#25 Reason I Hate Film School . . . I'm practically paying to be an intern.

So you're now in film school, picking the brains of the geniuses. Hitchcock, Spielberg, Scorsese. It's not going to come cheap or easy. You'd have to invest a lot of time and money, not just for the school and for the expenses of going away and living on your own, especially if the school you've chosen is pretty far away from where you live. Then there's the equipment, the technology, the software. And a lot of these things are updated and upgraded and you're going to invest even more to make sure that you're not stuck with obsolete and irrelevant equipment that will just put you behind. And we all know that this is quite a competitive field.

And now that we've got that mouthful of expenses, and I'm pretty sure I didn't cover everything, what happens after graduation? Do you get to make movies right away? Do you get to direct straight off the bat? Will you be instantly in charge of editing or sound or costume or lighting?

No, not so much. You know what basically happens after graduation? You become an intern. Thousands of dollars down the drain, and you're still a long way to go. Wouldn't it be better to be essentially interning while you're studying? I mean, what better way to apply what you've learned that to be able to use and test them out right away? Right?

You gotta admit when, you're stuck with college loan payments and looking for internships, it's not going to be that easy to take in.

#24 Reason I Hate Film School . . . It's tough to get parents to agree to it.

Let's face it. Even with big dreams, for most of us, our parents play a huge role when it comes to how we can work to achieving those dreams. We need to get a job and be able to sustain ourselves before we can become independent from our parents. And to get a good job that pays well and is something we love, we need to go to school and learn how to do so.

There's an irony there somewhere, I'm sure.

The thing is, as supportive as our parents would be to seeing us fulfilling our dreams and ambitions, once they see the price tag of what film school would be like, they're not exactly going to be onboard just like that. There's the expenses for school on top of equipment under equipment.

We all know these things don't come cheap, but we should be able to give our parents reassurances that the money they spent on us won't go to waste and that we actually get to use our education to further our lives. Things like a reputable school that's established itself in helping the students with their dreams and even helping the students find jobs even after they've graduated will surely come a long way for parents to helping their children. And it would help if they're not so heavy on their checkbooks either.

I don't think parents would want to shell out thousands for the possibility that the most that their kids would be doing would be shut inside a classroom and watch movies in and out. They're most likely to say "Go to the cinema."

#23 Reason I Hate Film School . . . You Have to Travel to Major Cities.

So maybe this is pretty much the reality. The major schools, the ones with the stellar reputation that you can easily get jobs on the basis of the name of the school in your diploma, aren't exactly accessible. Financially, true, but we've been over that.

Physically too.

Small town, big cities, everyone's gotta have that big dream. And no matter where they live or the population of the city they're living in or some other thing, everyone should have the chance to achieve that dream. To prove themselves to people that they are worthy.

Film schools are so far away. I guess it's understandable that a lot of them are in California and New York too. But let's face it, not everyone can have that chance to go there. Wouldn't it be just great to be able to learn and study about films without traveling too far from where you're home is. You don't have to shell out so much money and use them toward your education. Getting your equipment right and up to date, making sure that you've got the tools you need to be successful, that sort of thing.

Now that would definitely be my idea of a supportive school.

#22 Reason I Hate Film School . . . It's Kind of Elitist.

Come on, it is! We've talked a lot about high profile positions in the film-making industry. The director, the writer, the actor. They put a lot of stock in these areas, but not so much on the other areas.

And hey, they're just as important to the film too! Every little detail about a film is important to its success. From the actors and the directors to the way the littlest prop is arranged and shown on film.

What we really need is an institution that offers equal opportunities of instruction for every aspect of the film-making process. A lot of people don't necessarily want to be involved in anything as high-profile as what was mentioned. But they still want to be a part of the film-making. They want to be a part of something so truly fascinating, something that touches people in every way, in every corner of the world.

Movies get to connect everyone from all walks of life. You may come from different ends of the world, but if you like a good horror movie, then you've got something common that can't easily be undone. Film schools are not quite the same, and they don't necessarily encourage the other "lesser" aspects of film-making.

And when you think about it, they should.

#21 Reason I Hate Film School . . . You're Disconnected from the Industry!

Film schools are disconnected from the industry in too many ways that makes it worth it.

For one, you're stuck inside a classroom all day. It's fun to learn all these things, I'm sure. But I doubt we get to use at least half of what we learn inside when we're in an actual film set. Wouldn't it be better to be in an actual film set more than we're cooped up inside a classroom.

Then you've got the fact that spending years in school doesn't really work for you because people will want to hire those who actually know their way around a film set. Yes, you'll impress them with your diploma and your theories on how this and that movie worked in touching the audience, but when they ask you something technical (how about something about the equipment used?) and you go blank, they're not very likely to hire you.

And this is an industry that changes quicker than a girl changes her mind about the shirt she wanted to wear for the day. A lot of the things we learn inside a school just doesn't really apply to what is currently relevant.

What we really need is to be there, where they make films. A hands-on and practical approach to learning that's going to go a long way in forming us to be successful filmmakers.

#20 Reason I Hate Film School . . . It's Not that Inspiring!

Of course, getting ourselves inspired to be better film students is really more of our job, but who can blame us from feeling a little uninspired when we're stuck in a classroom all day? When all we seem to do is just study all these different aspects of film-making. Its histories, the great works of directors from past to present, dissecting what makes a film great.

I think people would be more inspired to be better if they get to see just how films are really made. All that studying is helpful, that's true. How else could you hone your creative juices so you can work some magic behind the camera. But that's not all. I bet it would really get a lot of students even more excited and more inspired if they spend more time in actual film set. Where they get to see just how creative ideas are translated into something that it filmed and shared with the rest of the world. They don't need to wait near the end of their course work when they get internships. They should be exposed early to what they're getting into.

I'm just saying, not everything can be learned inside a classroom.

#19 Reason I Hate Film School . . . It's Not Really Updated!

Can you imagine? About fifteen years ago, most people were watching movies using VHS tapes, and didn't really think twice about it. And then, people we're using VCDs. Although I have to say, it didn't take long for DVDs to be the norm for watching movies at home. And now, Blu-Ray! I think I barely got over DVDs.

My point it, the technology used in this industry is always changing. What the average people know about are the DVDs and VCDs, but what about the equipment used behind the scenes? The camera? The lighting? The programs used for editing? A lot of these things are always changing, always being updated. And to be successful in this field, we need to keep up!

And to be honest, I don't think you can do much of keeping up when you're stuck in a classroom and not seeing how it is being done out there. What we need to see firsthand just how films are made and the technologies that are used to help someone take their image and share it with the rest of the world. Whatever it is you're learning in a classroom or from books, chances are, about half of it won't be applicable once you're out there in the world.