10 directors who never went to film school

Film schools aren’t for everyone, and that’s a fact. And while there are certainly plenty of filmmakers who believe attending one of these is a worthwhile investment, it’s worth noting that undeniably talented filmmakers like George Luke, Chloe Zhao, And Martin scorsese All went to film schools with spectacular results – others just don’t understand what it’s all about. Whatever the case, striving to perfect your craft and learn the art from knowledgeable experts is a very understandable goal for an aspiring filmmaker.

However, sometimes the decision is not always ours. Although some filmmakers chose not to attend film schools, others either didn’t have the resources, chose a different path, or were rejected. Whether they dropped out or simply opposed it: These autodidacts, who value self-experimentation, have made it big in the film industry and have proven that you can be successful even without studying film.

10 Tim Burton

Known for his signature directing style – including eerie imagery and pale characters with exaggerated features – now dubbed “burtonesque.” Tim Burton is considered the king of gothic films. His most famous works include Edward scissor hands, bug juiceand a few memorable animated features like body bride. Burton has recently received high praise for his latest work on the Netflix series Wednesday with jenna Ortega.

Instead of film, the filmmaker studied character animation at the California Institute of the Arts, which makes sense given his fascination with the genre. During his studies, the director made animated short films that caught the attention of the animators at Walt Disney Productions. He rose to fame after filming a number of short films which included Beloved Frankenweenie.

9 Greta Gerwig

Although Greta Gerwig started out as an actress (her best performance was in Franz HaHer partner directed it Noah Baumbach), It did not last long. The filmmaker soon began to delve deeper into the art of directing, making her solo directorial debut in 2015 with the acclaimed comedy lady bird, which she also wrote. Next up for Gerwig is a project with the lead role Margot robbie as Barbie is to appear in July this year.

Although the filmmaker’s passion for acting and directing was evident from the start (Gerwig acted and wrote plays while she was a student), she actually has a degree in English and Philosophy, and her cinematic knowledge stems from acting in low-budget independent films . Today she is one of the most promising directors in the industry.

8th The Wachowskis

Starring the masterminds behind the complex, multi-reference sci-fi films (an often practiced genre for the duo). Keanu ReevesThe Wachowskis are also two well-known and talented directors who have not attended film school. While the movies are out The Matrix franchise are certainly her most famous cinema films, other projects like Jupiter Ascending are also known to the general public.

Lili Wachowski attended Emerson College in Boston but dropped out Lana Wachowski attended (and dropped out of) Bard College. Not going to film school certainly didn’t stop these two iconic filmmakers from writing and directing one of the greatest franchises of all time.

7 Ava DuVernay

Studied English and Afro-American Studies, Ava DuVernay is certainly a seminal director working today and has made history by being nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Director and an Academy Award for Best Picture thanks to her outstanding work on the first African American woman Selmaa biopic on Martin Luther King Jr. Although DuVernay is a successful director, she didn’t originally envision her future as such; Watch as she talks about her career in the video below.

Although the director wanted to pursue a career in journalism, an internship at CBS News quickly changed her career. “My story is also really about age because I didn’t pick up a camera until I was 32,” DuVernay told Refinery29, emphasizing how it’s possible to turn around at any point in life. “There’s value in having those early experiences to learn what you don’t want,” she told Elle.

6 Paul Thomas Anderson

Paul Thomas Anderson has been delighting viewers with incredible films since the beginning of his career. As a legendary three-time Oscar winner Daniel Day-Lewis being a recurring actor in your films says a lot about your work. Anderson’s films often feature flawed characters and are notable for their intensity, maturity, and intellectual themes.

The filmmaker’s experience of film school wasn’t the best. Anderson eventually attended New York University but dropped out after just two days. According to Far Out magazine, “One of the first things Anderson heard in film school was his professor telling students to leave the classroom if they had dreams of making a similar film terminators 2″, something which the filmmaker took personally (and with good reason).

5 Wes Anderson

Wes Anderson‘It would not go unnoticed if he tried. Washed out colors and symmetry are two big visual hallmarks in the director’s work, although quirky characters are a sure sign of it too. Aside from directing, the filmmaker writes all of his films, with his most famous features possibly being The Grand Hotel Budapest And Fantastic Mr Fox. As for new projects asteroid city comes in June and plays an ensemble cast like many of his films.

Anderson began as a philosophy major and first came to attention thanks to a short film he directed with a leading role owen Wilson. The two met in 1989 during their sophomore year at the University of Texas in a playwriting class and dreamed of making films together.

4 JamesCameron

You would think someone who did titanic And avatar got a movie degree right? Incorrect. JamesCameron is a Canadian filmmaker best known for his broad vision and innovative special effects, which he frequently uses in his films. Currently, the director holds the record for directing the first two of six films in history, grossing over $2 billion worldwide, and is considered one of the most influential people on earth.

Apparently, Cameron once revealed that he’s against going to film school. Unlike other traditional filmmakers, the avatar The director didn’t go to film school and instead learned from the films he enjoyed. “I didn’t study film. I’ve never taken courses on film aesthetics and such, so I’ve never seen the development of plot direction [John] Ford through Peckinpah, or whatever the evolutionary spectrum would be. For me, it was just what I happened to see that I liked,” he shared.

3 Quentin Tarantino

The director of many popular classics, including pulp Fiction, kill BillAnd Reservoir Dogs, Quentin Tarantino is known for his highly recognizable work – non-linear narratives, wide-angle shots, dark humor, over-the-top violence and lots of gore. Similar to Wes Anderson, he also writes all of his films. From now on he will direct his last film.

The beloved filmmaker and film fan never attended film school. Instead, he dropped out of school at 15 and later worked in a cinema and video store, both places that inspired his most popular works. “When people ask me if I went to film school, I tell them, ‘No, I went to film,'” Tarantino said. “If you really love cinema with enough passion and really love it, then you can’t help but make a good film.”

2 Christopher nolan

A man who appreciates the concept of time (and confuses a few viewers with his mind-blowing plot twists), Christopher nolan is one of the most renowned directors of our time. His films often feature urban settings and muted colors. In terms of visual style, he is often considered an author and postmodernist. Nolan always writes his own original stories.

It’s almost impossible to believe that Nolan never went to film school, but it’s actually quite true. In conversation with Vicethe director explains: “I am a self-taught filmmaker. I never went to film school. I never studied filmmaking…I think Following was the pinnacle of what I could do alone or just with friends with our own resources.

1 Steven Spielberg

Nominated for this year’s Academy Awards for Best Director and Best Picture, the legendary filmmaker has directed a number of unforgettable hit films that have defined cinema, including Indiana Jones, JawAnd Jurassic Park. Stefan Spielberg stands out for his unique style of filmmaking and storytelling, which allows the audience to be completely immersed in the picture.

Though he tried to join, Spielberg was reportedly rejected not once but three times from Southern California film school because of his mediocre grades. Fortunately, this didn’t discourage the director from going down the right path; after all the years being productive Director is considered one of the most valuable figures in the industry.

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