UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television (TFT)

I loved this program with my entire being and would do it again without hesitation.

The faculty are award-winning filmmakers who have led the industry for decades, and they all know each other. That network is real and it works. I was pulled onto a show immediately after graduation and have been working ever since. Given the current state of the industry, that is not something I take lightly, and I owe it entirely to them. They will help with union applications, bend over backwards to find you work, and become genuine friends in the process.

The alumni network is just as strong. Graduates are close with one another and most are actively working on major projects across film, television, and theatre, from Marvel and DC to HBO productions to Broadway. You are not just joining a program, you are joining a community that looks out for each other long after graduation.

None of that comes free. This program will not hold your hand. It demands serious soul searching and personal growth alongside the technical work. They treat you with sincere respect and hold you to a professional standard because they expect you to be a working professional when you leave. If they have to carry you through the degree, do not expect that grace to follow you after graduation.

They do have favorites. Those favorites are always the students who show up with more work than expected, put in the extra time, and push themselves without being asked. Be that student.

Pros:

• Faculty are working legends with deep industry connections
• Alumni are close knit and working on major projects across film, TV, and Broadway
• Graduates find work fast, a genuine rarity right now
• Real post-graduation support including union applications and job placement
• The department head will go out of her way to find the biggest working names and get them in front of students. If you want to learn from someone or you have a program you want to know, she will get it for you.

Cons:

• Extremely demanding, not for the unprepared or faint of heart
• No hand-holding, you will sink or swim on your own effort
• Three years, expensive

I wanted to correct the record a bit:

I'm a first year in the Screenwriting program and, so far, I'm very happy with the decision I made. The school attracts a lot of thoughtful, friendly and conscientious students and its rigor seems to be underrated.

As opposed to its private peers, UCLA is incredibly democratic. Every student gets a fair shot and there doesn't seem to be a lot of chatter about who is the son/daughter of someone wealthy or famous. I understand that this can come at the expense of certain networking perks but it makes for a peaceable and meritocratic environment.

Everyone in the program is pretty impressed with our professors. Each brings a different outlook and vibe to the table. Their standards are high and, sometimes, they do instill fear in students. But most agree that this is effective: no one feels comfortable slacking and a solid learning curve is going to come with some stress and fear. The commitment and presence these teachers bring, given that they all have careers outside of UCLA, is really surprising and they do care about making you into a better writer.

In this program, you write more than the others. As you probably know, there's no better way to improve your writing than... writing... a lot.

After the curriculum overhaul, the school seems to be a lot better about having students interact with students outside their program. This has been a really fun part about the program.

Overall: high praise. I'd make the same decision again.

I have loved this program so far! For me, it was the right move. Coming from out-of-state, I learned a lot about LA and housing, but it could have been worse. With the loans from FA, I was able to move relatively stress-free.

I have met like-minded individuals who are hungry to make a career for themselves in this industry. The professors are incredibly helpful, intelligent, and know what they're talking about. They care about students and their success.

The one thing I wish the program did a better job of was connecting us to industry professionals with the intention of getting our work out there. I feel like they should want their alumni to do well in the industry, so a little bit of a push would be great. But at the same time, they offer real advice about breaking in. It's tough but they are supportive.

I am going to write this review from the rationale of why I chose UCLA, and compare it to the other big film schools that exist in the top four.
UCLA is the best film school out there, but that obviously depends on your goals. They only accept 24 people a year, and even less than that for Narrative Directing. USC MFA selects significantly more twice a year and you are not even guaranteed that you will make one film; at UCLA you are guaranteed to direct 4 films, and unlike AFI and USC you own all the rights to every one of those films and can do with them whatever you please. With UCLA you are also offered a very esteemed network from the number one public university in the country, although AFI is a great network it only provides you the network in the entertainment industry. UCLA TFT also has theater attached to it so it has access to excellent actors, prop and set designers, as well as composers from the music school, and access to a world renown screenwriting program.
The only problem that I have with UCLA is the facilities. We actually have great useful facilities with 6 soundstages, but if you want the most beautiful film school you have ever seen and looks like a palace - go to USC. UCLA is a public school; it has what you need but it is not beautiful. BUT, UCLA is located on a beautiful campus right outside of the gates to Bel Air, and USC is in a not so great neighborhood (take your pick.) AFI is in Hollywood, and if you have ever been there, you either hate Hollywood... or hate Hollywood.

UCLA's program is top notch with wonderful filmmakers and well designed. The curriculum focuses on all aspects of production (Screenwriting, editing, directing, cinematography, producing, etc) which you should know as a good director, but directing is your primary focus. At AFI you only really focus on Directing, or Producing, Screenwriting etc. At USC it is just a degree in production and never really focus on one aspect unless you choose to.

Finally, NYU; Do you want to be in New York or Los Angeles?

I hope this helps. I love every day that I am at UCLA and all the focus that I receive from top notch instructors in order to become a successful filmmaker. I do not feel like I am lost in the machine of a school just trying to pump out students with a graduate degree that will serve me no purpose later on.