Expert: Phil Nemy - 6/23/2008

Question
Hello Phil,
If you have answered these Q's before, please send me a link for the same.
I am from India and am not fully aware of hollywood as an Industry, please let me know if some of my Qs are irrelevant.

I want to make a career as a film director, I want to take a formal training in film direction.

1. Having an undergraduate degree in engineering, is a MFA right choice for me ?
2. It is difficult for me to fund my course, are there  enough scholarships/assistances for these courses?
3. Post MFA, do students get jobs in production houses ? What is the average salary like ?
4. Lastly could you suggest top US universities offering  courses in Direction(that are recognised in Industry), or could you send me a link of the same.

Thanks a lot

Answer
Achman,

Thanks for writing. Let me see if I can't help answer your questions:

1) An MFA degree is NOT required in order for you to pursue a film career as a director. However, if you are not familiar with the craft of directing, or the craft of acting for that matter, then enrolling in a graduate film directing program will help you develop the necessary skills so that you can excel at your craft.

2) I don't know what kind of scholarships are available. You'll have to inquire with each film program that interests you.

3) No, student directors who have graduated are not offered jobs in production houses. Film Directing is a free-lance profession, meaning there are times when you will be hired to work as a director and there will be times when you are unemployed. As long as your films are profitable, you'll continue to work. If your films are NOT profitable, you'll find it harder to stay employed as a film director. The average salary of a non-union director is $5000 to $50,000. If you are a member of the union called the Director's Guild of America and you are employed under one of their contracts, then you are guaranteed to be paid at least the union minimum. For a feature film, the union minimum is around $275,000 for a director.

4) The schools with the best film programs (in no particular order) are USC, UCLA, NYU, Columbia University, Univ of Texas at Austin, Florida State University, and Boston University. You might also wish to consider the American Film Institute.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

Phil