For many aspiring filmmakers, the path to Hollywood seems paved with film school degrees that cost a fortune and industry connections that are impossible to get. But what if the secret to breaking in isn’t about following the rules, but about teaching yourself everything from scratch? For award-winning filmmaker Rolla Selbak, a queer Palestinian Muslim woman, the DIY path wasn’t just a choice—it was the only one available.
It’s a common belief that to make it in Hollywood, you need a prestigious film degree. The reality is far more complex. According to a 2025 analysis of over 1,200 top-grossing films, only about half (49.3%) of top directors actually attended film school . The other half, including icons like Christopher Nolan and Quentin Tarantino, are largely self-taught .
This isn’t just about talent; it’s about access. With top film schools like USC and NYU charging around $70,000 per year for tuition alone, the traditional path is financially impossible for most . As a 2021 McKinsey report on the film industry noted, entry-level work is often a “privileged apprenticeship” with pay so low it “rules certain people out from the job” . For marginalized communities, who already face significant wealth gaps, the barrier is even higher.
This is the world Rolla Selbak entered. “I never thought in a million years that I’d be able to do it,” she recalled. “It’s not for me. It’s not meant for me. I’m only the audience. I’m not the creator.”
Faced with a system not built for her, she built her own. After being scammed out of $10,000 for a pitch, she decided, “if no one’s gonna make my stuff, I should learn how to do it.”
And she did. She assembled her first crew on Craigslist. She snuck into her tech company office on weekends to use it as a film set. She paid an editor extra to let her sit over his shoulder and learn the craft. “That’s literally how it started,” she said. “Like writing, directing, editing, producing and I just kept going and going and going.”
This relentless DIY spirit is a powerful form of resistance. In an industry where 92% of film executives are white and access often depends on “who you know,” Selbak’s journey proves that talent and determination can forge a different path . Her success—from a Sundance Alumna to developing projects for Sony and Disney—is a testament to the power of self-belief.
As Quentin Tarantino famously said, “Trying to make a feature film yourself with no money is the best film school you can do” . Rolla Selbak’s story is living proof. She didn’t just break into Hollywood; she built her own door.
[1] Stephen Follows. (2025, September 3). What percentage of top film directors went to film school?
https://stephenfollows.com/p/what-percentage-of-film-directors-went-to-film-school
[2] Raindance. (2022, April 7 ). Top 10 Self-Taught Filmmakers Who Made It In The Film Industry.
https://raindance.org/top-10-self-taught-filmmakers/
[3] McKinsey & Company. (2021, March 11 ). Black representation in film and TV: The challenges and impact of increasing diversity.
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