Replying to Film Production Question

Alright, I got a question for you guys who make professional ski films. Not sure if you use 16mm or digital, but, say your going to make a 16mm vid, would you really have to go to college first to learn all the shit or can you learn / pick up most of the stuff along the way.
Stuff like editing, sound mixing for a 16mm film, not digital. Is that stuff pretty easy to pick up or not. Would you need the basics through college or could ya probably just learn the stuff while your working on it. Thanks for any info. Later.