New journalist career advice

Hi everybody,
I come to you with a great dilemna I’m currently facing.

Context :
I’m in an internship in a TV/video agency called Phaestos (south of France), as a videographer. Even though I had no experience in TV, as I’m a photographer, it seems that I am pretty capable, as I am already working for national TVs (TF1 and BFM TV). See the results on my blog (http://blog.basilesimon.fr)

In september, I was supposed to take a master degree in political sciences in order to prepare the very hard exams to be admitted in the greatest French journalism schools.

Here, I have to say that my life goal is to become a photojournalist, and more precisely a war photojournalist. Don’t know when, don’t know how, but this is the main objective.

But the Phaestos agency is now offering me a job. Well, not a real job, eh, a journalist job. We call this system “pigiste” in France ; that means you’re a freelance and the agency gives you the work.
Maybe they will offer me the possibility to take an “alternation”, a kind of “companionship” (i don’t know if you understand it) : 6 weeks at the agency, 2 weeks at school, for 2 years, plus the great diploma at the end.

So here’s the dilemna.
Do I have to drop everything (studies, master degree) to take this opportunity to gain my journalism card, to work for national TVs, and to leave France after that for becoming a photojournalist ?
Or do I have to take that degree, these schools, to lead smaller projects during these years ?

I feel great in the field, and I never had good marks at school.
But I can’t decide on this issue because I don’t know the profession.
Can you lightstalkers help me ?

Thanks a lot.

by Basile Simon at 2012-08-26 10:04:05 UTC | Bookmark | | Report spam→