All graduates entering the job market are facing daunting challenges - and the entertainment industry is no different.

A recent New York Times article1 commented how traditional entry level positions in the film industry have become scarcer - at time when film schools are being inundated with applications.  For example, the film school at USC has received 4,800 applications for the 300 slots available.  And that was on top of the 2,800 applicants for the year before.

The article made a couple of key points: (i) be aware of cost, e.g., USC costs $1,360.00 per credit; and (ii) be prepared -  know the "business" as much as the "show".

And young, aspiring filmmakers in Arizona actually have a job-helping jewel right in their backyard - "The Film School @ Scottsdale Community College" (the "Film School")!  People do not realize that the Film School is consistently ranked among the top 15 films schools in the country!  And, the cost for in-state residents is $75.00 a credit!

Where Arizona so often lags behind the country in seeing the benefits of a vibrant entertainment industry, the Film School is truly cutting edge.  

1. "For Film Graduates, An Altered Job Picture", Michael Cieply, NY Times, July 5, 2011, B-1.