screenwriting

  1. 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?
  2. B

    Applied 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...
  3. 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...
  4. 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...
  5. 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
  6. 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
    • 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
    • Category: Admissions Interviews
  7. 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...
  8. 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.
  9. 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.
  10. 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.
  11. 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...
  12. 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...
  13. 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 &...
  14. 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
    • editing filmmaking flashbacks monologues screenwriting storytelling
    • Category: Filmmaking
  15. 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.
  16. cheeseplank

    Admitted (Off Waitlist w/o Interview) USC - MFA Writing for Screen & Television

    It was my first time applying and I wish I had more information to give or things to say but I was on a time crunch when I started the prep for this application. The writing prompts they give you aren't that hard, but you have to get in the flow of writing. An advice I kept in mind from my...
  17. Zeezaweez

    Admitted but Not Attending (w/o Interview) Columbia College Chicago

    Very easy and simple process. I love how straight forward everything was and it was pretty easy to finish. I also loved they always have open houses for people to get to know the school and get a chance to understand the projects even more.
  18. I

    Attending (Admitted After Interview) LMU Writing for the Screen MFA

    Application process was smooth! I enjoyed it and the prompts and things they ask for were more flexible than some of the other programs, and because of that I felt like I was able to submit my best work. What stood out was the video introduction portion of the application I was a bit nervous to...
  19. B

    Admitted (After Interview) AFI Screenwriting - 2026

    Application process was pretty chill. I was already applying to other MFA programs and was grateful AFI wanted three pages of personal statement instead of one or two because it was more comfortable to articulate my story, my influences, and what I wanted out of the program. I was lucky enough...
  20. M

    Admitted (After Interview) AFI Conservatory - 2026...

    The process was very smooth. I worked on it for many hours each day and found it very engaging and quite fun actually. I suggest starting as soon as possible and being original. Don't go with your first ideas, go with your tenth. Show them things they haven't read time and time again.

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