Originally written for and published in Student Filmmakers Magazine

 It is nearly the end of the semester, which means that every student is thinking about what classes to enroll in next semester.

I am not going to discuss your film production courses. Certainly you have been exposed to more than enough official department advice about required curriculum and any elective options. Of course you want to take as many production classes as are permitted, and maybe even just sit in on a few more.

But have you given much serious thought about including some (out of your department) electives in order to truly round out your education and to help you succeed after you graduate?

Most of the students that I advise only fill in their open time slots with elective or outside classes based on two criteria: what time does the class meet; and is it easy or fun? They are wasting a lot of tuition and missing out on the advantages of attending a large, diverse university (as opposed to a small, singularly focused college).

I am a Production person; not a liberal arts academic. I did not attend school to broaden my horizons nor to foster “critical thinking”, as the academic elitists espouse. I got my degrees in order to become a successful filmmaker. I studied the required film history, theory, and aesthetics only to be able to apply them. Hey, doctors do not spend years studying the history and ethics of hypodermic needles; they take courses that will help them heal their patients.

Here are my thoughts about elective courses. Find subjects that will be relevant and useful when you practice your craft.

Math… pretty much useless once you get past algebra. Accounting, on the other hand, is something you will use throughout your adult life in this industry. Show Business is a business. Money flows, and money must be kept track of. Whether it be your own project, an entire production company, your own freelance or service business, or just managing your personal bank accounts, credit cards, loans, and taxes.

Yes, I said TAXES. You might use a professional Accountant for filing your taxes, but a working knowledge of basic accounting and software will allow you to keep everything organized and ready for your financial guru to weave their magic.

As freelancers, we have to be vigilant about taxes, estimated tax pre-payments, self-employment taxes, local taxes, business permits, state resale filings, and much more. Business deductions, depreciation of equipment, amortization of profits across the year. Lot of stuff that has nothing to do with pixels!

Psychology. In other words, script writing. Character development. I hate to say it, but most script writing courses spend too much time on formats and structure. They have formulas for developing plotline structures, and making your screenplays fit the timeframes and commercial breaks.

What they don’t spend enough time on is the creation of intense characters. To write about a person, you need to understand what makes that person tick. Who are they, and how did they get that way? How will a given situation trigger their thoughts and emotions?

A minor in Psychology will make you the better writer!  Your characters will be more realistic and less two dimensional. Even some classes in Sociology and Anthropology will help you understand society, mob mentality, and group dynamics.

What is your favorite genre? How much do your really know about that subject, or that historical era? You might want to take some serious classes to learn more about: political science, medicine, law enforcement, military, culinary, or whatever your writing passion is.

IT. Instructional Technology. Computer Science.  As a film major, you have probably taken more than your share of software driven courses for film editing, audio sweetening, and production management. But do you know how to trouble shoot your computer tower or your company network when it goes on the fritz at two in the morning?

You need to understand how a large, professional network works. What are all these drives and sub-systems? How does your editing machine or graphics platform fit into all of this? Are the problems that suddenly spring up the result of your machine, or your network? And do you know how to fix it? If it is your computer, can you swap out parts? Re-install software? Fix it?

When my old company got into the Editing Computer biz, we created special manuals and taught our clients how to disassemble and reassemble the innards themselves. We provided them special disks of software so that they could seamlessly replace corrupted software without losing critical data. It was a radical concept at the time; too bad that the economy crashed around us in 2008.

As an Editor, you need to be familiar with graphics software, such as Photoshop and other programs. If not offered directly in the editing curriculum – then seek them out somewhere else on campus.

Music appreciation is extremely useful. Sure, you know rock and hip hop. But how well versed are you in classical, or ethnic, or historical period stuff?  Being able to select really good temp music will improve your client presentations as well as help to inspire your composers or music editors.

Business is all about agreements. Contracts. Rights and limitations. Copyrights and performance rights. Deal memos. Labor law.  Corporate law. Entertainment law. Take some legal classes if you can. Learn some basics; not so that you can pretend to be a lawyer, but so that you can understand what a lawyer may tell you.

We could go on for pages, talking about the myriad of subjects available to you at a major university. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to sharpen both sides of your blade. Choose wisely, so that what you learn can help you in the future.