Happy holiday! Finally, I finished my first semester at the University of Miami as a first year MFA student in the UM Motion Picture Producing program. After one semester here, I think it's a good time for me to write something about the program and share the information here.
I can still remember one year ago, when I applied to film school. I read a lot of useful and interesting information on this forum. As every film student, I applied to the legendary big five film schools (AFI, USC, NYU, Columbia, UCLA) and a few more. Although I landed interviews with Columbia and FSU, both of them ended up putting me on a waiting list. At that time, UM became my best choice. First reason was the location. Miami being the third largest media center in U.S. only behind LA and NYC. There are a lot of opportunities in the local film/tv industry here. The other important reason was receiving a GA position in UM, which provided me with a tuition waiver and a small stipend each month. This scholarship helps me save a lot and it is not an easy thing to get from most film schools.
To be honest, before I came to UM I did a lot of research online about the program. Most reviews of UM here are quite negative. All of that information made me felt a bit skeptical. Nevertheless, I still decided to join the program and pursue my dream career. After just one semester of study here my experience is that the program is much better than what I read in the reviews.
The information I provide in this article is about the MFA program in Motion Pictures. Based on information I have, I am in the last class of the program expected to finish the degree in two years. Future students should expect something different.
As many people already know, there are three tracks at the UM film program, production, producing and screenwriting. Currently, there are many interesting and valuable courses in each track for students to choose. As a producing student, I had access to Producing the Motion Picture, Marketing, Motion Picture Management and Legal Aspects of Motion Picture. Production students, typically take Cinematography, Post-Production and Directing. Screenwriting, students can choose from Analysis of the Screenplay, Writing the Feature Film, etc. For my first semester I took Producing the Motion Picture, Directing, Analysis of the Screenplay and Film Culture. In the Producing class, I learned every aspect of film producing. From hiring a screenwriter to write a screenplay or purchasing a screenplay, negotiating with a studio, budgeting and putting together a production team, to shooting, post-production, marketing and distribution. I learned how a producer functions in the industry. I also worked on pitching, business plans and coverage of unpublished screenplays. I understand what a producer should do when he works with the creative team as well as negotiating deals as a businessman. In Analysis of the Screenplay, I read screenplays and watched films every week and looked at the process of the screenwriter and the director to tell the same story. I did two main script analyses during the semester addressing structure, character development, theme, etc. It is a tough course but I have to say it certainly improved my appreciation of a screenplay. In Directing, I finished 5 short projects this semester. During the process, every student helped with each other's project and that built a close relationship with the group. I learned about blocking, directing actors, framing, lighting, color etc. Everyone showed significant improvement of their skills by the end of the semester. In this class I also studied the work and style of different directors. I did a research paper on Tim Burton who is one of my favorite directors. There was a lot of pressure in this class, especially for the production students. They were taking Cinematography and Directing at the same time. That meant that they had twice as many projects that they had to finish by the end of the semester but most of my production classmates seemed to be content. Although they are exhausted to death, they all felt that they had accomplished a lot in a semester. Compared with the previous courses, the Film Culture course is more relaxed yet still interesting. Every week we watched a film at the Cosford Cinema which belongs to the program. The films would range from the early classics to contemporary international cinema. Then in class, we'd discuss the film and the readings related to the genre, history or movement. I did a research paper on the influence of Asian cinema on Hollywood for this course. I can't speak for all the courses but the ones I took in this semester I certainly enjoyed.
Besides the courses, I want to mention a few professors. Firstly our program director. I haven't taken her course yet but everything I heard about her is positive. I have talked with her several times. Her passion for the program and filmmaking impressed me. She is committed to keep developing and improving the program. My friends in the production track told me that she is also experienced in post-production. Most important, she is always willing to help and spends a lot of time meeting with the graduate students. The director of the Producing track has spent many years in Hollywood as a producer. He doesn't offer a lot of advice or get too close with the students but he is a great teacher. He leads a program which brings 20 students to LA every summer to connect with alumni and professionals, a great opportunity to build connections. The professor of my Film Culture class leads us into passionate discussions about film. She also provides information about film festivals and events. Many students find the Directing professor a bit too animated but I love his class. You cannot imagine how moving it is to see a 50-year old man jump up and down in front of you just want to make you understand how to best frame a shot. The humor helps a lot to remember every word he says in the class. I haven't taken a class with the Cinematography professor this semester, but all of my production friends tell me that they like him and learn a lot in his class. I worked as a Graduate Assistant for a professor who is a top expert on Hitchcock, another great person to work and study with. There are many other experienced professors in the program. I haven't met all of them yet but all are established professionals and willing to help students with their projects.
Ok, after all the positive notes, I have a couple issues to share about the program. The equipment reservation is not perfect. As a graduate producing student I do not get priority when I check out equipment. It seems that students from other majors get more priority. I think this is one of the areas of improvement for the future. I am told that the plan is to purchase equipment exclusive to the MFA program by next year. The soundstage is not well managed. It gets a lot of use over the semester but it is not as well organized as it could be. At last, casting. It is not easy to get professional actors to UM but the situation seems to be improving right now. Film students from get more and more opportunities to work with students from the theatre program. We also cooperate with SAG and can get some awesome actors for our productions.
There is much negative information about the program out there, which is not true. It has taken some time but the program has made a transition. I think the switch to a three-year program is a major improvement. Potential film students should understand that a two-year degree is not enough. An MFA is a terminal degree like a PhD. The only difference being that MFA is focused on creative practice and professional training. I heard from the program director that MFA students in the three-year program will have to choose a primary and secondary area of specialization. For example, a producing student may also choose to study production or screenwriting which can expand their knowledge. I believe with this option future MFA students will have a great advantage over us by their third year. For those students who are concerned about tuition at UM because it is a private school, the film program provides tuition waivers and GA positions for qualified students. I don't know many film schools that provide such opportunities to their students. Let's face it. Film school is not cheap so anytime you can save any money that means more money for your production. I read somewhere that UM owns the copyright of thesis films. That's bull****! The program doesn't own the students' productions even though they provide a subsidy of several thousands for the films. My understanding is that not every film school provides a budget for thesis projects.
I've met many talented and inspiring film students here at UM. We work together as a big family. We meet to talk about recent films, ideas we have for our projects, shooting schedules, etc. Everyone is willing to help each other with their productions and scripts. Although we've only spend a semester together, we are already good friends, almost like a family. As an international student studying in here, I feel great among my classmates.
Some quick check points on the program:
+ Useful courses
+ Great professors
+ Program Director
+ Cosford Cinema: watch films for free and see your production on the big screen
+ Canes Film Festival: on campus annual film festival
+ Inspiring classmates
+ Transition to 3 years
+ Tuition waivers, Graduate Assistantships, Scholarships
+ Students own copyright of their films and thesis work
+ Budget for thesis films
+ Nice campus
+ Nice environment, all year long and the beach
+ Strong alumni network in LA
+ Special programs like LA experience
- Equipment check out
- Soundstage management
- Casting. But improving a lot right now.
- Lack of internship credits (available in the 3 year program)
- Limited promotion of student work film festivals
Finally, I want to say a word about all the negative information out there. Perhaps the program was different in the past but the program now is not as it has been described. And it is bound to become better and better. I know that every student appreciates their program and will say something positive about it. UM may not have the reputation of the legendary big five schools but I learned a lot from my time here and I am very satisfied. I still remember how I felt when I read the reviews of UM over and over. I don't want future students who will apply to UM to agonize the way I did. That's why I wanted to post this review of the program here.
Filmmaking is an art form. It's not about where you went to school but more about yourself. If you have the talent, and you spend your time in film school efficiently, if you bring your heart, mind and dreams to it, then no doubt you'll learn what you must at UM. Be smart, be passionate and be patient. It will take time before you get famous or even land a job in the industry. One of my best friends who graduated from the top university in China told me one thing I want to share with you here: Never be proud of your school, make your school proud of you. You already study and work in the field you love. You will spend your lifetime working in a dream industry. Your effort will bring more and more dreams to other people. What else can you possibly want?
The problem for UM right now I think is that there are not enough famous alumni from the graduate program. I say, let me be the first. Perhaps you think I am crazy. Take a sentence from HUGO: Come and dream with me!
I can still remember one year ago, when I applied to film school. I read a lot of useful and interesting information on this forum. As every film student, I applied to the legendary big five film schools (AFI, USC, NYU, Columbia, UCLA) and a few more. Although I landed interviews with Columbia and FSU, both of them ended up putting me on a waiting list. At that time, UM became my best choice. First reason was the location. Miami being the third largest media center in U.S. only behind LA and NYC. There are a lot of opportunities in the local film/tv industry here. The other important reason was receiving a GA position in UM, which provided me with a tuition waiver and a small stipend each month. This scholarship helps me save a lot and it is not an easy thing to get from most film schools.
To be honest, before I came to UM I did a lot of research online about the program. Most reviews of UM here are quite negative. All of that information made me felt a bit skeptical. Nevertheless, I still decided to join the program and pursue my dream career. After just one semester of study here my experience is that the program is much better than what I read in the reviews.
The information I provide in this article is about the MFA program in Motion Pictures. Based on information I have, I am in the last class of the program expected to finish the degree in two years. Future students should expect something different.
As many people already know, there are three tracks at the UM film program, production, producing and screenwriting. Currently, there are many interesting and valuable courses in each track for students to choose. As a producing student, I had access to Producing the Motion Picture, Marketing, Motion Picture Management and Legal Aspects of Motion Picture. Production students, typically take Cinematography, Post-Production and Directing. Screenwriting, students can choose from Analysis of the Screenplay, Writing the Feature Film, etc. For my first semester I took Producing the Motion Picture, Directing, Analysis of the Screenplay and Film Culture. In the Producing class, I learned every aspect of film producing. From hiring a screenwriter to write a screenplay or purchasing a screenplay, negotiating with a studio, budgeting and putting together a production team, to shooting, post-production, marketing and distribution. I learned how a producer functions in the industry. I also worked on pitching, business plans and coverage of unpublished screenplays. I understand what a producer should do when he works with the creative team as well as negotiating deals as a businessman. In Analysis of the Screenplay, I read screenplays and watched films every week and looked at the process of the screenwriter and the director to tell the same story. I did two main script analyses during the semester addressing structure, character development, theme, etc. It is a tough course but I have to say it certainly improved my appreciation of a screenplay. In Directing, I finished 5 short projects this semester. During the process, every student helped with each other's project and that built a close relationship with the group. I learned about blocking, directing actors, framing, lighting, color etc. Everyone showed significant improvement of their skills by the end of the semester. In this class I also studied the work and style of different directors. I did a research paper on Tim Burton who is one of my favorite directors. There was a lot of pressure in this class, especially for the production students. They were taking Cinematography and Directing at the same time. That meant that they had twice as many projects that they had to finish by the end of the semester but most of my production classmates seemed to be content. Although they are exhausted to death, they all felt that they had accomplished a lot in a semester. Compared with the previous courses, the Film Culture course is more relaxed yet still interesting. Every week we watched a film at the Cosford Cinema which belongs to the program. The films would range from the early classics to contemporary international cinema. Then in class, we'd discuss the film and the readings related to the genre, history or movement. I did a research paper on the influence of Asian cinema on Hollywood for this course. I can't speak for all the courses but the ones I took in this semester I certainly enjoyed.
Besides the courses, I want to mention a few professors. Firstly our program director. I haven't taken her course yet but everything I heard about her is positive. I have talked with her several times. Her passion for the program and filmmaking impressed me. She is committed to keep developing and improving the program. My friends in the production track told me that she is also experienced in post-production. Most important, she is always willing to help and spends a lot of time meeting with the graduate students. The director of the Producing track has spent many years in Hollywood as a producer. He doesn't offer a lot of advice or get too close with the students but he is a great teacher. He leads a program which brings 20 students to LA every summer to connect with alumni and professionals, a great opportunity to build connections. The professor of my Film Culture class leads us into passionate discussions about film. She also provides information about film festivals and events. Many students find the Directing professor a bit too animated but I love his class. You cannot imagine how moving it is to see a 50-year old man jump up and down in front of you just want to make you understand how to best frame a shot. The humor helps a lot to remember every word he says in the class. I haven't taken a class with the Cinematography professor this semester, but all of my production friends tell me that they like him and learn a lot in his class. I worked as a Graduate Assistant for a professor who is a top expert on Hitchcock, another great person to work and study with. There are many other experienced professors in the program. I haven't met all of them yet but all are established professionals and willing to help students with their projects.
Ok, after all the positive notes, I have a couple issues to share about the program. The equipment reservation is not perfect. As a graduate producing student I do not get priority when I check out equipment. It seems that students from other majors get more priority. I think this is one of the areas of improvement for the future. I am told that the plan is to purchase equipment exclusive to the MFA program by next year. The soundstage is not well managed. It gets a lot of use over the semester but it is not as well organized as it could be. At last, casting. It is not easy to get professional actors to UM but the situation seems to be improving right now. Film students from get more and more opportunities to work with students from the theatre program. We also cooperate with SAG and can get some awesome actors for our productions.
There is much negative information about the program out there, which is not true. It has taken some time but the program has made a transition. I think the switch to a three-year program is a major improvement. Potential film students should understand that a two-year degree is not enough. An MFA is a terminal degree like a PhD. The only difference being that MFA is focused on creative practice and professional training. I heard from the program director that MFA students in the three-year program will have to choose a primary and secondary area of specialization. For example, a producing student may also choose to study production or screenwriting which can expand their knowledge. I believe with this option future MFA students will have a great advantage over us by their third year. For those students who are concerned about tuition at UM because it is a private school, the film program provides tuition waivers and GA positions for qualified students. I don't know many film schools that provide such opportunities to their students. Let's face it. Film school is not cheap so anytime you can save any money that means more money for your production. I read somewhere that UM owns the copyright of thesis films. That's bull****! The program doesn't own the students' productions even though they provide a subsidy of several thousands for the films. My understanding is that not every film school provides a budget for thesis projects.
I've met many talented and inspiring film students here at UM. We work together as a big family. We meet to talk about recent films, ideas we have for our projects, shooting schedules, etc. Everyone is willing to help each other with their productions and scripts. Although we've only spend a semester together, we are already good friends, almost like a family. As an international student studying in here, I feel great among my classmates.
Some quick check points on the program:
+ Useful courses
+ Great professors
+ Program Director
+ Cosford Cinema: watch films for free and see your production on the big screen
+ Canes Film Festival: on campus annual film festival
+ Inspiring classmates
+ Transition to 3 years
+ Tuition waivers, Graduate Assistantships, Scholarships
+ Students own copyright of their films and thesis work
+ Budget for thesis films
+ Nice campus
+ Nice environment, all year long and the beach
+ Strong alumni network in LA
+ Special programs like LA experience
- Equipment check out
- Soundstage management
- Casting. But improving a lot right now.
- Lack of internship credits (available in the 3 year program)
- Limited promotion of student work film festivals
Finally, I want to say a word about all the negative information out there. Perhaps the program was different in the past but the program now is not as it has been described. And it is bound to become better and better. I know that every student appreciates their program and will say something positive about it. UM may not have the reputation of the legendary big five schools but I learned a lot from my time here and I am very satisfied. I still remember how I felt when I read the reviews of UM over and over. I don't want future students who will apply to UM to agonize the way I did. That's why I wanted to post this review of the program here.
Filmmaking is an art form. It's not about where you went to school but more about yourself. If you have the talent, and you spend your time in film school efficiently, if you bring your heart, mind and dreams to it, then no doubt you'll learn what you must at UM. Be smart, be passionate and be patient. It will take time before you get famous or even land a job in the industry. One of my best friends who graduated from the top university in China told me one thing I want to share with you here: Never be proud of your school, make your school proud of you. You already study and work in the field you love. You will spend your lifetime working in a dream industry. Your effort will bring more and more dreams to other people. What else can you possibly want?
The problem for UM right now I think is that there are not enough famous alumni from the graduate program. I say, let me be the first. Perhaps you think I am crazy. Take a sentence from HUGO: Come and dream with me!
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