College is expensive. Film school can be even pricier. So it’s understandable that parents might worry about forking out $70,000 a year for their kid’s future in a cutthroat industry that isn’t known for its guarantees. “Parents, the last several years, were concerned,” Elizabeth Daley, dean of USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, said. “They saw strikes. They didn’t really understand how cyclical the industry is. You had to reassure them, ‘Hey guys, we’re all still here and we’ve been through a lot of this.’”
Which is not to say the challenges film schools and their students face today aren’t real. With the entertainment industry changing amid a diminishing job market, soaring tuition costs and advancements in technology such as artificial intelligence and virtual production, film schools are in a period of transition as they grapple with how to respond to an evolving landscape.