UT Austin Screenwriting 2024

[Rose]

Alright, back to blow up the chat lol. There are so many differences between this year and last year for me, number one being that I switched from applying mostly to Fiction to applying only to Screenwriting. All I did over the past year was write a screenplay - hardly wrote any prose, so it just made sense. I changed one recommender to a more screenwriting focused prof and kept the other 2 (screenwriting prof and English thesis prof) the same.

I also used new SOPs that I think were probably more to the point as to what is really important to me and what I really want to write. I feel like I started to figure this out toward the end of last year's applications. After writing so many SOPs I finally got an inkling of a compelling story that actually makes sense with what I'm writing and want to write - what actually ties them all together. Last year I feel like I would say I wanted to write one thing in my SOP and my actual writing would sometimes say something... slightly different, I think probably because I wasn't quite there yet with bringing those plans of what to write to fruition and I didn't have as good a sense of my own voice or brand or what I really was setting out to say. I would just kind of have an odd idea and write it (which is what so much literary fiction seems like to me. HA!).

I think I also was able to do a better SOP because I've just written more and have a better idea of what ties my screenwriting work together. The new screenplay I wrote is super focused on things I'm really passionate about. I really, really did the autofiction/write what you know thing, and I think it absolutely showed in my personal statements. I think I actually got less feedback on this screenplay, just from 2 really really intent readers, my best friend and a past professor, and they were both absolutely invaluable in helping me bring my idea to life.

I think for UTA in particular, since you can send 2 screenplays, I also probably showed some range in emotion and dialogue and both scripts were very easy to tie to my overarching goals, life experiences, etc. Like, I submitted a religious trauma college relationship drama (the one I wrote this year) and then a vulgar teenage runaways rom-com-dram road trip... with mind reading... and also lots of trauma (this was the screenplay I submitted to Michener last year). Lot of things going on there and I really hope it showed range, growth from one script to another, and a running thread between them.

Also, this probably sounds kinda weird, but I think I'm finally accepting that I'm just way better at screenwriting than fiction/prose writing. I took equal amounts of classes in Fiction and Screenwriting while at school, and it's a major no-brainer to me which one I feel more confident in. I LOVE DIALOGUE and write it down everywhere I go, every day, basically any time I hear somebody say something funny. When I would write prose, it was so hard for me to discipline myself to write basically anything but dialogue and inner monologue, and I feel like sticking so hard to dialogue/monologue can be a limiting thing in that medium. Hilarious, but I remember being in a fiction writing class in college (which I had eked into off the waitlist) and literally having another student tell me to try screenwriting - I always laugh about that because I think it was meant to be a compliment and a genuine suggestion but it could totally be taken as a quick way to say "wtf are you doing in this class" lol.

So that's how I ended up switching from fiction to screenwriting and what I did differently this year. Sorry for the ESSAY!!! lol

@czu THANK YOU! I'm taking literal notes, because there's multiple things you mention that are night and day with my own application and application process that I think I can learn from - like the way you submitted two, very different scripts to showcase range and growth.

I'm processing what you said about how you used to set out writing one thing, but the work would say something different, and, also, this idea of using your own voice. These things get into a big area where I need to continue developing. It's really helpful to hear how you got from point A to point B on this.

As someone who enjoys multiple kinds of writing - from prose to poetry, etc., I'm also thinking about what you said about finding your strength in screenwriting and moving your focus. I had a similar experience in school - professors and peers pointing out the dialogue-focus to my prose and how it read more like a script, and in playwriting, noting that my scenes were paced more like film/TV. At the time, I took that as gentle ways of pointing out what I needed to fix in writing for these formats. You realizing that screenwriting is more intuitive for you is really lovely. The fact that you took that to lean in, all the more, is something you should be really proud of.

And I want to steal the way you listen for good dialogue! It sounds like a great way to get ideas, and develop a gut instinct for what's funny, and realistic, how to pace it, and so on. This is also in direction opposition to what I've done, which is only paying attention to dialogue in movies and shows I like.

I so appreciate you taking the time to share this!!!

I have mine on Thursday and I am TERRIFIED! lol. I'm sure you were great, though!

Oh my gosh only one day left! Good luck!!!!

 

[Rose]

I have mine on Thursday too. I'm sure you did great too! Again, it's only 10 minutes. There's no way not to overthink it afterwards.

I would definitely ruminate on it. I hope they won't keep you waiting too long after!
Are you doing anything to get ready, or are you just going to wing it? I'm pretty sure I would have to do some very extended deep breathing right before, or turn to drugs or alcohol to maintain any kind of calm. LOL

 

[Rose]

Hey everyone!

I want to say first off that I am jealous of your bravery towards venturing into such a competitive program. I applied to UT Austin for film studies rather than production. Despite that, I am an inspiring screenwriter with a passion for cinema. I was originally going to apply to this program, but I was discouraged by a screenwriting professor who’d told me I’d fail. Yes, she literally told me not to apply. I was devastated and it took me more than a year to recover from the trauma of her crushing my dreams. I’m still hopeful that I can pursue my M.A. and PhD at a school as prestigious as UT. My dreams of becoming the next Woody Allen or Noah Baumbach may have died, but I still believe in your futures.

Good luck! And do not give up, like I did.

@blakeboyb Good luck with your film studies application! I hope you hear from them soon and land your spot at UT!

But I also hope that you never lose sight of your dreams of screenwriting.

I went the adjacent route. I picked my second favorite career option for my grad school studies, because I didn't think I was good enough of a writer to succeed professionally. If I could go back, I would take the gamble earlier in life before I had a family and more bills, and so on, where the stakes are higher and it's harder to make a change. Even if gone for my dream and failed, it would be better than the regret, and the feeling of being stuck. Before, I had this idea that you were good or you weren't. Now, I'm kicking myself, because if I had spent all the time and money I did developing in my writing, like I did for my current profession, I'd probably be pretty dang good, just from the practice of it. About a year ago, I finally got a writing job side gig, and even over that span, my writing has hugely improved. I'm mad at myself that I invested so much energy into something I liked a lot, but at the end of the day, wasn't the work of my heart.

I know of other writers who had similar experiences with toxic professors. It is absolutely crushing - and ALSO, they are full of shit. I'm a licensed therapist and, personally, I also had a traumatizing experience with a narcissistic boss (herself, a licensed therapist). For someone to tell a student that, whether it's under the guise of "kindness," or not, is not healthy. I'd wager that you were dealing with a narcissist, or I agree with @RandomLurker, that she was projecting from a place of her own insecurity.

Don't give up! And if it's the work of your heart, I doubt it lets you give it up anyway. It will stay with you, and if you keep ignoring it and pushing it away, eventually, you're going to hit a crisis point, because it's going to start pushing back! Skip the midlife crisis (it's not fun) and figure out how to keep pursuing your dreams.

 

[Rose]

Sorry to continue post-bombing!

@RandomLurker @czu @unwinding-dreams

I learned something from RTF. I had emailed them last week to ask about the interview thing. Got an email back this morning. Sounds like they've done interviews in previous years, and she said that they're usually just for the finalist candidates. I think maybe there's not a lot of data about interviews because not many people advanced to the finalist pool of candidates. I had to pass that along because, regardless of the outcome, that says EVERYTHING about your level of writing and your strength as applicants!

 

[RandomLurker]

I'm pretty sure I would have to do some very extended deep breathing right before, or turn to drugs or alcohol to maintain any kind of calm. LOL

LMAO I'm just going in. I'm absolutely positive I'm gonna stutter. I'm just gonna let it happen.

Are you doing anything to get ready, or are you just going to wing it?

I'm making a playlist tonight! I have no idea what's going in it. Something fun, empowering, and exciting. Might go on a walk before the call!

ALSO, they are full of shit. I'm a licensed therapist

Enough said It's so exciting learning more about everyone.

I had to pass that along because, regardless of the outcome, that says EVERYTHING about your level of writing and your strength as applicants!

Thank you for sharing this with us! I'm going to write this down to internalize your words.

 

[unwinding-dreams]

Sorry to continue post-bombing!

@RandomLurker @czu @unwinding-dreams

I learned something from RTF. I had emailed them last week to ask about the interview thing. Got an email back this morning. Sounds like they've done interviews in previous years, and she said that they're usually just for the finalist candidates. I think maybe there's not a lot of data about interviews because not many people advanced to the finalist pool of candidates. I had to pass that along because, regardless of the outcome, that says EVERYTHING about your level of writing and your strength as applicants!

Wow! Thank you so much for sharing this with us. That's so nice of you to share and it's kinda crazy to think about! My interview went pretty well and they actually gave me some pretty specific feedback about my samples, such as mentioning a specific part that was memorable to them, and their feedback was very technical (your dialogue is strong, you have a good grasp on balancing characters, etc.) rather than emotional (i.e. "I like this character," "I love that your script is about X") which I appreciated. I felt like I talked a little rapid-fire so I hope I didn't scare them off lol! There's only so much you can say in 10 minutes!

 

[unwinding-dreams]

I have mine on Thursday and I am TERRIFIED! lol. I'm sure you were great, though!

You are very sweet. You got this! It was very low-key and only 2 questions, which were "What are you watching right now?" and "Why do you want to go to UT Austin?" I looked through the program website and my SOP to refresh myself before the interview. My interviewers were also pretty chill and low-key. Rose made a good point too that if you got an interview, it means you're a finalist according to the admissions team, so you really don't have anything to worry about! They already like you! It might help to think about it like "you're already in!"

 

[Chris W]

Sorry to continue post-bombing!

No need to apologize. Tangents and posts are the lifeblood of this site.

And there's some wonderful advice on this thread. I've been enjoying following along.

 

[czu]

Hey everyone!

I want to say first off that I am jealous of your bravery towards venturing into such a competitive program. I applied to UT Austin for film studies rather than production. Despite that, I am an inspiring screenwriter with a passion for cinema. I was originally going to apply to this program, but I was discouraged by a screenwriting professor who’d told me I’d fail. Yes, she literally told me not to apply. I was devastated and it took me more than a year to recover from the trauma of her crushing my dreams. I’m still hopeful that I can pursue my M.A. and PhD at a school as prestigious as UT. My dreams of becoming the next Woody Allen or Noah Baumbach may have died, but I still believe in your futures.

Good luck! And do not give up, like I did.

lol, this cracked me up in a horribly dark way because I completely feel for you. In my experience PROFS/TEACHERS SEEM TO DO THIS WAY TOO OFTEN!!!!! I love them but I think the ones who do this might just generally be like, an older generation, down about the state of the world, and they'll be like "doing xxx is so difficult. it's so statistically unlikely that you'll get anywhere" but I feel like what they sometimes can fail to see is that EVERYTHING IS LIKE THAT IN THIS DAY AND AGE, LIKE THE WORLD IS OVERPOPULATED AND EVERYONE IS COMPETING IN AN EXTREME MANNER FOR EVERY SINGLE JOB... so we just have to grin and bear it and hope that SOMETHING sticks for us.

As a kid I was really into music and was probably on track to be some kind of professional musician, but some random teachers and other adults made it seem like that was "not a viable career" and that is part (but definitely not all) of why I ended up doing English (not much better lol). SO MANY PEOPLE I KNOW who continued on with it despite the naysaying are now professional musicians and made it work, whether they teach music, are in a band, perform on cruise ships (actually pretty good money), etc. I'm glad I chose to write but sometimes I do feel bad for not having kept it up more seriously, because I do love it and I definitely allowed the cultural narrative of "you'll never make it" be part of stalling out my serious pursuit of it!!!

And then for me I got to finishing my English major and was asking profs about Master's programs and I remember one who was like "don't get a Master's it's pointless and uncompetitive. if you're thinking of a Master's just get a PhD instead" but then there are others who are like "WHY GET A PHD WHEN COMPETING FOR TENURE-TRACK POSITIONS IS BASICALLY STATISTICALLY LIKE TRYING TO START A CAREER IN ACTING?!?!?!??!?!" lol it's like okay so now you're telling me this has come full circle?!?! Like, the madness has to end somewhere, people. At this point, maybe let's go for these "unviable" careers, then, if you're telling me there's no difference between trying to make it on Broadway and trying to go tenure-track. Anecdotally, I know someone who was Ivy League undergrad, Oxford masters, and now is going to HARVARD LAW and I'm willing to bet some profs still spoke to her like this. It's like. At some point you realize SOMEONE HAS TO MAKE IT doing SOMETHING, so it might as well be one of us?! Like, I understand the attempts to warn us of impending defeat, but we can't possibly all lose all the time, or there'd be no musicians, actors, screenwriters, or profs..... lol.

Film studies is fantastic and so much fun in its own right, though, and I bet you can ooze horizontally into whatever you put your mind to once you're in the environment at a school. Best of luck to you and reach out to us all if you get in!! We want to cheer you on!!!

 

[Rose]

LMAO I'm just going in. I'm absolutely positive I'm gonna stutter. I'm just gonna let it happen.

I'm making a playlist tonight! I have no idea what's going in it. Something fun, empowering, and exciting. Might go on a walk before the call!

Enough said It's so exciting learning more about everyone.

Thank you for sharing this with us! I'm going to write this down to internalize your words.

Lizzo would be my go-to for her catchy hooks and "F-you, I'm amazing" vibes LOL
I think taking a walk will be a great way to release some of the nervous energy. And I'm glad you're just going to embrace whatever comes - stutter, and all.

Definitely internalize!

And I agree, really nice to learn more about everyone.

 

[Rose]

Wow! Thank you so much for sharing this with us. That's so nice of you to share and it's kinda crazy to think about! My interview went pretty well and they actually gave me some pretty specific feedback about my samples, such as mentioning a specific part that was memorable to them, and their feedback was very technical (your dialogue is strong, you have a good grasp on balancing characters, etc.) rather than emotional (i.e. "I like this character," "I love that your script is about X") which I appreciated. I felt like I talked a little rapid-fire so I hope I didn't scare them off lol! There's only so much you can say in 10 minutes!

It was very low-key and only 2 questions, which were "What are you watching right now?" and "Why do you want to go to UT Austin?" I looked through the program website and my SOP to refresh myself before the interview. My interviewers were also pretty chill and low-key.

You're welcome! Statistically-speaking, it is totally crazy, in the best way. I don't know how many people they interview, but I heard they get about 200 applicants each year- and given that number, I don't see how they wouldn't have screened out half of the applicants already. If we were placing bets, I'd guess they might interview the top 20, at the very max.

All by itself, getting that kind of specific feedback is worth so much. It sounds like a good experience all the way around, though, and how cool that one of the two questions was to ask what shows/movies you're into? Love that.

I talk too fast all the time, but especially when I'm nervous. They're probably super used to that during interviews.

 

[Rose]

No need to apologize. Tangents and posts are the lifeblood of this site.

And there's some wonderful advice on this thread. I've been enjoying following along.

Aw! Thanks @Chris W and we're happy you're along for the ride with us!

 

[Rose]

lol, this cracked me up in a horribly dark way because I completely feel for you. In my experience PROFS/TEACHERS SEEM TO DO THIS WAY TOO OFTEN!!!!! I love them but I think the ones who do this might just generally be like, an older generation, down about the state of the world, and they'll be like "doing xxx is so difficult. it's so statistically unlikely that you'll get anywhere" but I feel like what they sometimes can fail to see is that EVERYTHING IS LIKE THAT IN THIS DAY AND AGE, LIKE THE WORLD IS OVERPOPULATED AND EVERYONE IS COMPETING IN AN EXTREME MANNER FOR EVERY SINGLE JOB... so we just have to grin and bear it and hope that SOMETHING sticks for us.

As a kid I was really into music and was probably on track to be some kind of professional musician, but some random teachers and other adults made it seem like that was "not a viable career" and that is part (but definitely not all) of why I ended up doing English (not much better lol). SO MANY PEOPLE I KNOW who continued on with it despite the naysaying are now professional musicians and made it work, whether they teach music, are in a band, perform on cruise ships (actually pretty good money), etc. I'm glad I chose to write but sometimes I do feel bad for not having kept it up more seriously, because I do love it and I definitely allowed the cultural narrative of "you'll never make it" be part of stalling out my serious pursuit of it!!!

And then for me I got to finishing my English major and was asking profs about Master's programs and I remember one who was like "don't get a Master's it's pointless and uncompetitive. if you're thinking of a Master's just get a PhD instead" but then there are others who are like "WHY GET A PHD WHEN COMPETING FOR TENURE-TRACK POSITIONS IS BASICALLY STATISTICALLY LIKE TRYING TO START A CAREER IN ACTING?!?!?!??!?!" lol it's like okay so now you're telling me this has come full circle?!?! Like, the madness has to end somewhere, people. At this point, maybe let's go for these "unviable" careers, then, if you're telling me there's no difference between trying to make it on Broadway and trying to go tenure-track. Anecdotally, I know someone who was Ivy League undergrad, Oxford masters, and now is going to HARVARD LAW and I'm willing to bet some profs still spoke to her like this. It's like. At some point you realize SOMEONE HAS TO MAKE IT doing SOMETHING, so it might as well be one of us?! Like, I understand the attempts to warn us of impending defeat, but we can't possibly all lose all the time, or there'd be no musicians, actors, screenwriters, or profs..... lol.

Film studies is fantastic and so much fun in its own right, though, and I bet you can ooze horizontally into whatever you put your mind to once you're in the environment at a school. Best of luck to you and reach out to us all if you get in!! We want to cheer you on!!!

I agree. Whether it's the arts, or if you want to be a doctor, play baseball, start a company, or do anything halfway interesting, there's a massive herd of people ready to tell you'll never make it!

This is also why we need a UBI. The world would be a happier, more productive, and more creative place if people could pursue what they loved and not what the marketplace valued.

Annnnd... now it's smacking me in the face how lucky I am that I could even consider an MFA this year. I'm so grateful I was able to apply, and I'm sad knowing there are people who will never have the option.

 

[RandomLurker]

Just interviewed! Word is we should hear back by the end of next week. The interviewers were very sweet!

My interview went pretty well and they actually gave me some pretty specific feedback about my samples, such as mentioning a specific part that was memorable to them, and their feedback was very technical (your dialogue is strong, you have a good grasp on balancing characters, etc.) rather than emotional (i.e. "I like this character," "I love that your script is about X") which I appreciated.

You got lucky! They've discussed and agreed to not give out notes applicants this time around Now, we anxiously wait.

 

[czu]

Just interviewed! Word is we should hear back by the end of next week. The interviewers were very sweet!

I just interviewed, too! I guess everything was running behind so they were 5 mins late, and I was surprised that it was a different pair asking different questions than Tuesday (sheesh I think with reading on here I might have psyched myself out way too much lol), and overall I just felt so nervous and thrown off lol. I'm sure it wasn't that bad but now that it's been a few hours I'm going into total doomer mode lol.

Also, for everyone's info, they said there were 84(I think ?) applicants I think and they were interviewing 18. I was really curious but didn't ask - does anyone know if they have the same reviewing committee for Michener, or is it different? I feel like they mentioned this in one of the info sessions but I can't remember. I was curious if they would choose the Michener kids from those 18, too, or if it would be a totally dif group. Trying frantically to improve our odds - hahaha!!!

 

[RandomLurker]

I appreciate their transparency! And, same. I would've killed that "Why UT Austin" question. I need to stop thinking about this interview. I already lost sleep last night over these 10 minutes! Now. On that note, what has everyone been watching?
I just watched 10 Things I Hate About You for the first time. I've never delved into rom com really, so I have a lot of catching up to do. I also just finished Mr. and Mrs. Smith (watching the TV series now) and watched Love, Actually last Christmas. All exciting things! The goal is to watch all of the Oscar nominations for this year.
@Rose any updates on your party?

 

[czu]

On that note, what has everyone been watching?

I just started Breaking Bad for the first time ever (insane I know). I'm hoping to watch it and then listen to the accompanying podcast for each episode because one of my coworkers told me that's as good as getting an MFA - lol! I am also watching Blue Period with one of my roommates. It's an anime about this kid who becomes obsessed with making art like grinding to get into a hyper competitive art school. TOO RELATABLE LOL! My roommates and I are also hate-watching the After movies. I think we're finishing the last one tonight, and I'm SO glad lol because they just keep getting worse!!!! If you ever have to watch one of them, watch the second lol - it's the closest to being actually good, plus it has our lord and savior Dylan Sprouse. Actually that might be the reason why it's slightly good. hahahaha.

My rom-com rec is The Holiday - I watch it with my mom like at least once a year and I like it better overall than Love, Actually!

 

[Rose]

Just interviewed! Word is we should hear back by the end of next week. The interviewers were very sweet!

You got lucky! They've discussed and agreed to not give out notes applicants this time around Now, we anxiously wait.

Such a hard wait! I'm assuming I will get an email tomorrow about *not* getting in. I hope anyway, I'm ready to be cut loose. Or maybe they do it in reverse and send out acceptance announcements first. Hmm...

I appreciate their transparency! And, same. I would've killed that "Why UT Austin" question. I need to stop thinking about this interview. I already lost sleep last night over these 10 minutes! Now. On that note, what has everyone been watching?
I just watched 10 Things I Hate About You for the first time. I've never delved into rom com really, so I have a lot of catching up to do. I also just finished Mr. and Mrs. Smith (watching the TV series now) and watched Love, Actually last Christmas. All exciting things! The goal is to watch all of the Oscar nominations for this year.
@Rose any updates on your party?

Oh, I love rom coms! One of my favorite genres.
I just recently re-watched "10 Things I Hate About You." Hadn't seen it in years, and I forgot how charming it is. I found myself really relating to and appreciating the dad character now. Haha! Love the actors in it and the Shakespearean plot/references.
I want to see the "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" series! The trailer looked great!

I've barely watched anything lately, but I'm ready (and also not ready!) for the last season of your Curb Your Enthusiasm. I'm going to wait till more episodes air and then binge it.

Party-wise, I'm getting restless about the thought of cake, but I'm trying hard to wait until I get the official word from UT. If any hurt feelings resurface, they will be immediately doused with frosting. Haha.

Sadly, my tiara wouldn't stay on! I went too elaborate and the thing was too heavy, so I returned it. I did get a silly kick out of realizing I had a literal experience of the "heavy is the head that wears the crown" adage, so there's that.

I'm assuming my 11 year-old will roll his eyes at the foam crown I got for him, so I'll steal that from him.

 

[Rose]

I just interviewed, too! I guess everything was running behind so they were 5 mins late, and I was surprised that it was a different pair asking different questions than Tuesday (sheesh I think with reading on here I might have psyched myself out way too much lol), and overall I just felt so nervous and thrown off lol. I'm sure it wasn't that bad but now that it's been a few hours I'm going into total doomer mode lol.

Also, for everyone's info, they said there were 84(I think ?) applicants I think and they were interviewing 18. I was really curious but didn't ask - does anyone know if they have the same reviewing committee for Michener, or is it different? I feel like they mentioned this in one of the info sessions but I can't remember. I was curious if they would choose the Michener kids from those 18, too, or if it would be a totally dif group. Trying frantically to improve our odds - hahaha!!!

Oh! Those numbers are enlightening! Thanks for sharing that!

I believe Michener and RTF committees are separate. Could be wrong, but that was the impression I got when I was emailing them back in November.

Doomer mode is hard. I bet you were amazing! And 100% guaranteed you were not the only ball of nerves.

Hopefully, they just always remember that they're interviewing writers, not TV news anchors or politicians running for Congress, for God's sake. GPA and references have inherent problems, too, but the interview part is getting to me the more I think about it. Ten minutes and two questions to decide someone is "worthy?" That's superficial shit. And yet, that's their final, deciding factor.

I just started Breaking Bad for the first time ever (insane I know). I'm hoping to watch it and then listen to the accompanying podcast for each episode because one of my coworkers told me that's as good as getting an MFA - lol! I am also watching Blue Period with one of my roommates. It's an anime about this kid who becomes obsessed with making art like grinding to get into a hyper competitive art school. TOO RELATABLE LOL! My roommates and I are also hate-watching the After movies. I think we're finishing the last one tonight, and I'm SO glad lol because they just keep getting worse!!!! If you ever have to watch one of them, watch the second lol - it's the closest to being actually good, plus it has our lord and savior Dylan Sprouse. Actually that might be the reason why it's slightly good. hahahaha.

My rom-com rec is The Holiday - I watch it with my mom like at least once a year and I like it better overall than Love, Actually!

Omg, your breakdown of these made me laugh, especially your hate-watching. LOL! I need to check out Blue Period, that sounds really fun.

 

[unwinding-dreams]

Anybody else get a phone call today???