fall 2026 film school applications - Has anyone gotten interview invites yet?

[Pryde Pierce]

That would be very anxiety producing! Sound like it went really well. Congrats! Fingers crossed for you and that a directing interview comes your way.

The questions I got were:
1) How did you come to your narrative world? (My work has a heavy bent towards families and coming of age)
2) Why AFI?
3) How do you feel about the commitment required to attend? (I am an older applicant and have kids so they were asking about my ability to juggle it all)
4) How does being a father inform your work?
5) Any stories burning inside you that you want to tell?
6) Any questions for us?
7) What are the things you want to improve as a director?

I really enjoyed the conversation and, except for #5 - which I think I did okay on but not as well as I would have liked - I think it went well. But we'll see come March 16th. Such a long wait.

Thanks for this! Crossing fingers for you too! I'm an older applicant as well (maybe the oldest - just turned a young looking 50). I timed applying for when my youngest graduates high school. I hear you on the wait. Hopefully we both make it in!

 

[Arbyrnes]

Nice! That would be great!

 

[iwannamakemovies]

Yeah they asked me pretty much those same questions. They asked me about the films I submitted (directing assignment and moving image), and which is more "my voice." I kind of stumbled there, because I feel like they're both my voice. And subsequently stumbled on explaining what my voice is. Because...that's part of the reason I want to go to school, right? Is to solidify it further? I didn't say that but yeah feel you -- I totally have 500 things I realized I could have said after the interview that have been plaguing me.

Did you send follow up "thank you's" to admissions? I feel like sending a "thank you" is standard protocol after an interview, but since we didn't get our interviewers' contacts and they said to reach out to admissions I have any questions, I'm not sure if that's bad form.

 

[Arbyrnes]

Yeah, totally. The process mystifies for sure. I did send a note to the applications email address and asked them to send it on. I say go for it! It can't hurt.

 

[Pryde Pierce]

Yeah they asked me pretty much those same questions. They asked me about the films I submitted (directing assignment and moving image), and which is more "my voice." I kind of stumbled there, because I feel like they're both my voice. And subsequently stumbled on explaining what my voice is. Because...that's part of the reason I want to go to school, right? Is to solidify it further? I didn't say that but yeah feel you -- I totally have 500 things I realized I could have said after the interview that have been plaguing me.

Did you send follow up "thank you's" to admissions? I feel like sending a "thank you" is standard protocol after an interview, but since we didn't get our interviewers' contacts and they said to reach out to admissions I have any questions, I'm not sure if that's bad form.

Crazy on the voice question. I completely get you on that. Part of me feels I may have tanked my Directing submission because I went the opposite way on purpose. I didn't want to be "boxed in" so I sent 2 completely different short films as my submissions. Then later thought about how AFI is supposedly big on you establishing your voice/brand and was like "F@CK!"

And thanks for the reminder on the thank you letter. I debated about sending one but then felt exactly like you. Though now that I'm thinking about it maybe just sending one to the admissions department generally (thanking the interviewers for their time etc) might not hurt.

 

[Chris W]

Yeah they asked me pretty much those same questions. They asked me about the films I submitted (directing assignment and moving image), and which is more "my voice." I kind of stumbled there, because I feel like they're both my voice. And subsequently stumbled on explaining what my voice is. Because...that's part of the reason I want to go to school, right? Is to solidify it further? I didn't say that but yeah feel you -- I totally have 500 things I realized I could have said after the interview that have been plaguing me.

Did you send follow up "thank you's" to admissions? I feel like sending a "thank you" is standard protocol after an interview, but since we didn't get our interviewers' contacts and they said to reach out to admissions I have any questions, I'm not sure if that's bad form.

Don't forget to log your application with how the interview went as well. We recently added a bunch of new fields which should make all the data we're collecting very interesting to everyone. Here are the new fields in relation to interviews:

Interview Type: (select all that apply)

• Zoom
• In-person
• Group of Applicants
• Individual

Number of interviewers: (single select)

• One
• Two
• Three
• Four+

Interview Topics Discussed: (select all that apply)

• Influences
• Specific films
• Current events
• Personal story
• Your creative materials
• Future goals
• Collaboration / Working with others
• Mistakes / Failures in past work
• Recent / Favorite Films
• Why this program
• Other

Interview Seriousness: (single select)

• Casual / Friendly
• Mixed / Varied
• Serious / Intense
• Deadly Serious / High-Pressure
• Confrontational / Aggressive
• Other

Feeling After Interview: (single select)

• Went well
• Neutral
• Bombed

Application Database

A database of thousands of film school applications to calculate acceptance rates to film programs and the minimum GPAs, minimum SAT and GRE scores, experience of accepted applicants, and much more....

www.filmschool.org

 

[jcharles]

Crazy on the voice question. I completely get you on that. Part of me feels I may have tanked my Directing submission because I went the opposite way on purpose. I didn't want to be "boxed in" so I sent 2 completely different short films as my submissions. Then later thought about how AFI is supposedly big on you establishing your voice/brand and was like "F@CK!"

And thanks for the reminder on the thank you letter. I debated about sending one but then felt exactly like you. Though now that I'm thinking about it maybe just sending one to the admissions department generally (thanking the interviewers for their time etc) might not hurt.

I have an interview next Monday for screenwriting -- would love to hear where the conversation took you. Did it flow naturally, or did the questions seem pretty defined?

 

[Pryde Pierce]

I have an interview next Monday for screenwriting -- would love to hear where the conversation took you. Did it flow naturally, or did the questions seem pretty defined?

As to the questions, being defined or just flowing naturally, it seemed like a mix.

I was asked a lot about my experience writing full feature length projects. This may have been because both of my submissions were shorter submissions, my thinking when I submitted was that I wanted them to see how I handled a full - beginning, middle, end - story in both cases. So that may have been something they specifically wanted to find out about me based on my submissions. I've written 4 features with 2 of them being produced in the low/no budget realm - that seemed to adequately answer the question. For me there was a big emphasis on that, feature experience, what features would I like to write at AFI etc etc etc. So this part may be more based on what your submission materials were.

Some of the questions that seemed possibly more defined were what have I watched recently? And what did I love that I watched recently and what did I hate that I watched recently? Why do I want to be a screenwriter? In my case I'm a "do it all" type so there was a lot of curiosity around this question in light of my production experience and acting experience.

Other than that the rest of the conversation seemed to flow naturally, albeit guided by Anna Thomas.

Oh and they initially brought up my degree. As part of deciding I wanted to go to AFI I spent the last few years getting a B.S. degree in Digital Cinematography from Full Sail (so that when I applied I could qualify for the MFA program at AFI instead of the certificate). So that was brought up early and led into the "So, in light of your background, why a Screenwriter now?"

 

[whotfisfuco]

Yeah, totally. The process mystifies for sure. I did send a note to the applications email address and asked them to send it on. I say go for it! It can't hurt

I just wanted to ask when did yall receive your invites for directing and when was the interview (if you don’t mind me asking) ?? Im just a bit anxious because even I’d submitted for direction and haven’t heard from them yet and I kinda wanna know if there’s another round soon hopefully???

 

[Arbyrnes]

I was notified on Jan 15th and had it on Jan 30th. I was in your spot last year. They do rolling invites, so it may still come up. Keep the faith.

 

[whotfisfuco]

I was notified on Jan 15th and had it on Jan 30th. I was in your spot last year. They do rolling invites, so it may still come up. Keep the faith.

Ahhh okay okay got ittt
Thank you so much!!

 

[soom]

Congrats! For what program at UCLA?

hi! sorry for the late reply
it was for screenwriting.

also, has anyone here interviewed for UCLA?
I’d love to hear how it went or anything.
Thanks!

 

[Chris W]

Not sure if anyone here applied to LMU but we just published our interview with them.

How to Get Into Loyola Marymount School of Film and Television: Tips from Admissions (Part 1)

Loyola Marymount University’s School of Film and Television offers more than cutting-edge resources, award-winning faculty and panoramic views — it’s a creative community where collaboration and authenticity come first. LMU welcomes undergraduate and graduate film students of all backgrounds...

• Alexa P.
• Feb 4, 2026
• Category: Admissions Interviews

 

[robbiegaz]

Got an interview invite from NYU today around 11 am est.

 

[starstorm]

I got an interview from NYU for the Production Design program yesterday morning!

 

[kingofsweaters]

I had my interview last week (screenwriting). I'm still crossing fingers that I also get one for directing too (if you remember the questions you were asked in the directing interview I'd love hearing them).

My interview started off with a ton of anxiety because my zoom said "Scheduled 2PM" when I got in but my interview was scheduled for 3:30 PM. After no one was there by 3:31 I started getting stressed at the thought that maybe there was a mix up and they'd think I was a no show for my interview. Right before panic set in they arrived.

After that it went really well (for the most part). It started with me being told that my narrative statement was probably her favorite that she'd read from the applicants this year (definitely made me feel good - I'd put a lot of time working on it and editing it down). After that we had a very fun talk though I did kick myself about one thing.

She asked if I had any feature story ideas that I would want to work on at AFI. I scrambled to remember my ideas and told her about 3.... just the first 3 I could think of. And I felt I took way too long describing 2 of them (though she didn't seem to mind). She really liked one of them a lot. We all laughed a lot and when it came to an end it felt like it went very well but I was pissed at myself because I thought of exactly what I would have said for that feature idea question once I got off the zoom.

Who were your interviewers?

 

[kingofsweaters]

As to the questions, being defined or just flowing naturally, it seemed like a mix.

I was asked a lot about my experience writing full feature length projects. This may have been because both of my submissions were shorter submissions, my thinking when I submitted was that I wanted them to see how I handled a full - beginning, middle, end - story in both cases. So that may have been something they specifically wanted to find out about me based on my submissions. I've written 4 features with 2 of them being produced in the low/no budget realm - that seemed to adequately answer the question. For me there was a big emphasis on that, feature experience, what features would I like to write at AFI etc etc etc. So this part may be more based on what your submission materials were.

Some of the questions that seemed possibly more defined were what have I watched recently? And what did I love that I watched recently and what did I hate that I watched recently? Why do I want to be a screenwriter? In my case I'm a "do it all" type so there was a lot of curiosity around this question in light of my production experience and acting experience.

Other than that the rest of the conversation seemed to flow naturally, albeit guided by Anna Thomas.

Oh and they initially brought up my degree. As part of deciding I wanted to go to AFI I spent the last few years getting a B.S. degree in Digital Cinematography from Full Sail (so that when I applied I could qualify for the MFA program at AFI instead of the certificate). So that was brought up early and led into the "So, in light of your background, why a Screenwriter now?"

I may be able to give some insight into the questions about features. The program is primarily a feature writing program. You will write 3 features while you’re there. My cohort has a decent amount of people who are more interested in TV but you only write a pilot, and a spec of an existing show so it’s likely they were gauging your passion/comfortability with features since the approach is quite different to tv. There’s also the fact that tv has softened significantly in terms of jobs so they might have been just seeing how best they can help you. Sounds like you had a good interview! Good luck!

 

[Pryde Pierce]

Who were your interviewers?

Anna Thomas and Marquita Robinson.

 

[Pryde Pierce]

I may be able to give some insight into the questions about features. The program is primarily a feature writing program. You will write 3 features while you’re there. My cohort has a decent amount of people who are more interested in TV but you only write a pilot, and a spec of an existing show so it’s likely they were gauging your passion/comfortability with features since the approach is quite different to tv. There’s also the fact that tv has softened significantly in terms of jobs so they might have been just seeing how best they can help you. Sounds like you had a good interview! Good luck!

Good to know! Thanks for the kind words and all of your help!

 

[kingofsweaters]

Anna Thomas and Marquita Robinson.

Fun! Anna is great but sadly leaving at the end of the year. Marquita teaches Story Incubator which is a first year development class for your second year work.