The Student Room Group

Is it worth studying Film / Media Production?

I want to study Film Production but I don't know if it's worth it and if I would find a career after my graduation.
Reply 1
Original post by shadyxv
I want to study Film Production but I don't know if it's worth it and if I would find a career after my graduation.


Hii, I'm hoping to eventually build a career as a Production Designer in film/tv... I know its not the same as being a film maker etc but I know your situation - Parents think it's stupid/overambitious/unrealistic and all that jazz.
Personally, I'm trying to approach it in a practical manner. I'm doing a BA in Architectrue (a known pathway to set/production design) to give me something to fall back on if it all fails or just to fill the gaps when the film/tv jobs aren't flowing. Then I intend to either get experience in the industry and work my way up, or do an MA in Production Design at NFTS.

In your case, if you're dead set on being involved with film production and you believe you have what it takes to stand out there's no reason why you shouldn't do a Film Production degree. That said, finding a career in the industry after graduating is extremely hard, and will take persistance and most probably a lot of time, so I would advise you possibly look at other alternative/related courses which could provide a back up career. Perhaps English, History, Media? (- I'm not too sure what you want to do... Producer/Director/Writer? so alternative courses would depend on that), and you can do always do a masters in the specific area you want after.

As for wanting a job in the industry, and the likelihood of you making a sucessful career, I say go for it! Afterall, someone's got to do it... why not you.
Reply 2
If you want to do it then go ahead, no point doing something you don't like.
Reply 3
Thank you so much for the answers! I also expect it to be hard after graduation and I really hope I will find a job in my area because this is my dream, especially writer/director some sort of these.
Not really.

I am actually studying Television Production. The good from it is the guest lectures and the networking events, and I also had the opportunity to be Pilgrim of the Day on Deal or No Deal thanks to a trip there. You get to make films a lot, and you get to unleash your creativity. The truth though is that employers are not going to look at your showreel when you apply for a runners job. On the other hand you can learn some good skills such as editing, but what is stopping you from getting your own camera and making your own films?

However networking is the key in the industry, sadly it's who you know not what you know. I come from a background with knowing nobody in the industry and living in a rural area with poor job prospects. How I started in the TV industry? It was with 4Talent two days after completing my GCSEs. It was my first taster of networking. Then I went to The Unusual Suspects event at Channel 4 who also invited talent managers from BBC and ITV. There were people who had got in through apprenticeships. Employers don't look at your education, they are looking for experience and who you are as a person. I then went on to a placement at ITV Leeds last summer which was absolutely fantastic. I learnt so much in just a space of a week.

This was before I even started university, so it goes to show that a degree is not really needed. It is about getting yourself out there and applying to work from the bottom up. It's hard work at first, but once your foot is in the door it is easier from there. First port of call should be Facebook/Twitter, plenty of jobs going there!

I'm not saying you should not get a degree though, it can show your level of education. But this can be any degree from economics to law.
Reply 5
its 4 years later, i hope you're still hereim looking to do the same thing, to get BA in Architecture but im a little scared it'll set me far away from set design or will kill the artistic motivation i have right now...would love to get insight from your experience
Original post by rawank
its 4 years later, i hope you're still hereim looking to do the same thing, to get BA in Architecture but im a little scared it'll set me far away from set design or will kill the artistic motivation i have right now...would love to get insight from your experience


Architecture probably better than film/media but still rather useless - no jobs. If you are doing it for the love of it and just fora degree then fine but don't expect people to come knocking on you door offering you jobs
Working in the creative sector is all about following your passion for originality using your imagination to develop new ideas and techniques and to challenge the norm. Careers in the creative sector can span a diverse range of art forms and it's all about how you utilise your course and the opportunities it presents that will lead to a job after your course.

As a creative worker, you’ll be entering a profession in which Britain excels as a nation, we’re highly ranked internationally for our contemporary culture and cultural heritage. There are more than ¼ million businesses in the creative industries and they’re worth £92 billion, growing twice as fast as the rest of the economy. The sector employs 2 million people and accounts for 1 in 11 jobs in the UK.

Go with your gut! Good luck.

https://www.sunderland.ac.uk/study/explore/arts-creative-industries/why-work-creative-sector/
I’ve applied for (BA) Architecture and I’m not sure if I want to be an architect. I love design but I also love film and advertising. You have given me hope that I am going to be fine because I was stressing out thinking I was locking the door to film by applying for Architecture. Thanks man
Original post by SMH95
Hii, I'm hoping to eventually build a career as a Production Designer in film/tv... I know its not the same as being a film maker etc but I know your situation - Parents think it's stupid/overambitious/unrealistic and all that jazz.
Personally, I'm trying to approach it in a practical manner. I'm doing a BA in Architectrue (a known pathway to set/production design) to give me something to fall back on if it all fails or just to fill the gaps when the film/tv jobs aren't flowing. Then I intend to either get experience in the industry and work my way up, or do an MA in Production Design at NFTS.

In your case, if you're dead set on being involved with film production and you believe you have what it takes to stand out there's no reason why you shouldn't do a Film Production degree. That said, finding a career in the industry after graduating is extremely hard, and will take persistance and most probably a lot of time, so I would advise you possibly look at other alternative/related courses which could provide a back up career. Perhaps English, History, Media? (- I'm not too sure what you want to do... Producer/Director/Writer? so alternative courses would depend on that), and you can do always do a masters in the specific area you want after.

As for wanting a job in the industry, and the likelihood of you making a sucessful career, I say go for it! Afterall, someone's got to do it... why not you.

I’ve applied for (BA) Architecture and I’m not sure if I want to be an architect. I love design but I also love film and advertising. You have given me hope that I am going to be fine because I was stressing out thinking I was locking the door to film by applying for Architecture. Thanks man

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