Herb's Story - Part of my film and television history - Jim York

My good friend and colleague, Herb Sennnett recently sent me a link to his website reminding me about the origin of one of his really moving films.  Herb is a friend from my international academy days.  I'll quote him, below about how the idea for a movie about his days in Vietnam came to him…


"Several years back, I found a box full of old 8mm film and pictures. Nearly all of the photos and film footage was from my year as an infantry officer during the war in Vietnam. Noticing that the film was starting to deteriorate, I had the footage transfered to digital. After I picked up the finished product, I was at my desk at the Palm Beach Film School viewing the result when the school's director, Jim York, noted what I was watching. When I explained to him what I had, he said that I should put the film and photos together into a movie about my experiences. "

Here is a link to Herb's film.

Jim York

Film and Television Trade School vs. University Education - Jim York

In my experience running a film and television academy for both domestic and international students  I find myself often talking to prospective students about the value of career schools. I've found that the students coming in the door are looking for practical skills and hands on training.

I was lucky enough to see this article the other day.  It breaks down the numbers when it comes to considering the value of different types of education for different types of students.  It might be a helpful tool for students or their parents to have as they make their decisions about the right school.

Trade School vs. College

Jim York

Film and Television...and Asperger's Syndrome

Film and television creators are finally including more and more characters with Asperger's Syndrome. Sarah Kurchak, writer for Flavorwire.com, lists 15 interesting film and television characters with Asperger's appearing on popular shows, which you can read more about here.

A few years ago I was asked by Palm Beach Film School teacher Michael Lobsinger to executive produce a short documentary film about one of the teenage students at the school who had this autism spectrum disorder. The result was an informative, heart-warming film giving us a glimpse into the life of a teenage boy with Asperger's. The film is called "Divaan's Dream," and you can watch it here on the blog:

Film and Television programs that will get you hired.

Film and Television training programs that will get you hired.

The technology used in the film and television industry seems to change every six months or so. It's essential for people interested in finding their first job in the film and television industry

to be familiar with the most current industry technology.

5 Tips to improve your chances of getting hired in Film and Television:

1) Find an affordable career school that focuses on hands on, learn by doing training. 

2) Train on industry standard gear and equipment.

3) Practice, practice and practice.... make sure the career school allows you plenty of practice time and access to the studio equipment.

4) Put a demo reel together. It's important to create a video/audio package that showcases your abilities and skills.

5) Go all out in your job search. In the beginning, getting a job becomes your job. According to The Talent Equation by Matt Ferguson, Lorin Hitt and Prasanna Tambe "the average job seeker is now using 15 resources to find a job". Start developing a list of your resources.....and start making your list today!

Learn the skills.......then start your job search!

Jim York

Tribute to a Film and Education Legend

A legend in both filmmaking and education sadly passed away this week. I was lucky enough to meet him and offer my school's students his teachings. Here is the story:

I hired Herb Sennett to teach screenwriting at the Palm Beach Film School in early 2004. He was a very talented teacher with an amazing ability to connect and motivate each and every student in his classroom. Herb was part of the school's original team along with Heath McKnight, Jennifer Crozier, Bob Carter and John McCormack.

At the time, I thought it was important to teach the Syd Field approach to screenwriting commonly known as the 3-Act Structure: Act 1 Set-up, Act 2 Conflict and Act 3 Resolution/Outcome. Although Herb was already very familiar with Syd's work, I asked him if he wanted to come with me to Los Angeles to attend the 2004 Screenwriter's Expo. I knew Syd was scheduled to lecture and thought maybe Herb and I could get a chance to meet with him so we could officially ask permission to use his books and teaching materials to enlighten the filmmaking students at the academy. 

We caught him at the end of a standing-room-only lecture and I asked permission. Turns out... he was thrilled we wanted to use his materials. He was interested and very supportive of the PBFS. I ran into him a few more times over the course of the next several years and shared a few more conversations. It was a good feeling heading back to Florida knowing we initiated communication with one of the most influential screenwriting teachers of our generation and now the Palm Beach Film School was on his radar screen!

Thanks for your support, Syd!

- Jim York

How Continuing Education can Boost your Salary

For most of us, at some point in our careers we ask ourselves, "Is this really what I want to do for the rest of my life?" "What would happen if I followed my dream?" or "What can I do to increase my worth?" Whether it's changing a career direction entirely or simply enhancing the skills in your portfolio for your current job, continuing your education can have exponential effects.

But traditional universities can be expensive and time consuming. On top of that, colleges may not offer the right programs or courses for the specific areas you're looking to develop. In these cases, a more specialized career school is usually a better path.

From web development and health and fitness practices to acting and fashion design, there is a wide range of career school options that are designed to help you reach your goals. Not only do these programs add value from a pride perspective, but they can also lead to an increased salary.

Earlier this year, Huffington Post covered a story about a man who doubled his salary by participating in a nine-week program that teaches students how to write code for future software development and computer engineering jobs. A coding academy like this is a great example of a school that caters to a fast-growing market that helps drive employment for new jobs, as well as boost the resumes of participants who just want to add a little something extra to pump up their current careers. 

On top of building technical skills, many film schools, coding schools and other types of career schools help in other aspects of the job search or rise in the ranks within a company. When selecting a program, be sure to do your research and seek out a curriculum that includes hands-on training, communication with other students and instructors, and most importantly, a strong emphasis on employment placement leading up to graduation.

Photo credit: adamr on FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Film Beyond the Feature: A New Look at Corporate Video

If you're not in film or education and think this blog doesn't have relevance to your profession, think again. While most of the post topics cover career school and film and trends, many have applications across all industries.

For instance, I recently caught a blog post by James DeRuvo on doddle.com that should be an eye-opener no matter what your job is. The post covered a survey by SCRI International, Inc. titled, "Corporate Video Projects More Popular than Ever." It's an interesting read. doddleNEWS - recently acquired by thalo - is known as "The Easy Guide to Production," and was introduced to me by a friend and fellow filmmaker, Heath McKnight.

What does this mean for film schools? The redesign of the curriculum should now include classes set to meet today's needs, including webisodes and corporate video production since more and more filmmakers are being called to create these.

What does this mean for business professionals? Any entrepreneur (or individual with entrepreneurial spirit) would benefit from this type of education. Whether you own the company or serve as an employee for the company, they are going to have video needs for promotion. It could be as small as for social media tools like Vine or Instagram, or something larger such as YouTube or longer informative videos at conferences. 

- Jim York

Spotlight on Darktooth Films

I've come across so many smart and talented people in my years launching career schools, both students and colleagues. So besides just sharing my own experiences here on the blog, I plan to introduce you to others in the industry from time to time as part of a "Spotlight Series."

For the first spotlight interview, here's a peek into the world of Michael Eldon Lobsinger (also known as MEL) of Darktooth Films:

How and why did you get started in film?
MEL:  I began my career in filmmaking late in life at age 46 back in 2007, but the seed was planted way back in 1973 when Spielberg's "Jaws" came to the big screen. I immediately became a Steven Spielberg fan. I soon became a movie buff and later, a huge Clint Eastwood fan, and I am of many directors nowadays. I am also a musician and followed that path through my 20s and 30s while working a day job in concrete engineering. So after my daughters grew up and I found myself stuck in life at a high-paying job that didn't fulfill me at all, I decided to take a leap of faith and save up some funds to change my career into filmmaking.

What drew you to attend the Palm Beach Film School?
MEL:  Before deciding to attend the PBFS, I did some theatre work when I turned 40 back in 2000. I got the bug there after I helped out backstage at the Lake Worth Playhouse in Lake Worth, Fla., then ended up performing in six plays from 2000 to 2006. It was during that time I met actress Brenda Lee Kuban on set of "Run for your Wife." She noticed that I kept talking about directing films, so she handed me a postcard that had info on it about the Palm Beach Film School. And, being very nervous, I hesitated from calling the school for about six months until one day in winter 2006, I called and set up a meeting with Jim York.

What is your best memory from the school?
MEL:  Believe it or not, the best memory for me - if we're including my entire experience from being a student to all the way to producing something like 200 student films - is truly the experience of seeing the students' faces when we would wrap their film productions for their debut film. There is nothing like seeing the deer-in-headlights look from each student when it got close to film production (the same "look" I had when I filmed mine) and knowing that even though they're nervous and probably took on more than they should have for their first films, I was gonna do my best to help them complete them! From my own person student experience, I'd have to say the best memory would be when I was standing in the back of the theatre as my family sat and watched my first film on the big screen.

What was the most valuable take-away you learned at the school?
MEL:  I've repeated this valuable lesson(s) over and over when I became an instructor. I have four.
1.) There is no such thing as a fast film shoot.
2.) Once the camera is ready to roll, problems interferences and noise begin to occur; be well prepared.
3.) Keep your first film very simple.
4.) If it doesn't move the story forward, take it out.

How did you get involved in working with the Palm Beach and Miami Film Schools?
MEL:  Jim York and I hit it off from the moment we sat down to discuss my enrollment in the program. And I remember whispering to myself during that meeting, "I'm gonna be teaching here someday." I started school on February 12, 2007 and graduated on my 47th birthday on September 25, 2007 when my debut short film, "Miss Fyer" was screened. Two months later, in November 2007, (after working vigorously and endlessly for free on many film sets), Jim called me and offered me a job to be one of the line producers (production managers) for the school. It wasn't long after the new year, I was offered to help teach and be the production manager for the Miami Film School. Then before I knew it, I was the only production manager for both schools. Now, that was heaven for me. Being on set and teaching was a huge reward for me because you get to see these up and coming filmmakers being their own journey and you know exactly how they feel because you've been through it.

Tell us a little about Darktooth Films.
MEL:  Darktooth Films is the production company I started when I made "Miss Fyer." There's a couple reasons for calling it Darktooth; one, I'll share. Being I've always had a sweet tooth for junk food and a kind of "dark tooth" for films (i.e. Batman, Harry Potter), I went with Darktooth Films. I now specialize in shooting music videos for artists whom I truly enjoy. I still continue my freelance work as a cameraman for other production companies, such as Digital Motion Studios in Stuart, Fla., Dressage Training Online in California and JVM Video Production in Port Saint Lucie, Fla.

What are some of your recent projects?
MEL:  I am currently working on a music video for singer/songwriter Bobby Gugliuzza for his song, "Mustard Seed." I'm also currently in the second season of "Miracles & Meals," which is a Jewish cooking show that is broadcast on JLTV in Fort Pierce, Fla. I work the "B" camera for the show, which is produced by Darin Perron of Digital Motion Studios (DMS). I will also be heading to Las Vegas in November 2013 for some camerawork for the Medical Tourism Association filming their conventions and speakers (also a client of DMS).

Anything upcoming we should look out for?
MEL:  Right now, the music video I mentioned, "Mustard Seed," will be released in December 2013, which is quite exciting considering I've had former students help me on the project. I did finish a music video this past summer for a rap artist, TooSmooth, called "Back Luck," but am not sure when it will be released.

Students Starting out with a Skeleton Crew

I've spent most of my career creating hands-on, learn-by-doing, educational programs. It's been especially effective in training first-time filmmakers to write, shoot, direct and edit their own short films. Most student filmmakers seem to have limited budgets and time restrictions, and almost always start their careers working in skeleton crews; usually two to five crew members.

This can seem intimidating to someone who has never done it, but is very doable and actually a good way to begin.

 Photo credit: Michael Eldon Lobsinger

Not sure how to start with a slim crew? I recently found an excellent article by LA-based independent filmmaker Noam Kroll that gives great tips and insight on the must-have members for your team, titled "How to Shoot a Film with a Skeleton Crew." It's worth reading no matter what level you're at.

Kroll got his start working on digital content, short films and music videos, which led to commercials, TV content and feature film work. I learned he currently runs a production company/post house called Creative Rebellion.

- Jim York

5 Things to Keep in Mind When Opening at Film School...or any Career School

After many years in the industry, my experience launching and managing schools has taken me on different paths in my own career while working to help students start their own. These 35 years have been an education for me too, and I learned new things with the opening of each school. But from Palm Beach, Fla. to Burbank, Calif., and even at international academies, a few key things have remained significant to the success at every point.

I've outlined five of the most important tips for you here on the blog. They all apply to opening a film school, but many of them work across industries for other types of career schools and businesses as well.

1. The wrong location will cost you dearly!
Choose a location conveniently located near major roads and close to public transportation. It is essential to consider the needs of future students, including safety, accessibility, free parking and a space that offers easy loading for gear (ground floor or near elevators are best). Don't forget signage...it helps if prospects can find the school!

2. Who is teaching these students and future filmmakers?
Seek out stable, positive teachers with good communication skills who can connect with students from all backgrounds. Look for strong, current industry experience, academic qualifications and positive motivation. Remember, once a student enrolls in the school their primary contact will be with the teachers...so choose wisely!

3. Students are most interested in their own film, not your story idea or mine.
Offer each student the opportunity to write, shoot, direct and edit his or her own film. They are less likely to lose interest in the creative filmmaking process if they are working on their own films.

4. Longer isn't always better. 
Encourage students to keep their films short. There is no need to try to re-create Pulp Fiction or Gone with the Wind in an entry-level filmmaking class. A five-minute film with a good storyline, interesting characters and a plot twist will be challenging enough for a first-time filmmaker. Rule of thumb is to have them keep it simple.

5. Screen all completed films at a local movie theater.
One of the most eventful (and motivating) days for new filmmakers is the first time watching their film on a big screen in a theater. I've executive produced over 350 films for first-time filmmakers and no words can describe the pure joy and excitement each student feels as the theater lights dim and the credits begin to roll. Even if it's not a film school you're running, always give your students the opportunity to showcase their finished, creative projects in front of their peers. Students will remember their screenings long after graduation.

- Jim York

Sunscreen Film Festival Opens in California

This week I'm getting a surprise visit from an old "friend." That's because the Sunscreen Film Festival - which I know from my time spent launching career schools in the southeast - is making its way from the west coast of Florida to the west coast of the United States.

Opening tomorrow, October 11 and running through Sunday, October 13, Sunscreen West created a program packed full of free workshops, screenings, panels and parties from California's South Bay to LA. Emmy Award-winning actor Ed Asner is also set to receive the festival's Lifetime Achievement Award Saturday, which should be a great event.

It's exciting to see Sunscreen with a presence here in my home of Manhattan Beach, and reminds me of my first experience with the fest back in 2010. One of my past students, Dr. Gary Dresden, screened his full-length feature, December, at the festival in the Tampa/St. Petersburg area in Florida. It starred Jeff MacKay (you may remember him from "Magnum PI," "Transformers," "JAG" and more). I remember Gary as a highly motivated student, and with more than 20 years practicing medicine prior to entering film school and envisioning movies of his own, he's a perfect candidate to show that film school is an avenue for people during any walk of life.

December was a hit at the event a few years ago and I can't wait to see what's in store at Sunscreen West this year. This highly regarded festival is sure to make for a fun weekend and I encourage any of the Palm Beach Film School and Miami Film School graduates who are currently living and working in the Los Angeles are to support this festival.

- Jim York

Career Schools Education - My First Post

I'm Jim and this is my first post to my blog, which I'll use to write about my experience and interest in career school education.  My own experience is in film, television and radio fields.

In my 35 years I've come to appreciate that many students learn more from hands-on, learn-by-doing training formats than the traditional classroom experience.  However,  I am very interested in the recent trend toward online/resident training programs, as well.

In this blog I aim to explore and share my interest in the changing landscape of education as it relates to tech/career jobs.  I'll post articles and media of interest and hope to engage and inform. Please feel free to share your comments and questions.

- Jim York