AFI 2019 Screenwriting

[StarChild]

Haha. WELL. I really feel like I did my research with AFI... I spoke to current students from both screenwriting and directing disciplines, and to alumns... DISCLAIMER: I really don't want to badmouth AFI but in my personal opinion, the general consensus of the people I spoke to has been that AFI's best/ strongest disciplines are Directing and Cinematography, and the Screenwriting discipline is of a lower caliber (according to those I spoke to) and the faculty isn't very strong, and that -- and this one was the most important for me -- the screenwriters don't really collaborate much with the other disciplines. Lots of directors told me that the directors seemed to be better writers than the screenwriters. Again, these are hypotheticals and subjective views, maybe, but to me the fees of these schools really give you access to a peer group, with whom you hopefully grow and collaborate strongly together -- and hopefully work together for life. That's what I'm looking for, and I don't think I'll get it at AFI. Plus, I don't like LA (and don't drive ).

Cool this is great intel- do you have any specifics people said or any groups/forums etc that you can refer those of us still doing research? I would love to talk to some current students/alumni.

Idk anything about Columbia- but from my past research, for NYU, they don’t Do much collaboration (any really) with production. It’s very much on you to make that happen. They are separate departments and the few Screenwriting students I spoke to and the few teachers and dept. head said that they are separate and that the film dept isn’t much into formal collaboration. You still can collaborate- but it’s on you to seek out film production students and work together. (If it’s changed, this info is from last year, please say as much. I don’t want to steer people wrong). Anyway- make sure you ask those same questions there.

Anyway, I’d love more details about AFI!!

 

[Septopus7]

Yeah this is interesting, because everything you said @d890 about AFI is specifically things I've read that are (allegedly) in AFI's favor, from the strength of the faculty to the amount of collaboration amongst the students. Now granted I have never spoken with someone in depth about the program (always second hand sources), so I would love to hear more particulars about how AFI doesn't measure up in these regards. I'm just shocked because, course wise, AFI is the only program I've found that actually has screenwriters write stuff with and for the rest of the students, in like ANY capacity. None of the other big programs mention this as a selling point -- I spoke to USC directly and they pretty much told me that you just write, with only a few opportunities to work with other students outside the screenwriting departmwnt on stuff. That seems to me at least to be the norm for pretty much all these screenwriting programs -- none of them have you working extremely close with other departments to do projects. AFI was the only one I researched that made that seem like a possibility. I mean, aren't writers required to work on all that Boot Camp production too? I figured that was when those connections would be made. But I guess that's not entirely accurate either.

But, frankly? That's probably the most realistic response if these schools are actually trying to prepare us for the industry. Writers write. And then most pass whatever they have on to the people who actually make it. Though we all have (slight) delusions of grandeurs about being writer/directors, writer/producers, showrunners, etc. that's a very rare class for this profession, and one that you got to work to. Until then? You just write. To quote Mustache Superman:

Ultimately, I think this goes back to a mantra I've seen passed around a lot on these forums lately: this whole thing is what you make of it. No program will be super great at actually having their 100+ cohorts working in tandem, at all times. Logistically, it's just a lot to handle. But nothing's stopping the individual from going out and making those connections, should you chose to. Which I at least will try to do, when my fingers aren't bleeding from all the writing, of course.

 

[Isabellagrcia]

Piggybacking off of @Septopus7: not to mention you actually HAVE to work on sets for production hours at AFI.

 

[Chris W]

I'm just shocked because, course wise, AFI is the only program I've found that actually has screenwriters write stuff with and for the rest of the students, in like ANY capacity.

Chapman has you write and collaborate with directors. Ask @IndecisiveElle

 

[alanray]

I'm in the boat with everyone else that I'm surprised to see someone say that AFI doesn't have good collaboration with other departments... because all the research I've done seemed to indicate that AFI has the MOST collaboration between screenwriters and film production (at least of SoCal schools). They're the only school that actually forces directors to use scripts from screenwriters at times and writers are very involved on a lot of set productions. A lot of programs just have you write and only write.

 

[StarChild]

@Septopus7 and @isabe
Yeah, you have to work production while at AFI. You’re required to work on all of the 3 “cycle projects” first year. You write one for sure, the others you might do-write, story edit or write depending- but you still work set on all 3.

 

[d890]

Yeah this is interesting, because everything you said @d890 about AFI is specifically things I've read that are (allegedly) in AFI's favor, from the strength of the faculty to the amount of collaboration amongst the students. Now granted I have never spoken with someone in depth about the program (always second hand sources), so I would love to hear more particulars about how AFI doesn't measure up in these regards. I'm just shocked because, course wise, AFI is the only program I've found that actually has screenwriters write stuff with and for the rest of the students, in like ANY capacity. None of the other big programs mention this as a selling point -- I spoke to USC directly and they pretty much told me that you just write, with only a few opportunities to work with other students outside the screenwriting departmwnt on stuff. That seems to me at least to be the norm for pretty much all these screenwriting programs -- none of them have you working extremely close with other departments to do projects. AFI was the only one I researched that made that seem like a possibility. I mean, aren't writers required to work on all that Boot Camp production too? I figured that was when those connections would be made. But I guess that's not entirely accurate either.

But, frankly? That's probably the most realistic response if these schools are actually trying to prepare us for the industry. Writers write. And then most pass whatever they have on to the people who actually make it. Though we all have (slight) delusions of grandeurs about being writer/directors, writer/producers, showrunners, etc. that's a very rare class for this profession, and one that you got to work to. Until then? You just write. To quote Mustache Superman:

View attachment 1200

Ultimately, I think this goes back to a mantra I've seen passed around a lot on these forums lately: this whole thing is what you make of it. No program will be super great at actually having their 100+ cohorts working in tandem, at all times. Logistically, it's just a lot to handle. But nothing's stopping the individual from going out and making those connections, should you chose to. Which I at least will try to do, when my fingers aren't bleeding from all the writing, of course.

Thanks for this post! All fair points. As I pointed out in my post, this is the opinion that has formed in my mind after having done my own research. I might be wrong, but as far as I'm concerned, the cons outweighed the pros, while at Columbia, I felt I found a better match for me. Wishing you the best of luck!

 

[StarChild]

Thanks for this post! All fair points. As I pointed out in my post, this is the opinion that has formed in my mind after having done my own research. I might be wrong, but as far as I'm concerned, the cons outweighed the pros, while at Columbia, I felt I found a better match for me. Wishing you the best of luck!

Cool thanks!
Was there any particular place you found this info? (Is love to know more of what current students say particularly when they aren’t on campus and thus talking nicely-
Thanks!

 

[d890]

Cool thanks!
Was there any particular place you found this info? (Is love to know more of what current students say particularly when they aren’t on campus and thus talking nicely-
Thanks!

I didn't find this info online. I reached out to my work contacts who are AFI alumns, both in the Screenwriting and the Directing disciplines... Spoke to about 8 in total.

 

[Septopus7]

I didn't find this info online. I reached out to my work contacts who are AFI alumns, both in the Screenwriting and the Directing disciplines... Spoke to about 8 in total.

Pretty cool you have eight "work contacts" who are AFI alums. And I'm guessing more who are Columbia/Tisch people? That's a pretty competent network there. Do you already work in the industry? Either way, use those contacts if you got them, I guess! You end up far more informed than the rest of us.

 

[Chris W]

I didn't find this info online. I reached out to my work contacts who are AFI alumns, both in the Screenwriting and the Directing disciplines... Spoke to about 8 in total.

Neat. Are they willing to review AFI on the site?

AFI Conservatory

First established in 1967, the American Film Institute is world renowned for producing pioneers and trailblazers in the film industry. As a not-for-profit, private graduate film school, the AFI Conservatory teaches multimodal pedagogy in hands-on...

www.filmschool.org

AFI Conservatory

First established in 1967, the American Film Institute is world renowned for producing pioneers and trailblazers in the film industry. As a not-for-profit, private graduate film school, the AFI Conservatory teaches multimodal pedagogy in hands-on...

www.filmschool.org

 

[Septopus7]

By the way @Cdemon, did you end up going to the AFI Expo? How did it go?

 

[StarChild]

By the way @Cdemon, did you end up going to the AFI Expo? How did it go?

Hi! I meant to write this before, so thanks for checking in
AFI Fest was great. The films I saw were very good, well crafted and well executed and all of the films are now up online
so check them out. A lot of them are very dark, as tends to be the case with student films, I liked Haunt a lot, which was humorous. You definitely can see how good the producers get at securing resources and how much the fellows can accomplish.
I got the chance to speak to Giovanni and another Screenwriting alum briefly and both were positive. Giovanni more-so, but he works there so that’s also not surprising. I asked about the screenwriter showcase and they both said they got opportunities to submit to people after the showcase- also that you better be damn ready with your piece when you put it in the showcase as people have missed out on rep/opportunities by putting in pitches they weren’t immediately ready to send out scripts for.

All in all glad I went.

When are you visiting the campus?

 

[Septopus7]

Hi! I meant to write this before, so thanks for checking in
AFI Fest was great. The films I saw were very good, well crafted and well executed and all of the films are now up online
so check them out. A lot of them are very dark, as tends to be the case with student films, I liked Haunt a lot, which was humorous. You definitely can see how good the producers get at securing resources and how much the fellows can accomplish.
I got the chance to speak to Giovanni and another Screenwriting alum briefly and both were positive. Giovanni more-so, but he works there so that’s also not surprising. I asked about the screenwriter showcase and they both said they got opportunities to submit to people after the showcase- also that you better be damn ready with your piece when you put it in the showcase as people have missed out on rep/opportunities by putting in pitches they weren’t immediately ready to send out scripts for.

All in all glad I went.

When are you visiting the campus?

I'll be down there Thursday, and sitting in on some TV spec class at like 6.

 

[StarChild]

I'll be down there Thursday, and sitting in on some TV spec class at like 6.

Very cool! Let us know how it is

 

[StarChild]

New Group Created - AFI Students and Alum

Cdemon has created a new group called AFI Students and Alum. A group for current AFI students and alum to chat about filmmaking, the industry, the school and the meaning of life, the universe, and everything! (42).

www.filmschool.org

 

[StarChild]

For those wondering- You can watch the thesis films at EXPO.AFI.COM

 

[StarChild]

I'll be down there Thursday, and sitting in on some TV spec class at like 6.

What’d you think of the class?

 

[Chris W]

What’d you think of the class?

Oh yes. Good topic for discussion in the new student group @Septopus7 . Hint hint

https://www.filmschool.org/forums/afi-students-and-alum.132/

 

[Dean]

Haha. WELL. I really feel like I did my research with AFI... I spoke to current students from both screenwriting and directing disciplines, and to alumns... DISCLAIMER: I really don't want to badmouth AFI but in my personal opinion, the general consensus of the people I spoke to has been that AFI's best/ strongest disciplines are Directing and Cinematography, and the Screenwriting discipline is of a lower caliber (according to those I spoke to) and the faculty isn't very strong, and that -- and this one was the most important for me -- the screenwriters don't really collaborate much with the other disciplines. Lots of directors told me that the directors seemed to be better writers than the screenwriters. Again, these are hypotheticals and subjective views, maybe, but to me the fees of these schools really give you access to a peer group, with whom you hopefully grow and collaborate strongly together -- and hopefully work together for life. That's what I'm looking for, and I don't think I'll get it at AFI. Plus, I don't like LA (and don't drive ).

Yeah this is interesting, because everything you said @d890 about AFI is specifically things I've read that are (allegedly) in AFI's favor, from the strength of the faculty to the amount of collaboration amongst the students. Now granted I have never spoken with someone in depth about the program (always second hand sources), so I would love to hear more particulars about how AFI doesn't measure up in these regards. I'm just shocked because, course wise, AFI is the only program I've found that actually has screenwriters write stuff with and for the rest of the students, in like ANY capacity. None of the other big programs mention this as a selling point -- I spoke to USC directly and they pretty much told me that you just write, with only a few opportunities to work with other students outside the screenwriting departmwnt on stuff. That seems to me at least to be the norm for pretty much all these screenwriting programs -- none of them have you working extremely close with other departments to do projects. AFI was the only one I researched that made that seem like a possibility. I mean, aren't writers required to work on all that Boot Camp production too? I figured that was when those connections would be made. But I guess that's not entirely accurate either.

But, frankly? That's probably the most realistic response if these schools are actually trying to prepare us for the industry. Writers write. And then most pass whatever they have on to the people who actually make it. Though we all have (slight) delusions of grandeurs about being writer/directors, writer/producers, showrunners, etc. that's a very rare class for this profession, and one that you got to work to. Until then? You just write. To quote Mustache Superman:

View attachment 1200

Ultimately, I think this goes back to a mantra I've seen passed around a lot on these forums lately: this whole thing is what you make of it. No program will be super great at actually having their 100+ cohorts working in tandem, at all times. Logistically, it's just a lot to handle. But nothing's stopping the individual from going out and making those connections, should you chose to. Which I at least will try to do, when my fingers aren't bleeding from all the writing, of course.

Every time I turn away from this forum for a while I miss some intriguing conversations. First of all, regarding to what d890 has said about screenwriter being isolated from the rest of the tracks. I can understand how some non-writer AFI alumni might feel that way because all writers graduate on time (May of the their class year) while all the other tracks have to finish their thesis film before being allowed to graduate. These thesis projects tend to drag on for as long as half a year, and most writers by then would have already started on their career outside of school. And since the thesis project is the most difficult project any non-writer AFI fellow would undertake for their entire stay at AFI, (and probably the most bonding experience?) they tend to think their peer writers as a group who have left the party early. This is the only reason I can think of for the comments about AFI writing being less involved in productions. That said, I think AFI writers CAN participate in any project if they are invited, and there is the screenwriter cycle each year in which the directors fellows are requires to use writers' script. But again, just like in the real industry, no one can guarantee that your script will be used. I do believe that, AFI being just a tiny camp, the directors will have a hard time avoiding writers who are trying to sell their scripts. However, is up to the writers to interest/lure/chase/kidnap the directors.
P.S. I do have to mention that a lot of directors in AFI ARE aspiring auteurs, the ones who want to write their own stories. So we do have to do a lot to win them over.