of knowledge from various teachers.

Bottom line is, the more knowledge you accumulate in your chosen field, whether in the classroom or out in the field, can only make you better! (Especially where technology is concerned, and changes all the time.)

Finally, I also interned at a local cable station for two years when I was in high school. That knowledge and experience led the cable station to hire me for my first industry job.

For online resource check out the forums at:

www.dvinfo.net

Good luck,

--JA

http://www.madjavaproductions.com/