But unlike normal people, film school students have requirements/classes they must fulfill in order to graduate/receive their diploma. And many times those requirements are classes that are totally irrelevant to film. For example at USC a film production student will be required to take classes such as "Oceanography", "Earthquakes" or "Our Monsters, Ourselves"(BTW what kind of class is "Our Monsters, Ourselves"??).
Aside from the useless "general education" classes, most of the actual film classes are not about filmmaking but about the industry of filmmaking. As a matter of fact, film production students are only required to direct/produce 6 of their own films while attending USC. 5 of those films are produced in one semester of CTPR290, an introductory class on "Cinematic Communication" and 1 is produced in half a semester of CTPR310, "Intermediate Film Production".
Of course there are advanced production classes that can be taken, but then you are limited to a maximum number of credits/units of advanced classes you can take. I hit the maximum in my Junior year, had to appeal to the school for more units(to graduate), and ended up taking no film production courses during my whole senior year(I didn't have a choice)!
Absolutely fantastic...
And if you thought that wasn't enough, you will only make short films at USC. There is no class at USC in which you actually work on a feature length film.
