The benefits of student film

[ruby95]

I have just been approached to take the lead role in a student film.

I really like the script and the character and the story seems really interesting but I would, as it stands, have to miss 4 days of school for filming. I am in my A level year so 4 days is quite a lot.

I am the kind of person who enjoys acting in any capacity so I have no doubt I would love this experience but I don't think that I can afford to miss this much school for something that would just be fun and interesting.

So how useful are student film credits really?

Also, do you think it would be possible for me to say that I can accept the role as long as they rearranged filming to weekends?

[Genevieve]

you're not getting a professional credit from this - but on the other hand it is great experience and can go on the c.v. Perhaps they could film two days either side of a weekend, so you'd only miss two days off school ? It does depend whether anything you miss at school you can catch up on and it's not near to a deadline for coursework where you need to be in school perhaps. It also depends on what your school would be prepared to approve time off. There'll be other student films, so I wouldn't worry if you can't do it, this year is really important year at school for you.

[sapphire]

DD's rule with student films is only to do it if its 100% convenient for you ... doesn't matter how good the script is or how pro the group sound, there are no guarantees you will (a) ever see the final film or (b) want to use it on your show reel. If its causing you stress at this important time at school, then just say thanks but no thanks. Imagine if you missed school for this and then got offered some professional work which you couldn't take because it would mean more time off! In year 13, you really do need to be very selective. Lots of time after you have finished your exams in the summer for opportunities like this

[ruby95]

Thanks so much both of you for your advice

[pg]

I agree with both Genevieve and sapphire.

Student films can be really interesting and enjoyable experiences but you have to be quite lucky to find one that provides great (or even passable) showreel footage - or you may even struggle to get the footage at all! I don't think student films are particularly valuable as a CV credit - except where you don't have ANY screen credits. It depends where you are in your career and what else you have on your CV. CDs are mainly interested in jobs where they recognise the director or company, where the prestige (or otherwise) of the job is clear. It is precisely because student films are such a mixed bag that some CDs are ambivalent about them. It's hard to tell the good ones from the bad ones from a CV.

I did quite a few student films early in my career - I don't have any footage from them on my showreel despite the fact that I had prominent roles. I've just (this morning) received a copy of a student film I did in Edinburgh earlier this year - which is the first student film I've done for years and was sort of against my better judgement - but of course it's always flattering to be asked! It's a sweet little film: great ideas, lovely director, nice script. I enjoyed doing it, the film was centred around the character I played and it's a different sort of character from those I usually play. The students were lovely, the director was hard-working and enthusiastic and worked with great care and focus. Despite all that, I think I would struggle to find more than a couple of seconds of it that I would want to add to my showreel. It just looks - well - like a student film! Fortunately I didn't expect to have good showreel material from it (bitter experience!) so I wasn't disappointed.

You have nothing to lose by asking them whether they can schedule the filming around your commitments, but if that doesn't work out I wouldn't lose any sleep over it.

[riverdancefan]

agree with all the above !
DS has had a fantastic time on some student projects, some of them have gone on to run their own production companies or work with casting directors and we have made good contacts.
I would be INCREDIBLY reluctant to let him have time off school for a student production, the loss of school time, good will and lack of licensing would not be good

We have sadly had experience of a couple of very badly run productions one which did not materialise at all even after dragging the kids miles to "audition" and another that was never made!
It was a big learning curve.

My motto is very much like above, if it isn't paid, or even cover expenses, needs time off from school and might not even be made, we don't do it!

And I do think the students need to get a little real here..they often ask for days of commitment, with no financial compensation at all, and then expect children to miss school as well?? - I don't think so!!

mind you DS did a "professional" (not student) film earlier on the year, not a penny of expenses, (we travelled 300 miles) not even a drink provided ALL day long on a freezing cold set mid March, if it wasn't for DS begging me to let him stay I would have pulled him halfway through the filming, I thought the treatment of the kids was dire, the least he could have provided was a hot drink !!! He was lured by mention of an interesting scene on his own with another adult which of course never happened. I understand shoestring budgets, but to not even provide basic refreshments to me is unacceptable.

so never again!!

[thankyou]

I've just been doing a lot of shorts over the summer, and think it's a great and beneficial experience. But wouldn't have missed school for them - if you've been picked once I'm sure you'll get picked again so look out for stuff in the holidays etc to get involved with, good luck!

[In4aPenny]

Didnt have time to read this fully, but my instant answer would be - go for final year films if you are short of time. They are more reliable. There are of course some amazingly run 1st year films but it seems you are lucky if you get one of those.

[obsteve]

Hi Ruby95,

The company will need to alert the local authority if you are under 18 and taking time off school, and you will need a child performance licence, I believe, for all work which takes you out of school.

They will need a chaperone who is registered with your local council.

Steve