A film school is a standard name for any teaching institution designed to teaching making movies, includingproduction, theory, and screenwriting.

For the most part, hands-on technical training is incorporated as one part of the courseload, like finding out how to use light meters, movie cameras and other types of film making resources. a good number of schools are part of existing colleges and universities, usually in art or communication faculties. Some of them are owned privately and not connected to universities, such as technical schools offering associate degrees.

A large amount of debates have raged over the years on the relative necessity of film school in allowing a person to become part of the film sector. obviously, examples can be found from both sides, as directors Francis Ford Coppola and George Lucas graduated from well known film schools, whereas Quentin Tarantino had no formal film training.

The fast rise of independent film makers and digital video have altered this discussion somewhat, as any individual with some seed capital can shoot their own movie (and there are a few who have done so) with little formal training in the film industry. Hence, it may be argued that the expense of attending a film school may now be best spent on producing a film.

Others argue that film school is important because it allows students to network and connect with others interested in films, as well as with some people who may in the end offer them careers in the industry.