I don't know about the other stuff but I wouldn't put too much faith in film school. I don't know exactly what kind of films you want to make, but even if it's crazy big budget hollywood stuff that you need all sorts of money and connections for well, chances are film school won't help you do that. I'd say nothing will help you do that and your chances are beyond slim. HOWEVER if you are interested in lower budget type, more artistic film making, I think you are best off exploring that on your own. From what I know film schools tend not to care much about art. The old notion used to be a big reason to go to film school was to get access to equipment but with newer, cheaper digital technology coming on board that's less incentive. I guess at film school you get to be around like minded individuals, but really just cause you are into "film" doesn't meant you will have anything else in common. Lots of people are attracted to film for lots of different reasons. Granted it can be motivating to be around others who want to use the same craft, and you may find some people who you get along with to work withb but I think you can do that on your own outside a film school. You may have to work a bit harder but it's a whole hell of a lot cheaper! Plus you learn a lot more when you do things on your own. Go to the library and get some books on screenwriting and low budget film making, and then start coming up with ideas. I recommend Syd Field's work for screenwriting. For low budget stuff, Rick Schmidt wrote a classic, "Feature Filmmaking at Used Car Prices". He recently wrote an updated version for digital video called "Extreme DV at Used Car Prices". If you can't find that at a library it's worth buying, it's good inspiration and will give you lots of ideas. Research the possibilities that are within your grasp (friends for actors, public parks for locations, etc). You'll have to do this stuff anyway, even at film school which can be a distraction from actual filmmaking. It's kind of a trap, cause at film school you can tell yourself and everyone else that you are "on path to becoming a filmmaker". Maybe you are, maybe not but that's a poor substitute for actually going out and being a filmmaker.
Then again maybe film schools are changing with the times and offering more than merely equipment and connections. But I doubt it.
Anyway that's my 2 cents.
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