yearbook 2004/05 - The European Film College

Life after the EFC
By Jens Rykær
It is not until late February that students realize
that their stay at the EFC will some day come
to an end. The fact is so uncomfortable, even
scary, that most of them will automatically repress
the very thought. The truth is namely that
the school they live and function in is a sheltered
environment where there is always a bed
to sleep in, food to eat, somebody to talk to,
projects to speculate about and a shoulder to
cry on. Never having to care about shopping,
loneliness and where to dance on the tables. In
other words one feels safe and looked after. As if
you were at home as a kid.
But then it happens. You realize that all this is
going to change. And change dramatically. A
new challenge, a new unfamiliar road to travel.
After term – then what?
Counselling
The school acknowledges a responsibility here,
but I am not quite sure that we are properly
dressed for this situation. From day one we
try to paint the picture of a career within the
media as realistically as possible, never concealing
the fact that the road is uphill, windy and
cold. Counselling of students is quite difficult
here as half of the students are from ‘all over
the world’ and working/educational conditions
are so different. Actually it is also difficult in
relation to the Danish contingent of students
as only a fraction will actually try to make it
within the industry. Basically you have to cover
the whole spectre of further education in house,
which is of course impossible. Therefore it is
very satisfactory that the Ministry of Education
has decided to implement a compulsory strate-
gy on counselling at all tutorial institutions. It
is for each individual school to invent its own
structure but everybody has to put up a proper
scheme in order to streamline and to clarify this
policy. A proper ‘education of counsellors’ will
be put together, tools will be provided (databases,
web portals and such), so help and support
is around the corner.
Former students
The school has always managed well with use
of external lecturers, our own knowledge and
common sense. In my opinion some of our
most valuable assets have been visits by former
students. They are still young, recently out of
film schools, already possessing some experience
from real life, have a few projects under
their belt and they still remember the bewilderment
being confronted with life after the
EFC. Nine former students were here on four
occasions this year, one pair screening their
documentaries, one pair telling about the possibilities
working within television and five gave
bits and pieces of information on film and TV.
Some of them having finished film schools after
the EFC, some had plunged right into a career.
Also the traditional visit by a former student
who has set up a professional production company
and now every year employs students as
trainees for a year is very illustrative for the new
ones to have an understanding of the business.
Supplementary to this, four former students
have given courses in such different areas as
stunts, production management, multi camera
and writing a feature. No doubt about it – to
be visited by high powered professionals is of
course interesting and important, but it is certainly
useful that the young pros meet the not
yet so pros.