[LSPoorEeyorick]

I've a BFA in theater performance (concentration in directing) and a BA in English (concentration in writing)... but my degrees don't show the 30 or so credit hours in film production and theory that I took (more, in fact, than my husband did - and he has a degree in it from another [very excellent, mind you] film school.)

As it turns out, my degrees have been very useful. Not necessarily in the sense that I can get a job because of them (though I probably have) but because the stuff I learned has been extremely helpful in my current job. Critical thinking, lots of writing, understanding of film and structure... and it'll all be extremely helpful in my goal-job, making films (instead of marketing them, as currently is my daily bread.)

For film or theater would-bees who think they can be successful without film/theater school... well, yes and no. You can't train someone without natural talent to be naturally talented - but you can make them educated about what is good and bad, you can help them improve. On the other hand, what good is natural talent without a solid background in their chosen art? It is the wisdom from my professors (and I KNOW from Tom's, too) that really matters, and is really the core benefit of participating in a film or theater program.