BARD anyone?

[birdman78]

ok,
I know this program hasn't been mentioned so far - but I just got an invite for an interview @ Bard. It's upstate - but the program looks interesting, and is cheaper than most schools. I have the feeling that it will be a bit more "film as fine art" - but coming form an art school background I'm not completely opposed to that. Anyone know anything about this program? would be greatly appreciated.

 

[peaches]

I went to Bard for undergrad. As I understand it the MFA programs are actually in session during the summertime, right? The undergrad film faculty is pretty cool, I was in the music department but there was some overlap. A lot of professors commute from New York. And, since it's a summer thing they might even get profs from other schools? It's a gorgeous place to be in the summertime too. If you're into keeping up a separate lifestyle during the year, it might be a great program for you

 

[birdman78]

hey peaches,

thanks for your response. I actually live in Brooklyn right now and like the idea of being able to live in the city and work to pay for my tuition during the year. Sounds like a reasonable concept.
Do you have any knowledge if more narrative films are produced in the department, or is it mainly focused around gallery art/video art kind of settings?

 

[Icarus Ascending]

Wow. This brings back memories.

Back when I was a young Icarus, I considered applying to Bard for undergrad. I toured the campus and spoke to an admissions person, asking about the drama program, the writing program--and the film program. The admissions lady told me that Bard's film students did "many very interesting things with color and sound." I asked if anyone made narrative films, at which point her face got hard and she muttered something about this "certainly not being the place for [me]" before virtually swatting me out the door. This, of course, was ONE admissions person several years ago--so take this with a grain of salt--but it was, indeed, the reason I never bothered to apply.

 

[birdman78]

thanks for your input Icarus,
I am not all that surprised by your story, although I very much enjoyed your humor in telling it. I'll go check it out for myself and see if anything has changed, or if the grad program is different.
where did you end up going?

 

[peaches]

I wouldn't be surprised if the Bard film grad students produce a lot of arty, experimental stuff... but, I would just go up for the interview and try to meet with some of the teachers who you would be studying with. It might be cool to be one of the few students doing narrative work