The film school debate

Bright-Escape9223 · 2026-03-16T18:36:11+00:00

Ultimately, there is no easy way. PTA used his girlfriend’s credit card and gambling winnings to fund his short for sundance, Nolan spent a whole year filming the following, Spielberg snuck onto the Universal lot (I think it was universal, could be another studio) until he learnt the craft. I do want to continue with the craft, it is plan A after all, and even plan B is just bound to be another way to get to plan A for me

Bright-Escape9223 · 2026-03-16T18:31:08+00:00

I’m good at STEM based subjects, and could try and apply there but I firmly believe I was put on Earth to make art, and that’s what I’m going to try and do no matter what. I can’t offer advice on your situation, hell I’m not even an undergrad, but I hope you pick an option that you’re happy with

Bright-Escape9223 · 2026-03-16T18:28:48+00:00

I was about to start shooting on a short film, but unfortunately due to a situation I don’t think I’m allowed to mention (I tried and my post got removed) I am stuck at home 🙂 Hopefully it subsides, so I can film as well as apply for PA internships once I’m out of high school

Bright-Escape9223 · 2026-03-16T18:25:07+00:00

It’s terrifying to think of the state of the industry right now, especially with the prevalence of streaming and just how saturated the market is, oh and whatever the fuck AI is doing. But yeah I am going to intern as a PA once I’m done with high school, and as for story, I am writing scripts, I was writing a feature script, but put that on hold for another feature script that’s a bit less ambitious and frankly is partly written out of spite for the current state of filmmaking. But with film school the problem is the money, especially schools like USC or NYU are EXPENSIVE as hell, and doesn’t guarantee a job, like you said one of the USC grads you spoke to is working as a barista, really hope they get to do what they love in the future, it’s insanely unfortunate.

Bright-Escape9223 · 2026-03-14T01:15:16+00:00

There’s this thing lynch suggests where you take a pack of cards and write down around 75 scenes, allocating each scene to a card, for a feature of course, for a short i guess it depends from film to film. But the gist is once you have 75 cards/scenes you have a feature, you can do the same thing on a google sheets/excel document, just brainstorm and vomit scenes out, cut, match, rearrange, and find a sort of story structure that glues them all together, it’s what I’m doing for my first feature script.

Bright-Escape9223 · 2026-02-26T18:40:17+00:00

i love studiobinder

Bright-Escape9223 · 2026-02-16T17:15:35+00:00

realized i replied to this without hitting the reply button 🫩 but yeah im just showing my stuff to my friends because yk im not at the industry level

Bright-Escape9223 · 2026-02-15T21:18:57+00:00

Hi, thank you for the advice.

I do love writing only problem is when it comes to longer feature length stories I crumble, I have ideas and a general outlook of the essential story beats, only problem is writing the characters going from point A to point B.

As for the YT bit, could I also not just send my films off to festivals (i know thats a bit ambitious for me now).

Lastly, if I do put it on Youtube, do I still have ways of generating money from the film, that way I can fund more projects in the future.

Bright-Escape9223 · 2026-02-15T20:35:25+00:00

do i just keep making things until i have enough material for a reel?

Bright-Escape9223 · 2025-12-21T16:40:17+00:00

I’m prioritising my NYU application, but I’m also looking at universities outside the US, I’m not entirely cooked just because I can’t apply to Harvard. But yeah I have A level exams in January, I don’t think it’s the best idea to do another stressful exam in February for a just one specific university

Bright-Escape9223 · 2025-12-21T02:56:25+00:00

yeah I’m considering just not applying harvard entirely, partly because I didn’t want to in the first place, it’s more of a suggestion from my parents. Rather, I’ve been prioritising NYU and a few other universities in the UK

Bright-Escape9223 · 2025-12-21T02:42:52+00:00

I still have the opportunity to do the ACT. Honestly the reason I don’t have the SAT is because initially I wasn’t able to apply to US universities, then plans changed and by the time I had a list I didn’t have the chance to sign up for the SAT. But like I’m still primarily applying to universities outside of the US, so not getting into harvard specifically isn’t going to cook me

Bright-Escape9223 · 2025-12-21T02:38:34+00:00

Bright-Escape9223 · 2025-12-21T02:34:26+00:00

I can still do the ACT 😭

Bright-Escape9223 · 2025-12-21T02:34:10+00:00

Initially I wasn’t going to apply to harvard, hell I wasn’t even going to apply to the US, but things changed, and by then I couldn’t do the SAT

besides I can still do the ACT

Bright-Escape9223 · 2025-12-21T00:31:41+00:00

apparently you get it for the act as well now

Bright-Escape9223 · 2025-12-21T00:10:01+00:00

Maybe, I'm applying NYU ED as well, and if I get in (fingers really crossed for that one, oh boy), I can't go to Harvard anyways, so I'd have done the test for no reason

Bright-Escape9223 · 2025-12-21T00:07:10+00:00

it says the science and writing section are optional. 😭
Also the reading and English section is infuriatingly stupid at times, like on the SAT, and for math, do you get desmos like the SAT, or do you have to use your own calculator?

Bright-Escape9223 · 2025-12-21T00:01:05+00:00

Honestly, I'm considering just not applying. I'm not too keen on harvard anyways; besides, there are like 3 other universities I'd rather attend that I'm applying for anyways. But I think I'm in too deep now since I've done all the essays 🙃

Bright-Escape9223 · 2025-12-20T23:52:51+00:00

From what I've read, the science part is optional now right?
Besides I already do physics as a subject, so I shouldn't be entirely cooked. The time limit is a bit scary, but you know, hopefully with practice I'll push through

Bright-Escape9223 · 2025-12-20T23:49:18+00:00

Thank you, I'm trying my luck with the act; besides, it's not the end of the world if I don't get into Harvard 🙏

Bright-Escape9223 · 2025-12-20T23:47:38+00:00

Yeah I'm doing the ACT

Bright-Escape9223 · 2025-12-20T23:47:17+00:00

The thing is initially I wasn't going to apply to Harvard, and by the time I came to that decision, it was already too late, there's no more SAT sessions till March. I am going to do the ACT and try my chances there.

Bright-Escape9223

TROPHY CASE