The world has become a global village. Globalization has shrunk the world and has brought everyone together through the use of small screens. The magnitude of events and happenings in the world is just a snap of a finger away from us at any time.
Table of Contents
Is a Film Degree really Worth it?
Have you ever thought about what allowed all of this to happen? It’s not just the outcome that you see on your screen that matters, as all of this wouldn’t be possible without the tiresome efforts of the people who set up everything behind the cameras.
Media, cinematography, and film industry are all embryonic branches with the same origin. Having a degree in Media Studies is becoming an emerging trend as it provides hands-on experience of capturing the physical world through the camera lens.
Advantages of a Graduate Degree in Filmmaking:
Although there are many more benefits to having a Graduate Degree in Filmmaking, the most important ones are given below:
Powerful Projection:
Completing a Graduate Degree in Filmmaking gives you ample chances for your continuous professional development. Attending seminars, workshops, webinars, and symposiums provides you with many opportunities to meet the geniuses within the field. You can learn many tips and tricks for the trade from those reputed professionals and they’ll help you carve your personality accordingly.
Learning by Doing:
Spending one to two years in the field, learning and absorbing all necessities will help you outshine others. Hands-on experience or ‘learning by doing’ boosts your self-confidence and chisels your creativity. Be it the field of cinematography, film production, direction, or production, practical experience will benefit you in the long run.
Broadens your Vision:
When you have multi-faceted exposure and diversified approaches, it helps broaden your vision and teaches you to observe things from a broader perspective. You start thinking from the masses’ point of view and start making the products with your creativity while keeping the multi-dimensional aspects of life in mind.
Jobs Related to a Film Degree:
Having a degree in Film Studies opens a plethora of fields for you to explore. One can choose any direction as per their personal inclination. Some of the notable fields are:
Production:
Film production is the most crucial stage in filmmaking, and the job of filmmaking needs lots of research and detailing to be done. Some job opportunities in this field are production designer, programmer, researcher, video producer, etc.
Direction:
Directing a scene and focusing on every tiny detail of it, is a tiresome job. Retakes and amendments are what give you a wholesome and flawless sight. A person in this field can work as a film director, film/video editor, or concept artist.
Broadcasting:
Broadcasting is a very thrilling and thriving domain within Media Studies. One knows how to grab people’s attention, where to pause, how to annotate etc. All these milestones help to present a lively and information-enriched broadcasting program. Various jobs related to this domain are broadcast presenter, camera operator, production coordinator, concept artist, special effects technician, etc.
Skills Learnt from a Film Degree:
It’s not the degree that matters, but the skills one gets from all the technicalities and knowledge. A wide array of skills that are more prominent in this field are:
- Research and Analysis
- Observation
- Critical Thinking and Creativity
- Thinking out of the Box
- Critical Analysis
- Intra and Interpersonal Communication Skills
- Flexibility
- Time Management
Degrees within Film Studies:
Although film studies seem to be a limited field, many universities offer multiple degrees within this domain. Some of them are as follows:
- Film Production
- Motion Design
- Cinematography
- Digital Film Production
- Film and Screen Arts
- Film and Media
- Film Directing
- Moving Image Production
- Film and Television Production Management
All these degrees cover a broad range of the industry and are a golden opportunity as you’ll still have a wide spectrum of sub-fields to choose from.
Jobs Prospects of having a Film Degree:
According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of people getting jobs in Media and Communication occupations is likely to grow 4% from 2019-2029, which will provide an opportunity to 46,200 new people to get a job in this domain.
The research on median wages of all occupations also stated that the median annual salary for Media and Communication occupations (such as announcers, interpreters and translators, and technical writers) was $59,230 in May 2019. This salary package was higher than the median annual wage for all occupations combined, at $39,810.
Top 5 Universities offering a Degree in Film Studies:
1. Princeton University:
- Course Offered: Program in Media and Modernity
- World Ranking: 13th
2. Boston University:
- Course Offered: BS in Film and Television
- World Ranking: 74th
3. UCLA’s School of Theater, Film, and Television:
- Course Offered: Film, Television and Digital Media, Theater
- World Ranking: 15th
4. The University of North Carolina:
- Course Offered: Film Making
- World Ranking: 30th
5. Columbia University:
- Course Offered: Theater, Visual Arts
- World Ranking: 6th
Conclusion
If you want to be a creative genius or outshine yourself when it comes to creativity, this is the right field for you. Having a degree in Film Studies not only opens many doors for you, but also gives you the insight to look at the world from a broader perspective. You will get hands-on experiences to know your surroundings better. Undoubtedly, graduating with a Film Degree is a step towards a brighter future. So what are you waiting for; Get yourself enrolled and get that degree!
Christina Lyon is the author of this educational blog and she is involved with student’s life and education. She has a passion for writing articles related to education including Degrees, Diplomas, exams, students’ experience, and her prime objective is to support worldwide students by answering all their FAQs through this blog.
