A film school is a generic term for any educational institution dedicated to teaching moviemaking, including, but not limited to, film production, theory, and writing for the screen. Usually hands on technical training is incorporated as part of the curriculum, such as learning how to use cameras, light meters and other equipment. Most schools are tied to existing colleges and universities, often in art or communication departments. Some are privately owned and not tied to universities, such as technical schools offering associate degrees.
The oldest film school in the world is the Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography in Moscow. Various debates have raged over the years on the importance of film school in allowing one to enter the film industry. Of course, examples can be offered from both sides, as directors Francis Ford Coppola (UCLA Film School, MFA film directing), Martin Scorsese (NYU Film School, MFA film directing), and George Lucas (USC Film School, MFA film directing) graduated from prestigious film schools, whereas Quentin Tarantino, P.T. Anderson and David Fincher had no formal college film training. The rapid rise of independent filmmaking and digital video have changed this debate somewhat, as anyone with a few thousand dollars can shoot their own film (and some have done so quite successfully) with little formal knowledge of the industry. Thus, it can be argued that the high cost of attending a film school can now be spent on making films and learning through practical experience. Others argue that film school is important because it builds on the knowledge and experience of others, allows students to develop their skills under the guidance of professional instructors, and affords students the opportunity to network and connect with others interested in filmmaking, as well as with those who may eventually offer them careers in the industry. One example is that the more prestigious schools allow their students to showcase work in film festivals near the end of the semester for film producers and executives.
Many usages of the term "film school" now refers to film AND television or video and even mass media and animation. Very few "film schools" shoot real film, but rather use video in shooting and in screening movies in classes.