1. Tell us about your journey to find FilmSchoolSF.

I was in the midst of following my passion for digital filmmaking when I stumbled across FilmSchoolSF and took one of their one-day digital filmmaking seminars. I was hooked from the beginning, and knew this was the right place: a program rooted in *doing* film production and building your craft, not just studying it. In twelve months I would learn what I didn’t already know about digital film: not just directing, editing, lighting; but also the role of the producer, including budgeting, putting together a packet, and making your pitch. This was easily the most productive and transformative 12 months of my adult life.

2. Describe the 3 most valuable learnings or accomplishments you got from being here.

1. How to produce a film.
2. Working on a feature film. The personal network built there still pays off to this day.
3. How to write a creative brief that drives to the heart of what a client needs, not just what they want.

3. Where do you see yourself and career as a filmmaker in the next 3 years?

I honestly don’t know. The environment is transforming around us so quickly, it’s hard to know what exactly I’ll be doing in the next 18 months. I know it will be behind a camera, and I know it will be visual. But whether it’s producing webisodes, corporate shoots, commercials, music videos, webcasting live events, narrative shorts, or documentaries, I know I’m prepared for any of it based on the training I got from FilmSchoolSF, the best digital film academy!

4. What would you tell aspiring Fimmakers who are considering enrolling?

If you know in your heart that you were put on Earth to tell stories, then you owe it to yourself to explore this and create yourself as a filmmaker. Don’t do it because you can; do it because you must.

-R

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Randy Hall
Filmmaker, Raconteur, Scoundrel
randy@vomproductions.com