# UNO Film Production (2012-2013)



## kelpike (Feb 7, 2013)

Hi Everyone! 

I decided to go ahead and apply to the University of New Orleans based on its mention in the Film School Confidential and the fact that so much industry work is happening in New Orleans right now.  But, I've had a difficult finding much info. about the program.  Even Film School Confidential is kind of vague about it, due to the uncertanties of its post-Katrina development.  Does anyone have any information or interest in this program?  

Thanks!


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## Joshua J. (Feb 5, 2014)

Let me preface this by saying I had a 3.95 grade average, was president of UNO Filmmakers, directed an award-winning spring film for the department, and played a small hand in helping start the UNO Film Fest. I say all this to explain that I'm not a "sour grapes" or "F" student who couldn't hack it, I was a huge supporter during most of my time there, and forgave a lot of what I saw happening.
Professors were frequently unprepared for class, the hands-on part of the syllabus was often abandoned for lack of preparation on professors' parts. Only 2 out of around 10 MFA students in my grade decided to complete it -- and none of them within a year of when they were supposed to graduate.
I once caught a professor bad-mouthing me to another grad student with his office door open as I was walking by the office. I later called him out on this and was told I better watch what I say. He then demoted me from my position managing the media center without being able to tell me a single thing I had done wrong.
I eventually had to report my professor for misconduct for letting me make a 96-minute feature film over the course of 2.5 years then being told out of the blue at my defense that I was failing and not even allowed to defend! It turned out professors had not watched the 3 preview cuts of the film I'd delivered them over the course of those years, they were "too busy."
I was told I could make a whole new film at my own expense of around $10-15,000 (and without loans since I was no longer a full-time student)! Initially, I had been told they weren't allowed to grade me on the artistic quality of my film, so I guess I was being graded on its politics (which my professor made abundantly clear he disagreed with).
I mentioned that they had passed some much worse films in my time at UNO, professors even agreed with me. One giggled sheepishly. They wouldn't say specifically why mine was being failed, but its my opinion that politics played a role (my thesis chair was fond of discussing his Christianity and right-wing politics with students).
All I wanted was a chance to complete my degree -- even at my own expense -- but by the time I saved money to return my first semester's credits were about to expire. So, the university would have to approve my re-entry -- which they chose not to, despite my good record. They said whatever I was taught by them years ago was no longer relevant in the industry -- as good a reason for not attending UNO as I can think of!
We were assigned thesis professors, rather than given any input on our thesis committee. It's a very top-down, authoritarian department with a lot of politics, and my experiences trying to take the issue to the university lead me to believe the whole university is structured that way. The number of graduate students who proceed to graduation on-time are almost non-existent, and there are a really high number who decide not to graduate at all because of the departmental BS.


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