Had some trouble answering some of the word limit questions eg "why do you want to study at this point in your life?" and writing a decent number of words to reach the word count. I spent more time on it than I expected to but luckily submitted before the deadline.
Make sure you apply sooner...
It was a bit daunting for sure because this is my first time applying to film schools, and I had no expectations of getting into AFI. The interview went a bit okay- like IDK if there was some internet issue that there was some kind of lag, but there were some awkward pauses, but I guess it was...
Just received an email that my application has been processed and prepared for the selection panel.
Nervous and excited.
Really enjoyed answering the short answer questions and preparing my portfolio...though now of course i'm retrospectively panicking about my answers. C'est la vie.
Good so far - answered all 8 questions in detail and wrote a new 12 page excerpt - will update!
Questions are essentially - why should you come here - was a good process for working out if I shoud!
ADMISSION STEPS
- Apply (includes 10 page writing sample and short essay response questions)
- Round 1: Hear back about interview
- Interview: 30min writing test (in my case they gave us a number of pictures and we had to create a film pitch from one image), then head into a panel interview...
Not sure if this is helpful, but a little about me:
I graduated with BFA in acting from UNCSA in 2018. Did UCLA's Professional Program in 2022-2023 where I won the drama pilot competition at the end of the program and was featured in Deadline. Had a few other high placements in competitions and...
Hi there everyone. Thanks for taking a look...
I've been racking my brain for a couple days over this decision and I thought it was time to ask some "pro's." This forum was the first one to come up :)
I've read across the internet that NYU and UCLA are top schools, however, I hear different...
It was great. Ended up putting off for too long but the prompts lead to some submission work I was really proud of. I was an idiot though, and didn't apply for financial assistance because I had assumed that tuition was covered for MFA students at USC only later to realize that was only the...
So far so good! CV, 20 page sample, and at least one letter of recommendation. But interactions with the program thru online informational sessions have been very helpful!
Interviews and offers run later than US schools.
first time applying. went smooth. submitted a television pilot. interviewed with a faculty on march 20th, 2025. really enjoyed our conversation. seems like a great program.
One thing others can keep in mind is that though I will be focusing on screenwriting, I only submitted one screenplay as a writing sample, with the others being short fiction. This was in addition to footage of my undergrad productions. The program seems very holistic and well-rounded and my...
Applied with a sketch packet that I felt was strong. This is the one program that didn't work out that I really thought I had a shot at at least getting waitlisted between my sample and other docs. Should I have instead done something from a pilot? Maybe. Who's to say?
Another one with brutal odds, so you can't be too upset about it not working out. Felt like the application was fairly straightforward, and it would've been cool to have a funded program like that, but it is what it is.
Applied with ten pages consisting of a 7 page short film and a 3 page sketch to show variety. Bummed it didn't work out, but from what I hear, they get hundreds of apps for four slots, so you can't be too upset about something like that not working out. Appreciated the later submission deadline...
Applied with ten pages of a sitcom, and liked the application. I appreciate that it had opportunities to show your style apart from your sample without feeling like a overwhelming amount of material to submit.
Such an incredibly welcoming experience, and a deeply unique program blending Second City training with a more traditional MFA. If you want a unique comedy experience in Chicago, I for SURE recommend applying, and other admitted students seemed really great and enthusiastic. I applied with a...
Had SUCH a lovely time applying here. After getting in last year, but not attending due to finances, they welcomed me to attend an event or two prior to reapplying, and were incredibly responsive to any concerns or questions I had. The faculty is deeply knowledgable, and for anyone looking to...
Went really well! Although most of my work to this point had been pilots, I wanted something with a feature focus. To be fair, this program does both really well, for cheaper than other great schools AND with a slower pace (which, tbh, I appreciate). Interview with faculty consisted of "Why...
Columbia was one of my top options, so I focused on a lot my creative energy into the whole portfolio. I wrote a whole new 10 page short script for this application because I didn't have any 10 minute shorts that I was happy with. I applied for Writing for Film and TV, but was admitted into the...
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