Q. Why Bellingham?
A. There are no sequential film programs in the states of Washington, Oregon or
Idaho which makes it extremely difficult for local filmmakers to get an
education in the art and craft of filmmaking. Aside from the geographic appeal
of the region, Bellingham is also the midpoint between two major urban areas:
Vancouver, British Columbia (Canada) and Seattle, Washington. The proximity to
Vancouver (less than an hour by car) and the film community there makes
Bellingham an ideal place to develop the creative talents of regional
filmmakers.
Q. Are you accredited?
A. No, we are not. Although accreditation is part of our long term goal and
accreditation certainly adds value to an education, a degree in film or a
certification will not earn a student a place in the film industry. Working in
the film industry in the United States usually necessitates a move to Los
Angeles or New York City with LA offering several orders of magnitude greater
job opportunities than NYC. Working for a major or minor studio rarely involves
a traditional application process (resume and interview). In some cases because
so many of the professionals in the industry do not have film degrees you are
better off leaving your film education out of your list of credentials.
If a filmmaker desires to retain creative control over his projects and work
independently
, that can be done anywhere and there isn't anyone the filmmaker can go to with
their certification or degree that will give him/her a job, or funding or
anything else based on that piece of paper. That is something they will have to
create themselves and we will show them how to do that.
Q. What kind of equipment do you provide?
A. Although complete equipment list can be found here, the emphasis of the NWFS is
not on training technicians. Our focus is on above-the-line talent (producer,
writer, director, actor) and developing creativity and professionalism. We
firmly believe that "Talent shines through" and that creativity will limit the
storyteller long before the equipment does.