screenwriting

  1. Alex1986

    Admitted (After Interview) MFA SCREENWRITING - CHAPMAN

    It was all pretty smooth sailing, I only applied to one school and the process was straightforward with a lot of emphasis on writing materials. The interview was the best part of the process as it reassured me in my decision of choosing Dodge.
  2. C

    Funding for international MFA students at UCLA, USC, NYU, Columbia or CSUN?

    Hi everyone, I’m a prospective international applicant from Denmark planning to apply for Fall 2027 MFA programs in producing and/or screenwriting at UCLA, USC, NYU, Columbia and CSUN. Has anyone here received funding as an international student at any of these schools? I would especially love...
  3. Hollins Graduate Screenwriting Program (M.F.A.)

    Hollins Graduate Screenwriting Program (M.F.A.)

    The Hollins Screenwriting M.F.A. is a two-year, primarily online graduate program where writers learn the craft of screenwriting as they develop feature films and television pilots, while gaining real-world industry insight. Initiated in 1999, the program has since established itself as a...
    • Hunter Phillips
    • Film school
    • Category: Virginia
    • industry exposure low cost film school online screenwriting television writing
  4. ladybug

    Admitted (Off Waitlist After Interview) NYU Dramatic Writing - 2026

    this was a long journey but also my dream school! almost gave up but this experience taught me it's not over til its over. truly. happy to talk to anyone applying for this next year 2027!
  5. What Actors Can Teach Screenwriters

    What Actors Can Teach Screenwriters

    This GPCW blog is a special entry about our Screenplaying podcast that we host alongside the Crested Butte Film Festival. In this episode, two actors, including our own GPCW Screenwriting performance coach (yes, we have a performance coach for our pitching finals), take a deep dive into the...
  6. Mavenmavennot

    Is the MFA in Screenwriting at Chapman Dodge College Worth the Cost

    Hello, everyone. With the state of the industry, is the MFA in screenwriting at Chapman Dodge College worth the cost? I realize the network is very powerful, but does the school truly provide a great education and post-graduate chance at legitimate employment?
  7. B

    Denied (After Interview) NFTS MFA SCREENWRITING - 2027

    First time applying so a little nerve racking. It was interesting to learn what they expect from you as it has changed from when I've looked into in previous years. The questions seem pretty open to interpretation, when I enquired about what they specifically wanted from the more vague questions...
  8. armaan2412

    Admitted (Off Waitlist w/o Interview) USC SCA SCREENWRITING MFA FALL 2026

    The application process was great! I had a lot of fun writing, and I think the prompts truly got the best out of me! They're certainly not easy to navigate, but I encourage all applicants to simply be themselves and stick to their strengths. Reveal parts of yourself that you can only reveal in...
  9. J

    Attending (Off Waitlist After Interview) American Film Institute

    My application process was great. I was going to apply to Fall 2025, but my funding fell through, and I was not entirely confident with the samples I wrote at the time. I spent the year writing new samples and, overall, two years on what became my first application to AFI. My new samples were...
  10. Quiz on the Art of Screenwriting

    'Quiz on the Art of Screenwriting' quiz

    I've read over a thousand screenplays in my career in development and story analysis, and it's always interesting to think about how effectively stories can come across on the page. This quiz has a variety of concepts to consider as you craft screen stories. Read our interview with James Napoli...
    • film and tv mfa screenwriting screenplay writing screenwriting storytelling
  11. Inside Western Colorado University's Low-Residency MFA in Screenwriting Within the Graduate Creative Writing Program (Part 1)

    Inside Western Colorado University's Low-Residency MFA in Screenwriting Within the Graduate Creative Writing Program (Part 1)

    Western Colorado University's Graduate Program in Creative Writing (GPCW) prides itself on not making students, but cultivating relationships to help creators realize their artistic potential. The GPCW operates on a low-residency model, offering students in its Screenwriting MFA and MA program a...
    • Alexa Pellegrini
    • Article
    • 14 min read
    • Category: Admissions Interviews
    • best film schools in the us colorado film school creative writing low-residency masters in screenwriting mfa screenwriting screenwriting top mfa programs western colorado university western film school
  12. B

    Waitlisted (After Interview) Columbia Screenwriting and Directing MFA

    The application process was fine, but definitely the longest of the bunch. This application was the one I put the most effort into, the most amount of work, and the one I felt best about. I was very happy with the materials I submitted. I was pleasantly surprised I got an interview, and I...
  13. waxp0etics

    Attending (Admitted After Interview) University of New Orleans - Film Production MFA 2026

    The application was pretty straightforward. I already had a first draft of a screenplay written, so I had just under 6 months to make edits. However, it was the first feature I’d ever written and the subject matter was a bit more experimental than anything I had ever written.
  14. Suzy Zhu

    Admitted but Not Attending (After Interview) DePaul - Screenwriting - 2026 Fall

    Everything went smoothly. The interview lasted about 20 minutes, and they shared a lot of information about the program. They asked about why the school & program, collaboration in workshops, favorite films & shows, and future goals. There were no questions about my specific creative portfolio.
  15. Suzy Zhu

    Denied (w/o Interview) USC - Writing for Screen and TV - 2026 Fall

    I wrote a lot of specific writing materials for USC, and was rejected. This is life. But to be honest, I'm really not satisfied with one of the works. I didn't even want to read it a second time after I finished writing it... But that was the best I could do.
  16. Suzy Zhu

    Waitlisted (After Interview) Columbia - Writing for Film & Television - 2026 Fall

    Everything went well, aside from the long and stressful wait... I did my best with the required prompt, and it ended up being one of my favorite pieces. I actually really enjoyed the interview, because they focused a lot on my writing and samples. It was around 22 minutes, and they asked about...
  17. Suzy Zhu

    Admitted but Not Attending (After Interview) Stony Brook - Screenwriting - 2026 Fall

    They reviewed my application very carefully, and you can tell they take both applicants and their work seriously. When I was making my final decision, the Executive Director, Magdalene, who was also one of my interviewers, even offered to connect me with a current Chinese student, which was...
  18. Suzy Zhu

    Admitted but Not Attending (After Interview) LMU - Writing for the Screen - 2026 Fall

    Everything went well. There was no specific writing assignment, so I just submitted a few pieces I'd already prepared for other schools. They didn't ask anything about my PS or portfolio, and questions were mostly about why the program, plus some general stuff like hobbies and strengths &...
  19. Flashbacks vs. Monologues and Other Points of Contention

    Flashbacks vs. Monologues and Other Points of Contention

    By James Napoli. Flashbacks Nothing provokes a more knee-jerk “don’t do it” reaction from screenwriters than the decision to include one or more flashbacks in one’s screenplay. We can, of course, understand this compulsion to remain linear, and the gut instinct that to tell the story from...
    • GPCW Screenwriting
    • Blog entry
    • 5 min read
    • Category: Filmmaking
    • editing filmmaking flashbacks monologues screenwriting storytelling
  20. eepybee

    Admitted (After Interview) Stony Brook MFA Screenwriting - 2026

    I really liked this application -- the short scene options were unique and I loved the video pitch (which I was initially most nervous about!). I appreciated the space for creativity. I also really appreciated their rolling admissions timeline and the efficiency of the process.

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