Chapman Fall 2010

[Johnny206]

Mailing my deposit in on Wednesday or Thursday. Has anyone thought about housing?

 

[Danielldrummond]

Hey there guys

I know this is the section for graduate students, but the undergraduate section is so dead I'm pretty sure I will not get any replies there.

Turns out, I've been accepted to Chapman for the Screenwriting BA program. So we'll probably meet eventually.

Right now I'm trying to decide between Chapman and the University of Kansas. I know, I know, Kansas is not the first (or second, or third) place that comes to mind when one thinks of studying film, but overall, KU is a much better university than Chapman. But, obviously, Dodge College is way, way, way better thank KU film department.

Thing is that, as a undergrad, I want a diverse education, I want to study other languages, cultures, history, participate in a study abroad program, spend hours at the library, talking with the heads of other departments about all sorts of thing, etc.

My interest for the academics is as strong as my interest for production. And even though KU film program may be mediocre (altough the Fiske guide lists is as a unusually strong Film program. go figures) the university as a whole is amazing.

When it comes to Chapman, we all know the film school is superb. But what about the rest of the university? Are there any strong programs in the humanities?

I've got to make a decision by thursday, so ANY help right now would be extremely appreciated.

 

[Rushmoreman]

Dude -- you want to be a writer. Nobody can teach you how to write. Go to the better school that's going to teach you about the world. Or better yet, don't go to school and go walk the land.

If you think you want to be a screenwriter, Chapman has the location, but other than that, it's only you who can teach yourself how to write. The way you do that is to read, write, and travel and live. Kerouac, Ginsberg, and the whole Beat gang dropped out of Columbia to ride around the country and do drugs and get laid. Sounds better than screenwriting school.

 

[New2you]

I have a friend who went to university of Kansas, and he said that he got a pretty crappy education when it comes to film. He said that although he was majoring in film, the department had no equipment, so his whole education was in film theory with no experiance in production. He graduated 2 years ago, moved back to VA, and has been living at home with his parents (unemployed) and has been doing various unpaid internsips to try and get some experiance / build a resume. If I were you, I'd go to Chapman.

On the other side of the coin, if you talk to most of us potential grad students you'll find that we didn't get our BAs in Film. Mine is in English with a minor in Creative Writing. And I don't think it's a bad idea to have experiance in disiplines other than Film. Afterall, you gave to have something to write about to write a script. So if you do decide to go to KU, maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea to chose another major and then come back to film for grad school. Most grad schools don't require you have your BA in film. Just a thought.

 

[Danielldrummond]

Originally posted by New2you:
I have a friend who went to university of Kansas, and he said that he got a pretty crappy education when it comes to film. He said that although he was majoring in film, the department had no equipment, so his whole education was in film theory with no experiance in production. He graduated 2 years ago, moved back to VA, and has been living at home with his parents (unemployed) and has been doing various unpaid internsips to try and get some experiance / build a resume. If I were you, I'd go to Chapman.

On the other side of the coin, if you talk to most of us potential grad students you'll find that we didn't get our BAs in Film. Mine is in English with a minor in Creative Writing. And I don't think it's a bad idea to have experiance in disiplines other than Film. Afterall, you gave to have something to write about to write a script. So if you do decide to go to KU, maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea to chose another major and then come back to film for grad school. Most grad schools don't require you have your BA in film. Just a thought.

Thanks a lot for your insight New2you, really appreciate it. I just found out one can also minor in Game Development at Chapman, so that's a plus for me, since Game Writing is also a interest of mine.

Besides, Chapman also has French, which is the language I was planning to study at KU. And the piece of the cake: Both would cost the same for me to attend. I think Chapman it is.

 

[DJ]

@daniel my undergrad degree will be in business with a minor in law and a minor in film. you might want to look into doing a minor in film and a degree in something that will diversify you a little.

 

[Danielldrummond]

Originally posted by DJ:
@daniel my undergrad degree will be in business with a minor in law and a minor in film. you might want to look into doing a minor in film and a degree in something that will diversify you a little.

Oh yes, the "get a undergrad in something else and then go to grad film school" approach.

I do think that is a great approach, and truth is, I would do it if I could. My situation, however, is a bit different than most here. I am a Brazilian citizen, and being a undergrad international is the worst possible thing when it comes to financial aid (since you are not eligible for federal/state aid). Fortunately, I managed to get selected by the Institute of International Education for their Study America: Undergrad Program. I thanks, to that, I got a very generous scholarship at Chapman.

I can't get any loans, since a US resident signatary is required, and so this is a one in a lifetime opportunity for me. And therefore I must take this chance to study my main interest.

But I do agree about how important you pool of knowledge is when it comes to the stories you tell. That's what I think is so important to go to a college that excels in departments other than Film o/

 

[DJ]

chapman has a great film program, as you know, but i'm not sure about their other liberal arts concentrations. they do have a good business school and a good law school from what i've heard. if film is your passion, i would say stick with chapman because you'll be able to make great films there and be at the center of the industry. good luck in deciding.

 

[Danielldrummond]

Originally posted by DJ:
chapman has a great film program, as you know, but i'm not sure about their other liberal arts concentrations. they do have a good business school and a good law school from what i've heard. if film is your passion, i would say stick with chapman because you'll be able to make great films there and be at the center of the industry. good luck in deciding.

Thanks DJ. I'm really leaning towards Chapman (REALLY LEANING). I think the reason I'm considering KU so much is because I have lived there for a year, know the people, know the campus. The OC is uncharted terrytory for me, but all logical factors point at Chapman.

 

[asr]

sent you a private message, Johnny206!

 

[useyourheadset]

has anyone received their financial aid info? I was told my scholarship amount but haven't heard anything from financial aid office.

 

[DJ]

how did u find out if u got a scholarship or not?

 

[useyourheadset]

Was told on phone when called by school few weeks ago

 

[Danielldrummond]

Does Chapman religious affiliation finds its way into the curriculum?

 

[Mike_V]

what do you mean? are you referring to Chapman offering classes that are religion specific or do you mean interference of religion in classes. If it's the latter, then no, all the films that I've seen have ranged from non-religious, to very religious, to antichrist and there has been no conflict with the school.
I hope that helps.

 

[Danielldrummond]

Originally posted by Mike_V:
what do you mean? are you referring to Chapman offering classes that are religion specific or do you mean interference of religion in classes. If it's the latter, then no, all the films that I've seen have ranged from non-religious, to very religious, to antichrist and there has been no conflict with the school.
I hope that helps.

I mean, are religion classes required? AS far as I know, they are not. But I don't really understant the nature of Chapman's religious affiliation. CollegeBoard lists Chapman as a
"Christian Church (Disciples Of Christ)". I just wonder how is that relevant.

 

[Mike_V]

for undergrad students there are requirements for certain classes *like a liberal arts concept*, but as grad students there are no such classes.

 

[StageMom]

@solojones and Mike_V
Could you please tell us a little more about your experiences during your first year. Solojones, since my daughter will be in the Cinematography program, do you think you brother could share a few tips and thoughts? Congrats to him on his upcoming graduation. Where can we see his thesis film?

@Johnny206
You are smart to start thinking about housing. I have family in the area and have been there a few times. There is another thread from last year titled LIVING@CHAPMAN which we should revive. There is some very good advice and info from "airwindfire" on page 2 and 3 that holds true.

I've been doing some checking and here are a couple of things to know:
Grad student housing is
-by waitlist, then first come first serve after ten students on the waitlist are called for each availability,
-very expensive,
-in apartments over campus storage garages or nicely renovated small 1920's homes near campus

Within 1/2 mile to 2 miles of campus there are several apartment complexes for rentals. Apartments, townhouses and homes for rent are slightly more affordable in the neighboring areas (2 to 5 miles form campus)of Tustin, Garden Grove, and parts of Anaheim (not near Disneyland or the glitzy upscale urban renewal areas). It gets more expensive in Irvine and as you progress toward the south and beach areas.

My daughter weighed her choices, decided on Chapman, and mailed her deposit today. We will be passing through in mid-May (18-19th)and spending two days looking at housing options. She will probably be looking for a non-smoking, substance and alcohol free, prferrrably female roommate to share a two bedroom, (hopefully two bath and two parking) condo within 3 miles of campus.

If you like, I will post notes on what we see in the LIVING@CHAPMAN thread.

 

[MJS11]

@Johnny206 and StageMom - Though I'm still waiting to hear (applied for regular deadline) I'd definitely be interested in any housing info or roommate possibilities if I do get in! Good idea to revive the housing thread to stay in touch about this!

 

[Mike_V]

My experience so far is that life is real busy. I used to be an avid gamer and as soon as Chapman started, all my games grinded to a halt so fast I had a week of repercussion.
As an Editor, I love it here, we get to do alot of work that helps us learn about the other aspects of film making and appreciating it.
Depending on your class size (that refers to how many students for each emphasis) you can either have more work or less work. My experience is that when you are to go on cycles, find out who the director is and talk to them early so that you can get the position you want in the crew.

As to finding living quarters, I highly suggest going to www.rent.com or those kind of sites. They offer you great information and makes life much easier to figure out. I also want to note that very very very few people get the grad housing and it is usually prioritized for those students who have a family, so I highly suggest you find an apartment on your own. I personally live in the Garden Grove area, almost beyond walking distance from The Block and it's awesome. It's about a 8min drive from my apartment to Dodge. I hope that information helps....
If you have any other questions, don't hesitate, so send me a pm or just keep asking