I am applying to FILM SCHOOL(UCLA/CSULB) this FALL!! Please help.

[Oquendo]

Hello, I am both very excited and nervous to be applying to Film school this FALL, so I really need some help in BEEFING my application up. I narrowed my top schools down to UCLA and CSULB. I am a bit intimidated at UCLA's process, and I just heard CSULB's B.A. PRODUCTION is getting harder to get into.

<span class="ev_code_YELLOW">BOTTOM LINE:I need help on what a good personal essay and film critique might contain as well as a strong application to get into these schools. </span>

Here is my situation:

I am in a Junior College right now in SoCal(Mt. SAC) I hope to transfer to UCLA or CSULB by FALL 2010(so those of you who are already over there, help a cinematic brother out!)

So far my bare resume` stands:

<span class="ev_code_RED">GPA</span>: 4.0
<span class="ev_code_RED">Extra-Curriculars</span>: Umm..volunteering at a local hospital, and hopefully I will create a FILM club this FALL. Nothing too off-the-wall.
<span class="ev_code_RED">Experiance</span>: My movies have been screened at couple film festivals - LA TIMES FILM FESTIVAL, SANTA MONICA FILM FESTIVAL, and HARVARD-WESTLAKE FILM FESTIVAL(I won for EDITING). As for working on "legitimate" sets, I have none All my experience comes from 'do-it-yourself' workflow, unfortunately.

*SIDE NOTE: I write a lot -scenes, scripts, short stories, etc- and watch a ton of movies. Hopefully I can work this to my advantage!


Here's <span class="ev_code_YELLOW">MY WORK</span>

--unfortunately all of which are from high school -- trying to get a 4.0 and working for $pay$ means no time for making movies although I plan to continue this year.

<span class="ev_code_RED"> WHAT ARE MY CHANCES?</span>

Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated from EVERYONE, especially those are already in UCLA or CSULB or are applying in general!


Thanks to anyone who can help!

-Matt

 

[Dwillforprez]

That's a very impressive resume. I'm just curious, why did you narrow it down to those two schools?

 

[Oquendo]

Well since I live in SoCal, I was able to visit about 7 of the schools I was interested in(I want CA school because regardless of where you go, you most likely end up in LA, and plus for family)

SCHOOLS:UCLA, USC, CHAPMAN, CSULB, CSUN, CSUF, and LOYOLA.

I ranked my visits into three categories: "REACH FOR"(because I'd have to reach for that), "FIGHT FOR," and BACK-UP

It stood:

REACH: UCLA, CHAPMAN, USC, LOYOLA
FIGHT: CSULB, CSUN
BACK-UP: CSUF(I'm 90% sure I'm not going to go here)

CSUN has too many pre-reqs according to a friend, and the production course is based more for TV/MUSIC VIDEO-type stuff, which is good, but I want a lot more theory and criticism.

USC - 'nuff said. I went there and smelled the aroma of the snobbish rich, WASP-y kids(not to say everyone is like that); the diversity is lacking and of the impression of the shorts that I saw, a lot of it seemed mainstream and cliche`. Not enough personal, artistic touches. The faculty bragged about how they would help you "survive" in the business, which is cool, but I would like to analyze and critique films in-depth, and I didn't get that feel there that they cared for personal and experimental films. AND I was going to pay about 54,000 dollars a year for that! I probably be in the hole 150,000 for three years! Although I must say, there equipment is top-notch.

CHAPMAN - I couldn't really see a flaw, except that they seemed almost 'too' immaculate. It was like the Stepford Wives over there. The kicker was when a woman asked whether they were guaranteed jobs and the faculty nervously replied with the usual "We're the best" spiel. If you're going to pay 40-50 grand and end up just as you were had you went to a CSU, then why bother. Diversity was lacking. And the location is inconveniently an hour's way to Los Angeles.

LOYOLA - meh. Mainly because I felt if I was going to a private school, CHAPMAN would be it.

CSULB - It's near Los Angeles. I like the beach. There's diversity all over the campus. There program is getting better every year. And it only costs 3,500 a SEMESTER!

UCLA - This is where I hear theory and criticism is emphasized. I've been to the campus several times and the diversity is massive. I feel when you're surrounded by a people of all different backgrounds, it may give you different impressions of other people's perspectives. I love the city its located in Westwood, and they have a massive collection of old 35mm prints of films I could watch. And UCLA has the best connections in regards to internships.

 

[AshleyM]

I visited Chapman and didn't get the "Stepford Wives" vibe at all from them. It seems like a very well-run place, which they work hard to achieve. They are really helpful, even before you become a student and I have no doubt that things would be the same once someone is matriculated. It's a well-oiled machine, which I think is great.

Also, there are no guarantees anywhere you go, so I don't think it makes sense to count that against a school. Sure, some may have better success than others, but I haven't heard of anywhere that will GUARANTEE work after graduation.

 

[Oquendo]

Also, there are no guarantees anywhere you go, so I don't think it makes sense to count that against a school. Sure, some may have better success than others, but I haven't heard of anywhere that will GUARANTEE work after graduation.

I know, don't get me wrong. But with my PERSONAL situation, I feel I don't have enough money to be spending that much, especially while I could be financing my own work. I think it's a marvelous school and I would go there in a heartbeat if they had accepted me. But for monetary reasons and diversity, I feel UCLA and CSULB are better suited for me. Film schools are "eye of the beholder," right?

Anyways back to the original topic, any suggestions?

 

[airborne911]

I got into CSULB and USC (and a few others). With USC's financial aid offer, I will be taking out less in student loans to go to SC than I would have had to borrow to go to CSULB.

I'm a first-generation Cuban-American college student, and I have seen tremendous diversity on my visits to USC.

In terms of filmmaking at SC, you are right--their focus is more along the lines of mainstream Hollywood, but they do allow for exploration and experimentation. Additionally, there are four required Critical Studies courses in the undergrad production sequence. For students who want more theory and criticism, they offer the Critical Studies major.

Some of the shorts you watched may have been "mainstream and cliche," but you are going to find that in most BA film programs, considering the amount of life experience most undergraduate students have.

I visited CSULB as well, and I sat in on one of their advanced production courses. All of the films I saw there were technically proficient, but the stories lacked truth, drama, and realism. As I mentioned before, I think this has more to do with life experience than with the program.

I've said this on many of my posts and I'll say it again now. No school can teach creativity--they can only teach structure and technical proficiency. Creativity is something that we are born with (or without), and it becomes honed and shaped as we make our way through life.

Personally, I chose USC over CSULB for the obvious reasons--reputation, faculty, equipment, and industry connections. To be honest with you, I would have sold my ass on Hollywood and Vine if that's what it took for me to come up with the money to attend. Luckily, USC helped me out.

Regardless of where you decide to go, I wish you all the best.

 

[Oquendo]

Thanks for the replies. To Airborne: I'm sure USC is great for you, but to me, I feel UCLA is better. Film school is eye of the beholder; you take what you put in.

But is there anyone who can give me any answers to original question?

READ FIRST POST!

 

[Geiver]

I just got into the UCLA program and IT IS ALL ABOUT THE PERSONAL STATEMENT! They don't care about grades or past experience in the film industry, but you better have a good reason for explaining why you haven't made any films being that it is your ultimate passion. You only get 2 pages to tell them why you deserve to be in the program. You need to convey an interesting background, a knack for creativity, and a drive unlike any other. YOU NEED TO STAND OUT! Don't rely on your GPA b/c any UCLA student could achieve a 4.0 at a JC; it just shows you've learned how to make an A. (Have you never been given a minus by the way? b/c they count that at UC's as 3.7) You need to show you're significantly better than the average UCLA student. Life experience, life experience, life experience. Yes, UCLA is a very diverse school and you will be required to contribute to that diversity with the life experience you bring to the table. If you write that you grew up in the Burbs and had a great life with no conflict, then you're not going to get in. The interview is very important as well but don't worry about that until you get invited for one. It is very hard to transfer into the film program from a JC b/c there are a lot of people you are competing with. Just remember, show your quality within the quantity. Think if you were looking at a thousand applications and could only select 15, what would make an app stand out to you?? Write that, and make sure it's the truth.

 

[Oquendo]

but you better have a good reason for explaining why you haven't made any films being that it is your ultimate passion.

I have made movies: http://vimeo.com/oquendo

Just not "professional" type stuff!

(Have you never been given a minus by the way? b/c they count that at UC's as 3.7)

Out of the 11 classes I've taken, only two have been 92% I'm confused, my school says the transcript will read at other schools as just an 'A.' Plus, all those classes are transferable.

1. What about extra-curriculars? Do they make as big a difference?

2. On the film critique, would you recommend some advice on that? What cliche` pictures to stay away from and such

Thanks again for the info! As for your lovely example, I cringe that I am from the valley area(I'm not rich though), but I didn't suffer from any conflicts, maybe just inner turoil? I do have an ethnic upbringing and grew up with many different cultures.

Thank you!