Luca Guadagnino on Film School

Excerpt from a 2023 interview and Q&A with Luca Guadagnino at the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival by Anupama Chopra.
Guadagnino says he hates film school and explains why. He also talks about how he started his filmmaking life as a teenager.
#lucaguadagnino

[@BarneyOram]

In the words of Herzog: "Who wants to spend four years on something a primate could learn in a week?"

[@milkmoonlight93]

Did not know about that one 😂 very good !!! Thanks 🙏 I love the guy

[@palemoonlight96]

One more reason to like herzog 😂❤

[@GoodguylikesStephenKing]

Just watching videos on UA-cam about filmmaking whether it is about the deeper meaning, artistic part of films or the technical aspect. Watching other people's thoughts on films is great to develop our own thinking because it introduces us to new perspectives which broadens our own perspective and also learn the technical aspect such as editing, cinematography, directing, costume, effects and writing from channels like StudioBinder. Reading a lot of books can also help us in terms of writing, what kind of themes we want to tell and also about how these themes are told through the story in the form of metaphors, allegories. Watching a lot of films will also help and helps us understand about a lot of things. We can make films on our own nowadays with just a phone. I am not a professional filmmaker or that i never even seen a real camera used for filmmaking but I do make videos in my tab with music playing in the background which is how I learn. I don't know if my filmmaking career will ever be real but I enjoy making these videos, it's not put on UA-cam or anything. I shoot things that come to my mind like shooting a cat eating food or something, it makes us learn on how to frame the scene, what to add, what to leave behind. I just pause to cut things. That's my film school. I always wanted to be in a film school but the only way to actually make films is by being practical and make stuff. I don't know how helpful this is but yeah that's just my opinion.

[@thomaschacko6320]

According to Orson Welles, you could learn everything about filmmaking in a day and-a-half. He did so by speaking with Gregg Toland, his cinematographer on “Citizen Kane.” Toland told Welles that he was eager to do the film - precisely because Welles had never made a picture before.

[@ronstero]

Definitely depends on the film school. My film school was amazing.

[@Mb_Drei]

So, to sum it up, remember guys, don't go to film school because:
- 50% milk money and 30% are self-righteous;
- The 3 cameramen of the Mumbai film festival can actually teach you everything in 3 days;
- There is nothing to learn about acting;
- They show Pulp Fiction as a classic;
- You can't learn unless you leave;
- Luca Guadagnino _just did it._

[@samfilmkid]

All you need to make a short movie is a camera, a laptop and a group of friends. I got the first two, just need to make some friends.

[@General_Puffball]

Great atmosphere in that room.

[@jeffryancarlson3273]

You don’t know how many time I would look at the filmmakers, especially film students, and wonder, “Are you serious?What did they teach you at the film school?”

[@giuliorasi]

Thanks for clipping this! Had to show this to a couple of friends and it was always a pain to find the right timestamp

[@LeekClock]

Depends very much on the school I think.

[@LeekClock]

If I were in the USA though, I would definitely adopt a DIY approach. It's too expensive to study there.

[@davidjay_]

LG should share his opinions with Spike Lee about film school and see what kind of response they elicit.

[@rockhero2274]

​@@davidjay_ Same with Scorsese since he was a film student and instructor.

[@yokota61]

Les rires sont insupportables mais je pense qu'il a raison.