# NYU Curve Ball!



## apex (Mar 11, 2010)

So, I just got an email from NYU... I wasn't accepted but they just emailed me and told me that my application was strong and that they wanted me to apply to Singapore!?!

I have to let them know VERY soon.  I don't even know what to think right now...


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## Elianarra (Mar 11, 2010)

woow....insane! what are you going to do?


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## youthquake (Mar 11, 2010)

We've been discussing it in the main NYU 2010 forum. 

I don't think I'm going to do it.


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## Silverlenz (Mar 11, 2010)

Apex,

Sorry to hear that. Here are my thoughts on your situation. I actually thought about going to school in Singapore but eventually decided not to because of the following:

1. The stories I like to write wouldn't work in Asia. And I didn't want to adapt my style of writing to fit Asia. But that's just me.

2. I had expenses that I wasn't willing to part with. (I.e. brand new car note, etc) I wasn't okay with paying for a car for two years and not being able to drive it.

3. On a positive note, I've heard that they have better equipment vs. NYU state side and that many of the professors from NYU do workshops from time to time or teach summers etc.

I hope my rambling helped some....

SilverLenz


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## film_maker2010 (Mar 11, 2010)

apex, I thought you were trying to get into Florida State. But NYU was your first choice, huh?  
Only you know whether Singpore is worth your applying.  Would you be willing to move?  Would you be financially capable?  
Anyway, good luck with your interview in Tallahassee.  Maybe you will get some feedback that will help you decide...


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## yonkondy (Mar 11, 2010)

It sounds exciting. I would seriously consider it.
Filmmaking is beginning to blossom all over Asia. NYU Singapore might be at the crossroads of all these different approaches to storytelling. Your entire perspective could shift into something very hip, new, and desirable in the coming future for an American filmmaker.


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## apex (Mar 11, 2010)

Film_maker2010, I don't honestly know where I belong for school.  FSU is the only interview I have been offered so far, rejected from NYU in NYC, still waiting on USC and Chapman.

I think my biggest hang up right now is I don't think I know how to tell Asian-centric stories at the moment.  I mean, I know very little about it and I don't know what I would do for my projects.

My head is swirling with so many thoughts.  Traveling really appeals to me, but Singapore was never on my radar.  I am having a panic attack! haha I guess there is no harm in applying.

Everyone, I REALLY appreciate your opinions and thoughts.  Thanks walking through this with me, as well as those of you who are considering it yourself!  

By the way, I just called someone in NYC and they said the curriculum is identical and you will actually get a little more one-on-one mentorship because the program is so small.  

So much to consider!


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## jason.georgio (Mar 11, 2010)

I was a second-rounder as well and got the same email. It's hilarious to me. The way I figure, if they really thought we were good enough, they would have given us an interview. They just say that to make everyone feel better. So is this like the B-team or something? Haha! I could never study there knowing that. I say take the rejection and move on. If they really were considering us they would have given us interviews. And I just can't help but think that "second round" is just a euphemism for "Singapore pile."


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## Turner (Mar 11, 2010)

As someone who spent some time in Singapore, its not really a wonderful city. It's extremely westernized but doesn't have that much personality. However, traveling to the neighboring countries for shoots would be fantastic.


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## BKFishmaster (Mar 11, 2010)

Well, for various reasons NYU wasn't on my own radar. I was set on Los Angeles (and still waiting for word from USC, incidentally). So anyway, I know absolutely nothing about the financial issues or any other little issues that you'd have to consider, but speaking as someone totally removed from the situation I'd say this isn't an opportunity you should take lightly. I mean how many people are going to be able to say that they studied and lived in Singapore for (well, honestly I don't even know how many) years?

I could see the lack of connections being a problem since you're more removed from the American industry. But being able to walk into a room years from now and say, "Oh yeah, I lived and worked in Singapore for film school," is going to instantly separate you from the hordes of "regular" New York and LA people.

Anyway, those are just the two cents of a guy that's most likely looking at going 0-2 on apps this year, so bring on the salt.


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## jason.georgio (Mar 11, 2010)

Oh and let's not forget the possibility that no one wants to go to NYU Singapore and admissions is doing everything they can to funnel money into that program because of obvious reasons! It's absurd and quite frankly insulting. What a ridiculous tease.


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## BKFishmaster (Mar 11, 2010)

Ah, ok, well I didn't see Jason's first comment until after mine had posted, and I just read the second.

So....yeah.....maybe not so hot of a choice?


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## apex (Mar 11, 2010)

There is a slight twinge in the fact that I am "good enough" for Asia but not for NYC.  That IS a little off putting...


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## jamesc (Mar 11, 2010)

> Originally posted by jason.georgio:
> Oh and let's not forget the possibility that no one wants to go to NYU Singapore and admissions is doing everything they can to funnel money into that program because of obvious reasons! It's absurd and quite frankly insulting. What a ridiculous tease.



While NYU Singapore may receive less applicants than NYU proper, I wouldn't say _no one_ wants to go:  http://forums.studentfilms.com...2734/m/817107963/p/1


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## blimes (Mar 11, 2010)

yea, i got the email today also. i actually never considered it before, but maybe it's the rejection letters (and desperation lol) influencing me, but it suddenly seems worth a visit. 

film school, like most things, is what you make of it anyway right? It's never going to be the NYU in NYC, but there has to be advantages. While it's still lesser-known and less crowded, If you find a way to capitalize on the better equipment, proximity to interesting/different filming locations and one-on-one mentorships to produce something amazing, then more power to you...

And like BKFishmaster said, it's definitely different from just going to NY/LA for film school, being somewhere new might open new artistic doors, change your perspective, add to your "life experiences" etc etc etc...

ultimately, it's the work you produce and not the campus right? but yes, it does sting a little haha


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## Jane_ (Mar 11, 2010)

I'm from China and I only applied to Tisch Asia. I did my in-person interview in Singapore and just got back yesterday. 

I enjoyed talking with the professors and students. It's very American inside the school. And the equipments are definitely newer and better. You still have chance to take internships in US as well as shoot in Asia. According to the students, they spent more than 10 hours everyday at school in their first year. But still, if you don't like Singapore and the culture of Asia at all, it may be a torture to spend 3 year there. As far as I can tell, most of the American students there are very interested in the exotic culture.

I once asked about this issue of admitting students rejected by Tisch NY. I was told that not everyone rejected receives the invitation and it doesn't assure anything because their materials will be evaluated again by different admission panels.   

Honestly, I'm not a fan of Singapore myself and I do have the same concerns as you do. But the school is worthy to apply. The professors there are great and helpful, and Tisch Asia does have its advantages in many ways. Ultimately, it all depends on what you like and what kind of films you want to shoot.


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## Elianarra (Mar 11, 2010)

Do you have to pay another application fee to apply to Singapore?


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## apex (Mar 11, 2010)

Elianarra, no you do not.  They just forward all your materials over.

I decided to apply.  I figure, I can always say no if my other schools work out.


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## jason.georgio (Mar 11, 2010)

james...im not saying there isn't interest...but let's put it this way, in a tanking economy, do you honestly think that "NYU Singapore" is thriving? Please...


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## jamesc (Mar 11, 2010)

@jason.  I'm not sure I understand your last comment.  In a recession and with high unemployment levels, people often consider returning to grad school.  This has been verified from the schools themselves by the the reports of "record numbers" of applicants from all the top tier film schools.  

Given that fact and the fact that NYU has been working very hard to spread awareness about Singapore, I'd assume that their numbers are up.  

Is it thriving?  Probably not.  But I'd argue that the bad economy would be working in its favor.


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## Elianarra (Mar 11, 2010)

Oh, well then in that case, it couldn't hurt to apply right?


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## L@la (Mar 12, 2010)

I considered applying to Tish Asia, but ended up not applying. 
What attracted me about the school was the fact that you'd get the NYU curriculum, but in a conservatory environment. 
You can't get that kind of environment in NY. 
I looked at Tish Asia quite some time ago, long before I started working on my application, during my research phase.
That kind of a small, conservatory-like environment was important to me as an artist and that's why I considered it. 
I ended up not applying because I didn't ultimately feel that the NYU curriculum was a good fit for me. I applied to AFI instead, which felt was a better fit for a number of reasons, including the fact that production design is where my heart is.
However, I know some very talented folks who applied for their animation MFA (only offered in Asia). They applied there because film is, indeed, booming in that region and because it opens the international market to you as a filmmaker. 
When I was at the SIGGRAPH conference last year, Lucas Films was hiring like mad for their post-production facility in Singapore. 
I'm willing to bet that a lot of their future hires will come from Tish Asia's animation program. 
Only you can ultimately decide if the school and its environment is a good fit for you, but I certainly would not view Tish Asia a second rate Tish.  
Good luck on all your applications.


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## km467 (Mar 12, 2010)

I don't think I'm going to apply.  From the second I read the email, I knew I didn't want to go; I want to work in North America.  The video also really didn't appeal to me at all; did anyone else watch it?  It really turned me off.  

I'm not going to email them; I think that if I rejected an offer to Tisch Asia, it could hurt my chances at NYU's NY campus if I apply there again next year.


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## apex (Mar 12, 2010)

Well, I don't think going to Tisch Asia means you can't work in North America.

I mean, it is the EXACT same curriculum/program as the NYC campus.  The only real differences is the location...

They said that you will have all the same resources you would as an NYU-NYC student for internships and resources post-graduation.  True, the connections you will make in school in Asia may be a little more internationally focused than Hollywood.  I don't think if you went to Singapore that there's no way you can make it in the North American film scene.  The way I see it, you come out with the same "products", they will just be a little more exotic actor/location wise than NYC.

I dunno, school isn't a prerequisite for success, so going to Singapore can't really be a detriment to your future.

A wise person once told me, "Talent always  rises to the surface eventually.  Either you have it or you don't."  And school really isn't going to change that...

Just working through my thoughts with y'all


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## Sahirr (Mar 14, 2010)

hey... all those of you who are accepting NYU's offer to be considered for Tisch Asia - Have you guys heard from them again? Are they scheduling an interview with you guys anytime soon?


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## Elliot Eustis (Mar 14, 2010)

Given that they needed a decision from prospective applicants by the 15th, I think that they are waiting until tomorrow or tuesday to mail applications to Singapore. After they've done that I suspect it will be another 10 days before anyone over there receives and sees them all. I'm guessing any interviews resulting from the forwarded applications won't be happening until the end of the month at the earliest.


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## Sahirr (Mar 19, 2010)

has anyone heard from them yet? do tell us if u have been asked to schedule an interview...

the NYC campus is already rolling out its decisions... i guess once Tisch Asia is done interviewing this fresh lot it would follow suit... so if any of you could share what are dates given as an option - we can then predict when Tisch Asia would announce its decisions... thx


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## Silverlenz (Mar 19, 2010)

> Originally posted by Sahirr:
> has anyone heard from them yet? do tell us if u have been asked to schedule an interview...
> 
> the NYC campus is already rolling out its decisions... i guess once Tisch Asia is done interviewing this fresh lot it would follow suit... so if any of you could share what are dates given as an option - we can then predict when Tisch Asia would announce its decisions... thx







> Originally posted by Silverlenz:
> Hey guys,
> 
> I just wanted to update this thread. I got a call 20 minutes ago from Tish Asia (they called from a NY number) Anyways, they called to ask if I was still interested in the Creative Producing program. Their exact words where, "we say you applied and wanted to know if you were still interested." The weird thing about it was I never applied. I started an application but never finished it. I decided last minute that it wasn't the right program for me. The whole call caught me off guard. Are they that desperate for applications that they are call those who didn't complete an application? I hope not.
> ...


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## Sahirr (Mar 19, 2010)

Silver - what i meant to ask was... whether any of those who accepted NYU's offer to be considered for Asia had heard back from them...


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## Cinoche (Mar 25, 2010)

I accepted Tisch Asia's offer to be considered for admission (post-NYC rejection) and I received an email earlier today with the offer of an interview.  Has anyone else gotten news?


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## reserved (Mar 25, 2010)

I noticed that some folks were discussing the Asian and the US film industry as two things that could be compared. They are two different entities with different systems and different styles of writing, scripting, and obviously very different histories and perspectives on politics and social issues. I have never been to Asia, but I feel that those making such assumptions about Asia are doing so from a very westernized perspective. You may think that the US film industry is the way to get into film, but that doesn't promise you entrance into the international film scene. And those who feel that the international scene is only in westernized (including europeanized) countries don't forget that the cannes film fest is only one of many film fests that have failed to include acclaimed filmmakers from even countries whose histories are hidden and cultures unknown to the rest of the world.  You're mistaking the western realm and anything influenced by the western world as the standard. 

Of course the same goes for those in Asia. Those in Asia may view Asia as the standard.


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## drenchedry (Mar 25, 2010)

My stories are not inspired by hollywood movies, they are real life stories. When you come from a different country the cultural package is important. You cant start thinking or choose like an american. Tisch Asia is a chance for students from different asian countries to make movies relating their culture, over time this aspect is very important. That is what I feel.


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## Malachi (Apr 2, 2010)

I got the same letter but I'm not going to apply.  I'm sure the experience of going to Asia could be cool but I don't want to spend my whole grad school career there.  I'm still trying to figure out my own culture.  

Besides, a big part of wanting to go to NYU had to do with being in New York.


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## Jerry Prokosch (May 2, 2010)

I'm a third-year student at Tisch Asia.  I'm coming to this thread a little late, but still would like to respond to a few concerns.  

Tisch NY reroutes some applicants to Singapore because Singapore receives fewer applicants.  The program is not as well known and most people in the US don't know very much about Singapore.  Tisch NY receives more qualified applicants each year than they can accept into the program.  

About the comment by jason georgio that Tisch Asia is a "B-team" version of the NY program.... Logistically, the only way to divide the entire pool of applicants to both schools into an "A" and a "B" squad would be to let one of the two groups make decisions for both.  And this doesn't happen.  The students for Tisch Asia are selected by the Tisch Asia faculty, who have an interest in making the best class possible.  Many applicants apply directly to Singapore, so there is no way to send the best talent to NY and keep the second-best talent for Singapore.  In other words, I understand why these fears exist, but they are unfounded.  

Furthermore, Tisch Asia is mandated to keep the same equipment and facilities and curriculum as the New York campus.  And, of course, you can also look at the successes of our student films in major festivals -- we are winning short film awards at Pusan and Slamdance and Tribeca, and showing all over the place.  Several of our second-year films recently played in Clermont-Ferrand.  

I'm also happy to talk about the drawbacks of being in a fairly new program or being in Singapore, but I want to reassure people about the "curve ball" letters they are getting.  If nothing else, you should probably take them as a compliment.


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## mfilms (May 2, 2010)

Jerry - what are the drawbacks of being in a fairly new program and living in Singapore?


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## Jerry Prokosch (May 3, 2010)

There are drawbacks, but I think they are kind of necessary in order to have the advantages.  

The most obvious thing, for starters: Singapore isn't New York.  This is both good and bad.  The down side is that fewer professionals are able to pass through the school.  Also, the acting talent pool is much smaller and less experienced and geared mostly for stage or television acting.  Fortunately, Bangkok and Manila and other great cities are extremely accessible and the talent in the region is excellent.  Don't get me wrong, Singapore does have good actors, but you will also have to be adept at working with non-actors and actors whose training has given them bad habits.  Not bad skills to have if you ever plan to make a film somewhere that doesn't have the infrastructure of NY or LA.  I'm generalizing to answer your question.  

Additionally, Singapore can be frustrating to an outsider, just socially and culturally.  It is small and expensive.  I find it physically draining because of the heat.  Culturally, well, it is idiosyncratic to say the least.  People's daily lives are micromanaged from above, and this effects their attitudes and outlook.  In general, I think Singapore is going (has gone) through changes similar to those that Times Square went through when (who was it?) Disney took it over. (If Scorsese was trying to shoot Taxi Driver today, he would do better to shoot it in one of the cities of S.E. Asia.)       

It's also important to remember that the whole advantage of S.E. Asia is that the infrastructure is less developed than in NY or LA.  Production can be much cheaper (outside of Singapore).  Locations and situations are less familiar to festival programmers and financiers.  And there is something to be said for the fact that the world is much smaller now than it was just ten years ago, that globalization defines our age.  The eyes of the so-called First World are fixated on the experiences of people living elsewhere, that is, the experiences of most of the inhabitants of the planet Earth.  I think the way to put it is that S.E. Asia isn't far away... Hollywood is far away. 

So, you know, a trade-off in certain ways.


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## mfilms (May 7, 2010)

Thanks for your insights Jerry.  So what is your gut telling you?  Should I accept the offer and attend?  I'm a New Yorker who wants to shoot films in India...  I feel like film school is one option, but at the same time it's so expensive and long (3 years).  What if I tried making movies on my own?  And learning that way?  What would you say to that?


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## gnomehunter (May 8, 2010)

@mfilms

This world is not what it used to be man, on the older days people could start doing their own short films and everyone would look at them, there were a few film makers at the end of the day. Right now since its so cheap to make a film everyone does them. So when you go out to real life and start dealing with the film festivals and you start getting rejection after rejection and you face the real truth about the politics/corruption in the industry and the festivals, you'll realice how hard it is right now to make it through. I recomend you to go to film school because youll get contacts, friends, and youll learn much more, AND you will make films... 

I dont study in NYU neather in NY or in Asia, but I would have applied to NYU Asia for sure, remember what must of the big industry people are saying, some of the best films every year are asian... They know how to tell really good storys, Robert Mckee says that the asians are telling the best storys now adays, the best structured films are being made there. So dont hesitate on going... but remember film school is only a part of it, you have to make tons of calls make contacts, and live the unique experience of asia and its poverty, you'll find out much more about the human condition there than anywhere else in the world.


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## arka (May 9, 2010)

I've been accepted with a 9k scholarship but paying up the rest of it is a huge task.

does anyone know about job opportunities in singapore?


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## mfilms (May 9, 2010)

well...  not sure about job opportunities, but i'm pretty sure that students from foreign countries are only legally allowed to work about 16 hours a week in singapore


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