A film school is a common word for any school designed for teaching budding film students moviemaking, includingtheory, writing for the screen, and producing.

Normally, hands-on technical training is incorporated as a portion of the curriculum, for instance learning how to use light meters, cameras and other types of movie equipment. Most film schools are a part of existing colleges and universities, usually in communication or art faculties. Some are privately owned and not tied to colleges, such as technical schools giving associate diplomas.

A good amount of debates have been held over the years on the relative importance of film school in allowing someone to enter the film industry. Of course, examples can be found from both sides, as famous directors Francis Ford Coppola and George Lucas graduated from famous film schools, however Quentin Tarantino had no formal film schooling.

The recent rise of independent films and digital video have changed this debate somewhat, because anybody with a couple thousand dollars can make a film (and there are a few success stories) with little formal schooling in the film industry. Therefore, it can be argued that the cost of attending a film school would now be even better invested in making a movie.

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