2008 - Interview Offers from NYU or Columbia yet?

[wannabe2]

It's official. Got the rejection letter in the mail. Oh well, good luck to y'all. and hey keep good thought out there for me. Waiting on 3 more schools.

 

[avedgirl]

Congrats two pinger,

Just curious cause I am applying next year, why not NYU? Columbia I understand all the Sundance and Academy Award student winners, their writing teachers way better, but if you could tell me about why Chapman over NYU and point my to their recruiting website. Big Tnx

 

[duders]

Originally posted by santoki:
I've had some absolutely amazing instructors who were only graduate students. A few of them were better than my professors. So I don't think being an adjunct necessarily means someone's a horrible instructor. But of course, I don't know what the situation is like in Singapore.

My posting said nothing of the quality of the instructors in Singapore (aside from Tintor/Anania). In fact, I'm sure they are fine. My statement was meant to refute that it would be the same New York faculty in Singapore.

 

[robertish]

hey duders, i tried to personal message you, but im not sure if i did it right (new to the site)
i was hoping you could speak on the interview experience a bit. appripriate clothes, typical questions, what went well for you, what didnt.
thanks a bunch

 

[Calliegrl03]

wannabe,
i hope everything works out, yaar.

 

[Bandar Albuliwi]

Honestly,

The majority of people on this forum need to question why it is you are going to film school. It seems like most of you only care about the reputation of a school, rather than the stories you want to tell.

I had my AFI Directing interview yesterday. Hopefully I get in there so I can focus on telling stories rather than talk about a reputation of a school because it is based in New York City.

 

[santoki]

Originally posted by duders:
My posting said nothing of the quality of the instructors in Singapore (aside from Tintor/Anania). In fact, I'm sure they are fine. My statement was meant to refute that it would be the same New York faculty in Singapore.

When someone stated that "distinguished NYU faculty" would be teaching in Singapore, I don't think they really meant to say that the majority of New York faculty would be transplanting themselves or commuting to Asia. How insane would that be? Lol. Sure, maybe one or two, but not everyone.

I gather that you're trying to set people straight on the facts, which is all good. I think that's needed here sometimes. But you also concentrate on how the New York campus is better than Singapore's. I really don't think comparison is necessary because it all depends on what an individual wants from a school. Personally, Singapore can't offer me what I'm looking for in a film school, but there might be trailblazers out there who find the program a great fit. They may have the money, ingenuity, and potential to handle the new program and come out of it successful, despite its current bare-boned state (and despite it being a "big cash grab", which I'm sure it is). --And someone can say that those that go to Singapore probably lack the potential to make good of the program, all because they were rejected from NY. But admissions can make mistakes. They can also be right too. If they're right, then someone can go to Singapore and maybe discover an immense growth in their story-telling abilities. Going to a new country and getting out of any comfort zone can really awaken a person.

 

[robertish]

Bandar, thats a little harsh. Sure you probably described a few of the people here accurately, but I doubt theres more than a handfull of people out there stupid enough to put the reputation of a school they might attend before the craft. we all know this is an industry where your graduation means nothing and where your first film and first great screenplay is going to be what counts.
hey good luck in afi though. hope the interview ent well. what kind of stuff did they ask?

 

[santoki]

Bandar seems like a nice guy, but I don't think he'll want to give anyone the edge. Just know why you want to go to film school and be yourselves people!!

 

[peaches]

There are several reasons people seem to care so much about the reputation of a school. A good reputation usually stems from not only great faculty but successful graduates. A prospective student could hope to make important connections with peers, professors and graduates. In the professional world it's useful to have a degree from a school that is well known and respected because it gives you some credible expertise. Going to film school is certainly about telling stories, but it's also the foundation of your career.

 

[Jayimess]

Telling people how the interview went won't necessarily give anyone an edge...

Bandar, yeah, your post was harsh, but you're kinda right, I guess. Film schools are a brand, just as much as law or B-schools. I knew I only wanted to go to a top rated school because I'd dreamed of NYU and USC since I was a child. It was thorough research that made me realize NYU wasn't the place for me, and I didn't apply.

The branding makes the smaller and lesser-known schools, like my undergraduate alma mater, suffer from fewer applicants, but the well-known and established programs know how to determine who's there for the right reasons.

Most importantly, one of the first things they taught us in my first semester was not to compare ourselves to anyone else.

So, if you only apply to a school because of the brand name, that's your call. It shouldn't affect anyone else...and nobody should be forgiven for being pretentious just because they go to a "big five" school...that just makes them a**holes.

Good luck everyone! Stay positive. In two months' time, everything will be decided for you, and you'll look back on this time, amazed at how you could think of nothing else.

I know I do.

 

[duders]

Essentially, I'm disappointed by administration when they are trying to sell this whole Tisch Asia debacle to unsuspecting students as being "The Exact Same Program transplanted to Singapore". There is no doubt in my mind that the people that go there are smart dedicated people, and they will do interesting work.

It's unfair to prospective students to think that Singapore will be a similar experience (aside from location) or that they will be part of a similar program.

 

[wannabe2]

quote:
"The majority of people on this forum need to question why it is you are going to film school. It seems like most of you only care about the reputation of a school, rather than the stories you want to tell."

With all do respect, I don't think ppl. in here are hyper focused on the brand of the school, as much as nervous about being accepted to their idealized version of what film school is to them. Everyone dreams of telling their stories, but it usually begins with the training. I think everyone is aware of that. For me, I merely hope to be able to go to film school at all.

But kudos to you and the AFI interview. You should be proud, and I hope you savor the moment.

 

[peaches]

I don't think anyone is expecting NYU Singapore to be the same experience as NYU in New York, however, it does seem reasonable to expect a quality education at the Singapore site in spite of the newness of the program. Even if it is a corporate move by the school to make more money while expanding NYU's horizons, as an extension of NYU it should have professional, experienced faculty as well as talented students. It does seem lame that the standards for the Singapore program are slightly lower than those of the New York campus since some New York rejects are being offered a chance to go there instead, but the legacy of NYU in New York is a tangible bonus. I'm sure that's not essential to everyone and the Singapore program might be perfect for the right people.

 

[Allen Ho]

I think what a lot of people are worried about, or at least what I am worried about, is whether or not NYU Singapore would provide enough resources to foster a growth in film.

There's a lack of classmates to collaborate with, limited cast and crew resources and the risks of running into problems because of it's newness. I heard a big problem the Tisch Asia people ran into was that there were no b&w photo processing labs in Singapore, which made their first assignment, a black and white silent film, kind of really difficult to achieve.

Reputation means a lot, because it demonstrates a proven track record to produce something of quality. Of course it's not all of it, most of it depends on what the filmmaker gets out of it.

The more I think about Singapore, the less I feel like it would be an ideal for me. I've realized that the stories I want to tell and the impact I want my audience to feel -- are quintessentially American issues. If I went to Singapore, I'd be telling very different kinds of stories.

 

[pinger007]

Hey avedgirl!

First off, NYU is, from what I understand, a fantastic school based on reputation and alumni success. The same can be said of Columbia U. Between the two programs, I would have to side with Columbia for the simple fact that more emphasis is placed on story telling. In the movie industry's current stage, the important thing isn't necessary knowing how to operate equipment, but is instead being able to tell a quality story.

And I will not choose a school based on past alumni success. Sure, Scorcesse, Lee and Columbus attended NYU, but does that mean NYU is the reason they have become what they are. I say it's a mix of talent, drive, and just plain luck. Take a look at folks like Peter Jackson and Q. Tarantino. They never attended NYU, Columbia or USC, let alone attend film school, but they still made it.

Hold up a minute... I'm getting way of topic.

So Chapman... A couple years back, Chapman officially become the most well-funded film school in the world. They have all the best gear, they pay for all student films, and thier located a short drive from countless L.A. internships and part-time jobs. So while you're getting a film education, you can also get your foot in the door as a PA. Another plus is that it's about $80,000.00 less than NYU and Columbia.

And it's 15 minutes from the beach.

 

[pinger007]

It's all about drive, people. Go to film school, bust your butt, make some films, make some friends, cross your fingers, and never stop pushing.

 

[Calliegrl03]

Essentially, I'm disappointed by administration when they are trying to sell this whole Tisch Asia debacle to unsuspecting students as being "The Exact Same Program transplanted to Singapore". There is no doubt in my mind that the people that go there are smart dedicated people, and they will do interesting work."
It's unfair to prospective students to think that Singapore will be a similar experience (aside from location) or that they will be part of a similar program.

So Tisch Asia is a "debacle" to you, duders? NYU Tisch chose to invest and EXPAND in a new campus. The campus is very, very, very, very new, remember? Is it supposed to be perfect already? You may have your opinion about NYU Singapore, but they are students who are happy with the program. Be a good student and make your films in NYC. I'm all for expressing opinions, but there's no reason for you to be so harsh.

 

[Calliegrl03]

I gather that you're trying to set people straight on the facts, which is all good. I think that's needed here sometimes. But you also concentrate on how the New York campus is better than Singapore's. I really don't think comparison is necessary because it all depends on what an individual wants from a school. Personally, Singapore can't offer me what I'm looking for in a film school, but there might be trailblazers out there who find the program a great fit. They may have the money, ingenuity, and potential to handle the new program and come out of it successful, despite its current bare-boned state (and despite it being a "big cash grab", which I'm sure it is). --And someone can say that those that go to Singapore probably lack the potential to make good of the program, all because they were rejected from NY. But admissions can make mistakes. They can also be right too. If they're right, then someone can go to Singapore and maybe discover an immense growth in their story-telling abilities. Going to a new country and getting out of any comfort zone can really awaken a person.

This a great way to state an opinion without sounding like a...fill in the blank, duders.

 

[Luke joseph]

At the end of the day, film school (like any other type of school) is what you make of it. I'm sure that I'm not the first person to say this on the forum, but it is especially true when considering Tisch Asia. I don't think NYU would invest so much if they weren't serious about creating an amazing film school with incredible resources. True, NYU and LA have deeper wells in terms of their proximity to industry but this is not the complete picture. An analogy that seems kind of fitting here is that situation on a film shoot where you don't have all of the equipment that you need in order to get that 'perfect shot'. You could just say "screw-it, my budget isn't big enough to get this shot i'll just scrap it', but the most inventive and creative things often come out of figuring out a new way to solve the problem. I hope that makes sense.

Calliegirl, I just watched your short on facebook and thought it was great. I love the concept. How long was the shoot?