# Background/Resume For Admissions



## rganju (Mar 13, 2010)

Can anybody share with me what types of backgrounds they are coming from or what types of experiences they have had before they had been admitted to graduate film school?  Did you have experience in living outside of the US?  What type of Bachelor's Degree did you have before you were admitted?  I am applying for admission to graduate film school for 2011 in NY and LA.  I have my BA in film from Columbia College and I've lived primarily in the US.  Thank you for your help.


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## Dead Honky (Mar 13, 2010)

I graduated from Florida State with a BS in Political Science (I tried, unsuccessfully, to get into Film School about three times).  My background is mostly journalism-based; I wrote for the school newspaper and eventually did some penny-ante blogging and held an internship or two after I graduated.  My inability to find a job, combined with friends' desires to go (back) to school spurred me on to give the whole grad school thing a try and film school was about the only thing I felt strongly enough to justify all the time/effort/money (?) I'd be investing.  

Dunno how much that'll help you, though?  I've been rejected by nearly every school I applied to, save for UMiami.


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## youthquake (Mar 13, 2010)

I have a BFA from SAIC, with a focus in filmmaking and fiber material studies (I screenprinted on film, what!?).

I've been a dp on many a short, I've directed several shorts myself, but for the past 2 years I have been employed editing documentaries (including a feature by a current Columbia College teacher).

I've also programmed film festivals, worked as a program assistant at Facets, programmed work for a TV station, and was a part of student leadership in college. I also work as a projectionist and revisionist at festivals around the country, including Sundance.

I was an exchange student after high school for a year abroad program.

If you have any questions about what you can do around Chicagoland to get some experience let me know. Good luck!


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## The Dear Hunter (Mar 13, 2010)

This is a great thread as we brought up this issue in the NYU thread for this year.  There was a gentleman there, I forgot his handle, but he had a very impressive resume and didn't even make it in to the second round.  While mine isn't nearly as awesome, I do have an Emmy nominated/Edward R. Murrow Award winning piece under my belt, plus a handful of shorts I've directed, and most recently a television pilot, and other crap, but I too didn't get an interview or even talk of a "second round."

It lead us to believe, from our very small sample, that your written materials and reel are probably weighed more heavily than your background and resume.  But I'd love to hear more backgrounds and resumes of those that did get accepted to see if there are any patterns.

I am still waiting (without much hope as I didn't get an interview) for Columbia and CalArts so I do get accepted somewhere I will post my resume and background in more details.  But for now I'll get out of the way and let people who were actually accepted give us something to work with.

Thanks in advance to any of you who were accepted for sharing!


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## Silverlenz (Mar 13, 2010)

I graduated from a small (less than 4,000 students) state school in south Texas with a B.A. in Art and a minor in communication (Digital Video productions/ Avid Editing concentration). During my undergraduate studies, I was fortunate enough to meet my mentor (a professor with a MFA in film from Ohio University) who saw potential in me and encouraged me to apply to film school.  

Unfortunately, everything didn't pan out and I was rejected that year.  Now I won't lie to you it hurt, but what I learned from that experience was invaluable. It's been three years, since I last applied and I feel that I have grown in so many ways.  I've challenged myself as a writer and learned more about filmmaking (serving as a Director of Photography, Grip, and even doing some 2nd Assistant work) by doing. These experiences have given me a better understanding of the filmmaking process, while allowing me an opportunity to explore what areas of filmmaking I want to study. 

In addition, to my varied filmmaking experiences, I've also been working as an academic advisor at a local college. My job requires me to work with at risk youth, military veterans, and non- traditional students.  Working in Higher Education has been an enjoyable experience, which has surrounded me with countless stories and ideas.  Although I can't prove it, I feel that it's these varied experiences (full-time job, age, and video making experiences) that ultimately made me a more attractive applicant.  

I'm a firm believer that the technical aspects of filmmaking can be taught. So don't worry if you are lacking in those areas because I didn't and still have a long way to go. Film schools in my opinion are more concerned with your ability to tell a story. Films can teach you the technical aspect but they can't teach you how to be creative. Don't believe me research most graduate film school programs (why do you think visual submissions and prior filmmaking experience is usually optional?) In closing I think the we can all learn something from Michael Giacchino's 2009 Oscar Speech,

 I was nine and I asked my dad, "Can I have your movie camera? That old, wind-up 8 millimeter camera that was in your drawer?" And he goes, "Sure, take it." And I took it and I started making movies with it and I started being as creative as I could, and never once in my life did my parents ever say, "What you're doing is a waste of time." Never. And I grew up, I had teachers, I had colleagues, I had people that I worked with all through my life who always told me what you're doing is not a waste of time. So that was normal to me that it was OK to do that. I know there are kids out there that don't have that support system so if you're out there and you're listening, listen to me: If you want to be creative, get out there and do it. It's not a waste of time. Do it. OK?

Here's the actual video if you missed it (http://soundtrackfans.ning.com/video/video/show?id=2350108:Video:19715 )

PS: Sorry for the long post. Feel free to message me anything. You can usually find me on her or in the chatroom. 

Respectfully,
SilverLenz


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## notroberttowne (Mar 13, 2010)

I dropped out of a public school in North Carolina and ruined my transcript.  After a few months of cooking chicken I applied and got into an even less competitive school.  I spent a year abroad in Eastern Europe where I earned exactly nine credits out of an expected 30.  I finally graduated with a BS in History six years after I first started college.

I was offered a job, for some reason, working as an assistant editor on history textbooks in the midwest.  I did that for all of eight months before I came back to North Carolina because that's where the jobs were supposed to be.  I spent the next two years getting unemployment from my 'lack of work' situation and applying for jobs.  I also wrote three features.  

I applied to UCLA and Chapman for fall 2009 and sent them different scripts as my sample.  UCLA interviewed me and said no, and I'm currently in Chapman.  I had, I should add, absolutely no film experience other than writing a few scripts and taking one screenwriting class as an undergrad.


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## brittak (Mar 13, 2010)

I graduated with a degree in political science from a small liberal arts school and I had a whole slew of jobs working at campaigns and non-profits afterward. That is, until I turned an about-face, got a minimum-wage job at a movie theater and started snagging PA gigs off Craigslist with no experience or training. After two years, I've written several features, a binder full of shorts, and directed three short films. Now, I have experience, but still no training. I applied to eight schools and so far I've been accepted to five.


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## Silverlenz (Mar 14, 2010)

Wow reading all of your stories is inspirational.. This has become a great thread. Thanks to everyone for sharing.

SilverLenz


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## DreamsOnJupiter (Mar 14, 2010)

B.A. English - Michigan State University
B.A. Telecommunications, Information Studies and Media - Michigan State University
M.A. English Language and Lit: Creative Writing - Central Michigan University (Expected).

I worked as a substitute teacher for two years.  Currently, I am a graduate assistant.  I have published a few short stories. I have only lived in the U.S.


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## B.D. Flory (Mar 15, 2010)

BA English/Film Studies/Sociology, with an excellent academic record and GREs.

It probably didn't hurt me any that I managed some scholarly publications in my undergrad work, and more importantly (I suspect) I have a long resume of both solo and collaborative commercial publications prior to my undergrad work - I wrote for a living beginning just a couple years after high school. Some of that work won national awards in the field.

My application included a resume and portfolio list that gave the rundown on those publications and my other creative work in college, along with the usual mix of "who are you" and "what do you want" questions, a couple of scene prompts, and writing samples I was free to select. I used the teasers for a Medium TV spec and Terminator: TSCC spec, as well as the first five pages of my undergrad thesis, a feature screenplay.


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## Marisah (Mar 16, 2010)

This is such a fun thread.  It's awesome to hear about all of our different backgrounds.

Okay here it goes.  I have practically no film experience.  I went a very small University(less than 2,000 undergrads).  The good thing about that small of a school is you really get to know your professors, the bad thing is that your opportunities are severely limited.  I graduated with a BA in English - writing and a minor in Chemistry.  The Chemistry is because I was pre-med until my last semester, when I decided to pursue film.  However, the only semi-film related production experience I have comes from a summer spent as programming director of a youth camp, where I wrote/directed evening skits.  Also, we hired a company to create a staff video in which I appeared.  I mean, that's it.  On the academic side I focused on performance analysis in my English classes and presented a paper on a Chicago Shakespeare Theatre production at an undergraduate conference.  Also I was a part of the Honors program (alternative general ed. curriculum) and wrote my senior thesis on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the TV show not the movie.  I also have an excellent GPA and solid GRE scores, for whatever that's worth.  In the year since I graduated I've applied to film school, interned for a couple of months at a children's theatre, and looked, mostly unsuccessfully, for work.

I think the thing that really matters is not what your resume/background is, but how you think it makes you better able to create films and your ablity to demonstrate that to the admissions committee.  I really focused on film as a way of telling stories in my admissions materials because my background in literature is much stronger than in production.  That being said, my level of inexperience is probably quite rare.  I did only get accepted to one school I applied to and that was Fall waitlist/Spring admission for USC.  Luckily, it was my first choice.


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## Silverlenz (Mar 16, 2010)

> Originally posted by Marisah:
> This is such a fun thread.  It's awesome to hear about all of our different backgrounds.
> 
> Okay here it goes.  I have practically no film experience.  I went a very small University(less than 2,000 undergrads).  The good thing about that small of a school is you really get to know your professors, the bad thing is that your opportunities are severely limited.  I graduated with a BA in English - writing and a minor in Chemistry.  The Chemistry is because I was pre-med until my last semester, when I decided to pursue film.  However, the only semi-film related production experience I have comes from a summer spent as programming director of a youth camp, where I wrote/directed evening skits.  Also, we hired a company to create a staff video in which I appeared.  I mean, that's it.  On the academic side I focused on performance analysis in my English classes and presented a paper on a Chicago Shakespeare Theatre production at an undergraduate conference.  Also I was a part of the Honors program (alternative general ed. curriculum) and wrote my senior thesis on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the TV show not the movie.  I also have an excellent GPA and solid GRE scores, for whatever that's worth.  In the year since I graduated I've applied to film school, interned for a couple of months at a children's theatre, and looked, mostly unsuccessfully, for work.
> ...




Thanks for sharing your story with us. I enjoyed reading it and congrats on getting into USC for the Spring. 

SilverLenz


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## Jayimess (Mar 16, 2010)

Oh, this is fun, gets you guys out of the worrying.

After a junior year spent studying fields I thought would pay me more money than filmmaking would (I'm a former foster kid with an abject fear of returning to poverty, so sue me), I flunked out of a then-open enrollment university in Ohio.  Lost my athletic scholarship because I blew my eligibility, lost my academic funding, academic probation. 

I bopped around for half a decade, working my way towards the top of the food and beverage industry, and working on films whenever I could...also writing (though not scripts, mostly prose and poetry), teaching myself non-linear editing, etc. 

I eventually hit the degree-glass ceiling that barred entry to exciting jobs at some big, awesome breweries, and so I went back to school with the intention of focusing on creative marketing, getting an MBA, and coming back to my career ready to become a bosslady.  My company was willing to pay for it, but the CEO eventually convinced me not to let them...he didn't want to make me come back if I discovered something new I'd rather do. So each semester, in addition to marketing and advertising coursework, my secret dreamy self signed up for a film class or an art class, just to flex the creative muscle on a deadline.  I also interned as a producer for my local FOX affiliate, and found a great mentor there.  

I thrived in my business classes but enjoyed my film classes more, and in the first screenwriting class I ever took, I wrote the first act of the first feature I ever tried to write...and my professor, a Columbia University MFA, told me to screw business school, I could get into USC or NYU with that script if I wanted to.  So after a lot of pro-and-con charts, I stopped prepping for the GMAT and started prepping for the GRE. My CEO at the beer company, my mentor at the TV station, and my screenwriting professor all wrote my letters of recommendation.  I didn't end up applying to NYU, but I got into AFI, UCLA, and USC with that first act, and I'm graduating with my MFA from USC in less than two months.


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## ClaraVanJovus (Mar 16, 2010)

THIS THREAD IS GENIUS.

I just graduated from a top tier liberal arts school this past May. Majored in Film Studies, English minor. Solid transcript with the exception of one ABOMINABLE semester. Didn't take the GRE. Between both concentrations I only took a single writing course, Screenwriting, and while I am not proud of this fact, I have no idea how to operate a video camera. I took classes all over the place, literally and figuratively. 5 different campuses. From voice classes to Ancient Greek. In my senior year I took a few new media type art courses and made a whole bunch of sonic art, net art, and interactive installation projects using Processing mostly.

I was born, raised, and went to college in Massachusetts. Never been outside the US. Not even Canada. But I've been all around the country thanks to my part-time job as a high school Speech and Debate coach. The kids teach me sweet sweet Indian dance moves and I teach them how to write persuasive speeches and drip swagger. I've done marketing/outreach internships for both a Christian film company and a queer theater company. And ever since I was legally old enough to work, I've been slaving away at the family business: fast food.

I only applied to two Screenwriting programs since my life literally imploded on December 1st. Mid-applications, I got kicked out of my house because I was going to be late for my 4 hour shift. At 11:56pm I submitted the last of my scene prompts by the light of my laptop, on the couch of my fellow speech coach, one of the people who wrote me a recommendation.

Got interviewed by Northwestern. Assume I'm waitlisted.
Got into USC.

My take on what "they" are looking for? Depth of input rather than a breadth of output. If that makes any sense at all. At least in my case, and this looks to be the case with others, I haven't actually made a whole lot of stuff when it comes to films, scripts, etc. But I think I've got something to work with in terms of raw materials. A balanced education. A range of life experience. It seems like every program website stressed the fact that they aren't looking for 'film' students, just CREATIVE people. Do you have a Story? Or just a polished reel? That's my best guess.


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## karina (Mar 16, 2010)

Hi guys, your experiences are very colorful! I love this thread! 

But how does this all come across the Personal Statement??? 

Some say to tell a story as your essay, but it seems difficult to tell all of that in one essay - it might seem all over the place.

I guess my question is, how do I put in one personal statement about my creative endeavors, my beliefs, my success, my experience, my dreams, and etc, WITHOUT it sounding like I'm throwing a laundry list. Make it more organic. 

Thanks for sharing your info everybody!


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## The Dusty Elephant (Mar 26, 2010)

Nice thread.

I'm kind of young compared to the other folks around here since I'm only 22 so my story isn't all that impressive. I will be graduating from a rinky-dink state university in May with a double major in English and Film.

Four years ago, I was rejected from every film school that I applied to that was for undergrad. In high school, I was that guy that was always filming some type of video or story around the halls. In fact, it would often come up in those silly parent-teacher conferences with the teachers. They would often remark that that I should spend more time on my school than on the video stuff. What I didn't realize then was that I just enjoyed telling stories even though I had grand dreams of being some big shot Hollywood director. As a result of most of my time going to making short videos, my grades were not particularly great and I ended up going to a state university.

Two years prior to the summer before I went to college, I had picked up Robert McKee's Story, but for whatever reasons I never read it. I couldn't tell you why, but something clicked and in my angsty teenage depression over not getting into the colleges I wanted, I read through "Story." It opened my eyes to how much care and attention needs to be placed into scriptwriting. And so I endeavored to write my first feature length film script and needless to say it was horrible. However, that experience is what set me on the path to become a scriptwriter. 

I also began taking my school work more seriously because I knew I wanted to go to film school and I would do anything it takes to make that dream a reality. I made only two more videos after high-school. And the last was particularly painful because it illustrated that my path was not to be a film-maker, but a scriptwriter and I needed to let go of that part of the dream. 

During my four years of Undergrad, I studied abroad for a semester in England, did a semester at Tisch, interned at a small production company that specialized in commercials/corporate videos, interned at a relatively large film festival, and helped write grant proposals for an antipoverty organization. I've had an interesting journey and through it all, I've written script after script and just steadily improved on my craft, while maintaining a 3.8 GPA. And it looks like the hard work paid off since I got into Tisch!

I have no fancy production experience, Hollywood connections, or anything else of that nature. All I have is a good work ethic and a will to succeed. 

"Thankfully, perseverance is a good substitute for talent" Steve Martin


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## Silverlenz (Mar 26, 2010)

Wow, let me be the first to say thanks for sharing your story "The Dusty Elephant". Hearing your story and the rest of the stories on these boards has been really inspirational to me. I hope future applicants find our stories useful. BTW, congrats on getting into film school. What type of stories do you like to tell? And what aspect do you want to improve on the most. 

SilverLenz


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## 623productions (Mar 26, 2010)

Thanks, Dusty Elephant, your story inspired me to write mine.

I am even younger than you. I am 20 years old (and will still be 20 when I start the Peter Stark Program at USC this fall) and graduated in 2.5 years from a 4-year undergrad liberal arts college near Chicago as an English Literature major last December.

As an international student from Hong Kong, I never thought I'd end up working in this industry until several friends pointed out early on in college that film was the culmination of all my interests and I started exploring this as an option, working on many student films on campus in different roles. 

Having a natural interest in television as well as in graphic design, I applied to some internship programs last summer and ended up choosing between Conde Nast and NBC Universal, both in NYC. Once I had made the choice to work at NBC and won the intern competition at NBC for Pilot Pitching, I pretty much decided what I wanted to do was to produce episodic drama. Also last summer, I produced a short in Shanghai for DirecTV with an American Director... but that's pretty much the most experience I've had. 

Throughout my last year in school, I interned for a producer based in LA on a long-distance basis, mainly reading scripts, doing coverage and scheduling meetings all online. He offered me a job when I graduated last Dec and I moved to LA right after and have been working as his executive assistant full-time since, we are producing a 65 mil feature. 

As I start the Stark program this fall, I will transition to part-time and will probably leave this job eventually to pursue more internships in the television industry. I have a lot to learn and can't wait to start at USC


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## The Dusty Elephant (Mar 26, 2010)

623productions that is awesome! Best of luck!


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## Generallyspeaking22 (Mar 26, 2010)

My background:

I went to art school and had a lot of fun, made some decent work, but never learned about "real world" things like internships and money. My major accomplishment was that my video art professor liked a piece I made enough to refer me over to Miranda July's joanie4jackie.com site. She put me on a chainletter tape, but she does that for any female director that sends her a film.

Anyhow, I installed artwork for several years around NYC after graduating. I too had a fear of abject poverty since I come from a working-class immigrant family. I joined NYU's fine art appraisal program only to drop out a year later b/c I hated the idea of working with insurance companies.

I wanted to write. So, I started to write scripts. A couple of them were pretty bad. The ideas were good, but the characters were pretty bad stereotypes. I slowly cultivated my craft but was too afraid to apply to grad school and drop a bunch of money. I started to work on small budget documentaries in capacities ranging from production assistant to editor. Working in film pretty much confirmed it was what I should be doing.

This year I think I underestimated the power of the SOP and also bombed my UCLA interview causing me to get rejected to Columbia, NYU production, USC, and UCLA. I am still waiting to hear back from the screenwriting dept at NYU, but it doesn't look too promising.

You live. You learn. That's how it's always been for me and well, everyone else I guess.


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## rganju (Mar 13, 2010)

Can anybody share with me what types of backgrounds they are coming from or what types of experiences they have had before they had been admitted to graduate film school?  Did you have experience in living outside of the US?  What type of Bachelor's Degree did you have before you were admitted?  I am applying for admission to graduate film school for 2011 in NY and LA.  I have my BA in film from Columbia College and I've lived primarily in the US.  Thank you for your help.


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## why cinema (Mar 26, 2010)

> Originally posted by youthquake:
> I have a BFA from SAIC, with a focus in filmmaking and fiber material studies (I screenprinted on film, what!?).
> 
> I've been a dp on many a short, I've directed several shorts myself, but for the past 2 years I have been employed editing documentaries (including a feature by a current Columbia College teacher).
> ...



Hey Youthquake,
what do you think about the Film vedio and new media at SAIC. I mean is it focusing on filmmaking in general or just film as art aspect and theories. What is your opinion as a ome who knows that school and graduted from. Thank you


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## L@la (Mar 26, 2010)

I'm not sure this will be helpful to anyone, since I still have a couple of weeks to go before I hear from the only school I applied to, but here it goes...
I am originally from Brazil and wanted to be a foreign exchange student since I was 9 years old. When I was 16, I got a chance to come to the US and lived with a host family in Salt Lake City until I graduated from high school. 
I've always loved all forms of story-telling, especially theater and film, but pursuing a career in it never really crossed my mind. 
There weren't any kids my age in the neighborhood where I grew up so I spent most of my days drawing, reading and watching films. 
I'm 34 years old, so we didn't have cable then. I used to scour the TV listings section of the Sunday paper for classic films and set my alarm for the middle of the night during a school night so I could watch Citizen Cane and The Maltese Falcon. My mom wasn't too thrilled about that...
When I got to the US, I fell in love with the English language and started writing. I decided to go to school for journalism. I didn't love it, but it seemed like a good way to tell the same kind of stories I saw on film and make a difference at the same time.  
I had to drop out before earning a degree when my daughter was born. 
Despite not having finished, I landed a job in the field and I'm still a reporter today. 
I always wanted to go back and finish what I started, but it seemed pointless to major in journalism with nearly a decade of experience under my belt. 
I decided to go back for animation, another storytelling medium that combined all the things I loved - writing, filmmaking and drawing. Plus, I'd pick up some useful computer skills along the way. 
I eventually earned a BS in media arts and animation and graduated with a 3.7 GPA. I continued to work full time while going to school and started doing web videos for my newspaper's website. During that time, I also worked on my own project - a short film I co-produced. It's only narrative film I've ever done. 
During school, I learned that I absolutely love the pre-production process. I had fun producing that one short film, but I don't want to be a producer. 
I set my sights on production design, which is where I feel I belong, and applied to AFI. 
Had my interview in February and now I'm waiting.  
Sorry if this was too long...


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## New2you (Mar 26, 2010)

Got my B.A. in English with a minor in creative writing from VIrginia Commonwealth University. In school I took 2 screenwriting courses, a course in Russian Film, a course in Film in the McCarthy era, and one on American Horror. I also co-wrote and assistant directed a training video for VCU Dorm Security. When I got out of college, I got an internship with the Virginia Film Office, which I did for six months. Through the internship I got experience in Production Assistance, Art Department work, and location scouting. I also started a writers group with a few other writers from my creative writing classes.  We meet at my apartment bi-weekly and workshop eachother's short stories and scripts. 

So far I have been rejected from UCLA and NYU for Screenwriting, I have interviewed with Columbia and am still waiting on a decision, and I have heard nothing from either Chapman or Carnegie Mellon. I also, as of yesterday, have my NYU application being forwarded on to Singapore for the Tisch Asia Dramatic Writing program.


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## Dead Honky (Mar 26, 2010)

> Originally posted by Generallyspeaking22:
> This year I think I underestimated the power of the SOP and also bombed my UCLA interview causing me to get rejected to Columbia, NYU production, USC, and UCLA. I am still waiting to hear back from the screenwriting dept at NYU, but it doesn't look too promising.
> 
> You live. You learn. That's how it's always been for me and well, everyone else I guess.



I think I kinda petered out on the Purpose Statements too, which I think is kinda of a secondary matter vis-a-vis, say, your writing sample, prompts and the like (and personally, working up the gag reflex to write it was akin to pulling teeth).  But, hey, I'm not some big-shot admissions ass from a -Highly Educated University-, so what do I know?


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## Generallyspeaking22 (Mar 26, 2010)

> Originally posted by Dead Honky:
> <BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Generallyspeaking22:
> This year I think I underestimated the power of the SOP and also bombed my UCLA interview causing me to get rejected to Columbia, NYU production, USC, and UCLA. I am still waiting to hear back from the screenwriting dept at NYU, but it doesn't look too promising.
> 
> You live. You learn. That's how it's always been for me and well, everyone else I guess.



I think I kinda petered out on the Purpose Statements too, which I think is kinda of a secondary matter vis-a-vis, say, your writing sample, prompts and the like (and personally, working up the gag reflex to write it was akin to pulling teeth).  But, hey, I'm not some big-shot admissions ass from a -Highly Educated University-, so what do I know? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

They do certainly count for something. I wrote a good one for UCLA and then at the last minute, rewrote an SOP for NYU b/c I realized they wanted slightly different info than the UCLA SOP. I think I would have been better off not rewriting it at the last minute b/c it's impersonal almost to the point of being mechanical. 

As for Columbia, I sent in a writing sample from a TV pilot. I have a feeling a TV pilot just isn't Columbia material, but I could be wrong.


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## Dead Honky (Mar 26, 2010)

All of the places I applied to had pretty similar criteria for their SOPs, so I partook in delicious copypasta; I figured that it was as good I was gonna get with one without venturing into the realm of total and utter BS.  The only outlier was UM, which wanted it about half as long as everywhere else.  I got into UM.  Coincidence?

I actually think my Columbia sample was one of my stronger ones.  I even thought my pitch was at least good enough to pass muster.  I STILL stand behind it.  No, it's probably not the greatest **** ever written, but if I was ****ing Shakespeare, why the **** would I need to go to school in the first place?


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## KaiserSuZ (Mar 26, 2010)

I am waiting to receive rejections from the 4 schools i applied to: NYU, USC, UCLA, & Columbia. I definitely need more experience and time put in on my writing samples. i thought it might help future applicants to know, though, that these really are the most important things. try hard, but don't worry if you don't have a great academic background. I went to a Top 5 or 10 school, academically ranking, that is, have an awesome GPA and awesome GRE scores--it doesn't matter as long as you meet the grad school's lowest threshhold.

i didn't do a degree in film or anything, but i worked in documentary TV very haphazardly for 3 yrs after graduating. my advice to my younger self and to future applicants is to get a solid experience in something film/TV related, or work for the Peace Corps or something exciting/different like that. there are a lot of really lame jobs in film/tv that don't give you very much valuable experience, and it can be hard to sort those out sometimes from the ones that do (if you're gonna PA, do it on something BIG--i had to turn down a PA spot on a Michael Mann film to stick with my Associate Producer job at a ****ty web production company, and it is my biggest regret of...possibly all time). i agree with the previous posters about not needing technical experience to get in, but had i the opportunity to handle a camera, which i never did, it def. would have improved my visual samples. also, if you're not in nyc or la, it's hard to find a solid filmmaking community--you might be really off on your own or doing a lot of lame projects, so that's another challenge in staying motivated and keeping your experiences relevant and, work on your writing every day!!


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## KaiserSuZ (Mar 26, 2010)

oops, i mean, i already received rejections from the first 3, i am only waiting for columbia's. but rest assured it's coming. anyways i meant my post to offer some hope to applicants who are not so academically solid, and to take chances to work on exciting projects over stable ones. i hope i didn't sound snotty.


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## WillieGreen (Mar 26, 2010)

Okay, where to begin?

It was a balmy day in the spring of 1980.  Mama WillieGreen had too much wine to drink...well maybe I should jump ahead.  

I was a film geek all through high school, but didn't think showbiz was a viable career option, so I majored in Electrical Engineering (practical and soporific) at the University of Miami (FL).  Go Canes!  Second semester Junior year, I took a film class as an elective, and I was hooked.  It was too late to switch majors, so I sneaked in a few more film electives before I graduated.

After that, I moved to Cali and went to the Los Angeles Film School.  That essentially served as my undergrad in film.  I learned a lot on the technical side, but the school is very thin for writing, which was my bailiwick.  

I wanted to hone my writing skills, so I applied for grad school on a whim:  USC, LMU, and UCLA (my #1 choice).  Oh by the way, I applied to UCLA a month late!  I also submitted a thoroughly awful script (first feature I ever wrote).  Uh, yeah.  I got rejected at all three.  

0 for 3.  That was Spring 2006.  So it goes...

I kept writing, and decided to apply again:  USC, UCLA, and AFI.  This time I sent in slightly less awful samples.  No, no, no.

0 for 6.  That was Spring 2007.  So it goes...

I decided to try UCLA's Professional Program.  It was great.  Workshops are invaluable.  While I was in the PP, I decided to go for my Masters in Engineering, just in case I needed to get a full-time "grown up" job, so  I enrolled at Cal State Northridge in Spring 2008.  In Fall 2008, I applied yet again for grad school:  UCLA and Columbia.  Flatly rejected at Columbia, but I got an interview at UCLA.  That was the year, right?

0 for 8 if you're scoring at home.  That was Spring 2009.  So it goes...

I finished up my M.S. at Northridge in May 2009.  Fall 2009 rolled around.  I figured what the heck, let's try again:  USC, NYU, and UCLA.

USC?  No.  0 for 9.

NYU?  No.  0 for 10.  Jeez, 10 at-bats, and no hits.

One more school left...my #1 from day 1.  UCLA.  

Second year in a row with an interview, and FOURTH time applying overall.  Would 2010 be the year?  Well, uh, YES!  

1 for 11.  All it takes is one hit.  

From Fall 2005 to Spring 2010, I went from one crappy screenplay to eleven screenplays, each one incrementally better.  

Here's my outlook on the film business:  The only way you won't make it is if you quit.  That's it.  You either make it, or you quit.  Quitting ain't an option for me because I've seen a glimpse of the other side.  Engineering is a non-starter for me.  I mean, I'd take soul-crushing Engineering work if I had to, but that ain't what I wanna do.  I wanna wear football jerseys and basketball caps to work, and figure out how Jethro is gonna defeat the Imp King on next week's episode.  

If you've been rejected (for school or specific career endeavors), the most important thing to do is to continue to hone your craft.  Don't sit around and wait for something to happen.  Get better.  Write.  Read.  Shoot.  Cut.  All that good stuff.  Eventually someone will give you a break.


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## spike87 (Mar 27, 2010)

Inspiring, Willie! I'm glad you made it to your promised land. 

Goes to show you all you need is one yes. 

I got that one yes at AFI so I'll be across town as a screenwriting fellow.

Good luck!


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## underwood no. 5 (Mar 27, 2010)

BRILLIANT THREAD, people! And Willie Green: thanks for that inspirational story! That's the kind of persistence it takes to follow a dream.

Luckily, I managed to strike gold my first time out: I got into USC's screenwriting program and Northwestern's Writing for Screen and Stage. The USC professor who invited me into the program told me recently that my long history in theater, great writing samples, and strong recommendation letters got me in. (As long as your undergrad grades are decent, I don't think they matter much at any film program.) 

I studied theater in undergrad at a small liberal arts university here in Texas. I spent time in Seattle and New York before coming to Austin, where I've lived now for almost 15 years. (Yes: I'm almost 40!) In all that time, I've co-written or collaborated on over 30 productions, including 8 with my own theater company. Our biggest success was a play of mine we toured to NYC, which got raves in the NY Times and other pubs, and was recently published in Yale's Journal of Theater.

I began screenwriting about 4 years ago at the behest of my honeybunch, an indy filmmaker who's had work at Sundance and Cannes. He's produced three of my shorts, which we're packaging as a feature to send on the festival circuit next year. 

Having an off-Broadway play produced is an amazing thrill, but little has been as fulfilling as seeing my work on the big screen. Needless to say, I've caught the movie bug big time. I'm hoping grad school will provide me the time, training, structure, and community I need to turbo-charge my chances of success in the industry. (Which is why I'm leaning toward USC; like someone here said, I'm leaning so far, I'm falling over!)

My biological man-clock is ticking! At 39, it's now or never.


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## Sapphiar (Mar 27, 2010)

So much fun!

I loved to write when I was a kid--mostly silly fiction stories about people partying, but I loved it.  But then when I was about 15 I stopped writing about the partying and instead partook in the partying, and my writing fell to the wayside. When I was 19 I became a travel agent and, after five years, was about ready to scream. In the meantime I'd get that writing bug--you guys know it--where you just HAVE to put something down but you don't know what, and being a girl who wasn't confident in her abilities, I'd only get about a page written before I'd throw my hands up and stop. 

Then, one day, for no reason, I applied to the creative writing department at the University of Victoria (I'm Canadian.) I got in. So I paid the deposit. They told me to apply for some classes. I quit my craptastic job and four years later I had written a few shorts, produced one-act play, had been published, and realized that not only did I love film, but it was my strong suit in writing.

My initial plan, though, was to just wing it after I graduated. I'd move to Vancouver or Toronto, make connections and go from there. But then, at the end of third year, one of my professors talked about a Master's. Now I'd been freaked out over the idea of it after seeing so many friends go through a personal hell finishing their thesis. Realizing, though, that you could get an MFA in screenwriting, I thought, well, why not? I spent last summer working on my applications, studying for my GRE and even though I recognized that I couldn't afford to go and that it was near impossible to get in, I just had to try. I love what Willie Green said about not writing--you just have to keep doing it! You HAVE to try. If you don't try, then you don't know if you can do it. There are other successful screenwriter's out there, why can't that be me?

I applied to USC and U of T and have been waitlisted for former and accepted at the latter. It looks like I can afford to go and am actually waiting for my flight to take me to my meet-and-greet.

So yeah--do it! Just try! It will never hurt.


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## SarahLee (Mar 29, 2010)

> Originally posted by underwood no. 5:
> BRILLIANT THREAD, people! And Willie Green: thanks for that inspirational story! That's the kind of persistence it takes to follow a dream.
> 
> Luckily, I managed to strike gold my first time out: I got into USC's screenwriting program and Northwestern's Writing for Screen and Stage. The USC professor who invited me into the program told me recently that my long history in theater, great writing samples, and strong recommendation letters got me in. (As long as your undergrad grades are decent, I don't think they matter much at any film program.)
> ...


I feel ya! I'm 39 as well, and trying my hardest to reset my life and do what I really love (since I've been in a completely different field for 15 years). Good luck to you!


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## Ben (Mar 29, 2010)

Now that the admissions process is over for me, I'd like to share my background.

I'm 22, been out of school for a year now and working as an AC in TV and short film around New York, a part time videographer for a college admissions site and have been DPing a lot of Columbia MFA projects. 

Went to a college about 2 hours outside of NYC, raised on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, so I've been spending as much time the past year traveling when I am not working. Just finishing up a 3 week business/pleasure trip that took me from SF to LA to Austin, and went to Central America last month to photograph for my own personal pleasure. 

Applied to a lot of schools this year because got flat out rejected by NYU and Columbia while still in undergrad, so I thought I would play the field and maybe I'd get lucky. Ended up getting into every program I applied to (which is quite a matzoh ball), but since applying last year I've directed a film I'm very proud of, DPed almost a dozen shorts, ACed for some pretty well known cinematographers and just read, read, read. I almost feel like I was in film school for the past year from everything I learned on set and from the Columbia people, but I guess that's real world film school!

Still very happy to be going to actual film school though in the fall.


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## jojo (Mar 29, 2010)

So i'll give you my background and stuff...


I got into Columbia and its the only place I applied to so i'm very lucky.  Anyway, I got my undergradute degree at a third rate private school and I didn't even do well there, I think my GPA was like a 2.6 or something of the sort.   Also, I have no prior film experience, but I have been writing for awhile.  What I'm trying to say is that I'm pretty sure-for at least columbia- the only thing that really matters is the portfolio, specifically the writing sample.    I'm pretty sure I had a couple grammar mistakes in my personal statement anyway.  But I'm just trying to be helpful, b/c I think what you should really work on is your story, b/c that is , in the end, what its really about.  Hope that helps, for anyone applyng and good luck.  


Also, BEN, pretty impressive with the acceptances.  You have any idea where you're gonna go...Maybe Columbia???


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## minomino55 (Mar 30, 2010)

Rejected from NYU Production/Dramatic Writing, thinking I've been rejected from Columbia too.  But, I got into USC Screenwriting!

Background-- I'm 22.  Graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2009.  Been bumming around this year, working a part-time job in doing something mysterious and vaguely marketing-related (I'm still not really sure what the hell I'm doing at my job).  I hate it and I know that I will not be happy until I get a chance to write, act, create, etc. 

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 was also heavily involved in college theatre as an actor.  I've written four pilots and a feature-length, and am currently working on about a zillion other things including a musical.

I interned at a production company in New York in 2008, mostly writing coverage and keeping up-to-date on gossip about John Stamos-- we were making a Lifetime movie starring him, haha.  Last summer I interned for a feature shot in Philadelphia starring Neil Patrick Harris.  I mostly cleaned toilets because my boss was a raging banshee (but she got fired so life got better).

Really impressed with everyone's varied backgrounds and experiences.  I think I'm really lucky to have been accepted to a program when it's clear that people here have so much more experience and talent than me.  No real advice to give (which I think was the question that started this thread?) other than-- be yourself.  A predictable platitude, perhaps, but one of my USC essays was a ridiculously silly personal anecdote about fat 12-year-old me stuffing frozen Oreos into my pants and then falling down the stairs-- my parents watched as Oreos rained from my pajama pants.  I say this only to illustrate that I would have never guessed this was a good piece, but USC Prof Mark Shepherd called me up for an informal chat the other day (while I was napping, no less) and the first thing he said was "are you the Oreo pants guy?"  So clearly, my silliness worked in my favor.  I think what's brilliant about these schools is that if you're strong enough, they'll want you no matter what you write, from ponderous existential indies to mainstream action movies.  Don't conform to some expectation that film is a prescribed set of boundaries-- it's about personal expression first and foremost, and hopefully, eventual audiences will identify with it no matter what the subject matter is.  I hope that doesn't sound pretentious.


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