# USC Writing for Screen & TV 2010 Acceptance



## B.D. Flory (Mar 12, 2010)

Thought I'd post a thread where folks headed for this program could give a shout out.

Who's planning to go to the April 9th event? I'll probably be there.


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## spencil (Mar 19, 2010)

Hey SC screenwriters,

I had all but given up hope for graduate school this year.  I was denied from Texas and UCLA and was sure my portfolio was trash (I feel like the better you get at something the more conscious you are of how far you need to go).  Thank god I got into USC!  As a graduate of USC there is no end to my love for the school (they place quite an emphasis on loyalty there).  I've going through the packages they sent me, and, wow, who would have thought filling out forms could be so exciting?

What are some of your guys/gals ideas for living situations?  I've been mulling over the thought of student housing.  I did the commute thing my last semester of undergrad and found that the ability to walk to campus is worth the premium.

I am not sure if I will make it to the April 9th event even though I'd love to go.  I just got a job as a census worker.  Random I know, but the census are the only people who will hire the bums of my generation.  If I don't make it I would still like to keep in contact with my fellow screenwriters.  Maybe we could get a little bio going for anyone who frequents the message board?

Favorite movie:  The Big Labowski.  This is, in my opinion, the finest work of art produced in the 20th century.
Favorite filmmaker:  Coen Brothers.  I am staggered by their mastery of film.
Favorite Writer: Charlie Kaufman.  He is fearless.  He takes his ideas and rides them to their bitter, bizarre ends.
Writer I look up to: William Goldman.  He is the classic, gold standard of screenwriting.  

Congratulations to everyone who will be joining me in the fall.  To anyone who may read this and not have been as fortunate as we, I'll tell you what everyone else already has.  Learn to love rejection.  I was rejected from USC film school twice before this.  Just keep on persevering.


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## Lvn (Mar 30, 2010)

Hey guys, 

I just wanted to bump this thread and see who else is around. I will be contributing shortly, probably tomorrow, but I'm just beat right now.


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## underwood no. 5 (Mar 31, 2010)

Hey yall:

As far as writers accepted to the program, we've got me, Flory, spencil, and lvn. Who else is out there?

I haven't officially enrolled yet, but I'm flying in for the April 9 event, you betcha. Youthquake and I are mulling some kinda quick pre-event meetup and maybe drinks and dinner afterward. Anyone who wants to join (especially if you have an idea of where to go before or after), shout out.


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## ClaraVanJovus (Mar 31, 2010)

Yo guys! I was also accepted into the program although I haven't officially committed. I'm kind of freaking out about it actually because I wasn't notified until after my SCA acceptance letter that my application was technically incomplete/missing my transcript. Hope this resolves itself soon. Needless to say in addition to re-mailing it, I'll be bringing an official copy with me to event on April 9th. Can't wait to see everyone there and put some faces to the usernames. 

@spencil: No idea in terms of living situation plans. Honestly, I don't think it will become real in my mind until after April 10th...or after I get my University acceptance for that matter. I'm 22, graduated in May '09 and this was my first time applying so I'm pretty jazzed about my acceptance, well, pseudo-acceptance...? TRYING NOT TO FREAK OUT.

Possibly film-related loves: It Happened One Night, Douglas Sirk, Judd Apatow, Maurizio Cattelan, Mean Girls, Creative Nonfiction, Craigslist Missed Connections 

Don't Love: jump cuts. That's about it. 

Anybody else out there going to the April 9th event?


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## Lvn (Apr 3, 2010)

Hey guys,

Yeah, I'm still not clear about living arrangements too. I'm checking out a place called Gateway Apartments, seems kinda pricey. Anyway, I'll not be attending the April 9th event though, way too far for me.

As for introduction... I'm a dialogue *****, so my guys are Mamet and Sorkin and that bunch. I obviously love the usual suspects such as Kaufman and the Coen Brothers, but I'm more into the television side of the industry. So the real Titans for me are people like David Simon, Matt Weiner and Alan Ball. ( Footnote: That being said, I adored Kaufman's Syndoche, New York... Although I apparently can't spell the name of the film. )

Ideally I'd love to be a staff-writer on a TV-show I love, and then make a movie or two once in a while. Small films, art house-style. Like Pre-2000's Atom Egoyan, a la Exotica and The Sweet Hereafter.

What I don't like in film and TV shows are the self-conscious nods in an otherwise serious piece of work. Take Magnolia for example, I love P.T.A. as much as the next guy - Punch Drunk Love is my favorite - and Magnolia is a hell of a solid film. I started watching it accidentally at 6 A.M. - it was already in the DVD - and it totally captivated me for the next 2 and a half hours. 

But I don't like the playful stuff on that film, the Hoffman's whole " This is the scene where the guy asks the other guy for help " thing and the Save Me sequence. Way to completely propel me out of the movie's mood. 

In the same vein, I don't like the French New Wave and Godard and those directors. Get the idea, don't like it. Gimme a solid story over " Hey, look at me, I'm clever " everyday. If I'll have to sit through Masculin/Feminine one more time, I'm gonna blow my brains out. 

Melville's Samurai is one of the coolest films ever though. Alain Delon kills in that. 

Some of my favorite films are: Adaptation, Unforgiven, Stalker, Miller's Crossing, Rouge, Mullholland Drive... To count a few.

My favorite TV shows are: Six Feet Under, The Office ( UK Version, although US version has it's moments ), Sports Night, West Wing, The Wire... As far as funny stuff goes Arrested Development and Peep Show make my world go round. The funniest thing I've ever seen is Tobias FÃ¼nke going: " OH MY GOD, WHY AM I NOT GOING UNDERWATER! WHY AM I NOT GOING UNDERWATER!!! " although Mark leaving a doomed message to Sophie in Peep Show is a good runner-up. ( Here's the scene: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zniCiOLNHw )

Much as I love America - Hey, I'm the last sucker believing in the American Dream - I hate the celebrity culture and the rampant consumerism and the reality shows and all that crap. Politically speaking I'm a typical left-wing New York Woody Allen, but I'm not a political person, and I don't believe in politics. I'm not big on religion either. 

But Jesus H. Christ, I feel like I'm writing up a dating profile. Gonna stop spilling my guts here so you guys can get to know me more gradually. 

Take care and I'll see you when I see you,  

Levin


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## minomino55 (Apr 8, 2010)

Chiming in a little late to say hey all!  Though I haven't officially confirmed my attendance yet, my rejection from NYU and Columbia means USC is my destiny, I guess.

I'm a 22 year old guy, graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2009, been doing obscure marketing-related stuff this year and praying for grad school acceptances.

In terms of film experience, I sort of discovered late in college that I wanted to work in the industry-- so though I was a Communications major, I took a bunch of screenwriting and video production courses in my last two years and made some short films.  I interned at a production company and on a movie set (I got drunk with Neil Patrick Harris and it was awkward!).  I was also heavily involved in college theatre, which means I'm not exactly sure what I want to end up doing since writing, acting, and directing all sound equally thrilling to me.  I want to be the next Zach Braff, only less annoying.

As for my film references and favorites, I must confess to being a TV junkie with no real film knowledge.  Joss Whedon, Tim Burton (though not recently) and JJ Abrams are my gods, and I can't even read any of those "Top 100 Films" lists because I'm so embarrassed to not have seen most of them-- but I'll get to them someday.  I think "Freeway" with Reese Witherspoon and Keifer Sutherland is an unsung classic, and "Heathers" and "Donnie Darko" make me tingly in my special place.  My one concession to foreign-film snobbery is "L'Auberge Espagnole"-- though I wouldn't exactly call that film something to be pretentious about.  I also love rock musicals and anything noir-influenced.

In terms of my writing, I tend to favor sci-fi and horror with sassy dialogue... I'm also writing a musical right now, which is awkward because I don't actually know how to read music that well.  We'll see.  I love writing with a soundtrack in mind and I tend to favor twist endings-- but I like to think mine make sense.  I hate procedurals, soul-sucking rom-coms and badly-written female characters, as well as any professor who tries to tell you the "rules" to writing a good screenplay.  Example-- I sent in a script to a prof once and his only note was "make sure you put more real-life brands and products in it, because it adds realism!"  Seriously...?

Anyway, super excited to eventually meet all of you!  I won't be attending the April 9th event because I'm broke and have already made a serious commitment to my drinking habit this weekend.  Such is life.  

PS-- Have we started a Facebook group?  I noticed some other schools have and I'd start one for us but I'm not sure if there is one yet.  There are about a zillion other USC writing groups, but I can't find one for our particular year... 

--Amin


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## Lvn (Apr 18, 2010)

I'd like to echo mino's words on a facebook group. If there is one already, can someone link me to it? If not, wouldn't it be great if someone set one up? 

I would do it myself but despite having an account I'm frighteningly foreign to facebook.


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## minomino55 (Apr 19, 2010)

Facebook group!  Join join join... and if you have anything more to add to the group info section I'll make you an admin.  Because I sort of didn't know what to write.

http://www.facebook.com/search...?gid=116101925074285


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## riddlefish (May 13, 2010)

Hey everyone--not sure if people are still keeping track of this thread, but I just accepted off the waitlist today and I was wondering if anyone could tell me anything about the housing situation this fall. Are people living on campus or off campus? If off campus, then what area? I'd appreciate any feedback, given that I have some big decisions coming up really fast...

Looking forward to meeting you!


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