A film school is a general name for pretty well any educational institution dedicated to teaching making movies, includingproducing, screen writing, and film theory.

Typically, hands on technical training is included as part of the curriculum, for instance learning how to use light meters, movie cameras and other types of movie equipment. a large number of schools are part of existing universities and colleges, most of the time in art or communication departments. Some are privately owned and not linked to universities, for instance technical schools offering associate diplomas.

A large number of disagreements have been held over the years on the necessity of film school in permitting 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, on the other hand Quentin Tarantino had no formal film training.

The rapid rise of independent film makers and digital video have altered this debate slightly, due to the fact that anyone with a couple thousand dollars can shoot a film (and some have done it rather successfully) with little formal knowledge of the film industry. Hence, it can be claimed that the price of attending a film school would now be best invested in making a film.

Others claim that film school is essential because it helps students to network and make contact with others involved in films, as well as with people who might ultimately offer them jobs in the industry.