Film Degrees Lead To Better Job Placement
Idaho is in need of a film school. Students, faculty and filmmakers are all voicing their opinion that the time is right for Boise State to offer degrees in film. Although starting a film program is not easy, Boise State University can rise to the challenge.First, here are some facts on film production and education. The majority of producers, directors, cinematographers and screenwriters have Master of Fine Arts degrees in their respective trades. A large but shrinking percentage of those with MFAs attended one of the top few film schools, most notably the University of Southern California. A much smaller group attains only a bachelor's degree before entering the film industry. This group tends to have to work more menial positions before taking any major parts in production. The rarest individuals in the industry are those who do not attend college at all. This really only happens for gifted individuals, like Quentin Tarantino.
So the name of the game is a master's in film production, and if Boise State wants to start competing a lot of steps need to be taken. Right now, the only professor at BSU with a degree in film is Peter Lutze, who has an MFA in film production from Brandeis University. Therefore, BSU would have to hire a lot of new faculty to grow a film program, which requires a lot of money and interest from the industry. As BSU expands, it is very possible that the money will eventually be available. However, interest within the industry is more difficult to garner.
Last year the Idaho House of Representatives voted on a bill that would have provided up to a 20 percent reimbursement for companies that produced their films in Idaho and hired a high amount of Idaho residents to work on their pictures. Utah adopted a similar program several years ago and now the state has a very successful film school at the University of Utah. The cost of reimbursing the production companies was almost completely recovered by the influx of business, and will likely become profitable for the state in the near future. Eagle resident George Kennedy - who won an Academy Award for best supporting actor in "Cool Hand Luke" - came to speak in favor of the bill, but it lost by one vote. If it had been successful it would have provided jobs and internships for Boise State students, and strengthened the existing video production program at BSU, paving the way for a film school.
For current Boise State students who are frustrated over the small amount of film production opportunities currently available: do not give up. It is possible to make it in film from BSU. For example, Michael Hoffman grew up in Payette, Idaho and attended BSU. He has since made several successful movies featuring famous actors such as Hugh Grant and Kevin Kline. He also headed up the recent "Out of the Blue" documentary about the Broncos' Fiesta Bowl victory. Between BSU and "Out of the Blue" he attended Oxford as a Rhode Scholar. It can be done. Another local filmmaker, Kathleen Haase, will present at Fettuccine Forum on April 3 at 5:30 p.m. in the Rose Room titled, "We Ought to be in Pictures: Hollywood in Idaho."
Although making it in film is very difficult, it is not an unattainable dream, especially with the Internet lending new power to the independent film industry. Idaho doesn't yet have a film program, but there is a wealth of opportunities already present.
The Idaho International Film Festival and I48 provide opportunities to spread your name, while campus groups like Dead 8 provide a place for prospective filmmakers to spread ideas so work hard, be creative and get out there.
