# UCLA film statement



## jesster (Sep 23, 2008)

just wanting to know for those who did get into UCLA..how long was your statement? did you write sentimentally, or did you save that for the film treatment? Would you say the personal statement is the make or break compared to the film treatment? I wrote a really sentimental statement having to do with my background and its relationship to film, but one of my professors said I should save that for the treatment and just answer the general questions like "what kind of director do you want to be," "why film school," "why UCLA," etc etc. I'm afraid this might make me sound too generic, especially when the statement I wrote was very specific of who I am.

Any advice would be great!


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## dharmagirl (Sep 23, 2008)

I stuck to the page limit -- I think 2 pages?

I deffinitely talked mostly about those boring questions you list.  I know they sound dull but that is what it is for, right?  It is where you state your purpose.  Besides, if you sound generic in that then maybe this is not the program for you.  Just put your heart into it and you will stand out.  You for sure want to cover all that boring stuff, then if there is room for other stuff, throw it in.

I did mention one specific project that I want to work on, but it was only a sentence or two long.

Good luck!


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## jesster (Sep 23, 2008)

is the statement of purpose the same for the directors program? it doesnt really say 2 pages, it just says attach another page if need be. I guess shorter is better.


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## Jayimess (Sep 23, 2008)

I don't know the specifics of this "treatment" requirement, but unless you're supposed to write the treatment for a film depicting your life, it makes no sense to "save" your background life and interest in film for the treatment.  The treatment should be the story you want to tell, not your story.

My personal statement last year glossed over the life facts I mentioned in my autobiography and detailed their connection to my interest in film.  The autobiography went into detail about my life and glossed over my past's connection to film.


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## Suzako (Sep 23, 2008)

Jayimess,  

Not to be too picky, but I think you're getting the USC and UCLA applications confused.  

UCLA (MFA-Production) asks for a statement of purpose and an original treatment describing a half hour film or tv show that could be produced during graduate residence.

UCLA (MFA-Screenwriting) asks for a statement of purpose and "samples of creative writing"

USC (MFA-Production) asks for a Personal Statement, a photo essay assignment, and a portfolio list.

USC (MFA-Screenwriting) asks for an "autobiographical character sketch", an "emotional moment essay", two creative writing challenges, 20 pgs of writings samples, and a portfolio list.  No statement of purpose.


I'm pretty sure that in no application do you write an autobiography AND a statement of purpose.

It seems to me that the schools do really describe what they want on their websites.  Nothing will tell you a magic formula, sadly.


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## Jayimess (Sep 23, 2008)

I sent the same stuff to every program, but they were all called different things.  So perhaps the three have blurred together.  

I do know that I was required to both describe where I came from and where I wanted to go and why I thought that program would help me go there.  

Not in the same doc...I'm wondering if one went to the cinema departments and one was the general apps.

Also, I applied two years ago...gosh, has it been so long...and things have changed.  The photo essay didn't exist then...

Oh well.  Thanks for laying out the specifics, hopefully that will help folks on this site, which is what it's all about.


Either way, I stand by the statement that personal "sentimental" life stories do not belong in a treatment of a show/film if it is not the show/film of your life.


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## Zumbi (Oct 1, 2008)

To everybody!

There is another post on the same subject here:
http://forums.studentfilms.com/eve/forums?a=tpc&s=20860...051069265#3051069265

Me and a friend have some doubts about the TREATMENT for USC and UCLA. Does somebody can help us?

Thank you!


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