Columbia University MFA Fall 2016

[tutenkhamen]

Thank you for the helpful post, Patrick! Hope you're having a productive time at Columbia! It's currently my top choice and I have a few questions for you.

Eric asked very pointed questions about certain aspects of my film.

Mind sharing with us what type of pointed questions? What film are you referring to? Your Feature Length Treatment? Or your video sample?

I'm asking this because I'm yet to reflect and expand on my treatment, so I'm not sure if I'll be able to answer those questions effectively. :s

 

[Sush]

Congratulations to those that are getting interview calls. I would like to reiterate what @Patrick Clement said. As cliche as it may sound, it's true. Be yourself. Go in with confidence, but no need to "sell" yourself. I also interviewed with Dan and Eric, in person. Here are a few things that may help. It's not necessary this is what you will be asked.

• What kind of films have you grown up on? Or enjoy watching? (I grew up on very mainstream stuff and I told them that. So this is not some trick question to check your film IQ!)
• Which directors you like?
• What's the longest screenplay you have written?
• What lead you to Columbia - as in what's your journey so far?
• Why Columbia?

The interview is very conversational, not formal. You don't feel like you are being grilled. I suck at interviews and my Columbia interview was the only one I wished went longer. The questions they ask are more to get to know you, than to judge you. If you are interviewing, they already think you are good at something, so remember that! Hope this helps!

Good luck!

 

[IndecisiveElle]

I may not have gotten an interview for the MFA program but i did get accepted to the TV Writing Intensive in the summer! Which suits me great as Ive never been to NY in the summer!

 

[bvels]

Anybody else on here interview today? How are we doing? AM I IN YET!?

 

[Tiffany Kontoyiannis]

Has anyone who applied to USC tv and film production heard back?

 

[IndecisiveElle]

Has anyone who applied to USC tv and film production heard back?

Try the main thread for 2016 Interviews, Acceptances, Rejections: http://www.filmschool.org/threads/2016-interviews-acceptances-rejections.24965/page-22#post-155788

You can also look at the spreadsheet members keep about their application statuses here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...orJiTS1z-8vE-7uUttLDdxHtE0/edit#gid=296026242

 

[roar2k]

Does anyone know how many people were invited to interview and how many get accepted from that?

 

[bvels]

Thanks so much to @Patrick Clement and @Sush ! Your advice helped a lot for the interview and made things at least moderately less terrifying. And now we wait!

 

[Patrick Clement]

Mind sharing with us what type of pointed questions? What film are you referring to? Your Feature Length Treatment? Or your video sample?

I was a Directing Candidate and most of the conversation was about my portfolio film. The film sample I included with my application. It was really nice to have a discussion about my film past the good/bad. We discussed what I thought I did right and what I could have done better. Perhaps it was a gauge of my self-awareness of my own work. Who knows.

 

[tutenkhamen]

I was a Directing Candidate and most of the conversation was about my portfolio film.

Hello, Patrick! Thank you for all your informative posts so far!

I have my interview with Columbia on 3rd March, and I'm really tensed since it's my first choice. I'm applying for Directing as well. Could you tell me what exactly did they ask you on your portfolio? My portfolio video was 29 minutes long with 8 of my films' clips in it. I'm not sure what they'll ask.

 

[Patrick Clement]

Hello, Patrick! Thank you for all your informative posts so far!

I have my interview with Columbia on 3rd March, and I'm really tensed since it's my first choice. I'm applying for Directing as well. Could you tell me what exactly did they ask you on your portfolio? My portfolio video was 29 minutes long with 8 of my films' clips in it. I'm not sure what they'll ask.

Really there is nothing I can say to help settle your nerves, I know that sounds kind of cold. But its the truth. If you got an interview request, they saw something in your materials they liked. If your materials screamed HEY THIS IS ME!!! Your interview should reinforce those impressions.

For me, I think my work is fairly confident, I take my work very seriously but I don't take myself very seriously. I could have pretended to be uber confident in my interview but I realized this would somewhat contradict my work and what I wanted to accomplish at an MFA program, but also it would just not be genuine.

These people have interviewed 1,000's of prospective students. They are so good they can smell bullshit through a computer screen and certainly in person. Be real. Be you. Know your work. Know what you want.

If I remember correctly, there were some discussions about the relationship between my protg and her grandmother. I fully conceded that it was an element I would, if I could go back in time, spend more time on.

They also asked about my visual choices, which I elaborated on and explained in detail why I made those choices.

I think Eric asked me about emotional connection between characters (something I still debate and have strong feelings on). I tend to distance characters from each other which reinforces themes of isolation in almost all of my work. Thing is, I am completely aware of it and am interested in expanding my approach. I think we talked about this.

If you'd like, you can watch my portfolio film here:

I just cant emphasize enough, just be you. Speak concisely. Be ok with saying 'I don't know.' Be a human person.

 

[tutenkhamen]

Really there is nothing I can say to help settle your nerves, I know that sounds kind of cold. But its the truth.

Haha, yes, I understand. And no, it didn't sound cold at all.

These people have interviewed 1,000's of prospective students. They are so good they can smell bullshit through a computer screen and certainly in person.

Absolutely. I too, am a little less confident about all of my work (hence the need to learn more!) and I guess it is essential that they get that tone across fine, and naturally at that.

I would, if I could go back in time, spend more time on.

After having my interview with FSU earlier this week, even I feel the same way. There were a lot of things that I wanted to talk about, and show them my real personality better, but I guess there's enough time for that. I'm sure the admissions office at all the schools know how to decide within minutes.

If you'd like, you can watch my portfolio film here...

I partially skimmed through your film, and strangely, a lot of your blocking and stylistic elements remind of my own film that I'd made in the first year of my course! Haha! A LOT of shots look similar, even the blocking choices are so clearly similar! Damn. I'm sure we must have some common influences! [/QUOTE]

I just cant emphasize enough, just be you. Speak concisely. Be ok with saying 'I don't know.' Be a human person.

This is easily the best advice anyone can give for interviews, I guess. I hope mine goes well, and maybe we could bump into each other this Fall! Really excited. Thanks, Patrick!

 

[Paul J.]

@Patrick Clement Thank you so much for sharing your insight of the process and providing a link to your work! I have to say it was one of the better application videos I have seen. I am not surprised you were admitted. Nice job!

Do they tell you beforehand whom you are interviewing with?

 

[Patrick Clement]

@Patrick Clement Thank you so much for sharing your insight of the process and providing a link to your work! I have to say it was one of the better application videos I have seen. I am not surprised you were admitted. Nice job!

Do they tell you beforehand whom you are interviewing with?

I beleiev they do tell you in advance, so I was able to look them up. Thanks for the nice compliments.

 

[tutenkhamen]

I beleiev they do tell you in advance, so I was able to look them up. Thanks for the nice compliments.

Had my interview with Columbia last night, and I must say, it went really well. They were really impressed by my application materials and it was very conversational, which I thoroughly enjoyed cause I was only being myself. Paul Bienen along with another senior professor interviewed me, though I wasn't told beforehand.

I hope I get through, attending Columbia is a dream, but I guess being an international student, it can be a little difficult without fellowships or aid. Let's hope for the best! Will keep you guys updated.

 

[granados_1111]

Had my interview with Columbia last night, and I must say, it went really well. They were really impressed by my application materials and it was very conversational, which I thoroughly enjoyed cause I was only being myself. Paul Bienen along with another senior professor interviewed me, though I wasn't told beforehand.

I hope I get through, attending Columbia is a dream, but I guess being an international student, it can be a little difficult without fellowships or aid. Let's hope for the best! Will keep you guys updated.

That's amazing! Glad to hear it went well

I have my interview next week, on the 17th. I'm a bit nervous as Columbia is my top choice program, so I want to do really well. Any tips or suggestions?

Hope we meet there next semester!

 

[Blue Door]

I'm actually very sad after my interview this year; I've been ghosting here a while reading the advice, and I found my interview to be nothing like everyone else's experience. It was really rushed, and they never brought up my application materials. I was asked a few generic questions about Columbia and then offered a chance to ask any questions of my own. I think they were running a little behind, and maybe I was just doing a poor job at leading them to talk about my personal voice, but now I feel all sorts of doomed. Live and learn I suppose?

My advice to others is to be sure you know what they're trying to ascertain from each answer and to GUIDE THE DISCUSSION.

 

[seok]

I'm actually very sad after my interview this year; I've been ghosting here a while reading the advice, and I found my interview to be nothing like everyone else's experience. It was really rushed, and they never brought up my application materials. I was asked a few generic questions about Columbia and then offered a chance to ask any questions of my own. I think they were running a little behind, and maybe I was just doing a poor job at leading them to talk about my personal voice, but now I feel all sorts of doomed. Live and learn I suppose?

My advice to others is to be sure you know what they're trying to ascertain from each answer and to GUIDE THE DISCUSSION.

Don't worry about it Blue Door. It could go both ways with quick interviews.. mine was pretty short and formal too. There's not much we can do now and I believe like what Patrick Clement said, they know if we are good fit for the school or not from just talking to us and I believe they see enough of what they need to see to make that decision. Best to just keep ourselves distracted for now until we hear back from the school.

 

[tutenkhamen]

That's amazing! Glad to hear it went well

I have my interview next week, on the 17th. I'm a bit nervous as Columbia is my top choice program, so I want to do really well. Any tips or suggestions?

Hope we meet there next semester!

Hello, Granados! I'm sorry for replying so late! Been keeping my eye out on the forum but didn't get a chance to say anything.

Anyway, you still have time to be in the mindset for your interview. I guess they really focus on the WRITING bit, which I really found interesting. They'll talk about your application materials, so be prepared to answer anything that they could ask. But like I said, it'll be very informal and comfortable. So don't worry too much.

Make sure to show them how much Cinema really means to you. They care about storytelling more than anything else. So if you want to shoot on film or cut in an insane studio, Columbia might not be the place for you.

MOST IMPORTANTLY, be yourself. You can, and you MUST have a straightforward conversation with them. Things will be clearer, and it'll go in your favor as a communicator. Just be yourself.

Be available on Skype much before your interview. (weirdly, they add you 15 minutes prior to the Skype connection, unlike FSU, where they add your contact a day in advance)

Keep a bottle of water handy, haha. And wear comfortable + presentable clothes to get into the zone. I took a nice hot shower right before both my interviews, really helped. Haha!

 

[tutenkhamen]

By the way, heads up guys! Judging by last year's trend, Creative Producing applicants might start hearing back tomorrow onwards! (though weekend's around the corner, so I guess next week)