AFI Cinematography - 2021

[Millennimum Nemo]

I'm in the process of readying my application and hoping to finish it by the end of this week. Will be logging into AFI's Info Session tomorrow with Giovanni.

Very few AFI Cinematography threads visible, and none found for the 2021 batch (or I'm just new and haven't figured out the website well enough), hence this thread.

How many of you already applied? Got Interview calls? Got accepted? Preparing to submit as deadline approaches?

As an international student, I'm heavily depending on securing some kind of Scholarship/Financial Aids - Would love to hear from any applicants who were able to secure the AFI Scholarship, or any info. on the status with regards to scholarships at AFI.

The AFI Cinematography - 2020 thread seemed pretty active during the admission process earlier in the year, and would really love to hear from you guys - How has the academic year been so far with the pandemic protocols etc.? Did anyone defer their admissions? How were the classes conducted - Campus/Online? How were the productions going on? etc.

Would love to hear from you all. Cheers!

 

[Millennimum Nemo]

Hey @Chris W , are we the only ones here?

 

[Chris W]

Hey @Chris W , are we the only ones here?

Ha. Traffic will pick up for this program I'm sure on the site. Always does.

In the meantime I'll tag here the people who were admitted last year such as @gocuna @bettscampo @wrongmatt @damianjeon @Leo86 and @Tianyi Liu as they might be able to give you some advice and help.

 

[spencerseye]

Hey! I've been stalking the forums for a while but was waiting to see if anyone else was applying for Cinematography this year. I am also still in the process, I was supposed to film my Ten-Sixty a couple of days ago but fell ill and had to cancel. I talked to bettscampo on instagram and she gave me some really good advice for entry and how AFI is handling COVID. She says that they have some classes in person but smaller groups, shoots are still on location, and any lecture that can be online is. She also mentioned how some students who were admitted earlier in the year got approved for a deferral so that they can start 2021, the year that we would start. Basically means that the chances of us getting in are now even lower .

As far as scholarships, I'm based in America so I think I have to wait until next year or after I know if I got accepted or not. From what I've seen though, there's a lot of international Scholarships available.

 

[Chris W]

Deadline is December 2nd!

How many of you have turned it in? When do you plan on turning it in if you haven't?

I highly recommend not waiting to the last moment btw as one year technical difficulties caused someone to miss the deadline.

Good luck everyone!

 

[georgei]

Is anyone applying to cinematography AND another discipline?
AFI says you can do this. But I wonder if it will give the impression of a lack of focus.
I'm also applying to Editing as well. Not as a backup or anything like that, but out of genuine interest in both crafts (with the background and experience to back it up). What I'm hoping is that the graduate admissions process will help me decide on which to pursue with all my energy.

 

[Millennimum Nemo]

Deadline is December 2nd!

How many of you have turned it in? When do you plan on turning it in if you haven't?

I highly recommend not waiting to the last moment btw as one year technical difficulties caused someone to miss the deadline.

Good luck everyone!

Yeah, heard the same. Turned my application in last week !

 

[Gokuemulation]

Submitted my application and finished the required documents in the Empower system.

 

[Millennimum Nemo]

Is anyone applying to cinematography AND another discipline?
AFI says you can do this. But I wonder if it will give the impression of a lack of focus.
I'm also applying to Editing as well. Not as a backup or anything like that, but out of genuine interest in both crafts (with the background and experience to back it up). What I'm hoping is that the graduate admissions process will help me decide on which to pursue with all my energy.

Hey, I was initially thinking of applying for the 'Producing' discipline in addition to my initial application for 'Cinematography', but ended up not doing so just because I preferred to put all of my efforts into the 'Cinematography' application.

I'd have loved to apply for 'Producing' as well had I been able to prep for the application much earlier and give myself that much more time, but in the end I'm happy I was able to give 100% to the 'Cinematography' application.

Anyway, I don't believe applying for multiple disciplines would be seen as having a lack of focus. If your application speaks for itself in the various disciplines you're applying, then there is no reason for you to be worried Your application will be judged independently with respect to the applied discipline.

 

[Millennimum Nemo]

Submitted my application and finished the required documents in the Empower system.

Great! Good luck to you my friend!

 

[Millennimum Nemo]

Hey! I've been stalking the forums for a while but was waiting to see if anyone else was applying for Cinematography this year. I am also still in the process, I was supposed to film my Ten-Sixty a couple of days ago but fell ill and had to cancel. I talked to bettscampo on instagram and she gave me some really good advice for entry and how AFI is handling COVID. She says that they have some classes in person but smaller groups, shoots are still on location, and any lecture that can be online is. She also mentioned how some students who were admitted earlier in the year got approved for a deferral so that they can start 2021, the year that we would start. Basically means that the chances of us getting in are now even lower .

As far as scholarships, I'm based in America so I think I have to wait until next year or after I know if I got accepted or not. From what I've seen though, there's a lot of international Scholarships available.

Hey! Hope you are feeling alright mate. Did you manage to turn in your application?

 

[jeremygolota]

Is there some of ‘2022 fellows who got into AFI right after undergrad? Is it real?

 

[Isabella B.]

Hi,

Im applying for University applications. I have used shots in my showreel which were shot in 4:3 only camera type but while edit export I cropped top n bottom and made it 16:9 and this is the only format I have of it now.

My worry is,
(A) What could possibly the best professional and correct answer I can have for having a 4:3 shot footage as 16:9 without pillar boxes? (I have to made up a correct reverse methodology to tell them of my working process…as cropping is usually prohibited)
(B) Is 4:3 stretch is really acceptable in professional industry and an accepted practice?
Kindly help with this I am really nervous about the mistake I have done and looking for appropriate cover up that how come I have a footage shot in 4:3 but have final output as 16:9 without pillar boxing and cropping and distortion of framing.

Regards

 

[Millennimum Nemo]

Hi,

Im applying for University applications. I have used shots in my showreel which were shot in 4:3 only camera type but while edit export I cropped top n bottom and made it 16:9 and this is the only format I have of it now.

My worry is,
(A) What could possibly the best professional and correct answer I can have for having a 4:3 shot footage as 16:9 without pillar boxes? (I have to made up a correct reverse methodology to tell them of my working process…as cropping is usually prohibited)
(B) Is 4:3 stretch is really acceptable in professional industry and an accepted practice?
Kindly help with this I am really nervous about the mistake I have done and looking for appropriate cover up that how come I have a footage shot in 4:3 but have final output as 16:9 without pillar boxing and cropping and distortion of framing.

Regards

Hi Isa,

I think its important to understand that there is nothing as a "correct answer" or a "professionally accepted template" when you are dealing with the creation of an artwork, especially when you try to think of all the technical specifics involved. Tech and all its accompaniments are mere tools that help serve our story in the way we want it to be told. So, as long as you're telling your story in the way you intend to tell it, it doesn't matter what aspect ratio your images are. Know that it isn't "wrong" to do so.

Hope this helps and good luck with your applications

 

[Isabella B.]

Hi Isa,

I think its important to understand that there is nothing as a "correct answer" or a "professionally accepted template" when you are dealing with the creation of an artwork, especially when you try to think of all the technical specifics involved. Tech and all its accompaniments are mere tools that help serve our story in the way we want it to be told. So, as long as you're telling your story in the way you intend to tell it, it doesn't matter what aspect ratio your images are. Know that it isn't "wrong" to do so.

Hope this helps and good luck with your applications

Thank you Nemo for your comforting reply.
I realize you are stressing on the fact that creative message should be put across rest technical SOPs wont matter. I understand this but would the selection committee in Universities also consider this? specially when its a Cinematography course. And they would like to see different aspect ratios in your reel, even diversity is also not my concern. I'm worried cause everybody keeps saying don't blur, crop or change aspect ratio of your work in show-reel or else application will be rejected.

So incase I get a chance for the interview, what am I gonna say? I tampered, cropped the footage? which I guess is a no-go and considered a sin, some Uni mentions it and some don't, but mostly its just a given thing. Have you done it yourself and have bypassed the scrutni and any of your acquaintances? Or do you have any insight from the horses mouth like from University professors about their take on such matter ?

 

[Millennimum Nemo]

Thank you Nemo for your comforting reply.
I realize you are stressing on the fact that creative message should be put across rest technical SOPs wont matter. I understand this but would the selection committee in Universities also consider this? specially when its a Cinematography course. And they would like to see different aspect ratios in your reel, even diversity is also not my concern. I'm worried cause everybody keeps saying don't blur, crop or change aspect ratio of your work in show-reel or else application will be rejected.

So incase I get a chance for the interview, what am I gonna say? I tampered, cropped the footage? which I guess is a no-go and considered a sin, some Uni mentions it and some don't, but mostly its just a given thing. Have you done it yourself and have bypassed the scrutni and any of your acquaintances? Or do you have any insight from the horses mouth like from University professors about their take on such matter ?

Hey Isa,

I understand your cause for concern. The main reason that grants/uni applications etc. inform applicants to not blur, crop, colour correct etc. their images is so that they don't tamper their original image with post effects glitz and such. As you can clearly see for yourself that these days people are more concerned about getting that "filimic look" or whatever it is than being concerned about how and why they want to tell their story. That's what the admissions or grants office want to see - gauge your ability to tell a story visually. They do not want to see nor want you to concentrate on all the distracting post-production effects. But yes, do not take my word for it. I think its best that you contact the admissions office of the college you're applying who will be in a better position to guide you if there are any specificities that they want to stress on.

Honestly, I'd not accept admission to any school that tells me that I should use a particular "standardized" aspect ratio because it isn't professionally favoured or whatnot and it implies to tampering of your image. That's just not the type of education or guidance I need. But that's just me and to each their own

Also as for your original concern with the letterboxing on your image, you can just crop out the black bars on the top and bottom making your image look as if shot natively 16:9. I don't that'd be a problem unless the application states to only submit images in 4:3 or any other particular ratio.

Hope this is of any help. Cheers and good luck

 

[Isabella B.]

4:3 shot image on a 16:9 timeline will have Pillar bars (side bars) not any top bottom (letter box) to be cropped.

If a clip has been shot on a Super 8mm, but shown as 16:9, it means its either stretched unnproportionately or cropped footage from top bottom.

I'll check with the University admin.

Thanks

 

[Millennimum Nemo]

4:3 shot image on a 16:9 timeline will have Pillar bars (side bars) not any top bottom (letter box) to be cropped.

If a clip has been shot on a Super 8mm, but shown as 16:9, it means its either stretched unnproportionately or cropped footage from top bottom.

I'll check with the University admin.

Thanks

Yes, I'm aware. I just used "letterboxing" generally so that you get it you can still crop it out. For pillar boxing you can still create a black frame on another video layer (v2), mask it using inverted track matte with a white frame that is 2880 pixels wide by 2160 tall (I guess the numbers are right. This on video layer 3) Nest the result. You should get something related to this on youtube. With this you can mask your 4×3 source layer which you can resize, independent of crop/mask, to fix the boxing issues

 

[Isabella B.]

This seems like some solution! however my mind has not been able to do the calculations instantly, let me get to my timeline and see what you have mentioned. I may PM you to further understand this.

Thanks Nemo.

 

[Millennimum Nemo]

This seems like some solution! however my mind has not been able to do the calculations instantly, let me get to my timeline and see what you have mentioned. I may PM you to further understand this.

Thanks Nemo.

Sure Happy to help!