Do you need to attend college to get in the film/directing industry?

As a short answer to the question, do NEED to attend college to get into film/directing? No.

Here's the long answer:

Many filmmakers start out with a camera and some friends shooting small projects on their days off, allowing them to grow their craft and to ultimately build into larger projects. Ultimately, you may or may not get noticed, and you may enjoy remaining in the art world building projects as expression vs for profit/income. No degree is necessary in this case. You may end up having a wildly successful YouTube channel as well!

If you know your goal is to be a director, then why not pursue the degree? If college looks like too much work (four more years of school‽), then you may actually lack the drive to become a successful director, which, while rewarding, takes years to master. If college looks like it is too costly, note that you don't have to attend an Ivy League school. Feel free to start out at a community college, if possible, earning what you can, and then transfer to a four-year institution or a film school that will take your credits. Additionally, financial aid can often times be used to offset college expenses.

A college degree demonstrates determination and stamina. Likewise, going to college offers you knowledge in your trade, along with guided opportunities to learn along side your peers, guided by experienced (if you go to a quality school) instructors. Therefore, you will gain wisdom that could save you years of learning the hard way. Networking occurs with fellow students, providing possible future opportunities, but you will also be offered access to industry professionals through guest lectures and internships.

[Small note, here: Directing is a somewhat coveted position (most people don't want to remain Production Assistants), so regardless of your educational background, you are likely going to spend some years learning and moving up the ranks to gain a foothold as a respected or called-upon director. Expect this to be a lifetime pursuit, not an immediate gain.]

If you want to work with TV or film studios, many online job openings require (or highly recommend) a four year degree, often in at least a similar field (communications, journalism, entertainment, etc.), to be considered, beyond industry experience and your reel.

So, if you think about it, you could move into life as a filmmaker without a degree and earn the position of Director. You will potentially lose out on some opportunities without a degree. On the other hand, having an earned degree will provide you additional insight into your craft and keep more doors open for you, especially where you may find yourself competing with a stack of potential employees for a single position.

I think the question you might consider asking yourself is: "What will I get from attending (and graduating from) college that I can't get from apprenticing myself to film and TV productions?"

IMHO, these days, a college degree is more of a badge or trophy than a tool. The sad part is that so many professions believe that if you don't have a college degree, you're somehow not (1) smart, (2) knowledgeable, or (3) worthy of employment. So the degree ends up like a left shoe -- it doesn't make you more qualified but it's a lot easier to walk around with it.

You can make connections in film school, but bear in mind they are connections with peers. Future successes. Other versions of you. Not anyone who could necessarily open doors for you after graduation.

Production companies who take on film school graduates still complain that they have to retrain every one. Why? It's likely film schools really develop auteurs, not collaborators. The real world of filmmaking is a team effort. And because it's bizarrely personal, no one will just give you a film to direct. You'll have to demonstrate you actually are worthy. And having a degree is not part of being worthy.

I've never once asked anyone who works on any of my projects if they have a college degree or not. They either know how to do things or they don't.

Heck, you could pursue a degree in a non-film field of study at night while you earn & learn during the day in the film industry. And at the end of it, you'd have that "trophy," a potential alternate job skill, and will have "paid your dues" in the biz you profess to embrace.

I'm just sayin'...