# UCLA Professional Screenwriting Program



## smartalis (Jun 22, 2014)

Has anyone undertaken the UCLA professional screenwriting course recently?

I have just finished an MA (postgrad. Masters) in Film in Europe and applied to the UCLA program, but would like to find out from anyone who has been through it, if the UCLA professional screenwriting course was beneficial and helped to advance their writing skills to the next level.

Any comments would be appreciated - thanks.


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## dorispalmer (Jun 28, 2014)

It sounds interesting :O


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## jeremy's sea (Jul 24, 2014)

smartalis said:


> Has anyone undertaken the UCLA professional screenwriting course recently?
> 
> I have just finished an MA (postgrad. Masters) in Film in Europe and applied to the UCLA program, but would like to find out from anyone who has been through it, if the UCLA professional screenwriting course was beneficial and helped to advance their writing skills to the next level.
> 
> Any comments would be appreciated - thanks.


Yes! I applied to the MFA in 2011 and got into the PP instead. A script I wrote in the program won Screamfest in 2012 and one of my classmates had his script shot, is now screening in large festivals and features recognizable actors, so good training and material comes out of there. It is basically a stripped, down year one of the MFA. I would know since I just finished year one of the MFA! I will also be a TA in the PP this fall so anyone coming in please say hi!


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## Mrs. Inkognito (Aug 27, 2014)

jeremy's sea said:


> Yes! I applied to the MFA in 2011 and got into the PP instead. A script I wrote in the program won Screamfest in 2012 and one of my classmates had his script shot, is now screening in large festivals and features recognizable actors, so good training and material comes out of there. It is basically a stripped, down year one of the MFA. I would know since I just finished year one of the MFA! I will also be a TA in the PP this fall so anyone coming in please say hi!


 
Jeremy's sea, do you know if people get rejected from the PP? How about the online one? Or do they just run sessions for as many people as are willing to pay the $$?

Thank you.


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## jeremy's sea (Sep 21, 2014)

Mrs. Inkognito said:


> Jeremy's sea, do you know if people get rejected from the PP? How about the online one? Or do they just run sessions for as many people as are willing to pay the $$?
> 
> Thank you.


I'm speaking only for the classroom here: No it is definitely capped. It's obviously not as competitive as the MFA (they have far more seats and sections), but there are minimum requirements and people do actually get rejected. They do allow more people than they have seats for, because ostensibly not everyone will come who is accepted, so they do a first come first served style, and that's basically how ever many people pay to reserve a seat, up to the cap. I don't know what that cap is, but I'll find out next week at the first class! 

I don't know anything about the online sections, but there are a finite number of instructors they can hire, so it must cap out somewhere as well.


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## gradualdecisions (Nov 4, 2014)

Hi all, I'm also interested in the Professional Program for next year (2015). I can't seem to figure out when applications open though - maybe I'm just missing this somehow, but I don't see an application timeline on the website. Jeremy's sea, could you give us a sense of when we should actually be applying? Thanks!


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## Darky (Nov 4, 2014)

jeremy's sea said:


> Yes! I applied to the MFA in 2011 and got into the PP instead...It is basically a stripped, down year one of the MFA. I would know since I just finished year one of the MFA!...



Hi Jeremy, Do you think attending the PP ultimately helped your (re)application to the MFA program?  

Would hazard a guess your writing improved--which probably has the most bearing on anything application wise--but curious if you think exposure to professors helped, or if you found a mentor, etc.  Guessing that not many students jump from the PP to the MFA program right?


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## jeremy's sea (Dec 21, 2014)

gradualdecisions said:


> Hi all, I'm also interested in the Professional Program for next year (2015). I can't seem to figure out when applications open though - maybe I'm just missing this somehow, but I don't see an application timeline on the website. Jeremy's sea, could you give us a sense of when we should actually be applying? Thanks!


I'm sorry, I have no idea. I don't have anything at all to do with the administrative side of things. The MFA applications just closed, so I would imagine the PP apps must be going up. If it still doesn't show on their website I would recommend emailing or calling them. The people that run the program are definitely helpful!



Darky said:


> Hi Jeremy, Do you think attending the PP ultimately helped your (re)application to the MFA program?
> 
> Would hazard a guess your writing improved--which probably has the most bearing on anything application wise--but curious if you think exposure to professors helped, or if you found a mentor, etc.  Guessing that not many students jump from the PP to the MFA program right?


Absolutely it helped me. I'm going to stress the "me" part of that though. How? It did make me grow as a writer and I honed my skills both in storytelling and the technical aspects of screenwriting. So I had much much stronger material to submit. I also won a fairly prestigious competition with one of those scripts, and making accomplishments in the real world has to be attractive to any film school because it kind of "proves" you to an extent. I imagine there are a multitude of reasons people wouldn't pursue an MFA (money, time, interest, etc), but they do list the PP people accepted into the MFA from year to year and it is roughly half at any given time who have been through the PP. I'm not sure how many in the PP apply and don't get accepted, we don't see that stat.

You can think of the PP as a year long interview as well, since a lot of the instructors teach in the MFA and some even conduct interviews for the MFA program admittance. They get to see who fits not only the writing requirements, but who fits the culture. Who shows up, who works hard, who supports their fellow students, who can do the work and take criticism and direction in a positive manner, and who will just generally be a "good" person to have around for a few years and represent the school in the industry afterwards.

An MFA like this is not cheap and it's a huge time commitment. It takes a lot of energy and it isn't for everyone. The worst part is, it doesn't matter if you have one or not when getting a job, because it's about the work. It does help open doors though, and gives you some legitimacy, and of course the work and the instruction and the support are incredible. Plus you meet a lot of super smart, funny, caring, and creative future fimmakers in class.


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## jeremy's sea (Dec 21, 2014)

I should also add that the PP is a great way for you to interview the program and see if it meets your needs and expectations before you make an expensive and long commitment to an MFA program.


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