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Author Topic: University worthwile? Darryl Spicer Film God Posts: 3250 From: Lexington, KY, USA Registered: Dec 2000 posted 01-11-2004 03:11 AM                    When it comes to higher education I feel that some people have the abillity to handle that level and some don't. I think it's important to make that decision and stick with it. If you feel that you can't go the long haul of four years then shoot for junior collage and go two years.  |  IP: Logged Robert E. Allen Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1078 From: Checotah, Oklahoma Registered: Jul 2002 posted 01-11-2004 03:27 AM                     The exhibition industry is going to get more complex whether you choose management or the booth or some other technical aspect and while a university degree does not guarantee you employment you will be better equipped to succeed in it with that education.  |  IP: Logged Will Kutler Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1506 From: Tucson, AZ, USA Registered: Feb 2001 posted 01-11-2004 01:32 PM                     Through the mid 20th century, having a college education meant better job opportunities. And back then, many people would spend their entire carreers at one or two companies. You could almost count on retirement. Not so today. I have known many people who have spent many years working for major companies, and a year or 2 before retirement, the company finds a way of laying-them off, buying out the retirement package, thereby screwing that loyal employee out of his/her earned retirement! My advice to you is this: What do you ENNJOY doing! Can you make a comfortable living at what you enjoy? How versitle is this career field? Will doing this job eventually burn you out? Can you get a formal education in your chosen field? Furthermore, be careful of choosing a career field because it is the latest "high dollar" trend. Yes, you may make major $$ for a brief period of time, but there is the possibility of the field becomming flooded, and then mix this with an economic downturn.... Educationn DOES NOT end with college! Once you have graduated and are working, you need to keep updating your knowledge in order to stay licensed, competitive, etc. This holds true for technical people, doctors, lawyers, those involved with financial and business fields, etc. I have known many people who have graduated with degrees, and only waited until after graaduation to start looking for work. A year later, they are still unemployed, due to lack of practical experience. While you are in college, depending on your schedule, do what you can to find either part-time work in your field, or an internship so that you can start building a resume and business contacts. Keep your grades up in school! Rather than overtaxing yourself with a zillion "impressive exra-activities" do what you can to demenstrate your competitency to your instructors, so thaat they might recommend you to prospective employers! ut the old cliche still holds true...a peerson w/an education has a better chance of success than the person without...although I am always hearing stories to the contrary.  |  IP: Logged Joe Redifer You need a beating today Posts: 12859 From: Denver, Colorado Registered: May 99 posted 01-11-2004 01:59 PM                        I don't think working at a movie theater (in any area) will ever require a college degree. If it ever does, then that's just sad. Next you will need a degree to be the drive up cashier at McDonalds!  |  IP: Logged Rachel Craven Madam Moderator Posts: 2190 From: Pensacola, FL Registered: Dec 2000 posted 01-12-2004 12:11 AM                     I have to go to college for a year to cut hair (what, you don't trust me with scissors??? ) but I can run my theater from top to bottom with a GED...somehow that just doesn't make sense to me. Oh well.  |  IP: Logged Joe Redifer You need a beating today Posts: 12859 From: Denver, Colorado Registered: May 99 posted 01-12-2004 08:30 AM                        College or trade school, Rach?  |  IP: Logged Rachel Craven Madam Moderator Posts: 2190 From: Pensacola, FL Registered: Dec 2000 posted 01-12-2004 10:26 AM                     Yeah yeah, mistype. What is cosmetology school...well, on their packet it says college. I would actually call it a technical college. That better?  |  IP: Logged Blake Zaugg Film Handler Posts: 57 From: Lafayette, LA Registered: Sep 2002 posted 01-13-2004 01:38 PM                     I've done some college & univiversity, but it gets frustrating having to take courses that have nothing to do with the final goal. It's the jumping through hoops that drive me nuts. I'm going to do business/management.  |  IP: Logged Manny Knowles "What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???" Posts: 4247 From: Bloomington, IN, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 01-13-2004 02:07 PM                     Blake... Surviving in the modern workplace entails jumping through hoops. At the very least, a college degree shows that you have some prior experience. Along similar line of thought, obtaining a degree demonstrates what some people call "stick-to-it-ive-ness." It shows that you're not a flake and that you can finish the things that you start. One of the things I value about my college experience is that, in retrospect, it afforded me the last great opportunity to reflect on life and people, including myself. I was able to figure out where I stood on certain issues and, by extension, I was able to arrive at a personal philosophy that was based in truth and personal beliefs as opposed to one that was based on what I had been taught by parents, priests, teachers, other kids and a limited range personal experiences. If you can afford it, I highly recommend attending a college that is not in your home town. Take this opportunity to go out on your own. One of my roommates did not know how to change a light bulb because his parents had done everything for him back home. I went from a small island community all the way to Los Angeles which is a large city, thousands of miles away (geographically and ideologically). Some of the most important lessons I learned in college had nothing to do with the coursework. The experience is the thing.  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 01-13-2004 04:45 PM                     I agree that there is definately more to college than the sheepskin you can earn at the end. Normally it is the first time youngsters are forced to live with other people, not of their choosing and must learn how to get along. The sense of responsibility is turned up a notch in that it is all up to you...you succeed or you fail...it is all up to you. It is also one of the last places on growing up where a failure doesn't have as big a reprocussion. The potential to expand ones experiences are huge at a college/university setting. The education goes FAR beyond the classroom. Part of what a university "teaches" is not exactly what you are going to be doing in the "real world" but how to learn so you can survive better in the real world. Most jobs continiously change so you must be able to adapt and change in order to continue...being inflexible and expecting the world to stay still for you since you learned all you needed to know will eventually lead to obsolesence and unemployment. One of the great things that colleges normally force a student to do is actually take courses outside of their "major" and it is amazing the insight that can be had from such experiences. So...I say, if you can, have the college experience and finish it. There is indeed something to those that don't finish college, tend (but not always) to not finish anything. It all depends on why they quit. Steve  |  IP: Logged John Pytlak Film God Posts: 9987 From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922 Registered: Jan 2000 posted 01-21-2004 03:45 PM                        Needed a BSEE degree to work as an engineer, but it was my experience as a projectionist that opened the door for me at Kodak in 1970. First project was helping design a 100-seat screening room. Second project (Laboratory Aim Density Control System) won an Academy Sci-Tech Award 25 years later: http://www.film-tech.com/trailers/filmtechpytlak.html Kodak also has an excellent in-company training program for Image Science, which all product development engineers complete. I also had to script, shoot, process, edit, and print a 10-minute training film, titled "A-Wind or B-Wind, Which Kind?", to learn filmmaking "hands-on". I now often find myself as the "teacher", often giving training seminars in motion-picture or projection technology for customers, such as at the Association of Moving Image Archivists (AMIA) in Vancouver last November. Careers at Kodak: http://www.kodak.com/US/en/corp/careers/index.jhtml?pq-path=2/8/923  |  IP: Logged Manny Knowles "What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???" Posts: 4247 From: Bloomington, IN, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 01-21-2004 04:33 PM                     Please note correct spelling of "Worthwhile." (Something I learned at University!)  |  IP: Logged Michael Brown Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1522 From: Bradford, England Registered: May 2001 posted 01-21-2004 07:43 PM                     quote: Blake wrote: I wanted to hear what you all think about college. To continue in the theatre/film industry would it be worth the $30,000-$40,000 investment? What course are you looking at studying? Give us some more info so we can comment - When you say "film industry" do you mean film making or film presentation?  |  IP: Logged Greg Mueller Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1687 From: Port Gamble, WA Registered: Jun 99 posted 01-21-2004 08:06 PM                        One thing about college... If you are going to college to get a better job, you have to look forward in time to see what jobs will be in demand when you get out of college. It doesn't do any good to be very qualified for a job that there is no call for (blacksmith?). Otherwise you will be a very smart unemployed person. The trick is figuring out what will be in demand in the future.  |  IP: Logged Manny Knowles "What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???" Posts: 4247 From: Bloomington, IN, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 01-21-2004 08:12 PM                     Are they still teaching blacksmithing in college!?  |  IP: Logged

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