4 Reasons to Pursue an MFA for a Career in the Film Industry

Have you ever wanted to take your passion for film and turn it into a career? The film industry is one of the most popular career paths for filmmakers. Have you been thinking about going back to school, but are not sure whether a Master of Fine Arts degree would be right for you? If you’re considering an MFA program, here are four reasons you should consider it.

Improve Your Skills

Most MFA courses offer training on key skills needed in film industry careers. Whether you want to be an actor or direct major films, an MFA can help you learn the craft and practice your art. Film school can challenge your conceptions, broaden your perspective, and expose you to a wide variety of composition styles. You can also develop mentoring relationships with professors and other students to help you learn and grow. Many of those in the film industry have chosen a Master of Fine Arts, such as actress Meryl Streep, writer and actress Viola Davis, and director and producer Katharina Otto-Bernstein.

Build Your Resume

Not only will you be able to sharpen your skills with advanced courses, but an MFA can help you develop your resume and experience. Most MFA programs include a capstone project where you can incorporate all the skills you’ve learned through your courses. Some programs allow you to build a collection of projects that you can use in your portfolio or allow you to gain credits for working on external projects.

Accelerate Your Career

While a Master of Fine Arts is not the only way to gain a film industry job, it may help you get started faster and land better jobs after college. Having a master’s degree shows that you have put time and effort into learning your trade. The more technical careers like directing, cinematography, and design may especially benefit from an MFA where they can use high-quality equipment for their portfolio projects. Some schools also offer job placement services and career guidance, such as on how to pitch ideas to executives.

Build Connections

Some MFA programs have key industry contacts and regularly bring in guest professors so you can build a network while pursuing your degree. Many programs also can help you find internships where you can get vital experience and connections that you can put on your resume. Programs that are in cities like New York or Los Angeles may be particularly well situated to network and gain attention for your projects.

The Master of Fine Arts degree is typically required for teaching at the college level, but may not be a necessity for other careers in the industry. But it can be a profitable career path for aspiring actors, screenwriters, directors, producers, publicists, or anyone else who wants to achieve in Hollywood. Make sure you pursue an accredited program with a good reputation. A Master of Fine Arts degree can give you the skills to create art, as well as help you build your portfolio and body of work.