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.

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