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- 🐴 How to make movies (without a $200k degree) (#119)
🐴 How to make movies (without a $200k degree) (#119)
From Angel Studios to YouTube success stories, homeschooled creators are reshaping the entertainment industry. Plus: The complete filmmaker starter pack for teens.
Charlie Deist
January 27, 2025
In today's episode of the OpenEd podcast, we sit down with Ben Kasica and Ben Smallbone, the masterminds behind Angel Studios' Homestead film and TV series (in theaters now). Read on for highlights…
In this edition:
💭 The homeschool → Homestead pipeline
📈 How homeschoolers are disrupting traditional film education
🎥 Build a pro filmmaker kit for under $500
If you enjoy this edition, forward this email to a friend! First time reading? Subscribe and learn more at OpenEd.co.
💡 THOUGHT
Boredom: The Ultimate Creative Fuel
Picture two boys wandering the hills of a film set, exploring while their dad directs scenes for Angel Studios' latest hit film and series. This wasn't a field trip - it was a typical school day for the Smallbone family.
After OpenEd founder Matt Bowman stumbled upon this scene, he learned something fascinating: Both Ben Smallbone (director) and Ben Kasica (producer) of Homestead were homeschooled. The secret to their creativity? The freedom to be bored growing up.
In our latest podcast, they revealed how unstructured time led them to follow their curiosity and eventually build careers that many film school graduates only dream about. No permission needed. No waiting to be “picked.”
TREND
“Go make stuff.”
Film School: $200k to learn "how" to make movies
Alternative path: Actually making movies at 16
Film school grads: "I'm waiting to be discovered"
Your homeschooled teen: "Check out my YouTube channel"
The portfolio you build matters more than the diploma you buy.
The democratization of content creation has accelerated this shift: With tools like smartphones and YouTube, young creators can build impressive portfolios before they're old enough to vote. The key ingredient? Time and space to experiment – something that flexible, personalized education models excel at providing.
Ben Kasica – producer of Homestead and former lead guitarist for the band Skillet – makes the crucial point:
"When you're homeschooled, you have a lot of free time... you can actually make a living as a teenager making stuff on YouTube, entering filmmaking contests, entering festivals."
Are you still waiting for someone to pick you?
Maybe it’s time to just go make stuff.
🛠️ TOOL
Filmmaker Starter Pack
Smartphone camera ($300) - That iPhone in your pocket shoots better quality than most Hollywood films from 20 years ago. Add a $50 stabilizer from Amazon, and you're ready to go.
DaVinci Resolve (free version, or $295 for “studio” version) - The same company that makes color correction tools for major motion pictures is available to anyone.
YouTube account (free) - social media gives you instant access to billions of viewers, plus immediate feedback on what works.
Community - Subscribe to Film Riot on YouTube for free film school tutorials and connect with other young filmmakers in the Rookie Filmmaker Discord.
Training - OpenEd students with art on their schedule get access to Sneak on the Lot, featuring courses, workshops, and an immersive educational experience.
(QUOTE) OF THE DAY
Montessori describing a teacher, who saw a small boy who was moving a chair so he could climb it and see from a better vantage, but who picked him up and held him instead:
— Matt Bateman (@mbateman)
5:25 AM • Jan 21, 2025
Let 👏 Kids 👏 Learn 👏 .
That’s all for today!
– Charlie (the OpenEd newsletter guy)
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