Admitted USC Film Production Student Thread

[SurferJon]

I don't want to clog-up the other thread with questions pertaining to the program when there are still a lot of people trying to figure out if they've gotten in, so I figured I'd just start a new thread for those of us who have been admitted and have questions or want to get to know fellow students.

Important Notes:

- Make sure you've sent in your $300 check to the Film Production program AND that you've confirmed your enrollment on https://camel2.usc.edu/AdmGradCertification/. (Don't use dashes for your ID like I did or it won't work.) You should get two packets in the mail - the first confirms you've been admitted, the second is from the Cinematic Department and has the form you need to send-in with the $300.

- There is going to be a grad welcome party on Friday, April 8th (http://cinema.usc.edu/students/admittedstudents.cfm). According to the invitation, they want you to attend no matter what. Make sure you RSVP to kclark@cinema.usc.edu. You can't bring guests, unfortunately.

- Here is roughly how much the program will cost; this upcoming semester's costs should be revealed within the upcoming weeks: http://www.studentfilms.com/ev...260092716#8260092716

If you've been admitted, tell us about yourself so we can break the ice earlier and get to know each other better. I'll post something about myself later after I finish an assignment that's due in a few hours for one of my film classes at UCI. XD

 

[xenophilius]

Anybody know anything about the nearby neighborhoods? Good places to live and so on?

 

[HI FILM]

Park La Brea, google it.

 

[Suskind]

@SurferJon

Thank you for starting this thread! Never been to LA, so I might have some questions about living there, I think!

I'm still waiting to hear back from other schools, but USC is obviously a contender, given that it is awesome. I would love to tell the board about myself, but perhaps after I get through some interviews this upcoming week?

I am curious also about how, while my potential stay at USC, I would be able to find actors for projects. Does it usually just work out because it is LA and there is a lot of unused acting talent around?

@HI FILM

I googled it, and I'm not sure what I'm supposed to see besides those apartment rooms one could potentially rent?

 

[HI FILM]

It is the safest place to live. I live there. Studios are good for students.

 

[Suskind]

@HI FILM

Cool, it looks very nice! Thank you for bringing it to our attention. Are other areas not so safe? Also, what are the graduate residences like, if you know anything about that?

 

[Tommy]

Hi everyone. Congrats all around.

I've been accepted to USC production and, as of now, will be attending in the fall. I just had an interview at UCLA and will interview at Columbia next Monday, but USC is my home for now.

@Suskind: There are plenty of places to live around USC. It gets a bad rap because the area surround USC ain't great, but there are plenty of places to look out for. I live in Silverlake right now which is about a 10-15 min drive to USC (nothing in LA terms) and it's great. Echo Park is right next to us which is kind of like Silverlake was some years ago. It's got bad pockets, but for the most part pretty safe. That's my area of expertise, but there are honestly good places all around. Don't be fooled by the "scary LA" thing.

 

[creativetype]

@Suskind

Which school is your first choice? Where in Canada are you?

Thanks.

 

[Suskind]

@Tommy

Oh, I don't really believe the "scary LA" thing! I assume those things are exaggerations anyway, but from @HI FILM's comment, I wondered if there are specific areas to watch out for, etc. (as there are in any bustling city).

Also, is it Hell to get around there if I do not have a car? I should make that investment, then? Hmm, now I am also wondering about parking space on campus.

Lots of questions, thanks so much for your help.

@creativetype

I would rather not rank anything yet, since I'm still hearing from schools and I don't know what my options are. But once I hear about everything, I will certainly post it!

I'm in Toronto at the moment. Yourself?

 

[Tommy]

It will be next to impossible to really live in LA without a car sadly. The lack of public transport in Los Angeles is definitely not a wives tale... It sucks!

The thing about LA is that the bad and good areas are not nearly as easily defined as other big cities. I suppose New York is a bit like that too... But the good and bad areas drop off very quickly so it's hard to really say if an area is safe or not. I live next to Echo Park and there are very safe areas there... There are also fairly unsafe areas there so it really depends.

Feel free to PM me if you have areas in mind and I can give you the rundown. I mean, I've lived here all my life and I still don't know exactly where all the good and bad areas are.

 

[Suskind]

@Tommy

Thank you so much for the offer to let me PM you! I'll definitely bother you (far more incessantly) about living in LA once I figure out what I'm doing in a few weeks' time.

I do agree the "good" and "bad" areas distinction can be a bit ridiculous, because it's the people who can make a neighbourhood "bad" -- and how distrustful of people would you have to be to assume that a whole group of people in a particular area are more "dangerous" to be around? So I believe you 100% when you say that it is not terribly well-defined.

But there IS public transport? From some googling, I saw that there are things to ride besides personally-owned car -- is it just that they are not so good?

 

[Mirpanda]

Thanks for starting this thread SurferJon!

I've been wondering about housing myself. My question is, what should one realistically plan to pay monthly for housing, with roommates and alone, if one is depending entirely on financial aid?

According to this site: http://www.usc.edu/admission/f...raduates2/costs.html about $15,700 of the cost of attendance is budgeted for room and board. So if you budget $200 per month for food and other things associated with "board", that leaves about $1,100 per month or rent/utilities. What kind of place, with and without roommates, can you find and in what areas for $1,100 per month or less?

I've been looking into Silverlake. Where's best location in that neighborhood for the price listed above (or is it even possible to live there in that price range?) I've done some research, and it seems like the Northwest area near Los Feliz would be the nicest, but is also the most expensive.

Also, from reading this thread http://www.studentfilms.com/ev...22734/m/79610958/p/1 someone mentioned Franklin Village as being a nice place to live - basically in the Hollywood Hills area near Runyon Canyon, but not in the highfalutin area accompanied by highfalutin prices.

I'll probably fly in the latter part of July to look for a place and sign a lease, and then move my things in the first or second week of August. Just gathering info right now.

 

[Suskind]

What about graduate residences? How are they? Are they more pricey than places off-campus?

Also, still waiting on the package from the cinematic school. I only have one from USC graduate admissions. I think my being Canada must have something to do with that?

 

[Tommy]

Hey Mirpanda!

I live in Silverlake so I can definitely give you a rundown. Message me if you're interested in hearing my spiel.

I'm really, really busy this week which is why I haven't been active on this site, but please feel free to email or PM me with questions.

As a general rule of thumb, I'd say a good price for a nice, but affordable place in some of cooler areas will cost around 600-800 a month depending on things such as roommates and other factors. I have a pretty small, but nice 3 bedroom apartment in Silverlake I share with 2 others and pay 675 a month which is pretty fantastic.

 

[Rooza]

Yay! Thanks Surfer Jon for starting this thread.

I'll be at the event in April, and can't wait to meet all of you! I'm also starting to look really closely at housing -- I applied for USC housing, but it looks like it's really hard to get into at first. I'll be checking out Park La Brea and Silverlake -- I've also heard that Los Feliz is reasonable. Being from Washington, it's tough trying to navigate the "safe" thing. We have our rough spots, but overall it's mainly just common sense rather than knowing the invisible lines I've heard about in LA.

Does anyone know when we register? I know we're all taking the same courses to start out, but I'm looking to transfer my part-time job to Los Angeles (the easiest job for a student in the world, so I want to stay with the company) and would like to be able to get a rough estimate of my school schedule. I know it's still really early in the game, but I'm so excited!

Okay, a little about me: I'm an English major at the University of Washington, graduating in June. I'm an animal lover -- I have 2 dogs and 2 cats who I will have to wrench myself away from in August -- and I toyed with the idea of becoming a veterinarian before realizing that writing and film-making were my callings. I love Star Trek (veritable geek, right here) and I have an addiction to tattoos and the ocean. The Washington coast is pretty much a wasteland most of the year (freezing), so the idea of living in LA is very, VERY attractive.

 

[Anomen1985]

anyone plan on bringing a dog with you to usc?

 

[Suskind]

After looking into it a little more, I am increasingly attracted to the Silver Lake area. I wish I could live in Park La Brea, but the price seems a bit higher than most. Graduate apartments are still an option, despite how expensive they can be. Hoping to find out more when I visit LA in time for the April 8th event!

What is the parking situation like on campus?

 

[xenophilius]

I'm sorta thinking downtown or Westlake. Anybody who knows LA have any guidance? I don't want to drive for more than twenty minutes, and price isn't too much of an issue - after living in New York, LA will seem crazy cheap. My first instinct is downtown, but I hear mixed things about the area.

 

[SurferJon]

Pregunta: I'll be in my last quarter at UCI and I have the option of taking a class either on television writing or Hollywood film business practices. Which one would be more beneficial to take in light of USC's program? I know they teach writing (or you write enough that you learn), but do they teach you about the industry?

 

[Tommy]

Hey everyone. I've noticed a lot of people are interested in Silverlake area. I live there so feel free to PM me. I'm actually in NY for my Columbia interview, but I'll be back to normality on Tuesday and can help you guide everyone around that area.

And once again, congrats all around.