Shaquana
When considering a career in film and media how much is your success dependent on experience (or who you know) versus a college education in that field?
I generally know that a career as a director or screen writer is very competitive because there are a lot of people who want jobs in that field. I also know that most of the time careers involving media depend on who you know sometimes over what you know. Is it overall worth the risk of pursuing a career involving film despite the chances of it being slim? #career-path
2 answers
Daniela Silva
Daniela’s Answer
Hi Shaquana,
- A media studies major is a 4-year degree that teaches you to critically examine all types of media - including film, television, advertising, journalism and digital media - to understand how it impacts, and is impacted by, society. Media studies degree programs can be found in the form of a Bachelor of Arts in Media Studies, a Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences with a concentration in media studies or a Bachelor of Science in Media Studies. Bachelor of Science programs are typically more career-oriented and offer more digital media technology courses than Bachelor of Arts programs. Generally, all programs require courses in:
Communication theory
Visual communication
History of media
Critical writing
Media and culture
The skills you learn in a media studies degree program can translate into a variety of careers. If critical thinking and writing interest you, you could become a film or television critic and write media reviews for a newspaper or magazine. Film critics also report their reviews on television and radio broadcasts.
A media studies major is one way to break into the television and film business as a writer, director or producer. Writers who work directly for television and film are called screenwriters or scriptwriters and can be hired as employees or independent contractors. As a screenwriter, you might write for news or entertainment programs or write your own movie. As a director, you would provide the creative vision for a movie and make decisions on how it should be filmed and edited. If you have good business skills and want to work in film or television, a career as a producer, the chief executive of a film or TV show, might be the right job for you.
Your salary could be as varied as the number of jobs available to media studies majors. Some positions, such as film producers, don't have set salaries, but make a percentage of a movie's profits. Other positions, such as writers, make a one-time sum for selling a script.
Film and TV screenwriters made an average of $65,330 in 2009, as reported by the BLS. Advertising agents made an average of $97,670, and radio and television broadcasters made an average of $91,930 during the same year. Salaries also vary depending on your location and level of experience.
In: http://learn.org/articles/Media_Studies_Majors_Your_Career_and_Salary_Questions_Answered.html
Good Luck!!
Bruce Mihok
Bruce’s Answer
School in itself only gives you certain skills and hones your application of them. I always share the following with anyone asking how to maximize the benefits of school --- you gotta network constantly with students, faculty and the business community. You need to earn who is who in your industry and intern, do summer work and sometimes just volunteer todo what others don't want to do. Lastly, you need to look beyond the stars in any business field to the support cast that makes great money and may be more stable in their employment than the stars.
Like I told my own children ... you gotta go for it because if you don't, when you are 60 you will be regretful and sorry you did not.