# Current USC MFA student, Accepted to NYU, Columbia, LMU



## JKL (Jul 2, 2014)

Hi guys,

I'm a current MFA Production Student at USC and I love it! I also got accepted to NYU, Columbia, and Loyola Marymount.

I was rejected by all these schools the first time I applied, but then I got accepted after I tried a second time, so I feel like I understand the process very well. If you have any questions, feel free to talk to me. I'd love to help. Also, if you have any questions about USC, feel free to ask me as well; I'd love to help!

The only thing I ask is if you could donate a little to my Kickstarter! I'm making a Thriller film with USC and AFI students and professionals, but I need help. For $15, you'll get an exclusive link to watch the film I directed online!
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/teamlocksmiths/locksmiths-a-horror-thriller-short-film

If anything, I appreciate it if you just watch the donation video, because shooting that was tough too.

Thanks!
James


----------



## Nathan Nguyen-Le (Jul 3, 2014)

Hey JKL, 

First post here! 

So my questions are this: What do you think was the biggest difference between your first and second application? It must be have been rather staggering to get accepted to each film school after the initial rejection. I applaud your perseverance and drive. Howard Suber always says what the separates the good from the great filmmakers is how they deal with despair, and you my friend have conquered it! 

Also, in terms of the actual film production, have you learned a great deal at USC? Or do you think that what is taught at school could easily been self-taught through trial and error and or set experience?

Lastly, I looked at your kickstarter project LockSmith and it looks really promising I was checking out the cast and crew and you have a real winner there. I will be donating by the end of the weekend. 

Best of luck, 
Nathan


----------



## JKL (Jul 4, 2014)

Nathan Nguyen-Le said:


> Hey JKL,
> 
> First post here!
> 
> ...



Hey Nathan!
 Thanks for the kind words!   I'd love to answer your questions as specifically as I can:
1)What do you think was the biggest difference between your first and second application?
Best answer: http://destinationmfafilm.wordpress.com
I actually wrote a blog of my reapplication process, and what my thought process was! This blog is very personal and crazy in some respects. It's the most detailed and thorough account of my revision process--and it's also very raw--I hope you enjoy it!  In sum: I rewrote my essay and got way more personal, I got more film experience by working freelance, and I asked for recommendations from people who knew me well instead of people that were famous filmmakers.

2) Also, in terms of the actual film production, have you learned a great deal at USC? Or do you think that what is taught at school could easily been self-taught through trial and error and or set experience? 
If I can sum up what I learned at USC, it's an understanding of the Industry Culture at large. I'm sure you can pick that up through trial and error and set experience, but USC is a microcosm of a big studio, where you get to experience a little bit of everything, from pre-production to post. The professors also know what they're talking about, as they all have amazing credits. Some are Oscar winners.

At USC, we get our hands wet in everything, from pitching scripts, greenlighting them, to sound mixing/foleying/dubbing, etc. We get a birds-eye view of the whole production experience, which is something I didn't get when I was freelancing because, for example, whenever I gripped for a professional set, that's all I did. I didn't get to see everything else that happens prior to and after production. At USC, we pretty much see the entire process. This could be annoying for some though, because the professors at times tend to focus more on "how" we make our films rather than "what" we make.
 If you have any more questions, feel free to ask! Also, I really appreciate your kind consideration regarding donating to my Kickstarter!

As a fellow filmmaker, the struggle to get funding is very real, lol, but it's a whole lot of fun! I'd love to help in any way I can as well.


Peace, 
James


----------



## Nathan Nguyen-Le (Jul 5, 2014)

Hey James, 

Thanks for answering so quickly and I had read all the posts on your blogs and have found them extremely helpful. It must have been so relieving to get in once you had been rejected and it was great seeing that journey with your blog posts. Knowing that you were accepted in the end makes the earlier posts quite delightful to read. 

I do have a few more questions, if you do not mind answering. 

What did you think went wrong specifically with the UCLA interview, and knowing what you know now, what would you have done differently to have improved on this? 

And lastly, if it is at all possible, could I possibly read your personal statements and treatments to USC and UCLA? If anything, I'd like to read your first attempt that was rejected so I can better understand what to improve upon, if that makes sense. But if this delving too deep in terms of a request, then I completely understand, and whatever advice you do offer, will of course be taken at full attention. 

Thanks again James!


----------



## katha-car (Aug 7, 2014)

Hi James,

Congratulations on crowd funding your film! And thank you for sharing your reapplication process through your blog. It is such a great resource! I had a quick question - did you have to take the GRE for any of the schools or to get funding/scholarships? I am planning to apply to Columbia (my first choice), NYU, CalArts, Syracuse and UT Austin. Only UT Austin of all these requires a GRE, so I'm wondering if I should drop it or go take the GRE after all. Would appreciate your thoughts on this!

Thanks and good luck with the film!

Cheers! Sush


----------

