More than 30,000 students have enrolled in online film and media courses in the past year which is changing the game for education.
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With America’s student debt now standing at $1.2 trillion and students facing loans in excess of $100,000, many young people today at the start of their careers are essentially bankrupt.
However in 2015 the price of education is coming down, but it’s still early days for online learning especially in the film and entertainment industry. Film schools and private institutions can charge more than $30,000 a year for a diploma or degree course but a majority of students participating in those programs can’t afford it, and so, take the loan option.
The alternative for those that don’t have the financial support is to take an online course to improve their skills in a certain area or to help them specialize, for example in video editing, animation, sound design or digital marketing. Below is a list of popular courses:
So is it still worth spending $30,000 a year on a degree or is it better to invest that money into equipment & online training? Below is an example of what you could get instead of paying for a diploma course:
As you can see there are considerable savings that can be made by buying camera gear and taking online courses however the element of networking and practical application i.e shooting a film with a group of peers is not something you can simply replace online. There are clear advantages on pricing for online courses, but film schools and universities still provide a life experience beyond just the element of the programs themselves. However the price of that experience may be too high for the next generation of filmmakers who don't necessarily need to spend so much to get the education they need. Should we really be carrying around crushing student debt for the next 15 years of our lives without a guaranteed job at the end of our studies?
Check out our full list of popular online courses and also the latest job offers in the film and entertainment industry.
Film Industry Network receives a commission when a product is purchased through affiliate links included in this article.
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