Sometimes summoning the independent spirit can be exhausting and confusing. You will need to invest in a skateboard, for instance, if you need a camera dolly (there are no Magnum Dollies at SF State, although that's standard equipment elsewhere).

There is hope, however, and it's called networking. Students swap, borrow and team up on several projects in order to compensate for the equipment failures and shortages. Despite an occasional culture snob, the majority of film students are willing to bail each other out.

Another option is moonlighting. I became frustrated with renting equipment from alien facilities and moonlighted on crews with another film school in order to have access to more equipment and make fresh contacts.

The sunny side at San Francisco State is that the tuition is low at about $1,000 a semester and there are some good instructors and lecturers--usually working professionals who teach from real-world experience. Being allowed the freedom to think individually if you don't feel like conforming to Hollywood standards should not be taken for granted either.