The
bottom line with SCAD is it's about the bottom line.
There is no motivation from professors or the administration to
teach the students what is necessary to get a job.
Unless your ambition is to be a grip, and come
here to get a MFA in that. A majority of
the professors in the Film and TV Department have little
to no experience in the film industry. Those that did
have experience were not successful, so they spend their time
trying to reignite the spark rather than teach the next
generation.
There is no discipline amongst the student body. They
treat each other and the facilities with no respect. It's
like I went back to high school. The administration and
faculty only care about their “star” students, which means those
kids whose parents have money.
The top administrator is more
concerned with world domination than taking care of the campus
in Savannah. It's money, money, money. Students are not held
accountable or disciplined for any infractions.
I can't tell you
how many times someone flaked out on me or a
shoot and nothing was done. They still got to attend
classes. They'll run to get you on their set, but
when you need a favor they're no where to be
found or “busy.” But as soon as they need a
grip, here they come.
Students get away with anything
until it means a professor's job then they take action,
and it's a slap on the wrist at best. They'd
get kicked out of any other school.
A prime example,
a student got caught lying about the misuse of equipment.
They not only gave him a slap on the wrist,
a professor gave him a recommendation for grad school at
a top notch film program. I was in class like,
WTF!!!! He lied to the faculty and got a recommendation
for grad school? Of course, an African-American student asked for
the same recommendation and was denied. Not enough money from
her parents or the wrong skin-tone.
The chair of the
department has no clue, and does not make it mandatory
for the professors to teach the same curriculum. That means
there is no consistency when it comes to education. Students
in a Film 100 class will not learn the same
thing. I learned how to use just the camera, but
my buddy learned how to use lighting equipment, flags
and C-stands. I can't get that stuff but he can.
We're both taking the same level course, but because he
has a different teacher - who teaches what he wants
- he gets all the perks. That's bogus.
The real
bottom line with SCAD is it's more about itself then
its students. The curriculum is a joke, the security is
a SHAME (you can get jacked in broad daylight on
campus) and the faculty cares only about themselves.
If you
can go to another school with better contacts - FSU,
UCLA or NYU - go there instead. The school has
another 10 years, and at least three or four department
chairs to go before they can call themselves a vital
film school. A conservative art college, yes. A worthy film
school, no way.