For Cinematography, the First Step is Film School!

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If you've grown up in awe of the motion picture, fascinated by every aspect of the art, you may want to consider a career in the business. In this week's "Who Says I'm Overeducated" column, you'll discover some roads that lead to a career in film and video.

First Step - Go to Film School

These days, a degree in cinema studies or film and television goes a lot further towards landing you a job than in the past. Film and video graduates used to find jobs at a similar rate to those graduating in other fine arts disciplines such as music, dance, and theater, for example.

Jobs that pay the bills in these disciplines have always been pretty hard to come by. Today, on the other hand, jobs for those versed in video, the photographic arts, and cinematography are becoming more available as the film and visual media industry expands. Today, telling your parents that you want to major in film studies won't automatically turn them white with worry.

What You'll Learn as an Undergraduate

As a film school student, you'll be bombarded with a number of new skills. On the technical side, you'll learn how to use many of the tools needed to create a motion picture. On the artistic side, you'll learn how to capture a mood with certain shots and cinematographic techniques.

You'll support both of these endeavors by watching old films and becoming well versed in the history of film. Some film majors also spend time taking acting classes, because the two disciplines are so closely related. Those who know how motion pictures are made can incorporate those ideas into their acting techniques, and vice versa.

If becoming a film major seems like a good fit for you, start looking into reputable film schools. Here's a hint - many of them are located in media hubs like Los Angeles and New York City.

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