# Chapman Applicants 2013/2014



## rainwhole (Oct 25, 2013)

Hi guys, 

I am starting this thread for those of us who are currently putting our applications together for Chapman Dodge College graduate programs. I haven't seen one for current applicants anywhere on the site, so let me know if I am creating an already existent thread. 

This is a great opportunity for all of us to share with each other during the application process this year. Specially to support each other during the awful waiting period before we know the admissions decisions. 

So let me start off by quickly giving you guys some info on my background. I have a Bachelor's of science in Entertainment Business and a Master's degree in Digital Media Communications. Film and Television have always been my passion, but sadly I have yet to work on the field outside of an educational institution. In school I've worked as a Casting Call supervisor, and Unit Production Manager for a couple of student films. Most of my experience comes from working as a Producer and Creative director in multiple video games and interactive stories. I have also worked in Animation (specifically Stop-Motion), since I was very young. Currently, I work as a translator and I am writing the first issue of a comic book series to pitch to Dynamite Comics next December. 

I am attempting to enter Chapman for an MFA in Film & TV Producing. I hear the school is great, but is also really hard to get into. Anyone out there have any tips? 

-RR


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## SeattleUfilmstudent (Oct 26, 2013)

Hi,

I'm starting my application to Chapman as well. I'm applying for the MFA for production with Directing emphasis. I am also applying to other schools, but the thing I found about Chapman is that they require more supplementary materials than any other school. Which I am not sure is exciting or daunting. Either way, I would really love to get in.

I don't have any tips as of yet, but as the process goes, I will be sure to check back and see how things are and to give any insight I get.

-SM


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## DJ (Oct 28, 2013)

I graduated from Chapman with an MFA in Film and TV Producing in 2012.  Feel free to ask me any questions and I'll do my best to answer them.


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## rainwhole (Nov 2, 2013)

DJ said:


> I graduated from Chapman with an MFA in Film and TV Producing in 2012. Feel free to ask me any questions and I'll do my best to answer them.


 

Hey DJ, 

I talked to you once already, and I am sorry but I am without a cellphone (till yesterday) so I was not able to call you at all. But maybe you could share with us a little bit of your experience with Chapman? 

I can't speak for everyone, but I am a little worry that Chapman might not be the best place to develop industry connections. Is the program really hands-on or not? Does the school help their recent graduates and alumni find work opportunities? 

Any info you could share with us would be highly welcomed. 

-R


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## babyducks (Nov 3, 2013)

Hi again!

I completed my application to Chapman the other day. Good luck!


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## rainwhole (Nov 3, 2013)

babyducks said:


> Hi again!
> 
> I completed my application to Chapman the other day. Good luck!


 

Hello again babyducks, what program are you applying for in Chapman?  MFA Screenwriting?


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## DJ (Nov 4, 2013)

rainwhole said:


> Hey DJ,
> 
> I talked to you once already, and I am sorry but I am without a cellphone (till yesterday) so I was not able to call you at all. But maybe you could share with us a little bit of your experience with Chapman?
> 
> ...


 

I'll start off by saying I had a great experience and I wouldn't trade my experience for any other school.  To just be blunt and honest, no one is going to help you do anything in this business no matter what school you go to.  An alumni industry connection might help you get an internship, but rarely will they give you a big break or opportunity.  Making it in this business comes from a combination of paying your dues and putting in the necessary time and work, while also taking advantage of any opportunities sent your way.

In my honest opinion, you don't need a Master's to develop industry connections.  I've developed all my industry connections on my own, just by sending cold emails and making cold calls.  As someone trying to break into the industry, no one is going to seek you out and pay you for anything in this business.  You have to beat down doors on your own, develop projects, prove you know what you're doing, and be ready to take advantage of any opportunity you might be given because they are few and far between.

That being said, Chapman does hold Current Student & Alumni Mixers a few times a year in LA.  Those are great opportunities to mix and mingle with professionals, but again, no one is going to simply hire you after meeting them there.  People hand out business cards and offer for you to email them, but that's generally as far as it goes.  As a graduate producer or screenwriter at Chapman, you will be given the opportunity (or requirement, really) to pitch a project at Pitch Fest, an event put on by Chapman every year at Sony Studios that brings approximately 20 agents, managers, production company execs, and others into a room and you will have a couple minutes each to pitch your project.  

Just to give you an overview of how it worked out for me: I pitched 13 different executives at Pitch Fest, and 7 showed interest during the pitch and took a copy of my script with them (It was a pilot for a scripted series.)  I received no calls, emails, or further interest.  Since then, I have been developing my project with a producer who has a first-look deal at Fox TV and just put together a huge deal that partnered Eyeworks and Fox on a plethora of Scandinavian scripted television project adaptations.  I think that's proof enough that my project was top quality, yet I received no further interest, so in my personal opinion, these executives either didn't really review the projects with any expectations of moving forward or they didn't really read the scripts at all.  I could be completely wrong and they all may have read it and passed for whatever reason, but generally I would have received a follow-up email explaining that they passed just as a courtesy.  I can't say for sure one way or another, and it's just my personal assumption, though no one I've ever known has had any further developments of projects stemming from Pitch Fest.  It is a great experience nevertheless.

So, I guess my short answer is yes, USC and NYU might currently have a larger, more successful alumni base, but that doesn't necessarily mean said alumni are going to come looking for you just because you graduated from their alma mater, and in fact -- they won't (that is, unless you have strong ties to the business via friends and family).

The MFA program is very hands-on, other than the screenwriting track.  In two years at Chapman, I produced five short films: two cycle films ($1,500-$3,000 budget), two thesis films ($15,000-$20,000 budget), and one independent study ($3,500 budget).  Three of them went on to screen at great festivals around the world and two even won some awards.  On top of that, I also line produced several thesis and cycle films as well.  There is as much hands-on experience as you can want at Chapman, but again, you have to go out and look for it.

The biggest thing I would honestly tell any prospective producer is that if you can't see yourself honestly committing 20 hours/day, 7 days a week (if need be) to work, then it might not be for you.  You have to have a serious drive and passion to be successful in this industry for sheer love of the business, not because you want to be rich and famous.  Anyone who honestly has the passion, can succeed.  It might take years of struggling, working other jobs to supplement your income, serving your boss coffee, picking up a colleague's dry cleaning, and then some, and then after work, going home for six hours to develop your own projects and make calls and send emails.  As a producer, if you can do this, then I'll say the sky is definitely the limit.

I hope this helps.  I hope no one finds me as discouraging or negative, but I'm just giving my personal experiences and opinions as they pertain to my career through film school and in the entertainment industry thus far.  Any other questions are welcome!


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## SeattleUfilmstudent (Nov 7, 2013)

DJ said:


> I'll start off by saying I had a great experience and I wouldn't trade my experience for any other school. To just be blunt and honest, no one is going to help you do anything in this business no matter what school you go to. An alumni industry connection might help you get an internship, but rarely will they give you a big break or opportunity. Making it in this business comes from a combination of paying your dues and putting in the necessary time and work, while also taking advantage of any opportunities sent your way.
> 
> In my honest opinion, you don't need a Master's to develop industry connections. I've developed all my industry connections on my own, just by sending cold emails and making cold calls. As someone trying to break into the industry, no one is going to seek you out and pay you for anything in this business. You have to beat down doors on your own, develop projects, prove you know what you're doing, and be ready to take advantage of any opportunity you might be given because they are few and far between.
> 
> ...


 
Wow, thanks for the useful information. Do you find that the people who got their MFA in production had a similar experience when it came to pitching their films? And how accessible are internships at Chapman, I know that interning at a big studio would be a great thing to do for connections. Thanks.


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## rainwhole (Nov 7, 2013)

DJ said:


> I'll start off by saying I had a great experience and I wouldn't trade my experience for any other school. To just be blunt and honest, no one is going to help you do anything in this business no matter what school you go to. An alumni industry connection might help you get an internship, but rarely will they give you a big break or opportunity. Making it in this business comes from a combination of paying your dues and putting in the necessary time and work, while also taking advantage of any opportunities sent your way.
> 
> In my honest opinion, you don't need a Master's to develop industry connections. I've developed all my industry connections on my own, just by sending cold emails and making cold calls. As someone trying to break into the industry, no one is going to seek you out and pay you for anything in this business. You have to beat down doors on your own, develop projects, prove you know what you're doing, and be ready to take advantage of any opportunity you might be given because they are few and far between.
> 
> ...


 

Thanks for the response DJ. In a weird way, the things you have to say have provided a lot of comfort to me. To be honest, I already have master's degree so I know the huddles of graduate school, and most importantly I know that schools are experts at promising connections and helping you land jobs but they never truly deliver...which is ok.  I want to go to film school because I legitimately want to learn the art form inside out. So if Chapman University offers an opportunity to work with ambitious students, good professors, and hands-on on projects then I think is the right school for me. I have zero expectations beyond that.

If you don't mind DJ, could you tell us a little about your background before Chapman? We all know is hard tog et into the school, so what particular things do you think made you be an outstanding candidate?  

Cheers, 
R

PS: I wish more prospective students could read your blunt wisdom, since many think a top ranking school = an immediate career in Hollywood.


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## DJ (Nov 7, 2013)

SeattleUfilmstudent said:


> Wow, thanks for the useful information. Do you find that the people who got their MFA in production had a similar experience when it came to pitching their films? And how accessible are internships at Chapman, I know that interning at a big studio would be a great thing to do for connections. Thanks.


 

Production students don't pitch at Pitch Fest, as it's only for Producers and Screenwriters.  Again, I don't know of anyone who had any further development of projects stemming from Pitch Fest from my year or any other year someone I know pitched there.  I did have a few producer friends who had some good experiences pitching, had their project taken home by an executive, and then heard nothing more -- honestly, as expected. 

The success I've had with my project has been generated after the fact.  Moreover, and not to toot my own horn, but my project was much, much further developed than any other projects pitched there.  I had a well-known actor attached in the lead role and also had a deal with a production company to finance 70% of the pilot.  99% of the other students' projects were just scripts.

Internships at Chapman are very accessible.  Chapman sends out a weekly newsletter with screening information, internships, upcoming festivals, and other interesting things.  Also, finding an internship in Hollywood is fairly simple, especially as a Grad student.  All production companies, studios, producers, managers, and agencies love free work from intelligent people, so it's a win-win.  Again, you have to seek them out.  Find a production company who makes films you enjoy and check out their website, send them a cold email, give them a call, etc.  That's the best way to find an internship.  Be persistent and show initiative -- it goes a long way.


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## DJ (Nov 7, 2013)

rainwhole said:


> Thanks for the response DJ. In a weird way, the things you have to say have provided a lot of comfort to me. To be honest, I already have master's degree so I know the huddles of graduate school, and most importantly I know that schools are experts at promising connections and helping you land jobs but they never truly deliver...which is ok. I want to go to film school because I legitimately want to learn the art form inside out. So if Chapman University offers an opportunity to work with ambitious students, good professors, and hands-on on projects then I think is the right school for me. I have zero expectations beyond that.
> 
> If you don't mind DJ, could you tell us a little about your background before Chapman? We all know is hard tog et into the school, so what particular things do you think made you be an outstanding candidate?
> 
> ...


 

No problem.  I would honestly rather speak as much truth about my experiences as possible and seem semi-discouraging than make it seem like a piece of cake.

Well, for starters, I graduate in 2010 from Drexel University with a BS in Business Administration and minors in both Law and Film.  I started out as a Freshman Film major and switched to Business at the end of my Freshman year.  I studied Law to give myself as much of a well-rounded experience as possible.  Drexel is a co-op school, and I did my six-month co-op at BlackRock, the world's largest asset manager, working in data integrity and pricing analysis, which also contributed to my well-roundedness.

As a film minor, I was lucky enough to be chosen as a producer of Off Campus, Drexel's student produced sitcom.  I produced one episode, and ended up winning a Mid-Atlantic Emmy, which helped.

I still believe, however, that the biggest contributing factor were my letters of recommendation and my writing skills.  Having written tons of analytical film papers during my film studies at Chapman, partnered with my critical thinking ability developed through my law classes, I became a very good writer, which Chapman takes very seriously, as seen through all the writing samples they demand in their application.

As far as my credentials go, I did graduate from Drexel with a 3.7 GPA and also graduated with distinction from Drexel's Honors College, which consists of completing another set of requirements as well (there's usually only about 30-50 students per year that graduate with distinction).  I was also in a social fraternity where I held multiple leadership positions, was a paid writing tutor through Drexel's Writing Intensive Tutoring program, was a teaching assistant in the business program, and played baseball for 4 years.  I was also a member of the law society, played a number of inter-fraternal sports, and was also a member of Order of Omega, a national honor fraternity, and a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars.

I believe being as well-rounded as possible will increase your chances of getting into film school.  Film schools no longer want just the artsy individuals who have only studies film.  They want broader minds from a wide array of social and educational backgrounds.  Anyone can tell stories, so their job is to find those who are the best at it (in their opinion).

My three letters of recommendation were from one industry veteran, the writer of the book Film School Confidential and one of my mentors at Drexel, and a business professor.  My LOR definitely helped my cause, no doubt.

While writing your different samples, be sure to have others read them, write multiple drafts, and make sure you write your script sample in the proper format.  As I said, they definitely take the writing samples seriously.  On one of the first days of classes, one of my professors asked all of us which film we wrote our analysis on, and some of them she remembered reading and praised the writing.

Feel free to continue with questions if there are any! 

If you want to check out my IMDb, that will give you a little more info about me as well: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm4367815/?ref_=fn_nm_nm_22


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## Chessirose (Nov 11, 2013)

This might seem silly, but I'm thoroughly confused.  For Chapman they're requesting an official copy of degree granting undergraduate transcript.   How is this different than just sending transcripts?  Help?  Thank you!


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## Mike_V (Nov 11, 2013)

official copy will be in a sealed envelope as opposed to a copy of a transcript that is not sealed. it's to prevent fraud.


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## Chessirose (Nov 11, 2013)

Mike_V said:


> official copy will be in a sealed envelope as opposed to a copy of a transcript that is not sealed. it's to prevent fraud.


 

If I have official sealed copies of my transcripts is that suffice?

Thanks!


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## rainwhole (Nov 12, 2013)

Chessirose said:


> If I have official sealed copies of my transcripts is that suffice?
> 
> Thanks!


 

Hey Chessirose, 

Most of the time that's not quite enough. Getting a sealed envelope  with the transcripts is just half of it, the other half is actually getting your previous institution to mail the envelope directly. This is the case for almost all the graduate programs you could apply to, but sometimes that varies with school. I am playing it safe and I already asked both my undergrad and grad institution to mail directly the transcripts to Chapman....is usually free. 

Cheers, 
R


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## rainwhole (Nov 12, 2013)

DJ said:


> No problem. I would honestly rather speak as much truth about my experiences as possible and seem semi-discouraging than make it seem like a piece of cake.
> 
> Well, for starters, I graduate in 2010 from Drexel University with a BS in Business Administration and minors in both Law and Film. I started out as a Freshman Film major and switched to Business at the end of my Freshman year. I studied Law to give myself as much of a well-rounded experience as possible. Drexel is a co-op school, and I did my six-month co-op at BlackRock, the world's largest asset manager, working in data integrity and pricing analysis, which also contributed to my well-roundedness.
> 
> ...


 

That's a VERY impressive background DJ, thank you for sharing. 

Would you say that all the people who got into the program with you were as accomplished as you previously?

Was Chapman your only choice for graduate school? It seems with that background you could easily get into one of the "holy trinity" of film schools. 

Cheers, 
R


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## Chessirose (Nov 12, 2013)

rainwhole said:


> Hey Chessirose,
> 
> Most of the time that's not quite enough. Getting a sealed envelope with the transcripts is just half of it, the other half is actually getting your previous institution to mail the envelope directly. This is the case for almost all the graduate programs you could apply to, but sometimes that varies with school. I am playing it safe and I already asked both my undergrad and grad institution to mail directly the transcripts to Chapman....is usually free.
> 
> ...


 

Thank you for the information!


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## DJ (Nov 12, 2013)

rainwhole said:


> That's a VERY impressive background DJ, thank you for sharing.
> 
> Would you say that all the people who got into the program with you were as accomplished as you previously?
> 
> ...


 

Thanks, R.  And again, I'm really not trying to brag about my credentials and accomplishments, so I hope no one takes it that way.

No, I honestly don't think anyone in the program was probably as accomplished as me.  There may have been a few people I don't know a lot about that had similar accomplishments, but I can say for sure that those in my producing track were not as accomplished.  There were some Ivy League grads, some people who tried to break into the industry previously but failed, some people with absolutely no film background whatsoever, some who honestly just couldn't hack it and really didn't know what they were getting themselves into -- I could go on and on.  Honestly, that really doesn't mean a lot though.  

What matters is that when you get there, you take advantage of all the opportunities given and work hard.  Try to understand the business to the best of your ability and find the track that fits you best.  As a producer, you'll have to decide if you want to pursue a career in management, talent representation, literary representation, as an independent producer, working for a studio or production company, etc.  Once you figure that out, you should be able to find a good internship and start finding material and building connections.

Yes, Chapman was my only choice and the only school I applied to.  I know I would have gotten into any school I applied (or at least I'm very confident I would have had multiple top options), but I loved Chapman's location.  I loved the staff.  I loved their facilities (literally, the best film school facilities in the world hands down).  Their world film school ranking increases every year and it won't be long until they're top 3.  They went from #26 in 2011 to #13 in 2012 to #7 in 2013 (Ranked by The Hollywood Reporter).  They have nowhere to go but up.  If you haven't looked up Chapman Filmed Entertainment yet, definitely do so.  The price was a big factor, as well as financial aid.

I went out to visit the campus after applying and was given a personal tour by the head of the television department.  I was then invited to the head of the graduate program's house for my interview because the school was actually shut down for Winter Break.  If that's not accommodating, I don't know what is.  I was sold as soon as I stepped foot on the campus and even more so after the interview and tour.

A degree from AFI, NYU, or USC might be the best you can get right now, but I'd be willing to bet a Chapman degree is going to be worth a lot more in the next 5-10 years, whereas the stock in degrees from those other schools may fall.  They might not, but my money is on Chapman.


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## rainwhole (Nov 12, 2013)

DJ said:


> Thanks, R. And again, I'm really not trying to brag about my credentials and accomplishments, so I hope no one takes it that way.
> 
> No, I honestly don't think anyone in the program was probably as accomplished as me. There may have been a few people I don't know a lot about that had similar accomplishments, but I can say for sure that those in my producing track were not as accomplished. There were some Ivy League grads, some people who tried to break into the industry previously but failed, some people with absolutely no film background whatsoever, some who honestly just couldn't hack it and really didn't know what they were getting themselves into -- I could go on and on. Honestly, that really doesn't mean a lot though.
> 
> ...


 

Hey DJ, 

Thanks again for the great response. I was actually applying to the Stark Program at USC, but I found the interview + the tour so underwhelming. Ok, let me rephrase that, the school was great and the guy I interviewed with was very pleasant (we talked for over an hour). Yet at almost 70k for a two year program, it feels very underwhelming in all aspects...in my opinion at least.  

So now I am only applying to UCLA and Chapman, and honestly Chapman looks very promising. I saw the Hollywood Reporter ranking for it this year, and it was impressing. 

Sorry to keep asking so many questions, but my curiosity is boundless. You mentioned that as a producer I needed to decide if I want to pursue a career in management, talent representation, etc... Chapman prepares you for any of those? Is the degree more creative or business drive? Or both? I am a business major, and I honestly love the practice. I know they offer the MBA/MFA, but I am wondering about the regular MFA. Finally, how many from your graduating class are currently working in the industry? (if you know). 

Thanks again for talking the time to answer all this stuff for me, your info is invaluable. 

Cheers, 
R


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## Mike_V (Nov 12, 2013)

ahahah looks like your questions are already answered by DJ


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## freakyfreddy (Nov 12, 2013)

rainwhole said:


> Hey DJ,
> 
> Sorry to keep asking so many questions, but my curiosity is boundless. You mentioned that as a producer I needed to decide if I want to pursue a career in management, talent representation, etc... Chapman prepares you for any of those? Is the degree more creative or business drive? Or both? I am a business major, and I honestly love the practice. I know they offer the MBA/MFA, but I am wondering about the regular MFA.
> Cheers,
> R


 

I think what he meant is that the Creative Producing degree is broad within the industry. You can be a creative/indie producer (duh), line producer, AD, UPM, agent, etc. A lot of producers from film school go on to these careers because they excel at them and you find that out in film school as an intern for an agency, production company, or on student films. My recommendation is to figure it out quick (like now) because you only have two years of grad school and if you don't put in the time developing your own projects, interning, or working in a mailroom you'll end up doing that after you graduate and be one of those people that preach about how worthless film school is because you didn't get a full time gig as an agent, assistant, or producer. 

Chapman does have a class called 'Agents and Managers,' but I don't know what the syllabus looks like and it is not required. My guess is that they give an overview of the jobs and probably have guest speakers. This class has networking-for-a-job-in-an-agency written all over it. 

The degree is both creative and business, probably more creative than business since we spend a lot of time on cycles and thesis projects.


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## DJ (Nov 12, 2013)

rainwhole said:


> Hey DJ,
> 
> Thanks again for the great response. I was actually applying to the Stark Program at USC, but I found the interview + the tour so underwhelming. Ok, let me rephrase that, the school was great and the guy I interviewed with was very pleasant (we talked for over an hour). Yet at almost 70k for a two year program, it feels very underwhelming in all aspects...in my opinion at least.
> 
> ...


 

I think I touched on this before, but the producing program teaches both the creative and business aspects with such classes as Entertainment Law, Entertainment Marketing, and Feature Film Finance on the business side and The Development Process of Film and Television, Success in Media, and Evolution of Narrative Film on the creative side, among others.

I can't honestly say how many people from the entire graduating class are actually working in the industry.  There were about 100 total across all disciplines that graduated.  There were 15 producers and most are doing something in the industry.  There are 3 that I know for sure aren't working in the industry and a few that I'm not sure about. It really all comes down to what you classify as "working."  Most are assistants or PAs.  

Other than myself, there is one other producer graduate who has actually been a paid producer on a national TV show that will be airing soon.  As far as I know (and I've kept up with it pretty well), none of the others have produced anything other than maybe another short film, and we're now a year and a half out of graduate school.

As I stated before, you should figure out a plan before you start school.  If your goal is just to graduate and get a job as an assistant and work your way up, then I would honestly advise against graduate school.  My advice would be to just move to LA and find a job as an assistant at a talent agency or production company.  You don't need a Master's from Chapman to become an assistant.  If you want to be an independent producer, then Chapman (or film school in general) could work for you as long as you use the two years wisely to develop material and make connections, otherwise you'll just be starting out on the ground floor in the mailroom or as an assistant like everyone else.


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## freakyfreddy (Nov 12, 2013)

DJ said:


> As I stated before, you should figure out a plan before you start school. If your goal is just to graduate and get a job as an assistant and work your way up, then I would honestly advise against graduate school. My advice would be to just move to LA and find a job as an assistant at a talent agency or production company. You don't need a Master's from Chapman to become an assistant. If you want to be an independent producer, then Chapman (or film school in general) could work for you as long as you use the two years wisely to develop material and make connections, otherwise you'll just be starting out on the ground floor in the mailroom or as an assistant like everyone else.


 
I love how candid this conversation is! I totally agree with you, Dj, but there is no shame in becoming an assistant. No one wants to be an assistant when they are in film school but it is the fall back plan that everyone falls back on. But there are two types of assistants. One that is waiting for the producer they are working for to hand them a project on a silver platter or the assistant that is working on their own projects on the side (that they developed in film school).  Going to a school like Chapman will connect you with a producer that will help you develop your project and also teach you about the parts of the industry that Chapman won't teach. Assuming that after two years of film school you will learn enough to get your project green lit by Paramount is the equivalent of taking two years of Spanish and expecting to have an articulate conversation with a latino business man.

Work your butt off and try to be the 1 out of 15 producers that get their project developed right away, but don't expect to.

**Also, I want to mention that I had to work for free for about a year before I was offered a job as an assistant. So avoiding film school to take this route is rough. If you can manage financially go for it. Otherwise film school gives you a 2 year financial grace period to do this work, but there is a nice tuition bill at the end of it. So take financial assistance very seriously (scholarships, grants for student films). Sorry if you already know this and I am stating the obvious, but you'll be surprised by how many second years and recent grads are not realistic about their goals and the opportunities that they laid out for themselves by not making it happen on their own.


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## rainwhole (Nov 13, 2013)

Hey guys, 

I am truly sorry for the misunderstanding/confusion I provoked with my last questions. However, both DJ and freakyfreddy cleared things up for me perfectly.

I also want to mention that I already have a Master's degree. So I know how graduate school works, and most importantly I am aware that graduate school is not a promise to a better career or job. So my decision to go to Film school is because I love film more than anything, and I never got the opportunity to learn the true process of filmmaking. So I am not expecting either UCLA or Chapman to be the gateway to my dream career. Like you guys mentioned, getting into the industry is all up to me and not the school I attend. So yeah, my interest in film school is purely for learning.

With that said, I am taking that last recommendation you both offered and sitting down and decide what I really want to do. I am approaching this with a very open mind and prepared for anything, but I also need to get a proper plan together. Honestly, I am put in a very tight corner when asked if I want to pursue a career as an indie producer, line producer, agent, or working in management. They all sound very appealing and like something I would really enjoy doing, which also probably indicates I don't know enough about each of them yet.

So yeah, is time to go meditate and get a proper plan together. You guys rock, and I really appreciate the time you put into answering my questions. I am still open to any advice or recommendations you guys feel like throwing my way! 

Cheers, 
R


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## roaming_saint (Nov 13, 2013)

Just wanted to jump in and say that the candid discussion on this thread is incredible.
This should be required reading for every prospective producer/filmmaker.


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## DJ (Nov 13, 2013)

roaming_saint said:


> Just wanted to jump in and say that the candid discussion on this thread is incredible.
> This should be required reading for every prospective producer/filmmaker.


 

Thank you!  I remember reading these forums when I was an undergrad at Drexel and working as a financial analyst at BlackRock.  There wasn't nearly enough honesty and blunt wisdom regarding film school and the industry, and I feel that since I've already gone through it, I have a sort of obligation to help those coming after me.  

Not that my words are the end all, be all, but anyone who wants to listen to my experiences -- I'm happy to share.  I honestly wish I had someone who could have broken everything down for me before I pursued film school.  It would have made things a lot easier.


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## DJ (Nov 13, 2013)

freakyfreddy said:


> I love how candid this conversation is! I totally agree with you, Dj, but there is no shame in becoming an assistant. No one wants to be an assistant when they are in film school but it is the fall back plan that everyone falls back on. But there are two types of assistants. One that is waiting for the producer they are working for to hand them a project on a silver platter or the assistant that is working on their own projects on the side (that they developed in film school). Going to a school like Chapman will connect you with a producer that will help you develop your project and also teach you about the parts of the industry that Chapman won't teach. Assuming that after two years of film school you will learn enough to get your project green lit by Paramount is the equivalent of taking two years of Spanish and expecting to have an articulate conversation with a latino business man.
> 
> Work your butt off and try to be the 1 out of 15 producers that get their project developed right away, but don't expect to.
> 
> **Also, I want to mention that I had to work for free for about a year before I was offered a job as an assistant. So avoiding film school to take this route is rough. If you can manage financially go for it. Otherwise film school gives you a 2 year financial grace period to do this work, but there is a nice tuition bill at the end of it. So take financial assistance very seriously (scholarships, grants for student films). Sorry if you already know this and I am stating the obvious, but you'll be surprised by how many second years and recent grads are not realistic about their goals and the opportunities that they laid out for themselves by not making it happen on their own.


 

FreakyFreddy, you are absolutely right.  There is absolutely nothing wrong with being an assistant.  In one of my previous posts, I said something like if you can see yourself working 20 hours/day, 7 days/week (if necessary) and enjoying it, then you can make it as a producer.  By that, I meant exactly what you stated.  

Perhaps you're working as an assistant for 10 or 12 hours everyday coordinating travel, getting coffee, picking up dry cleaning, and maybe providing coverage on a couple scripts, and then, in order to further your own career outside of your assistant job, you have to go home and send emails, provide script notes, sit down with a writer, or create a budget.  This is what you might have to do to get ahead in the business.  It's exhausting and sometimes very defeating, but it's necessary.  If you can do that, you can succeed.

I definitely never meant to put down assistants or discourage anyone planning to take that path.  Assistants are an integral part of the business and without them, many, many industry professionals would not be able to function on a daily basis.  My biggest issue with some assistants and entry-level industry professionals are their lack of motivation outside of their "9 to 5."  I've seen it with those I graduated with from Chapman, and I've seen it throughout the industry in general.  No one will come to you to produce a film, TV series, or anything for that matter, for them.  You have to make it happen on your own, and if you wait around for something to fall in your lap, you generally won't succeed.


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## DJ (Nov 13, 2013)

rainwhole said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> I am truly sorry for the misunderstanding/confusion I provoked with my last questions. However, both DJ and freakyfreddy cleared things up for me perfectly.
> 
> ...


 

No worries.  That's a good plan.  No one is saying you need to decide today what path to take.  They're all different and can lead in numerous directions.  I would suggest doing some research.  Look into how long it takes for someone who starts in the mailroom at CAA to become an agent.  Do you want to wait that long to hit your end game and start your career?  Look into the length of time you might need to spend as an assistant at a production company until you could be promoted into a junior creative executive role.  

Develop scripts, shoot sizzle reels, write treatments, option books -- these are all ways to jump ahead of the crowd.  Then, just find the right people to get your material in front of and things will happen.  You will get tons (and I mean TONS) of "Nos," but you only need one "Yes," and you can't get discouraged along the way.  I've seen so many of people give up because they can't handle the rejection.  You need to learn early that nothing is personal and you absolutely MUST have a thick skin.  With every "No" you get you should learn something and apply it to whatever else you're doing.  Eventually, those negatives will turn into positives.

If you have them, feel free to keep asking questions.  I'm happy to help.


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## rainwhole (Nov 28, 2013)

It's currently midnight where I live, and I just finished my application to Chapman (finally). 

Now comes the hardest part of the process...waiting.


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## SeattleUfilmstudent (Dec 1, 2013)

I just submitted my Chapman application and the supplemental application at 11:59 before the deadline. I hope that does not reflect a procrastination image of me. I will now relax and celebrate with a nice west coast IPA. I hope everyone else has good luck with theirs too!


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## rainwhole (Dec 2, 2013)

SeattleUfilmstudent said:


> I just submitted my Chapman application and the supplemental application at 11:59 before the deadline. I hope that does not reflect a procrastination image of me. I will now relax and celebrate with a nice west coast IPA. I hope everyone else has good luck with theirs too!


 

I really doubt turning in the application so close to the deadline matters at all, so I think you're good. 

Best of luck!!


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## Max Keller (Jan 8, 2014)

Hi everyone!  So DJ has done nothing short of a spectacular job answering your questions so far, but I figured I'd also throw my hat into the ring and offer to answer questions as well. 

I was in the MFA Producing program the year after DJ, so I graduated about 7 months ago.  Like DJ, I had an absolutely amazing time in my two years at Dodge.  I produced two cycle films and a thesis film and would've liked to have produced more, but I loaded myself up with other things that made it difficult.  In addition to a full class load every semester, I was a TA for a year and a half for two different professors, taught cinema classes (film history, film aesthetics, genre studies, etc.) at a community college as a part-time job, and interned at both a major studio and at an A-list company, at which I now work.  Though those extracurricular activities took up my time, I wouldn't trade them for the world.  They helped me learn SO much and make some truly incredible connections that lead to a job a year before graduating.  I met so many amazing people who I've admired for years.  As great as I make this out to sound, it only ended up being so great because I took the time to make those things happen.  Grad school, like any other school, is only as good as you make it.  You have to try to get the most out of it to have the best experience, and I did that every second of every minute. 

I just want to expand on one of DJ's points.  He said "A degree from AFI, NYU, or USC might be the best you can get right now, but I'd be willing to bet a Chapman degree is going to be worth a lot more in the next 5-10 years, whereas the stock in degrees from those other schools may fall. They might not, but my money is on Chapman."  I couldn't agree with him more on that.  Yes, those other schools have a bigger group of alumni and have bigger names, but they're not expanding or growing in the same way that Chapman is right now.  We're adding new classes and new, fantastic faculty all the time.  The facilities will continue to expand and improve (and they're already pretty freaking amazing).  But even with all that, the most important thing is the Chapman name.  Five years ago, almost no one in the industry knew about us, but now, the people who run internships at major companies actively seek out Chapman students as interns because they know our reputation.  Dodge students are thought of as hard workers who show up day in and day out and kick butt with no attitude.  I can't even begin to tell you how many times I heard (at my internships and from my fellow students at their internships) about interns from the big name schools who came in and were terrible because they felt that the internship was beneath them due to where they were going to film school.  Chapman students aren't like that (though there is the rare exception).

Let me know if there's anything else you'd like to know and hopefully I can answer it.


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## Mike_V (Jan 8, 2014)

Hey there Max!
Good to see more Chapman people represent!


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## rainwhole (Jan 25, 2014)

Max Keller said:


> Hi everyone! So DJ has done nothing short of a spectacular job answering your questions so far, but I figured I'd also throw my hat into the ring and offer to answer questions as well.
> 
> I was in the MFA Producing program the year after DJ, so I graduated about 7 months ago. Like DJ, I had an absolutely amazing time in my two years at Dodge. I produced two cycle films and a thesis film and would've liked to have produced more, but I loaded myself up with other things that made it difficult. In addition to a full class load every semester, I was a TA for a year and a half for two different professors, taught cinema classes (film history, film aesthetics, genre studies, etc.) at a community college as a part-time job, and interned at both a major studio and at an A-list company, at which I now work. Though those extracurricular activities took up my time, I wouldn't trade them for the world. They helped me learn SO much and make some truly incredible connections that lead to a job a year before graduating. I met so many amazing people who I've admired for years. As great as I make this out to sound, it only ended up being so great because I took the time to make those things happen. Grad school, like any other school, is only as good as you make it. You have to try to get the most out of it to have the best experience, and I did that every second of every minute.
> 
> ...


 

Thanks for your comment Max... Honestly, I have yet to hear ANYONE talk crap about Chapman. So at this point I am personally sold on the program. 

Right, here is a question I probably forgot to ask DJ before. Anyone is welcomed to answer it, but how does an MFA in Producing student differ from an MBA/MFA or JD/MFA in Producing? In terms of school experience, and post-graduate opportunities.


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## Mike_V (Jan 25, 2014)

I can give a quick answer to that.
MFA Producing is simply just that: 2 years of producing.
while the MBA/MFA or JD/MFA is 3 years. 1st year spent in MBA or JD and the other 2 year spent towards producing.
opportunities wise, it really depends on how you go out to find the job. Chapman does not help you find jobs. It provides a job board and chances for you to network with others to create chances to get a job. DJ for example, spent much of his time doing internships and networking and building relationships to the point that by the time he finished Chapman, he had a job lined up for him. Other graduates have not done any of that therefore they have to spend their first year or 2 building relationships and such to create the initial network that DJ has already crafted during his time at Chapman.

as for school experience for producers, that's something I'll have to leave to DJ or Max to really explain because I was in the Editing program.


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## Max Keller (Jan 26, 2014)

There are very few differences between the MFA Producing students and the MFA/MBA students.  When you're a first year producer, you're in all your classes with the 2nd year MBA/MFA students.  You'll all graduate together at the end of the next year.  The only real difference is that the MBA/MFA students will also be taking at least one business class a semester that the lone MFA students won't be.  

As for the difference between them re: post grad opportunities, it's like Mike_V said.  The school itself won't find you jobs, that's up to you.  My friends who have MBA/MFAs have been working, as have the people who just got MFAs (I fall into the latter category).  To be honest, while I think it's great to have a second degree, something you can fall back on if the entertainment industry doesn't work out, I really don't think it adds that much when you're job hunting, at least right out of the gate.  What I can tell you is this: when you're at Chapman (or any other grad school for that matter), everything you do while a student should help lead you towards a post-graduation job.  Do everything you can to increase your odds of going straight into a job in the industry, from having meetings with anyone and everyone to interning to networking, it all counts and it (almost) all helps.


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## freakyfreddy (Jan 28, 2014)

rainwhole said:


> Thanks for your comment Max... Honestly, I have yet to hear ANYONE talk crap about Chapman. So at this point I am personally sold on the program.
> 
> Right, here is a question I probably forgot to ask DJ before. Anyone is welcomed to answer it, but how does an MFA in Producing student differ from an MBA/MFA or JD/MFA in Producing? In terms of school experience, and post-graduate opportunities.


 
The JD/MFA is a 4-year program not a 3-year. MBA/MFA is more geared towards people that want to work as an exec. in Marketing/Finance/Strategy for a "movie" (generic because it includes production, distribution, etc.) company or agency. Or if you want to start your own production company but there are a ton of entrepreneurs in this industry that don't have MBAs.

I wouldn't recommend it if you want to do something other than that, and try to get work experience in finance/marketing/strategy etc. before you start the program, it makes the job hunting a lot easier.


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## Ciara17 (Feb 3, 2014)

Has anyone heard anything from Chapman?


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## Erin Leigh (Feb 3, 2014)

The website says they will start sending things out mid-March! I don't know if they send anything earlier. I still keep checking my email often, though! Haha.


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## Ciara17 (Feb 4, 2014)

I know on last year's thread, there were some people who received acceptances in February! So I've been checking my status obsessively haha


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## Erin Leigh (Feb 4, 2014)

Same! Even if they say "we are for sure not sending anything until mid-March," I will still be forever checking my status and email.


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## Mike_V (Feb 4, 2014)

If it makes you feel better, some people get accepted literally on orientation day. 
so don't give up till the last minute!


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## Erin Leigh (Feb 4, 2014)

What orientation day?


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## Mike_V (Feb 4, 2014)

the orientation day that new students go to before classes actually start.


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## Erin Leigh (Feb 4, 2014)

Damn, that's kinda late! Haha.


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## Mike_V (Feb 5, 2014)

Yup. It happens though. so hold out. if you're on the waitlist or haven't heard a response yet....


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## Jade (Feb 5, 2014)

DJ said:


> No problem. I would honestly rather speak as much truth about my experiences as possible and seem semi-discouraging than make it seem like a piece of cake.
> 
> Well, for starters, I graduate in 2010 from Drexel University with a BS in Business Administration and minors in both Law and Film. I started out as a Freshman Film major and switched to Business at the end of my Freshman year. I studied Law to give myself as much of a well-rounded experience as possible. Drexel is a co-op school, and I did my six-month co-op at BlackRock, the world's largest asset manager, working in data integrity and pricing analysis, which also contributed to my well-roundedness.
> 
> ...


 

Hey everyone, I applied for the MBA/MFA program. Just waiting to hear back.

Also, DJ I checked out your IMDB profile and saw that you are from Lancaster. Weird, so am I.
I am in my last semester at Franklin and Marshall now.


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## Yiding_GoFighting (Feb 12, 2014)

Hi guys. I applied to Chapman's MFA in Production- Editing Emphasis. Has anyone been invited to an interview yet? I am very nervous...


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## Yiding_GoFighting (Feb 13, 2014)

Erin Leigh said:


> The website says they will start sending things out mid-March! I don't know if they send anything earlier. I still keep checking my email often, though! Haha.


 
Really? I don't know my heart can even hold for so long a time haha.. so nervous about everything


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## Erin Leigh (Feb 13, 2014)

I could be wrong but I am not even sure Chapman does interviews. From what I've read on their site, I don't think they do. I could be very wrong, though.

Also I totally understand. The waiting game is the worst. Trust me, I am an actor. Waiting for cast lists has been my life for more than four years.


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## Yiding_GoFighting (Feb 13, 2014)

Erin Leigh said:


> I could be wrong but I am not even sure Chapman does interviews. From what I've read on their site, I don't think they do. I could be very wrong, though.
> 
> Also I totally understand. The waiting game is the worst. Trust me, I am an actor. Waiting for cast lists has been my life for more than four years.


 
I have no idea either. haha. but some of my friends got interview invitations last week. They applied to Sound design tho.


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## Erin Leigh (Feb 13, 2014)

Well, I'm crossing my fingers for all of us. I haven't seen any people on here getting Chapman interviews or mentioning them. Maybe just some specialties need them?


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## Yiding_GoFighting (Feb 13, 2014)

Erin Leigh said:


> Well, I'm crossing my fingers for all of us. I haven't seen any people on here getting Chapman interviews or mentioning them. Maybe just some specialties need them?


Fingers crossed! That's a possibility. Good luck to everyone!!


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## Mike_V (Feb 13, 2014)

They actually do interviews... it just depends. When I got in for editing, I never got asked for an interview, but I've heard other editors and directors went through an interview (over the phone, skype, or in person).
but anyways, it is possible.


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## Yiding_GoFighting (Feb 13, 2014)

Mike_V said:


> They actually do interviews... it just depends. When I got in for editing, I never got asked for an interview, but I've heard other editors and directors went through an interview (over the phone, skype, or in person).
> but anyways, it is possible.


 
wow!! You are in editing program!! how great! I hear its very competitive. Did you go there?


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## Mike_V (Feb 14, 2014)

I actually graduated back in 2012. It was a great program.


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## Yiding_GoFighting (Feb 15, 2014)

Mike_V said:


> I actually graduated back in 2012. It was a great program.


 
wow! Amazing! I don't even know if I could get in


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## Mike_V (Feb 15, 2014)

Yiding_GoFighting said:


> wow! Amazing! I don't even know if I could get in


 
You won't know till you try is all I can say. 
^_^


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## Yiding_GoFighting (Feb 16, 2014)

Mike_V said:


> You won't know till you try is all I can say.
> ^_^


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## DJ (Feb 16, 2014)

Very cool - small world!  Are you originally from that area or just went to school there?  I actually grew up in Oxford, PA.

A guy I knew in the MBA/MFA program graduating this year, I believe, went to Franklin and Marshall as well.  You might know him.  If you want, PM me and I'll let you know his name in case you want to reach out.



Jade said:


> Hey everyone, I applied for the MBA/MFA program. Just waiting to hear back.
> 
> Also, DJ I checked out your IMDB profile and saw that you are from Lancaster. Weird, so am I.
> I am in my last semester at Franklin and Marshall now.


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## Yiding_GoFighting (Feb 17, 2014)

Hi guys. Anybody applied to Chapman's Editing emphasis?


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## Ciara17 (Feb 19, 2014)

Has anyone's webadvisor status changed from "Decision Pending"? Mine has said the same thing since 12/3/13. I'm getting anxious!


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## Erin Leigh (Feb 19, 2014)

Same.


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## Erin Leigh (Feb 19, 2014)

Well actually mine says "File Incomplete - Moving forward for decision" but that's because i haven't graduated from undergrad officially until May because I studied abroad in Fall.


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## Yiding_GoFighting (Feb 20, 2014)

Erin Leigh said:


> Well actually mine says "File Incomplete - Moving forward for decision" but that's because i haven't graduated from undergrad officially until May because I studied abroad in Fall.


 
That's a good thing tho.


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## rainwhole (Feb 20, 2014)

Chapman seems awfully quiet... 

About every other school has given some sort of sign of action. Does anyone know if we should expect an interview or just a final decision?


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## DJ (Feb 20, 2014)

It could be either / or.  I flew out to visit the campus the Spring after I applied, so I called and asked about interviews and let them know I was coming so they could schedule an interview if they wanted to.  They were actually on Spring Break, but Alex Rose invited me to her house in LA to meet with her, which was great.

I didn't receive my acceptance on web advisor until April 1st, and I think, from what I heard, I was one of the first batch to be accepted because decisions were being made until orientation started in August.  

It's still early, so I wouldn't get too worried, though I know it's difficult to not be anxious.  I was checking my status everyday, multiple times a day.



rainwhole said:


> Chapman seems awfully quiet...
> 
> About every other school has given some sort of sign of action. Does anyone know if we should expect an interview or just a final decision?


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## Erin Leigh (Feb 21, 2014)

Thanks for the words of calming. Haha. One of the programs I applied to people have been hearing by phone and I haven't yet. Good to be relaxed a little more about one program at least.


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## Yiding_GoFighting (Feb 21, 2014)

I think Chapman is very silent.


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## Erin Leigh (Feb 28, 2014)

Hey guys! I emailed the department 3 days ago and they said they haven't even sent out interview requests for Producing applicants and that other people who aren't interviewed might be accepted after the initial group is interviewed. I'm holding on hope! So if I don't get an interview, I'm not going to freak. I just hope I don't get an outright rejection.


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## Yiding_GoFighting (Feb 28, 2014)

Erin Leigh said:


> Hey guys! I emailed the department 3 days ago and they said they haven't even sent out interview requests for Producing applicants and that other people who aren't interviewed might be accepted after the initial group is interviewed. I'm holding on hope! So if I don't get an interview, I'm not going to freak. I just hope I don't get an outright rejection.


 
No interview for Editing emphasis students either.


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## Erin Leigh (Feb 28, 2014)

Yiding_GoFighting said:


> No interview for Editing emphasis students either.


 
They said they don't interview a lot of people outside of Directing and Producing so don't get too worried.


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## Yiding_GoFighting (Mar 1, 2014)

Erin Leigh said:


> They said they don't interview a lot of people outside of Directing and Producing so don't get too worried.


 
Thank you for letting me know!! Good luck to you too!


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## NSilverwolf (Mar 8, 2014)

Don't panic, is all I would recommend. I applied as an editing emphasis, got waitlisted in April, accepted in LATE May, no interview and little communication from the program itself. Most of my classmates in the editing emphasis (there are 9 of us in total) did not receive interviews.


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## Erin Leigh (Mar 9, 2014)

Also you guys, they extended applications for three production emphases, screenwriting, production design, film studies, maybe another one until March 31st according to the SlideRoom.


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## babyducks (Mar 9, 2014)

I've been trying to get into WebAdvisor for several weeks...It just keeps looping me around to a sign-in page, but doesn't ever actually let me 'register'. Does anyone know what I am doing wrong?


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## Jennifer Hightower (Mar 10, 2014)

Okay, it's not just me then.  I actually forgot I had applied to Chapman, because I've heard nothing from them.  WTH!?


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## Erin Leigh (Mar 10, 2014)

Supposedly today or tomorrow, 'Decision Reached' might show up on Webadvisor. But yeah, they are one of the later schools' it seems like

Also, babyducks, did you ever get your information via snail mail?


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## Ciara17 (Mar 10, 2014)

Erin Leigh said:


> Supposedly today or tomorrow, 'Decision Reached' might show up on Webadvisor. But yeah, they are one of the later schools' it seems like
> 
> Also, babyducks, did you ever get your information via snail mail?


 

Did you talk to the school?


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## Erin Leigh (Mar 10, 2014)

I talked to people with Chapman Admissions. Also I just found out it's probably going to be next week instead. Sorry guys!


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## Jennifer Hightower (Mar 11, 2014)

Oh, I just checked their website "Notifications will go out starting in mid-March, and will continue through May."  So next week makes sense....Next week if we're lucky.


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## Erin Leigh (Mar 11, 2014)

Yeah. Let's all hope and give/receive good vibes.


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## Jimmy Bin (Mar 11, 2014)

Erin Leigh said:


> Yeah. Let's all hope and give/receive good vibes.


 
Hi guys， I‘m also an applicant for editing emphasis， Still heard nothing from Chapman University.


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## Erin Leigh (Mar 12, 2014)

Jimmy Bin said:


> Hi guys， I‘m also an applicant for editing emphasis， Still heard nothing from Chapman University.


 

No one has yet but we are all hoping that next week is the week!


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## Yiding_GoFighting (Mar 13, 2014)

Chapman is still quiet tho for me. I guess notifications will start next week… Fingers crossed


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## Ciara17 (Mar 13, 2014)

Hey guys, I just checked my Chapman Webadvisor a few minutes ago...and my status (which has forever said "Decision Pending") now says "Decision Reached"
So hopefully, we will be hearing word in the next couple of days! (by snail mail I think)


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## Erin Leigh (Mar 13, 2014)

Mine hasn't changed yet! SO NERVOUS!


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## Erin Leigh (Mar 13, 2014)

Ciara17 said:


> Hey guys, I just checked my Chapman Webadvisor a few minutes ago...and my status (which has forever said "Decision Pending") now says "Decision Reached"
> So hopefully, we will be hearing word in the next couple of days! (by snail mail I think)


 

What program did you apply for at Chapman? Screenwriting?


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## Ciara17 (Mar 13, 2014)

Erin Leigh said:


> What program did you apply for at Chapman? Screenwriting?


 

Yes, Screenwriting


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## lavender (Mar 13, 2014)

Hii! I applied to the MFA in Film production (directing) and received a call from Chapman earlier this week about my admission. My status on webadvisor hasn't changed though...


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## Erin Leigh (Mar 13, 2014)

Hi there! Congrats! Ugh. Just this waiting game is the worst. Also question, did you interview with them?


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## lavender (Mar 13, 2014)

Thanks!  Ya... I  completely agree. The waiting game is the worst... before receiving my acceptance letter I still won't believe it! heheh 

No, I didn't have a prior interview. I just got a call from a professor that's all.


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## Guanxiaolu (Mar 13, 2014)

Has anyone whom applied for the cinematography emphasis got an interview or something else?  My status is still "decision pending"...


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## Â° C.L.? (Mar 15, 2014)

lavender said:


> Hii! I applied to the MFA in Film production (directing) and received a call from Chapman earlier this week about my admission. My status on webadvisor hasn't changed though...


 
CONGRATULATION!!! STILL WAITING. MAY I ASK YOU ARE AN INTERNATIONAL　OR　AMERICAN　STUDENT？


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## EJ! (Mar 17, 2014)

I just got accepted for the MFA in screenwriting


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## lavender (Mar 17, 2014)

Â° C.L.? said:


> CONGRATULATION!!! STILL WAITING. MAY I ASK YOU ARE AN INTERNATIONAL　OR　AMERICAN　STUDENT？


 
Hi there! Thank you! I am an international student. 
Btw, according to Dodge twitter, "Regular decisions are coming out soon! You will receive notification via mail or email with your decision once it has been made."
Good luck everyone!


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## Erin Leigh (Mar 18, 2014)

I think that's for undergrad but I have been keeping in touch with their tumblr and twitter. But it be happening this week and until the end of the month. Crossing my fingers for all of y'all and me!  We can do it!

EDIT - Also a friend of mine from college found out yesterday he got accepted to the MFA in screenwriting. Happy for him. He's really talented!


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## Yiding_GoFighting (Mar 19, 2014)

Any editing emphasis student get any notifications? Mine has been quiet for a long time.


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## Shaniqua (Mar 19, 2014)

I received my acceptance letter from Chapman today for Screenwriting, but I've already committed to LMU, which was my first choice anyway.


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## Michael C. Ryan (Mar 21, 2014)

Congrats to everyone that's been accepted.  I got accepted into the USC Film & TV MFA program earlier this week.  But I hope to get into Chapman because it's closer to my home in San Diego County, and I think the future of Dodge is very bright.  

It's weird how everyone's experiences seem to be different--both with the application process and notifications.  I was contacted by one of the professors at Dodge.  He was reviewing my package and wanted me to come to the school for an interview and a tour.  The facilities are awesome, and I sat in on a class.  It seems like a great place to be, and I'm a big fan of Orange County.  

So like many of you, I'm still waiting on a call, snail mail, email, Web Advisor change, holographic message from Princess Lea, etc.  Just want to find out soon, so I can put my summer timeline together and get this show on the road!  Good luck, everybody.

Ryan


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## Jade (Mar 22, 2014)

Ryan Michael Connolly said:


> Congrats to everyone that's been accepted. I got accepted into the USC Film & TV MFA program earlier this week. But I hope to get into Chapman because it's closer to my home in San Diego County, and I think the future of Dodge is very bright.
> 
> It's weird how everyone's experiences seem to be different--both with the application process and notifications. I was contacted by one of the professors at Dodge. He was reviewing my package and wanted me to come to the school for an interview and a tour. The facilities are awesome, and I sat in on a class. It seems like a great place to be, and I'm a big fan of Orange County.
> 
> ...


 
Hi Ryan,

Were you contacted recently by a dodge professor to visit Chapman and interview?

Thank you for all the helpful information and congrats on being accepted to USC!


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## Michael C. Ryan (Mar 22, 2014)

Thanks, Jade.  Yes, I was contacted in February and was asked if I could drive up to the school before March because the admissions committee wanted to start making decisions early this month.  I took a general campus tour and then I took a tour of Dodge given by a current MFA Directing student.  Then I chatted  with the professor for about an hour. I didn't really feel like it was an interview, but maybe it was.  I felt like he wanted to make sure I knew what I would be getting into, because I'm more than 10 years older than the average student.  After that I sat in on his Production class.  It was very small (about 8 students), and they were filming a short scene that day, using a couple of screen acting BFA students. I wasn't promised admission or anything.  The professor might have just saw that I lived in San Diego and figured it would be easy for me to drive up.  I'm glad I went to visit to see things first hand.  It was a pretty impressive place. Let me know if you have any questions about things I saw, etc.


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## Jade (Mar 22, 2014)

Ryan Michael Connolly said:


> Thanks, Jade. Yes, I was contacted in February and was asked if I could drive up to the school before March because the admissions committee wanted to start making decisions early this month. I took a general campus tour and then I took a tour of Dodge given by a current MFA Directing student. Then I chatted with the professor for about an hour. I didn't really feel like it was an interview, but maybe it was. I felt like he wanted to make sure I knew what I would be getting into, because I'm more than 10 years older than the average student. After that I sat in on his Production class. It was very small (about 8 students), and they were filming a short scene that day, using a couple of screen acting BFA students. I wasn't promised admission or anything. The professor might have just saw that I lived in San Diego and figured it would be easy for me to drive up. I'm glad I went to visit to see things first hand. It was a pretty impressive place. Let me know if you have any questions about things I saw, etc.


 
Yes, just trying to figure out the admission process here. I am not sure if it is different depending on what program you applied to. I know we have heard back from a few people in screenwriting and directing with their acceptances, but I haven't heard of any other program's acceptance or rejection notifications yet.


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## Erin Leigh (Mar 22, 2014)

Screenwriting has been hearing back. I know a few people here heard back and then a friend of mine from college also got in. I just hope I heard soon rather than later because I have a notification date for one of my schools and I'd like to visit before I decide, you know?


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## Ciara17 (Mar 22, 2014)

Just got my acceptance letter for MFA in Screenwriting!!! I'm going to have some touch decisions to make soon... I guess it's a good problem to have!


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## Michael C. Ryan (Mar 22, 2014)

Ciara17 said:


> Just got my acceptance letter for MFA in Screenwriting!!! I'm going to have some touch decisions to make soon... I guess it's a good problem to have!



Congrats!  Yeah I'd say it's a good problem.  Good luck with your decision, and don't look back!


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## Dylan Drake (Mar 24, 2014)

Hello all,

I had my interview for Chapman about a week ago, I applied for the MFA Film Production, emphasis in Directing. I was told that my decision should be decided soonish but as I am an international student I probably won't receive the acceptance/rejection letter for at least a month. I also applied for CalArts and USC, but after visiting all 3 campuses this is by far my favourite. Was wondering if anyone was in the same boat as me and if they heard anything back. Thanks


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## Michael C. Ryan (Mar 24, 2014)

Dylan Drake said:


> Hello all,
> 
> I had my interview for Chapman about a week ago, I applied for the MFA Film Production, emphasis in Directing. I was told that my decision should be decided soonish but as I am an international student I probably won't receive the acceptance/rejection letter for at least a month. I also applied for CalArts and USC, but after visiting all 3 campuses this is by far my favourite. Was wondering if anyone was in the same boat as me and if they heard anything back. Thanks


 

Hi, Dylan.  It seems like a lot of people are in the same boat as you, especially if they applied for the Chapman Directing emphasis.  Unless a person has already been accepted by their absolute #1 program, it seems that most of us want to see all our cards on the table before making that decision.  It looks like last year most of the Chapman Directing slots were offered by the first or second week in April--(just in time for the deposit cut-off dates at other schools).  I agree with you about the campus and facilities at Chapman.  How have your other applications turned out?


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## Dylan Drake (Mar 25, 2014)

Ryan Michael Connolly said:


> Hi, Dylan. It seems like a lot of people are in the same boat as you, especially if they applied for the Chapman Directing emphasis. Unless a person has already been accepted by their absolute #1 program, it seems that most of us want to see all our cards on the table before making that decision. It looks like last year most of the Chapman Directing slots were offered by the first or second week in April--(just in time for the deposit cut-off dates at other schools). I agree with you about the campus and facilities at Chapman. How have your other applications turned out?


 

Thanks for the reply Ryan, I got interviewed by CalArts but don't know the decision yet, and I got rejected by USC. Did you also apply for the Directing emphasis, and is your WebAdvisor still 'Moving forward for decision'? 

P.S. See you love China, I lived in Shanghai for 6 years!


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## killjon (Mar 25, 2014)

Hey everyone!

I just got a letter of acceptance from Chapman MFA for Cinematography! I wish you all the best for those who continue to wait.. I know that feeling.


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## Erin Leigh (Mar 25, 2014)

Producing applicants might not hear for two weeks. I have a great offer at Carnegie Mellon but I want to know about Chapman so bad.


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## Yiding_GoFighting (Mar 25, 2014)

Erin Leigh said:


> Producing applicants might not hear for two weeks. I have a great offer at Carnegie Mellon but I want to know about Chapman so bad.


 
COngrats to your CMU offer! And good luck to Chapman too. I haven't heard anything from Chapman though.


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## Michael C. Ryan (Mar 25, 2014)

Dylan Drake said:


> Thanks for the reply Ryan, I got interviewed by CalArts but don't know the decision yet, and I got rejected by USC. Did you also apply for the Directing emphasis, and is your WebAdvisor still 'Moving forward for decision'?
> 
> P.S. See you love China, I lived in Shanghai for 6 years!


 


Dylan,

I also applied for the directing emphasis.  My WebAdvisor still says "File Complete, Decision Pending."  That's cool that you lived in Shanghai for so long.  That must have been quite an experience.  When I was in the Marines I spent a year living in Beijing and traveling around China studying the language and culture.  The Dean of Dodge College is really big on Asia.  The school has a partnership with the Busan Film Festival and a school in Singapore.  There are also a few things going on with China.  When I visited the school last month, the directing emphasis class I sat in on included 4 Chinese students and a Japanese student.  (There were only 8-9 students in the entire class.)


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## lavender (Mar 26, 2014)

As of today, my webadvisor says .... Decision Reached! Can't waiiiit! Any changes in your status? (directing emphasis here).


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## Dylan Drake (Mar 27, 2014)

Ryan Michael Connolly said:


> Dylan,
> 
> I also applied for the directing emphasis. My WebAdvisor still says "File Complete, Decision Pending." That's cool that you lived in Shanghai for so long. That must have been quite an experience. When I was in the Marines I spent a year living in Beijing and traveling around China studying the language and culture. The Dean of Dodge College is really big on Asia. The school has a partnership with the Busan Film Festival and a school in Singapore. There are also a few things going on with China. When I visited the school last month, the directing emphasis class I sat in on included 4 Chinese students and a Japanese student. (There were only 8-9 students in the entire class.)


 

Yea I absolutely loved, was really fortunate to have been there at that time. That's good to hear that the Dean is big on Asia, hopefully that will play in our favour.



lavender said:


> As of today, my webadvisor says .... Decision Reached! Can't waiiiit! Any changes in your status? (directing emphasis here).


 
Oh nice! Mine still hasn't changed. Did you have an interview? Keep us updated with the results


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## Â° C.L.? (Mar 27, 2014)

Dylan Drake said:


> Thanks for the reply Ryan, I got interviewed by CalArts but don't know the decision yet, and I got rejected by USC. Did you also apply for the Directing emphasis, and is your WebAdvisor still 'Moving forward for decision'?
> 
> P.S. See you love China, I lived in Shanghai for 6 years!


 
Are you a Chinese??


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## Anon33 (Mar 27, 2014)

Out of curiosity, of the people that applied to Chapman, what attracted you to Chapman and did you apply to other programs?


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## Dylan Drake (Mar 28, 2014)

Â° C.L.? said:


> Are you a Chinese??


 

No, I'm from France. Living in the UK.


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## Diamonds (Mar 29, 2014)

Is there a facebook group for newly admitted Dodge grad students?


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## Anon33 (Apr 2, 2014)

Ok...Chapman it is!! Film Directing Fellow here...so excited!


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## Erin Leigh (Apr 2, 2014)

Congrats. I still haven't heard. Waiting for my decision to change but I hear that Producing students are only starting to trickle out. Keeping my fingers and toes crossed!


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## Yiding_GoFighting (Apr 2, 2014)

Erin Leigh said:


> Congrats. I still haven't heard. Waiting for my decision to change but I hear that Producing students are only starting to trickle out. Keeping my fingers and toes crossed!


 
I hear Producing program will keep sending out notifications all the way though to May or June. So good luck!!


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## Cali (Apr 2, 2014)

Hey guys! Just found this page/forum. I very much wish I'd found it sooner, haha.  I'm waiting on Producing too...waiting is seriously killing me ....crossing my fingers and toes too!


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## Cali (Apr 2, 2014)

Yiding_GoFighting said:


> I hear Producing program will keep sending out notifications all the way though to May or June. So good luck!!


 
 Even though the website said mid-late march, I had the fear that it really would take until May to find out, and now it's coming true.  I just want to be accepted and making my plans to move.


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## Erin Leigh (Apr 2, 2014)

Same. Also I got accepted to Entertainment Management at Carnegie Mellon but I would really prefer to know earlier. I plan on paying my deposit and then going to see Chapman if I get in and if I like it better i will forgo my commitment but THE WAIT IS HORRIBLE and I just want to start planning!


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## Cali (Apr 2, 2014)

I only applied to Chapman this time around(hopefully the only time around). It wasn't on a whim, I'd been working on the app, but had gone back and forth and ultimately decided I really wanted to try sort of last minute. I know that other programs are incredible, and if I'd been more confident in applying(as I might have to be next year, but hopefully not), then I would have also applied to USC and UCLA probably, but Chapman is the one I really want to go to, everything about it just screamed that it was right for me.


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## Erin Leigh (Apr 2, 2014)

Crossing fingers and toes for you! I really like Chapman too. I like that they actually say that they welcome people from other disciplines and I am in the same boat. I didn't feel confident in applying to USC and UCLA but I've read other things on Chapman and a lot of people think that a degree from Chapman will be worth more in the future as Chapman continues to grow as a program in Film. Wishing you luck!


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## Cali (Apr 2, 2014)

Erin Leigh said:


> Crossing fingers and toes for you! I really like Chapman too. I like that they actually say that they welcome people from other disciplines and I am in the same boat. I didn't feel confident in applying to USC and UCLA but I've read other things on Chapman and a lot of people think that a degree from Chapman will be worth more in the future as Chapman continues to grow as a program in Film. Wishing you luck!


 

Wishing you all the luck as well!   Then we'd be classmates!  I have obsessively been checking this page today(since I found it) and grad cafe and the chapman web advisor , and I would say I'd just take a break, but really, I'd have to cut myself off from all technology to do that.


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## John Cerrito (Apr 3, 2014)

Hey Folks,
Best of luck to you all. I was accepted to the Production/Directing Track on March 20th (Got my letter in a regular envelope). I'm pretty sure they'll keep sending them out until mid April at least, so keep the hope alive! But I will say, I got my financial aid "award," and it was nothing but 60k in loans a year for a three year program. No fellowships to speak of, and from what I understand, the most you can get is a 5k a semester fellowship, correct? I know that is the next phase in the process, but I was just curious how everyone was planning to finance their graduate study. I mean, not even the greatest mfa graduates get super awesome movie deals right out of the gate- I know Chapman is dedicated to getting you connected and everything, but is it really worth 180 _thousand_ dollars? (Sorry if I just violated some thread rules by posting off topic. First post time poster. But I do think it's a relevant discussion, seeing how everyone seems very invested in these universities, and academic areas in general, that are particularly stingy with the gift aid). 
Thanks and good luck again.


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## Anon33 (Apr 3, 2014)

Did you let them know you wanted a fellowship grant? I would call and speak to Dodge about it, sometimes they don't know so the person doesn't get awarded money. Also, I believe it's based on your fafsa and if that isn't low enough it disqualifies you from fellowship assistance. 

I chose to goto graduate school because it's an investment in my future.


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## rainwhole (Apr 3, 2014)

John Cerrito said:


> Hey Folks,
> Best of luck to you all. I was accepted to the Production/Directing Track on March 20th (Got my letter in a regular envelope). I'm pretty sure they'll keep sending them out until mid April at least, so keep the hope alive! But I will say, I got my financial aid "award," and it was nothing but 60k in loans a year for a three year program. No fellowships to speak of, and from what I understand, the most you can get is a 5k a semester fellowship, correct? I know that is the next phase in the process, but I was just curious how everyone was planning to finance their graduate study. I mean, not even the greatest mfa graduates get super awesome movie deals right out of the gate- I know Chapman is dedicated to getting you connected and everything, but is it really worth 180 _thousand_ dollars? (Sorry if I just violated some thread rules by posting off topic. First post time poster. But I do think it's a relevant discussion, seeing how everyone seems very invested in these universities, and academic areas in general, that are particularly stingy with the gift aid).
> Thanks and good luck again.


 

Your concerns are very well-placed and you brought them up in a good time. Most people think the challenge is getting into the school, but that's the easy part. Finding how you will handle your finances to attend the school is the true challenging part of the process. From what I understand, Chapman actually has a tendency to give out more money in financial aid or fellowships than any of the other big schools. I could be wrong, but everyone I've talked to about Chapman, and the research I've done on it seems to point to that. 

Now, the following I'm going to say might sound like a downer for most, and I apologize in advance. I did my first Master's degree in a school ranked on the top 30 in the country, and it cost me over 70 grand for two years. I though at the time, that attending a really good school and studying something practical would mean I was going to have good jobs line-up for me after graduating. It din't happen like that at all, I was getting the same job offers I got when I finished my Bachelor's degree. So seems like my first master's degree was not the greatest investment on my part, which is something that becomes more apparent as time goes by. 

So knowing what I know now, I would say not to invest yourself in graduate school to improve your career. Everyone is getting master's degree now, so the competitive advantage of having a graduate degree is diminishing exponentially. HOWEVER, graduate school is still a pleasant experience with it's benefits, and it's a second chance for people to have a clearer vision of what they really love (which many don't when starting a bachelor's), so you might finally get to study something your passionate about. That is probably the single best reason to attend graduate school, and if you're truly passionate then the money is worth investing. Graduate school, regardless of the University you pick, won't really skyrocket your career by default. I know they all promise connections and projects, but that's all a smoke screen. Is all about how passionate you are, and how willing you are to go up and beyond to achieve things. Chapman won't hand you success, and neither will any other school.  People just need to be sure about their passions, and believe in themselves.


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## John Cerrito (Apr 3, 2014)

rainwhole said:


> Your concerns are very well-placed and you brought them up in a good time. Most people think the challenge is getting into the school, but that's the easy part. Finding how you will handle your finances to attend the school is the true challenging part of the process. From what I understand, Chapman actually has a tendency to give out more money in financial aid or fellowships than any of the other big schools. I could be wrong, but everyone I've talked to about Chapman, and the research I've done on it seems to point to that.
> 
> Now, the following I'm going to say might sound like a downer for most, and I apologize in advance. I did my first Master's degree in a school ranked on the top 30 in the country, and it cost me over 70 grand for two years. I though at the time, that attending a really good school and studying something practical would mean I was going to have good jobs line-up for me after graduating. It din't happen like that at all, I was getting the same job offers I got when I finished my Bachelor's degree. So seems like my first master's degree was not the greatest investment on my part, which is something that becomes more apparent as time goes by.
> 
> So knowing what I know now, I would say not to invest yourself in graduate school to improve your career. Everyone is getting master's degree now, so the competitive advantage of having a graduate degree is diminishing exponentially. HOWEVER, graduate school is still a pleasant experience with it's benefits, and it's a second chance for people to have a clearer vision of what they really love (which many don't when starting a bachelor's), so you might finally get to study something your passionate about. That is probably the single best reason to attend graduate school, and if you're truly passionate then the money is worth investing. Graduate school, regardless of the University you pick, won't really skyrocket your career by default. I know they all promise connections and projects, but that's all a smoke screen. Is all about how passionate you are, and how willing you are to go up and beyond to achieve things. Chapman won't hand you success, and neither will any other school. People just need to be sure about their passions, and believe in themselves.


 

Thanks for the feedback! I certainly understand the benefits and I'm prepared to go into debt; I just wanted to make sure it was something I could manage. What I meant about the job thing was that I was curious what everybody was planning to do to pay off the debt, in light of the career prospects and everything. I love making movies and I'm prepared to be a runner on the set of the Smurfs 5 and being on the bottom rung for 5 or 10 years, but the pragmatist in me wants to know how I'm going handle all of this if I'm going to be in debt into my 50s and want to start a family or something. Does that make sense?


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## Cali (Apr 3, 2014)

John Cerrito said:


> Thanks for the feedback! I certainly understand the benefits and I'm prepared to go into debt; I just wanted to make sure it was something I could manage. What I meant about the job thing was that I was curious what everybody was planning to do to pay off the debt, in light of the career prospects and everything. I love making movies and I'm prepared to be a runner on the set of the Smurfs 5 and being on the bottom rung for 5 or 10 years, but the pragmatist in me wants to know how I'm going handle all of this if I'm going to be in debt into my 50s and want to start a family or something. Does that make sense?


 

That absolutely makes sense, and I wish I had a great answer, but I have the same worries/thoughts about it all as you do.  Making a plan is definitely something good to do...I don't have any specifics, but my "plan" is to just work any and every odd job I can between now and (hopefully) grad school and then during school when and if I have time, and after...really nothing exciting, but I'll post if I think of something worthwhile.  I did have a teacher once in high school who told us all to get our real estate licenses as a back up.


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## Cali (Apr 4, 2014)

In my anxiety over waiting, I decided to review my application to try and settle my mind, but then I found one of the smallest, and most ridiculous mistakes.  I must have read each of the essays a thousand times and never saw it before. In one of the sentences I omitted the word "of". It's so small, but bothersome. Of course there are other things I would have improved upon, there are always those thoughts, but this was an actual mistake. Needless to say it didn't help me feel better.  I know something that small wouldn't be the sole reason for a rejection, but if it comes down to me and someone else and I had the dumb error in my essay...well we know how that would go.


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## Â° C.L.? (Apr 4, 2014)

Dylan Drake said:


> Hello all,
> 
> I had my interview for Chapman about a week ago, I applied for the MFA Film Production, emphasis in Directing. I was told that my decision should be decided soonish but as I am an international student I probably won't receive the acceptance/rejection letter for at least a month. I also applied for CalArts and USC, but after visiting all 3 campuses this is by far my favourite. Was wondering if anyone was in the same boat as me and if they heard anything back. Thanks


 
Dylan, do you have any news about your decision?


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## Dylan Drake (Apr 4, 2014)

Â° C.L.? said:


> Dylan, do you have any news about your decision?


 

Unfortunately not, still 'Decision Pending', getting a little worried . You?


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## John Cerrito (Apr 4, 2014)

Cali said:


> In my anxiety over waiting, I decided to review my application to try and settle my mind, but then I found one of the smallest, and most ridiculous mistakes. I must have read each of the essays a thousand times and never saw it before. In one of the sentences I omitted the word "of". It's so small, but bothersome. Of course there are other things I would have improved upon, there are always those thoughts, but this was an actual mistake. Needless to say it didn't help me feel better. I know something that small wouldn't be the sole reason for a rejection, but if it comes down to me and someone else and I had the dumb error in my essay...well we know how that would go.


 
I wouldn't worry about that at all. I accidentally put the wrong year of graduation on my resume, which is waaaaaay more of an oversight, and I was accepted. Try not to over-obsess. I know it's impossible not to worry, but those kinds of things don't factor as heavily as you'd think. They know we're human. 
Anyway, good luck and stay strong!


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## Â° C.L.? (Apr 4, 2014)

Dylan Drake said:


> Unfortunately not, still 'Decision Pending', getting a little worried . You?


 
I guess the next week is the deadline to send news to us. Hang in there!


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## Michael C. Ryan (Apr 7, 2014)

My WebAdvisor status changed to "Decision Reached."  It seems things are done in batches, so hopefully this will be the case with those of you that are still waiting.


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## Cali (Apr 7, 2014)

Mine still says "decision pending" :/ , I applied to the film and television producing program. I really wish to hear soon. Congrats to those with acceptances, or any response at all. Some kind of peace of mind, I'm sure.


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## Dylan Drake (Apr 7, 2014)

Mine just changed to decision reached as well. So nervous! Got to wait 2-3 weeks for it to arrive by mail now.. Good luck to everyone.


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## Erin Leigh (Apr 7, 2014)

Mine hasn't yet so people whose haven't either, I'm in the same boat. To all that have had a changed status, good luck!


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## Justin Moore (Apr 8, 2014)

Hey guys, I've been lurking this forum for a few months but I thought I'd finally join to let you all know that I received my acceptance letter from Chapman in the mail earlier today. I applied for Film and Television Production (cinematography emphasis). I still have yet to receive any email from them, so keep checking your (real) mailboxes everyone!


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## Free Lee (Apr 8, 2014)

Hey guys, I just wonder the difference between "decision mailed" and "decision reached". Is there anyone who can tell me...?...so nervous...


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## Free Lee (Apr 8, 2014)

Ryan Michael Connolly said:


> My WebAdvisor status changed to "Decision Reached." It seems things are done in batches, so hopefully this will be the case with those of you that are still waiting.


 
Did you get the email?


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## Michael C. Ryan (Apr 8, 2014)

Free Lee said:


> Did you get the email?


No, I haven't received any emails from the school.


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## Dylan Drake (Apr 9, 2014)

Just got rejected, so sad.


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## Michael C. Ryan (Apr 9, 2014)

Dylan, so sorry to hear that.  I hope it doesn't deter you from filmmaking, but I doubt it will.  Good luck to you, man.


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## siru wen (Apr 9, 2014)

Got accepted to MFA cinematography...


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## Dylan Drake (Apr 10, 2014)

Ryan Michael Connolly said:


> Dylan, so sorry to hear that. I hope it doesn't deter you from filmmaking, but I doubt it will. Good luck to you, man.


 
Thanks for the kind words. Good luck with your application


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## Â° C.L.? (Apr 10, 2014)

Dylan Drake said:


> Thanks for the kind words. Good luck with your application


rej、crying


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## Cali (Apr 10, 2014)

Free Lee said:


> Hey guys, I just wonder the difference between "decision mailed" and "decision reached". Is there anyone who can tell me...?...so nervous...


 
I think the difference is that "decision reached" means they know what your place is, and "decision mailed" means you should expect the their decision in the mail soon.  I think it's more for their records than to make you worry about it. Good Luck!


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## Michael C. Ryan (Apr 11, 2014)

Got my letter.  Waitlisted, pending spots becoming available after the April 15th deadline. It seems most of the offers for the directing program were made a few weeks ago.  I'm going to press ahead with USC and re-visit the decision if I come off the Chapman waitlist.  Good luck, everybody!


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## Cali (Apr 11, 2014)

Has anyone who applied to the Film and Tv Producing program heard back at all yet?


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## Erin Leigh (Apr 11, 2014)

not me. but i asked admissions and hopefully by the end of the month we will hear. crossing my fingers that sometime in the next week we will hear.


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## Massi (Apr 12, 2014)

I applied for TV & Film Producing and just received a letter of acceptance today. I am an international student.  Actually I have decided to go to another school already, but just wanted to let you know that they started sending out the offers finally. 
Best of luck to everyone!!


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## rainwhole (Apr 12, 2014)

I actually also got my acceptance to the MFA in Producing for TV & Film yesterday... Which is great news for anyone who gets waitlisted for the program. I will no be taking the offer, so it will be available for someone in the near future. 

I wish you all the best of luck!!!!


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## Erin Leigh (Apr 12, 2014)

That's great that you got in and congrats on whatever schools you are going to (I hope to hear about producing soon even though I am 85 percent sure I am going to CMU, but if I get into Chapman I will cross that bridge when it comes to it) But it's also great that you're not because then some of us might get in. Good luck to you two.


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## paulinnium (Apr 12, 2014)

Hang in there everyone!!! I'm 1st year Directing student at Chapman and decisions came out pretty late last year for all emphases except for directing (that I know of).

As far as making plans for moving, the only thing you could probably do at this point is book your plane ticket (if you're flying).. Otherwise, you won't be able to start looking for an apartment until about a month before you actually move anyway so don't worry about that so much right now.  If anything, now is the time to work whatever part time job or whatever you have as much as you can and make $$$ to save because if there's one thing I learned quickly at Chapman is that working and going to school here sounds good in theory, most of us work less than 10 hours a week (which is maybe enough money for food) if that... especially if you really want to take advantage of working on as many sets and participating in as many industry dinners etc etc as you can (which is what you're paying for right?).

As for making plans for which school you are going to go to, I made sure to contact the schools I got accepted to to let them know that I was waiting on acceptance from another school before I made my decision.  They were all pretty cool with it, so try that.  Not a guarantee that they'll hold the spot for you BUT you never know... they did for me.

As for fellowships, ask for them!! If you got a fellowship from another school, use it as leverage!! That's the best advice I ever got from my Undergrad professor.  The worst they can do is say "No."  They can't take your admission away from you for asking for financial help.

As for the Facebook group, the admitted students group usually doesn't go live until mid-summer.

If there's an admitted students forum, I'll hop on there and answer any other questions you guys might have.


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## Cali (Apr 15, 2014)

Mine switched to Decision Reached....seems like there is a quick turn around, so I should know soon.


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## Erin Leigh (Apr 16, 2014)

Still nothing yet. I'm pretty sure I will not be attending Chapman unless some miracle happened. CMU is going to prepare me to become a creative producer, music supervisor, showrunner, studio exec, etc. But if something happens, I get in and Chapman wins me over, we will see.


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## Erin Leigh (Apr 17, 2014)

DECISION REACHED. I am pretty sure I am going to CMU but if I were to get in, I would consider checking it out! If they can offer me an experience that CMU cannot, then I might forfeit my spot, even though I've committed. I probably should have asked to delay a bit but sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do. Gonna have my mom be on mail alert because I am not at home to get my letter. UGH FINALLY!!!! FREAKING OUT!


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## Jade (May 5, 2014)

Has anyone heard anything else from the producing program? I know a few people got accepted last month and a few declined admission, but I wasn't sure if anyone was still getting letters, rejected or accepted.
Thanks!


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