Podcast Summary: The Town with Matthew Belloni

Episode: Is Film School Still Worth It? With a Top Dean.
Date: December 5, 2025
Host: Matthew Belloni
Guest: Stephen Galloway (Dean, Chapman University Dodge College of Film and Media Arts)

Overview

In this episode, Matthew Belloni explores the perennial and newly urgent question: Is film school still worth it? With the film and TV industry in flux and alternatives like YouTube making creative careers more accessible, many prospective filmmakers debate between formal education and a direct plunge into Hollywood. Belloni is joined by Stephen Galloway, dean at Chapman University’s Dodge College, who offers candid insights from both his film school leadership and his extensive journalism background.

Main Themes

• The shrinking traditional film industry and democratization of content creation
• The value and purpose of undergraduate and graduate film education
• Whether film school is the “best path” into the industry or an expensive gamble
• Networking, mentorship, and connections: are they worth the cost?
• How film schools are integrating new forms of content and career preparation

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Big Question: Is Film School Worth It?

• Belloni frames the debate: “Is spending a few years and tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars learning how to be a filmmaker...the correct path? Or is it better to sling coffee on a movie set or work in the UTA mailroom...?” (02:15)
• Noted that, historically, major talents have both attended film school and bypassed it (Tarantino, Spielberg, Spike Lee, Ryan Coogler).

2. Defining “Film School”

• Galloway clarifies: “Film school is a very broad term and there are many film programs that aren’t strictly film schools and there are a few great film schools. And you’d actually be shocked at how few students are in film school.” (06:33)
• Out of 19 million undergrads, only 5,000–9,000 earn film-related degrees annually.

3. Undergrad vs. Graduate Value

• Galloway distinguishes: Undergraduate education is about learning to think, questioning and skepticism, not just craft. “The goal here is to teach you to think in a very, very changing world.” (07:39)

• Graduate education is much more specialized, smaller in scale, and should be chosen with extreme financial caution.

  “There are many students I discourage from doing a master’s degree because I'm horrified by student debt. ... Would I pay that myself? Only if I really believe there’s an end goal.” – Stephen Galloway (11:58)

4. What Do Students Get?

• Connections and access: “If you’re a producing student, the end goal is to get one of those jobs at CAA or WME or UTA, or work for a great producer. People like Lucy Fisher and Doug Wick, who regularly hire our students.” (12:13)

• Belloni asks: Are these jobs open only to film school grads? Galloway says not only, but it “massively” helps. (12:56–13:01)

  “You are giving yourself an advantage in the race simply by being at one of these schools.” – Matt Belloni (16:59)

5. Nepotism, Access & The Mailroom Myth

• Galloway rebuffs fears of nepotism locking out talented outsiders: “Nepotism counts to some degree. But Matt, you know perfectly well when we talk about hiring people, we’re going for people we know who are good, not people who are the sons and daughters...” (14:08)

6. Niche Skills and Technical Tracks

• For certain crafts (cinematography, animation, sound), formal schooling is crucial. Piecemeal on-the-job learning takes much longer.
• Emerging media: Chapman and others have integrated coursework for new formats, like vertical video and web series: “We changed our writing program so that it’s not feature screenwriting or television writing, but writing for web verticals, any screen.” (16:03–16:21)

7. The Myth and Reality of “Making Your Film” at School

• Some schools’ promises that “everyone” will direct a thesis film are overblown. Galloway opposes competitive structures where only a handful direct. “Every graduate directing student makes thesis film...we subsidize it. We give $20,000 for each graduate thesis film.” (19:11)

8. Top Schools, Networking, and “Forming Your Tribe”

• Belloni voices the industry perception: Success comes only from top 2–3 schools, where connections and collaborative partners like Ryan Coogler’s are forged. (20:54)

• Galloway replies: Yes, advantages are greater in the best schools and in NY/LA, but there are specialized exceptions (e.g. Stanford for docs, CalArts for animation). “There is a New York LA axis for the film and media industry...you form your tribe.” (22:24, 23:03)

  “If you're coming out and you want to get something off the ground, low budget, the hardest thing is to know who's good to form that team... that’s an incredibly important part of a great film school—that you’re going to meet people who are going to be the leaders of the business in years to come.” – Stephen Galloway (23:49)

9. The Elephant in the Room: Cost and Ethics

• Galloway’s refrain: The cost is a moral dilemma.

  “Every day I ask myself ethically, morally, is it okay for me to be encouraging people to spend this kind of money?” – Stephen Galloway (26:07)

• Only 10–20% of students become standouts; the rest may not see direct returns. Some roles and skills can be learned through work, others may benefit enormously from structured programs.

Notable Quotes

• “But if you are prepared to use film school well, then it’s a terrific shrinking of what could otherwise take you 10 or 15 years.”
  – Stephen Galloway (16:27)

• “If you’re not good, then it’s a waste of time.”
  – Stephen Galloway, on whether connections guarantee success (24:02)

• “You can make your film for that amount of money [cost of school].”
  – Matthew Belloni (24:44)

• “Garbage.” [on films made with tuition-equivalent budgets, without mentorship]
  – Stephen Galloway, bluntly (24:48)

• "As in any profession, there are 10, maybe 20% who happen to be really good and will seize opportunity, will use it. And then the issue is, what about the rest and where did they go?"
  – Stephen Galloway (26:27)

Memorable Moments

• Julian Schnabel and Julie Taymor’s Face-Off
  Recalling his days at The Hollywood Reporter’s roundtables, Galloway describes a legendary confrontation:

  “Literally minute three, Schnabel says, ‘These are dumb questions.’ ... Then Julie Taymor said, ‘Well, you know, I did Frida, and it’s still authentic, even though we didn’t shoot in Spanish.’ And then he turned and said, ‘That’s why your film sucks.’” (28:01)

Timestamps of Key Segments

• 03:22 – Introduction of guest Stephen Galloway
• 05:54 – Reading and response to the student email questioning film school’s value
• 06:33 – Galloway: “Film school is a very broad term...”
• 07:39 – Undergraduate education’s primary value
• 10:25 – Is grad school worth it? Galloway’s strong caution
• 12:13 – What are students aiming for? Job pathways and industry pipelines
• 14:08 – Nepotism, access, and industry hiring practices
• 16:59 – On the competitive advantage of film school
• 19:11 – Skepticism around “making your film” at school
• 20:54 – Top schools: do the connections matter more?
• 24:48 – Can you just make your own film with tuition money?
• 26:07 – The moral dilemma posed by astronomical tuition
• 28:01 – Legendary roundtable blowup: Schnabel vs. Taymor

Tone

Conversational, candid, and at times gently irreverent. Both host and guest mix practical advice with humor, drawing from rich personal and industry experience.

Conclusion

The episode lands on a nuanced reality: Film school offers enormous value for the right students and roles—particularly in technical crafts, for those seeking a strong community, or aiming for elite industry jobs. Yet, the cost is daunting, and prospective students must be realistic about outcomes and alternatives. As Galloway stresses, it's not for everyone, but used wisely, film school can compress years of learning and open otherwise closed doors.

For aspiring filmmakers and industry hopefuls, this episode offers both sobering advice and honest encouragement in navigating one of Hollywood’s toughest traditions—getting in the door.