Film majors are one of the most diverse group of people you can find on campus. They share a major, but students could be looking into anything from production, screenwriting, lighting, camera, directing, editing, etc. You could take a handful of us and have enough knowledge and interest to make a short movie. Yet, like many of the arts, film is looked down upon as an easy major in the university system. Sure it isn’t astrophysics, but being a film major is more than just popping in a movie and popping a bag of popcorn.
First of all, film majors do a lot of writing. Our curriculum is flooded with weekly responses and long essays. While we aren’t English majors, sometimes I miss simple multiple choice questions. Plus, you might as well add history to it- and photography. It’s like a melting pot of other majors. And don’t get me started on film theory. Some students don’t mind, but for a lot of us it results in reading dozens of pages that don’t make sense. Film theory includes psychoanalysis and theories that don’t even have a definition. Each theorist tries to correct a previous, and you end up not knowing what’s correct. And nothing is correct, hence the word “theory.” I know it’s not calculus, but pouring hours into an article that makes no sense is stressful to say the least.
There is also the stress about what waits after graduation. Let’s face it, a degree is one thing, but then you meet an 18-year-old that has family connections within the industry and years of experience, and suddenly your degree means nothing. There are the people who brag about their experience. Now these people are the absolute worst. They talk about their amazing projects and brag about their industry jobs online. You people make me believe that film majors are the worst, and since I am one I can say that. Congratulations on your success, but please remember that some of us are still trying.
There are also the non-majors who think they know everything just because they watch a lot of movies. Seriously, just don't.
What does a film degree prepare you for? I knew I wanted to major in film, but wasn’t sure what I liked and was good at. Turns out I hate directing and production is iffy. I love screenwriting and pre-production, but my school primarily teaches theory and production. I’ve learned about the industry, the history, the business, and tons of other applications. I'm ready to face the industry. I just hope there's something for me to do when I graduate.
I know it may not seem like the hardest major in the world, but being a film major isn’t just one major. Instead it draws knowledge from countless other mediums. So my message to you is give creative majors some credit. We do more work than you think we do.
