FILM SCHOOL CONFIDENTIAL
FILMSCHOOL Q & A: David Franko
Full Sail Real World Education
Program Director for the Film Degree

David Franko heads up the Film Degree program at Full Sail, Winter Park Florida’s vibrant film school that has educated more than 15,000 filmmakers and creative team members.  Founded in 1979, Full Sail is home to more than 5000 students from around the US and the world and offers 13 degrees including Bachelor of Science, Associate Bachelor of Science and Master degrees covering a wide spectrum of entertainment and media disciplines.  In addition to the film degree, Full Sail programs include Digital Arts, Computer Animation, Education Media Design and Technology, Entertainment Business, Game Art, Game Development, Music Business, Graphic Design, Recording Arts, Web Design, Show Production and Touring disciplines.

HDE:  Thank you so much for contributing to FILM SCHOOL CONFIDENTIAL David. You had a busy freelance and staff career in Florida’s thriving entertainment economy.  What attracted you to become part of the Full Sail team?

Franko: When I was working for Disney and freelancing in Orlando, I kept running into people who had graduated from Full Sail.  Listening to their stories about the unique education that Full Sail offered, I became very curious about the college. One of my colleagues took me to visit Full Sail and gave me a tour of the facility. After that tour, I said, ‘If I had this education when I was in school…’ Apparently, that’s what everyone says when they actually see what Full Sail does and is. I never witnessed such a progressive style of education and was so intrigued with the facility. Who runs a school 24/7, with multiple soundstages, state of the art equipment and working professionals as educators? Eventually, I met with the head of the education department and we really clicked, and I was offered a job teaching in the Production Design Department.  Currently, I am the Head of the Film Program and have been with Full Sail for over 13 years.

HDE:  There are so many interesting programs going on at Full Sail, it seems that there is a wider variety of options available than at many universities.  Can you give me an overview of the Film program?

Franko:  The Film Program is a 21 month Bachelor of Science degree. At Full Sail, we combine the creative and technical aspects of Filmmaking within the curriculum. Students must take 29 unique courses which deal with all aspects of filmmaking, complete five film projects, (they may work on more), in order to graduate with 127 credit hours.   Our Pedagogy incorporates traditional lectures, multiple hands-on labs and online learning modules. Students may encounter 30 to 40 contact hours around the clock every week. The school runs 24/7 preparing our graduates for the rigorous deadlines they will encounter in the Film Industry.

HDE:   Is there a Full Sail “difference”? Is there an approach that makes it different from other film schools?

Franko:  Full Sail’s approach to education mimics the actual entertainment industry.  We take education beyond the confines of the classroom into real world situations where students work with the latest film and video tools. 130 experienced educators who are working professionals in their respective fields surround our students. Full Sail students are graded on their creative and technical skills, but also on their professionalism in every course. This, combined with our around the clock schedule, prepares our graduates for their careers in the entertainment community.

HDE:  Can you give us an overview of the student body? 

Franko: The average age of our students is 21, and they come from each of the 50 states as well as 47 countries. Half of our student body enters the school with no prior experience while the other half have attended college elsewhere. Our curriculum has been formulated to assist various levels of experience and our diverse and talented student body.

HDE:  What technologies are your students most interested in?  Do they have access to the latest tools?

Franko: Full Sail film students are always encouraged to research new technologies. We recently had a demo featuring the Phantom HD camera which was very exciting to the students.  They are also interested in the Red One camera and the new Arri (film) cameras. On the post side, our students are interested in working with new features on Final Cut Studio 2, (each student receives a copy of this software), Avid products, and in incorporating Visual Effects into their projects.

But, no matter what, we insist that technology is useless without a good story!

HDE:  It appears that the soundstages and equipment at Full Sail are enviable.  What workflows do your student projects follow?

Franko: Our Film curriculum is built around an actual industry workflow, broken down into four quarters. Students complete the pre-production, production and post-production of each project at the end of a quarter. They begin working with DV and P2 formats and progress to S16mm, HDCAM using our Cine Alta F-900 cameras, HDC-1000’s, HDW-F730’s, and 35mm formats.  Students have access to ten soundstages with over 64,000 square feet of space, the Full Sail back lot featuring 16 different settings, or they can go on location. Students finish their projects using Final Cut Pro Studio connected by an Xsan system, Avid Media Composer Adrenaline Labs and Avid DS Nitris labs connected by an Unity Isis system. It is a sophisticated pipeline.  We produce over 300 projects per year.

HDE:  You’ve headed the Film Department for seven years; have you seen a difference in what Full Sail students are interested in?

Franko: It is an exciting era for young filmmakers. Students can now afford production and post production equipment and software to fine tune their skills and practice filmmaking. When I first started at Full Sail, most post production and production equipment was not easily obtainable for college students. Now, students can afford to purchase editing software at a reasonable price. We are seeing students much more interested in the editing process, and manipulating the story in editorial.

We are also seeing an increased interest in documentaries, as the genre has become more widely accepted with audiences.

HDE:  Do your students want to shoot film?

Franko: That is a good question. Students are very interested in film because most of them have never worked with it before. A decade ago, half of our students had worked with film in the past, but now, less than 10% of them have prior experience using film. Our students seem to understand that certain formats are used for different environments.  So, if you’re working in television, film, or creating content for the web, the tools may be different. But, they do realize that film is still very important to our industry.

HDE: How do you think technology impacts the creative process?

Franko: Technology has impacted the look and feel of student projects, but I don’t believe it has completely influenced the creative process. Students tend to over inflate the visual effects in projects when they are first taught how to use this technology. Thus, students might want to create more dramatic thrillers or action films. But, toward the end of the program, students understand that no one cares about a visually stimulating project if the story is not well developed.  Visual effects are an excellent accent to well written scripts!


HDE:  How many students go through the Film Program every year?  

Franko: Approximately 750 students attend Full Sail’s Film Program per year. Our students can begin the program on any month and there is a graduation every month. The program is designed to be flexible.  Furthermore, our graduates may come back to the program at any time and audit any course at no charge. We also have a career development department that houses 38 employees to assist our graduates with advice regarding employment. Full Sail is a lifetime resource that our graduates may use as they progress through their careers.

HDE: During your time at Full Sail, are there any  “stars” that have come through the program?

Franko: Some of our more distinguished graduates include Darren Lynn Bousman, (Director and Writer of “SAW II,” “SAW III” and “SAW IV”), Jennifer Meislohn, (Senior Production Supervisor of Visual Effects at 20th Century Fox), and Hunter Via, (Editor for “The Shield,” “Arrested Development” and “Identity Lost”.) In addition, our graduates have worked on the “Best Picture” for the past four years.

HDE:  Tell us about the nationally syndicated television show, The Daily Buzz (www.dailybuzz.tv).

Franko:  The Daily Buzz is broadcast from Full Sail Studios, and has been a terrific real-world opportunity for our students. They began shooting on campus last June in one of our stages. Students have the opportunity to intern with The Daily Buzz crew upon graduation and they have assisted with graphics and set design. It is exciting for our students to work along side talented professionals on this fast paced morning show. We are very fortunate that The Daily Buzz is a part of our Full Sail Family.

To learn more about the Film Department and the other innovative programs offered at Full Sail, visit www.fullsail.com.