You won’t get anywhere if you don’t go to film school.
Plenty of film-makers never went to film school, says Dr Kingsley Marshall, head of film at Falmouth University – notably Christopher Nolan, Ava Duvernay, Quentin Tarantino to name a few. But the creative buzz at film schools such as Falmouth is unique, says Marshall, and students make and exhibit films during their course. “Film school immerses you in a community of hundreds of other moving-image specialists, and at Falmouth our department is situated in a larger environment of 6,000 other creatives,” he says.
You can’t get a foot in the door
Film schools also have handy industry contacts at the cutting edge of film thanks to rich networks of former students and staff contacts. This year, some Falmouth students worked with a graduate and other professionals to produce his first drama, and others have recently been shooting the iFeature and BBC Films production Make Up. At the time of this interview, staff and students visited the set of a Channel Four feature film starring Benedict Cumberbatch, which is being directed by Falmouth graduate Toby Haynes. Students and graduates have also worked with Universal Pictures, Warner Brothers and Sony. “Students really capitalise on these opportunities,” says Marshall – and they also scratch each other’s backs as they progress though the industry.
You can’t get in to film school without experience
Not so – not everyone can afford to get work experience. “At Falmouth we want one thing only,” says Prof Chris Morris, director of the school of film and television at Falmouth University. “The desire to tell stories. We don’t expect polished digital skills or show reels. We’ve accepted poets and photographers on our courses. What matters is your engagement with the world.” Falmouth has invested in films and television that are made on its home turf – so students get a taste of the realities of the profession. Feature film Wilderness was a co-production between the university and external partner Baracoa Pictures, and had Falmouth staff and students involved through the development process, production and post-production – and has since screened at a number of international film festivals.
You don’t stand a chance if you’re not in London
Not true – there are hotspots all over the country, says Morris. “There’s absolutely no need to be London-based,” he adds. More than 80 productions have been shot in Cornwall this year and there are plans for a US production company to shoot a feature in Falmouth. Manchester, Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Glasgow are lively hubs and a couple of major production houses are inquiring about relocating to the south-west, where broadband is fast and space is cheaper. “We have a slate of films in development, and are working with national and international production companies regularly,” says Marshall. His film students have successfully applied to work on the likes of UK film Songbird, rubbing shoulders with actors Cobie Smulders, Noel Clarke and Jessica Hynes, and getting valuable experience on set and in the edit suite.
You need a lot of cash to make a film
No – you can make a film for next to nothing, says Marshall. Falmouth students can get their hands on professional-level equipment and facilities and are surrounded by student talent. “We have actors, composers, production designers and events managers in the wider university community,” he says. The university also has a fund to help students do the rounds of film festivals and supports microbudget productions. “Many of our students will fund their films,” says Marshall, but typically – because of their access to cameras, lights and other film-making equipment – Falmouth students will only need to raise funds to secure locations, cast and cover catering costs and sundries. “We offer masterclasses in crowdfunding and raising money through other finance.”
You won’t make it without a distributor
For shorts, it’s never been easier to showcase your film via online platforms, says Marshall. “Competitions often have an exhibition component and judging panels are often staffed by programmers and curators looking for work or talent.” Feature films make their way in large international markets – which form part of the top tier of film festivals. “These are the main places films are bought and sold by acquisitions teams.”
Anyone with an iPhone is film-maker now
After Steven Soderbergh shot a film entirely on an iPhone, he described it as one of the most liberating experiences in his career as a director. But does this spell an end to more traditional methods? Knowing what’s possible is one thing, but it’s about using that knowhow to best tell your story, says Marshall. “That’s more important than fetishising one format over another.”
Film today is all about digital FX
Yes and no. New technology has created an explosion of jobs in visual effects, says Marshall, with many new UK companies springing up, and students embracing fresh formats, from 360-degree video to virtual reality. But film-makers such as Christopher Nolan (Dunkirk), Sean Baker (The Florida Project) and Patty Jenkins (Wonder Woman) opt for celluloid, as do the new Star Wars films. Falmouth has also invested in the format. “Cinema was born because of technological change, and has altered to reflect this every year since,” says Marshall. “In our experience, plenty of staff and our industrial partners shoot both digitally and on celluloid for drama, documentary, experimental work, shorts and features – and that’s reflected by our students.”
Film is a young person’s game
“At the age of 40, I took a risk and left my finance job in London to start a new career in film-making,” says documentary-maker Reza Pakravan. After film school, he shot his first film “on a miniscule budget” and it went on to be broadcast worldwide. He now travels to some of the remotest regions in the world to cover environmental and social issues. Falmouth takes career changers and mature students – including ex-police officers and servicewomen and men. “Age is absolutely not a barrier,” says Marshall.
The film industry is hierarchical and you have to start at the bottom
Not so true, now that talented individuals have access – via social platforms – to top producers and directors. “Aspiring directors are showcasing their talents on video-sharing platforms such as Vimeo and YouTube, and on social media,” says Matthew Scott, chief executive of Navada Studios. “The creative collaboration that goes on online is incredible.” The gig economy means fewer film graduates walk into steady jobs, says Morris, but plenty of work is out there. “Opportunities for new entrants are huge,” he says. “Big brands are bypassing agencies and scouring Instagram to find individuals to produce high-quality branded content.”
