Film Connection Film Institute
Locations: United States, Canada
Degrees: Certificate of Completion
Programs: Directing, Producing, Screenwriting, Editing, Camera and General Production
Tuition Range: $7,750 - $13,500
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The Film Connection offers the same course as traditional film schools, but with a big difference. Rather than learning in a crowded classroom, or participating in group student film projects, students at the Film Connection learn while working on real film and video shoots for paying clients. Film Connection also has structured course curriculum in directing, producing, screenwriting, editing, camera and general production to go along with the hands-on training.
Each student at the Film Connection has their own private mentor who is a working professional in film or video. Directing students pair up with professional directors, producing students with real producers, etc. The benefits of private mentoring are obvious: the student learns real world career skills; the student is apprenticing at a real film or video production company which often hires them once they complete the program; the student gets to learn at their own pace and direction; and the student makes dozens of industry connections while working on their mentors real world productions.
One of the advantages of the Film Connection is that you can attend their programs virtually anywhere in the United States or Canada. There’s no need to relocate or quit your job to attend the Film Connection as they have hundreds of mentors all across the United States and Canada and courses can usually be scheduled around the student’s needs.
Additionally, the Film Connection’s Learn in Los Angeles graduate level equivalent program is available to advanced directing and producing students. The Learn in Los Angeles program expands on the original Film Connection program by offering multiple mentors, a full internship at a major Los Angeles production company and the opportunity to pitch your movie to Hollywood pros who have the ability to green light your project.
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Student Reviews
The Film Connection offers the same course as traditional film schools, but with a big difference. Rather than learning in a crowded classroom, or participating in group student film projects, students at the Film Connection learn while working on real film and video shoots for paying clients. Film Connection also has structured course curriculum in [...]
Review by Derek S.
November 10, 2011 5I have been working at my mentors Company all month as usual. I am now getting many more opportunities to edit every week thanks to my mentors’ help. Recently I got to borrow one of my mentors’ cameras, a Sony, dvx 100. I took it over an entire weekend while I was rock climbing and hiking. I outfitted a backpack with padding to securely transport the video camera with me. I was able to get some interesting shots and plenty of practice with the camera. And, even on father’s day my mother and I went to visit my grandfather, and the rest of the family. I shot some film of my grandfather reflecting on family memories and enjoying the small reunion. I still have the tape and plan on putting together a DVD when I begin to learn editing.
Review by Anthony P.
September 30, 2011 5My first session went great with my mentor. We first started off the day by working on an opening and ending statement from someone who works at the St. Jude Hospital. We started off by setting up a 3 point lighting set up with tungsten lighting, then worked our way to more lights as we needed. Some of the lights I got to set up had gels to diffuse the amount of light hitting the clients face. From this I learned how to work with different c-stands and gels. Along with this I learned how to white balance a camera to make the sure the picture was perfect with the lighting. With my mentor we moved on to working on step-by-step directions on how to set up a teleprompter for the client to read off of. While working on this I was mostly with my mentor working one-one-one, however, I also got to work with the camera operator, who showed me a lot of useful tricks with lighting and green screen. Overall, looking back on my day spent with my mentor, it was really a great day filled with a lot of learning.
Review by Tervel Y.
September 30, 2011 5Being in my thirties, I was nervous to sign up for the Film Connection film school program, but I did and I’m glad I did. Working with my mentor in Chicago is an enjoyable experience. I have been involved in various projects. I have gained good, behind-the-scenes insight working with camera and lighting in particular. Also, I am particularly interested in gaffer and grip work. It fascinates me the way light can be modified and changed to fit certain purposes and moods. I like working on film sets and ensuring things are properly done. I truly enjoy working with the people at the studio and I am greatful to have made some good friends there. I am especially thankful to my mentor Jim who has exhibited an endless amount of patience with me. Film Connection works. One-on-one training sounded too good to be true, but it isn’t. Their program works. I had no experience when I enrolled and Film Connection got me in the door. This is not just an internship, it’s an apprenticeship that gets you trained in your desired field.
Review by Jacqueline O.
September 29, 2011 5My second official day at my mentors’ studio was very busy. My mentor was overseeing a music video editing project, finishing a Sylvan commercial to go out to sixteen different television markets, and doing color correction on an intern’s short film. He showed me what the editor was doing with the music video to start out; Then we proceeded to organize clips to make it easier to work with, going through the entire thing to make sure nothing was missing and the video & audio were matching up. Next we went over lesson 2 reading assigned to me by the Film Connection. I have my own computer and project to work on in the lab, so I played around with that for a while, then off and on all day in between other projects that were arising in my mentors’ studio. What was most interesting about the day was watching color correction on the short film, actually. I never realized how much goes into post-production and touch ups even after a film, commercial, short video, and the like. It was awesome to see what a change a simple color correction makes. I’m really looking forward to going over more lessons next week with my mentor.
Review by Saul K.
September 23, 2011 5This week with my mentor was invited to join a small crew on a small shoot, where I got to meet the owner of my mentors’ company. He was really cool and nice, and was really on top of things. During this shoot I was instructed to do things, and the owner was telling crew members to show and explain things to me as we were loading them up to the truck. On the way to the shoot I sat with the owner in the car, and he asked me questions and gave me tips and advised me on how to improve my own movie that I am currently working on. When we got to the location, I learned all kind of things. I was given a lesson in how the Steadicam works and how complex it is, and I learned about audio and lighting techniques. As shooting began, I was given the Clapper and was in charge of writing down the takes and timing each one. The client wanted to film again and again, so we ended up shooting the same little thing 64 times! While shooting, I also learned that no matter what, you always have to make sure that the client is always happy. When we finally finished, we drove back to the studio and unloaded the truck, and the owner was even still teaching me things. He showed me the correct way to roll up a cable, and wouldn’t let me go until I got it right. I am happy to say that I had a good, interesting, and productive day with my assigned mentors, this is how I imagined it to be
Review by Aaron G.
August 17, 2011 5This past Saturday, I’m worked as a Production Assistant on another Film Connection student’s short film. I’ve begun polishing up a script I wrote awhile back based on my mentor’s input so hopefully we can get something going for my own script. During my stint as a production assistant, I got to meet some very cool and talented people. I’m very excited for what lays ahead… thank you Film Connection!
Review by T. Jones
August 3, 2011 5I’m very happy with my decision to attend the Film Connection. It has become a turning point in my life. The reading that the Film Connection assigns has been very helpful, and I’m learning so much about the business end of things with my mentor. The more time I spend with him, the more I feel comfortable with everything I’m learning. My mentor and his company have many projects lined up, so it’s the perfect time to be apprenticing there. Student Services have been great about keeping in touch with me at all times.
Review by SchoolReview
July 6, 2011 5I didn’t want to leave my job or my city to go to film school. Film Connection trained me around my regular job. I went into the production company I apprenticed with once per week around my busy schedule and I learned camera. After my training was over, my mentor got me a job at a local camera rental house so I was able to quit my day job. Now I know camera and have a job. Film Connection’s film course rocks. Don’t go to a traditional film school and spend $30,000 or more. I almost did and I am so glad I chose to be trained by a real pro at a working production house instead of some teacher in some crowded and expensive college classroom.
Review by Karen P.
June 29, 2011 5My first lesson consisted of a two and half week assignment as a production assistant on an independent film that was being shot in Rhode Island. This was my first time on a set of any type and it ended up being an amazing experience. Erik gave me positive feedback from the other people on the set as well. I learned a great deal about on set protocols and networking. I did many p.a. errands and tasks but became popular on the set for setting up the craft services (everybody needed their caffeine and candy fixes). It’s a good thing when the 1st ad only wants you making his coffee right? The job involved long hours and a level of commitment; I now understand why people say you have to love this work. I already miss being on the set.
Review by Luke K.
June 17, 2011 5I have learned a lot of little things that I wouldn’t have even thought of without the training from my mentor. He showed me a number of cool keyboard shortcuts and tricks on the timeline. I always come out of my sessions that I had with my mentor feeling 100% smarter than I was going in to the session. This week, my mentor and I worked on a project that he had been working on, which was a wedding reception. He had me work with some of the footage, taking out parts that I thought he could use for a music video for the wedding couple. Next, my mentor went through and had me watch as he did his thing with the project, explaining everything very well. I wrote every single thing down and have been studying it. I am truly in love with this program and what I continue to learn in my mentors’ studio. I believe that my mentor is fantastic, as he teaches me a lot, and even in one session, I come out learning so much. I am eager to see what’s next
Review by SchoolReview
March 11, 2011 5My experience with Film-connection was good. I signed up in New York City originally — within 10 days or so I got my books, and three days after that I was working on film sets in the Camera Dept. Then I decided to move out to LA when my wife got a job out here, I called up Jimi Petulla and he transferred my education out to L.A. — I got a new mentor and I was working on film sets in the camera dept. within two weeks. In the program I worked with a bunch of different camera depts. on smaller budgeted and major budgeted movies. They really worked for me and put me in contat with about 60 different cinematographers. Now I’m working as a 2nd AC for pay, and I just shot my first short as a DP.
I didn’t have any negative experience with them. The reality for me is that this program gets you the contacts while you’re learning, where as regular film school teaches you but when you get out you have no contacts.
Review by Robert P.
January 9, 2010 5For those who wish to break into the Hollywood movie business, this school is the best there is. Their mentorship program will have you working with real film professionals in real film sets, so you get a valuable firsthand experience that will be extremely helpful when you start looking for a job.
Review by George B.
November 23, 2009 5The film connection program is a great approach. It puts you on the job almost immediately so you learn how things are really done. Best of all you get your own personal mentor.
Review by George I.
September 22, 2009 5Back in the day several enlightened colleges (Antioch and Goddard to name two) offered work/study courses that combined on campus classroom education with real world job experience. A little over a year ago I fell victim to the recession as my position was eliminated and showed no signs of recovery. I decided it was time for a career change. I’ve always been fascinated with the process of making movies, but really had no desire to go back to school to learn a new trade. At this point, a friend turned me on to Film Connection, one of three media courses offered by Entertainment Connection (the others being in radio broadcasting and music recording). I liked their no-nonsense, accelerated mentor/apprentice program. I talked with friends in the industry and thoroughly digested their website http://www.filmconnection.com) and was totally impressed. I scheduled an interview through Film Connection with my mentor, and we talked for over an hour about my goals, expectations and what the process of taking their film course. In the end I went with my gut instincts and signed up for the course. I graduated five months ago, and although the economy continues to negatively impact all business, including the film industry, I have found enough work in the last five months to match my best year in my former occupation. I’m also having a lot more fun. Clearly, the Film Connection is not for everyone. Every student that takes their course will not have my results. However, I really believe that for the money the Film Connection is an amazing deal. Real world experience. Structured course curriculum. Six months duration. Lots of industry contacts (which is how I got my first gig upon graduation.) A lot depends on what you, the student, brings to the party….ambition, drive, smarts, attitude, confidence are all necessary. In conclusion: the Film Connection delivered on what they promised me. I did my part by working my tail off and seizing every opportunity to network.