Not Quite Sure About My Future...

[Restrikted]

I come to you guys for guidance as I have asked everyone I know and still can't get a good answer. I am starting my second semester of college right now (PSU) and I have no clue what I want to be when I get out. I want to be everything and nothing. Technically, I have the intelligence to be almost anything I want, but I don't just want to settle for what I'm good at. I'm afraid most people make that mistake, they stick to what they are good at. I bet you could ask anyone, even very successful people, what they really wanted to do, and it wouldn't be their current job. I don't want to be that person. What I would love to do is make movies, that's always been my dream job. However, I have no experience making them (I don't even have a camera), and unless your Spielberg, you make almost nothing from it. So my question is, do I follow my dream and go to school for film, or do I go for the thing that will make me the most money (computer science, economics, business)?

[BlogAssistant]

I'm on my second year of High School so I might not be the best authority yet "If you like your job you will never work a day in your life". So choose what you want to do yet there are affects for every decision.

Furthermore, you might love videos yet you should get some personal experience from the actual industry. A love for movie making, surprisingly, doesn't always translate toward a love in film making, yet it very possibly could. There are many specific roles in film making as well. I hope I helped, if you have any other questions lemme know below.

[Ree]

Would you love the real-life process of making movies, which involves much more than just looking through the camera lens? Or are you simply in love with the idea of movie-making, Hollywood-style?

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, because I've given this advice many times before, I suggest that you volunteer in the area of film-making to find out all you can about it. Learn from the ground up, inside out, what the industry is really all about on a day-to-day basis. Perhaps you could volunteer or do an internship at a local TV station to begin with. Maybe you know someone who knows someone who knows someone whose cousin has a friend who works at PBS. Does your college have a TV station?

If in the process, you learn that you really really do want a career in film-making, you will already have experience to put on your resume AND you will have some contacts in the industry.

Remember everyone has to start somewhere and good luck to you!

[smartile]

Hi Restrikted,

I understand your question completely because I've been in your shoes.

I think you might want to ask yourself a different question:

Do I want to live my dream or settle for less? (Y/N)

Once you've answered that question, ask yourself this powerful question:

How can I make movies?

'How can I' is one of the most powerful questions you can ask yourself. Spend 5 minutes asking yourself this one question. Do it now....

This question will hook your mind and get you thinking about ways to make your dream a reality. You may even discover alternatives to making movies than going to a film school. This question will get you thinking about the possibilities that are available to you.

I have a friend who works in his full time job and makes movies part time - he's no Spielberg, at least not yet.

Stephen Martile — Personal Development Made Simple

[1000feet]

You might find the archives of Genius Types | Creative Life and Passive Income quite interesting; it's usually active but hasn't been updated since december. In this case the author set up a bulk vending business to get income so he could take low-paying jobs that would get him experience. All he had to do was figure out how to make money without working a lot to follow his dream

[ZHereford]

Originally Posted by Restrikted

So my question is, do I follow my dream and go to school for film, or do I go for the thing that will make me the most money (computer science, economics, business)?

You are young and even if you weren't I would say GO FOR YOUR DREAM!

Understand, however, that it will take time to acquire, develop and hone the skills you need. If this is what you really want, you'll do what it takes to get there.

Anyone who has ever made it to the top of their field didn't start as a success. They worked their butt off to get there.

As Confucius said: "Find a job you love and you'll never work a day in your life."

[Rapid]

Hi. I would strongly advise you to take a film class or do an internship before applying to film school. How do you know that making movies is your dream, if you don't even own a camera? Perhaps you just enjoy watching movies like most of us?

There are many types of jobs in the film industry. Would you like to be a director, cinematographer, producer, writer, actor, camera operator, foley person, or ... ?

Know what you're getting into.

I was a premed student in college at first. I took many science courses and volunteered at local clinics. The volunteering experiences gave me clues that I wouldn't enjoy working in a hospital.

Good luck!

[Restrikted]

Well, since I have no clue what I want to be, I'm going to start working towards every career, and I'm going to eventually start liking one better than the others. I'm going to be taking my first film class this semester, but I'm still going to be taking two economics classes as well as continuing towards a computer science degree. Hopefully I will just gravitate towards something specific.

[Robert Avila]

What a career is perceived to be and what the actual day to day routine is can be entirely different.

I agree with taking some classes, applying for an internship and meeting people from the industry before making a commitment.

It sounds like you have the talent to become successful at whatever you'd like =)....so choose what you enjoy and find challenging.

Don't be afraid to make some changes along the way....there is always more than one path that will lead you to your dream profession.

There is nothing wrong with doing what you are good at....I believe that's why successful people achieve success. They are good at what they do.

If what you are good at is boring and unfullfilling, then it's time to move on.

Since you have an interest in film making....that desire within you may lead to a career far beyond what you could have ever imagined.....it's there for a reason.

Wish you the best in 2008 !

Robert Avila

Here's a book you may enjoy:

Rebel without a Crew: How a 23-Year-Old Filmmaker With $7,000 Became a Hollywood Player (Paperback)
by Robert Rodriguez (Author)