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What would you have wished someone told you before starting the first semester of the program?
Ask away!
Hello`! I was just admitted to Columbia last week and am excited to get started! I was wondering if you have any advice on budgeting, both for personal expensive and projects. I was also wondering what kind of grants/scholarships I can find once there and how TA positions work (what are the chance of getting once, when you apply, etc).
I'm going in for directing but I'm still unsure if I'd rather be in the screen writing concentration. I was told in the interview that you actually don't decide until second year(?) Is that true?
Thanks! Any advice you can give me would be great!
Hi @abu2030! Thanks for taking time to answer our questions. Would you be able to tell us a bit about collaboration in the program? For example, are many of the crew members for your short films other classmates? Have you paired up with someone in the creative producing track? Do students work together in completing the visual exercises in the directing courses?
Hey! Good questions! The first thing you need to know about collaboration is that is literally the most important reason I chose to apply to this program...so much so that I badgered Dan Kleinman about it endlessly during my admissions interview lol.
We are not always required, but are strongly encouraged to crew in each other's films. There are already people in this program that I know I'm going to keep working with professionally because I'm obsessed with their work and because we have a good time on set. But overall, I cannot emphasize this enough: Columbia really really expects if not demands a collaborative environment. We build each other up and challenge each other. There's really no room for ego or selfishness at this school, IMO.
As for producers, yes. I had a classmate from the creative producer track produce my 3-5 short, and in the spring semester you both have to have one of your classmates produce your 8-12 short and you have to produce one as well (regardless of track).
We also work together on our visual exercises. Some professors require that you DP and edit your own exercises, but otherwise you're both welcome and encouraged to fill in other key positions as needed, including talent. For some exercises I've seen one person do literally everything including act with no help, for other exercises I've seen 8-10 person sets - it really varies based on what your needs for that exercise are.
$20 in workman's comp for any non-CU cast/crew
Does Columbia have a laptop requirement and if not is there a minimum configuration that most students in the program have? My MacBook is on it's last legs and if I do get off the waitlist I don't want to invest in the wrong thing if Columbia has specific recommendations
Does Columbia have a laptop requirement and if not is there a minimum configuration that most students in the program have? My MacBook is on it's last legs and if I do get off the waitlist I don't want to invest in the wrong thing if Columbia has specific recommendations
That would be great, thank you!I emailed Eric about this question as I'm in the same place. He said to hold off and see if the info I get answers the q and if not to follow up with him directly. So if I hear anything I'll let you know.
@abu2030 I'm thinking of putting together an article on the site on something like "Film School in the time of COVID" to help current applicants and people who may be attending schools in the fall. I'd love to be able to interview you (or one of the site's writers will) about how the pandemic is currently affecting you at the school and what the school's plans are for the fall if any. Would this be something that you're interested in?AFAIK it is not a requirement to purchase equipment for the program (except maybe a disk drive if you don't already own one for post class). the school has a state of the art lab where you can do most if not all of your editing.
that said, they do send out a list of equipment recommendations that they think will serve you best while at school, so i'd definitely hold of on buying something new until you get that list if you're already thinking of making a purchase
Dm me.@abu2030 I'm thinking of putting together an article on the site on something like "Film School in the time of COVID" to help current applicants and people who may be attending schools in the fall. I'd love to be able to interview you (or one of the site's writers will) about how the pandemic is currently affecting you at the school and what the school's plans are for the fall if any. Would this be something that you're interested in?
Thanks! I think it'd be a great help for the people on the site.
Hey @abu2030, hope you are keeping well in these trying times. I am from India and planning to apply to the MFA Directing program. Could you let me in on some advice for my application? I would also like to know how common/rare are scholarships for international students. I also wanted to know who shoot your films as the DOP considering there isn't any dedicated Cinematography course.Ask away!