More Data, and Plans!
So, I’m still unsure which, if any, Film School I’m going to attend. I grabbed Wikipedia’s Top 50 Highest Grossing Films of all time and compiled a list of the directors of those films in the same fashion as yesterdays chart. This is what I found:
- 24 Directors Featured
- 59% of Directors Majored in Film
- 71% of Directors Went to college
- Youngest Directors Start was 22
- Oldest Directors Start was 38
- Average Start Age was 30
- 2 Directors Attended USC
- 1 Director Attended UCLA
- 1 Director Attended LMU
- 1 Director Attended CSULB
I am leaning towards attending school, and trying for USC… but I’m not entirely sold on it yet. Many film makers (29% to be exact) were very successful without any degree or any college. Ron Howard (The Grinch, American Graffiti, A Beautiful Mind), Jon Favreau (Elf, Ironman), Peter Jackson (Lord of the Rings, King Kong), Larry Wachowski (The Matrix), Sam Raimi (Spiderman 1, 2 and 3), Martin Campbell (Casino Royale, Goldeneye, The Legend of Zorro), et al.
But does that mean I shouldn’t try because of them, or try harder despite them? It’s true, they aren’t the majority, 29% is in fact the mintority.
The old saying goes that if you are talented and have the desire, discipline and dedication to be successful in this business, you will be.
What do you think? Do you plan to attend film school, or the school of life?
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