# My review of Syracuse's Newhouse Film School



## DoubleIT (Dec 26, 2004)

I am a junior TV/Radio/Film major at Syracuse in their Newhouse school. Please note that Syracuse actually has two film schools, on in VPA (Visual Performing Arts) and one in Newhouse. Newhouse is more known in the 'industry'. People generally say VPA Film students make art, Newhouse students make money. VPA shoots on both 16mm and DV, Newhouse is all DV. I applied early to Newhouse. It was between that and the Tische school at NYU. I wanted a real campus and went with SU.

First of all it is cold and gloomy as hell. Expect to get depressed for most of second semester. Its so cold, so gray, its horrible. But you get through it. Syracuse is a graet party school and the temptation to drink 5 nights a week is there in your face at all times. It's what I did for the first two years. I skipped most lecture classes (Besides those in my major because I enjoyed those). I still managed good grades, not because I worked my *** off, but because they scale all the classes  Live and die by the grading scale.

I want to write screen plays, then direct, then produce. In that order. Does SU prepare you for life ahead? Probably not. Most of what I have learend about film and the industry I did on my own. I have been making movies for almost 8 years now, so most of what is taught I had learend myself years earlier. Ive had that buring passion years before I applied to film school.

Newhouse just got 5 or 6 new Panasonic DVX 100's which I LOVE. Before that we were shooting on VX1000's and 2000's. They are piss compared to the DVXs. Its the best thing Newhouse is done in ages. The rest of the equipment is your standard abused film school equipment. You have to make due with what you've got.

You dont pickup a camera until Sophomore year and you do a bunch of stupid projects and edit on Final Cut. Junior year you can finally take a decent production course and edit on the Avids. I dont like signing up for time to edit at the Edit Suites, plus Id rather eat and if the desire arises smoke pot while I edit, so I do so in the confort of my own room.

No one in Newhouse knows how to light, so you need to figure that out on your own. The only thing a film school is going to do for you is build connections. The best thing I have gotten out of SU is meeting my best friend who shares the passion for film maknig that I do. Besides that, it really doesnt matter where you go. You either got 'it' or you dont. No film school will craete that creative force inside you. You're born with it (or not).

SU in general is filled with a lot of JAPpy (excuse the term) girls (and guys for that matter) from Long Island. You either get used to them or you dont. I did. A big part of Hollywood is being social, and I have perfected those skills. People tend to drink the hard winters away, its really the only way to get through it. The bar scene is big and a lot of fun here. Greek life is also big. Nearly ever girl is in a house and I think like 50% of guys are in one as well.

There are a few increadible professors at Newhouse. There are also a bunch of dumb asses who have never done anything and don't know what they are doing. You're going to find that in any film school I suppose.

In the end, film school hasn't taught me a whole lot. But, its worth every penny for the people you  meet and the contacts you make. They are priceless in this industry.It is all what you make of it, and I think I would have had a graet time no matter where I ended up.

If you have any specific questions about Newhouse post back here and Ill anwser as best I can. Ill also post a link to my latest film as soon as I get more room on my server (I killed the 20Gigs of bandwidth for the month already)


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## alex c (Jan 1, 2005)

well, no one has replied to this. but i just want u to know that i did apply to syracuse, and ive keep going back to this review to read up on it. it was meaningful to me, thank u


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## DoubleIT (Jan 2, 2005)

Thanks a lot Alex. I was a bit sad i took all the time to write it up and no one seemed to read it. If you have any questions, ask away!


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## alex c (Jan 3, 2005)

actually i do.  i applied to the film art part of the school, but im thinking now that id probably want to go newhouse instead. if i were accepted, could i easily transfer to that department?


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## DoubleIT (Jan 3, 2005)

It seems like half the student population wants to transfer into Newhouse. I think its the worst part about SU and Newhouse, as they let anyone in if you have a 3.5 GPA. I think that totally messes up the quality of people in the school. None the less, take easy classes (Most of them are) and get a 3.5 and you can transfer in. The one VPA class I took I didnt go to a single lecture or watch any of the movies ( I had seen most of them). I just took the mid term and final and I got an A.


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