# USC Cinematic Arts Personal Statement help.



## jtduff (Jan 26, 2013)

If anyone who has been admitted to USC can help me with my personal statement for next year that would be great. Here is what I have.

Whenever I neglected any one of my responsibilities as a child, my Mother would say something along the lines of, “You can remember every line from any stupid movie, but you can't remember to take out the trash.” Growing up, I failed to realize the important role that film has played in my life. As I grew older I realized that she was correct. Watching movies has been my favorite thing to do since I can remember. Movies have helped me escape, cope, assess the world and people around me, as well as myself. I spend no time wondering how I came to love film as much as I do today. All credit for my enthusiasm for the art of cinema lies solely with my Grandfather.

Due to the fact that my brother pronounced the word “Grandpa” as “Peepa” when he was very young, my Grandfather came to be known as “Peep”. Peep's den was my safe haven as a kid. Lying on the floor of the den when I was 7 years old, I saw Shane for the first time. Since that day, the number of times that Peep and I have seen Shane with one another must be a number nearing 600. This was my first introduction to classic cinema. The den was also the place that I first became familiar with the work of Stanley Kubrick and Alfred Hitchcock, two filmmakers that have influenced my taste greatly. Along with being grateful to my Grandfather for my relationship with movies; I am also grateful to movies for my relationship with my Grandfather.

If one were to examine Peep and me, the vast difference in our demeanor would be easily recognizable. I have always had an overactive mind which would probably lead to spontaneous combustion if I did not have an able body to release the interminable energy that I carry with me. Peep, on the other hand, enjoys his peace and quiet as is to be expected by any man in retirement. My vivaciousness and Peep's austerity did not mesh. I can remember many nights sitting restlessly at the dinner table, clanking my utensils together while we waited for the food to be served. The clanking never lasted long as it was interrupted by a scolding from Peep and a plea for me to stop making noise. Through the years, my impetuous running and playing throughout the house caused much friction in our relationship; however, when a movie was on the television, I could be found lying serenely on the floor of the den with my Grandfather on the couch across the room. The films that I watched with Peep were the catalyst in our relationship with one another.

Over the years, I spent many nights at the video store where I fed my appetite with a plethora of films of all genres. I bought, rented and borrowed films from any place or person that I could. When I was 14 or 15, I purchased The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou from a 9.99 movie rack at a gas station on my way home from work. From the first viewing of that film I knew that I wanted to be a filmmaker. Several years later when I saw Eastern Promises; I knew that I needed to be a filmmaker. I graduated high school that same year and dreamed of attending USC to study Film Production. To finance my education, I enlisted in the United States Air Force and served 6 years as an aircraft mechanic. During my enlistment, I have been deployed to the Middle East three times all while earning my Bachelor's Degree in Mass Communication. Attending USC to study Film Production would make all of the sacrifices, nights with little sleep, and long workdays worthwhile. 

Films have bestowed upon me some of the greatest gifts that any person could ever receive. The friendships and relationships that I cherish most have all been forged from a love of movies and the dialogue that they create. Most importantly, I recognize film as being solely responsible for the relationship that I have with my grandfather today. Without films, it is without hesitation that I say my Grandfather and I would hardly speak. I thank the many filmmakers, actors and writers that have cooperated to create these unifying works of art for allowing me to realize how much I love Peep. If I can create films that bring two people together in this same way, I will have served my purpose. Attending USC will provide me with the tools and inspiration to bring my ideas from my brain to the paper, to the screen. From the screen these ideas can work the same magic for another person, as they have worked for me.


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## Moira (Jan 26, 2013)

Hey John,

I am currently applying to USC for fall this year and have been brooding over that assignment for a long time also. I like the emotional approach you take and I think you are a storyteller at ease. You made me want to know if your grandfather knows about the fact that movies are binding you two. Have you told him as soon as you realized it? How did he react to that? You are building up a strong story between you two, but I don't have the feeling it comes to a suitable end other than you realizing that there is a bond. Other than that, it's a strong Personal Statement, I think.


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## jtduff (Jan 26, 2013)

Thank you very much. I had similar thoughts about the conclusion. I am looking at revising it. I have never told my Grandfather that. He's not much of a talker, haha.


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## Moira (Jan 26, 2013)

Well, then maybe you should! Perhaps it makes for a even better story then


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## Mighty (Jan 26, 2013)

Everyone who applies to film school loves film and wants to be a filmmaker, the application itself is the evidence of that love. As such, I think you should calibrate and adjust accordingly by devoting less characters toward your love of film and more toward a subject matter that will highlight your candidacy. 

As your piece exists now, I believe it'll be deafened in the chorus of competitor applicants who composed variants of your essay.

Moreover, I sense you were thumbing through the thesaurus looking for impressive sounding words for the admission committee to wrap their mouths around, which, when contrasted to the overall style and form of the essay, creates a bit of incongruity with respect to your exposition.  

I do think that, with work, your essay can be a winner. I especially enjoyed the way you characterized your grandfather.


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