UCLA 2010

[bornfromcelluloid]

It's March!

 

[Asmerza]

Anyone heard back yet. lol
It doesn't feel like March......

Can't wait any longer.

 

[ok2play]

thinking back to my creative writing sample...i don't think i'm gonna get the call or email

 

[Asmerza]

March 2nd!!!

Nothing Yet....

 

[filmnw]

Ouendo: Got into the University. They accept film majors in Jr. year. Yes, I will go to Chapman if USC turns me down. Chapman gave me a really good scholarship. I have a family friend that graduated from Chapman. He is really positive about the program. There are three students from my community that are also there and they really like it. I agree about the $$$$-all these colleges are SO expensive with NO guarantee of getting jobs. I have been told that there are "lots" of jobs in television. LA is certainly more geared toward TV and big movies where as NYU and University of BC are more independent films.

 

[Oquendo]

They accept film majors in Jr. year.

I know. But isn't there an additional interview process? All the applicants were required to submit a portfolio in January as listed on their website due it's impaction as a major. Did they call you about an interview?

LA is certainly more geared toward TV and big movies where as NYU and University of BC are more independent films.

Really? That's very interesting. I assume LA does have a flowing indie track as New York, too. I never heard anything from U of British Columbia until today.

 

[Rob the film guy]

UCLA is less aimed to mainstream IMO. They teach you about how to make a film (vs. how some schools teach you about how to get the big financing and 1-3 specific jobs you can do on a set). Schools are going to take a different approach to how they teach film (the big ones at least) because they dont want to seem like the rest and it works best for them IMHO at least,

 

[Cptn. Amurikuh]

Oquendo, u a fan of The Big Shave? Hilarious!

 

[Oquendo]

Originally posted by Cptn. Amurikuh:
Oquendo, u a fan of The Big Shave? Hilarious!

Of course. I wouldn't say hilarious, though, lol...but rather BRILLIANT. The film even works into today's war climate very well.

I really like "What's a Nice Girl Like You Doing in a Place Like This?"

 

[Oquendo]

Okay...is it mid-March? That way, I can relax for a little bit during Spring Break.

I feel like I am gonna have a heart attack each day checking my e-mail!!!

Does anyone know by what means they are notifying us? Phone/E-mail/Letter?

 

[bornfromcelluloid]

Haha, I feel the same exact way. My heart is palpitating every time I get a new e-mail.

I just searched last years forums and the first notification to an Undergrad seems to have been sent March 20th... so I guess we could base our expectations around that.

Mid-March sounds friendly, the woman on the phone said possibly early March but the thought of that is just making me go mental. I know of someone who just got accepted into the MA in Critical Studies at UCLA and he received an e-mail requesting a phone conference (on March 1st). I think we should be expecting something similar, e-mail/phone.

This month is going to be the most mentally torturous experience... but we can make ittt. Good Luck everyone

 

[Oquendo]

Hey Christah, you seen Shutter Island, yet?

I have to say the film gets so much better in subsequent viewings!

And good luck to all as well!

 

[bornfromcelluloid]

I have and I actually even loved it the first time around . The only thing that really bothered me was the ending.

After being inside of the protagonist's psyche throughout the whole film I felt insanely displaced when we were suddenly looking onto the character from the outside during the last minutes of the film. I personally would have been happier if the ending was left a little more ambiguous.

How many times have you seen it now? Haha. I also just watched The Big Shave. I'm still pretty squeamish so once I got to the ending I was yelling. But it's also definitely clever. I wasn't expecting that blood. I also saw your What's a Nice Girl Like You Doing in a Place Like This?. I really enjoyed that too. It must have taken a hella lotta time to do film/edit that! It's fantastic, brings me back to Snow's Wavelength... being drawn into a picture of waves on the wall . He released that before Snow's film as well. I'm impressed. Looks like I'll be watching more Scorsese! When'd you start getting into him Oquendo?

Does everyone else here have a director whose influenced you? Maybe we can have a distracting conversation on here until interview invitations start being sent out.

 

[Oquendo]

How many times have you seen it now? Haha.

Four times But I work at a movie theater(yeah, I know...cliche`) so it's free!

--------SPOILER NOTICE--------

At this point, I think the movie is not about where it ends up, but the process it takes going there; although your right, it could have been a bit more vague, but even the greatest artists have to work w/ Hollywood suits! I realized during the 2nd/3rd viewing that there are so many clues to the ending that Shutter Island becomes a different movie the second time.

I realized the opening shot gives the whole movie away as Leo is noticeably sick because of the "water" and how the guards are all tense when he arrives. Plus when they flashback on the boat to his wife, we see a shot of flowing "water" afterwards. Just stuff like that thrown in throughout the whole movie makes it different. When you see it again, even the "acting" seems like they are "play-acting."

I'm also curious how Scorsese directed a two-sided movie!

I also just watched The Big Shave. I'm still pretty squeamish so once I got to the ending I was yelling. But it's also definitely clever. I wasn't expecting that blood. I also saw your What's a Nice Girl Like You Doing in a Place Like This?. I really enjoyed that too. It must have taken a hella lotta time to do film/edit that!

Nice! I've tried copying that kinetic type of editing many times in my own work. I heard he was influenced by Shoot the Piano Player and Breathless - also Hiroshima, Mon Amour's fabulous opening sequence, so I guess it all builds upon each other, lol...

When'd you start getting into him Oquendo?

About 14. 'Taxi Driver' made me want to become a filmmaker. I must admit he's is the reason why I am on these boards, why am I applying to film school, and why I am NOT still wondering what to do with my life. Weird, huh?

Plus his films are like entire almanacs of movies where you can see 5 or 6 references within a given scene! References in which I laboriously look fpr - I've been introduced to so many movies that I wouldn't ever have seen unless Scorsese recommended them!

http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/...130&_requestid=49897

As for my influences I would say:

Martin Scorsese
Roman Polanski
Alfred Hitchcock
Michael Haneke
Gus Van Sant
Woody Allen

I also wanna say Luis Bunuel/Ingmar Bergman, but I've only seen like 5-6 movies from each of them so I can't really say I have a mental grasp of their work, lol.

How about you?

Maybe we can have a distracting conversation on here until interview invitations start being sent out.

Yeah, lol, that's exactly why I asked if you saw Shutter Island, lol!

 

[Asmerza]

Any luck anyone???

 

[bornfromcelluloid]

Oquendo, thank you for being so smart. This is a nice introduction to what it could be like to attend a college where students actually care about academics. Intellectual conversations, what?!

------SPOILER-------

I am excited to watch Shutter Island again with your analysis in mind. However, since I unfortunately do not work at a movie theater I'll have to wait a while until it comes out on DVD/Blue Ray. However, I can already begin to see your point.

The point when I realized something was up was the first time we were introduced to Teddy's wife in his "dream sequence." I guess the ending is necessary because of the fact that according this sequence (and the ones to follow), don't really make sense to the story he's acting out.

So I guess if I wanted the ending to be more ambiguous, the whole story would have changed. Thus, I probably wouldn't have enjoyed the film nearly as much.

------

That's awesome that a director had so much influence over you to motivate you to work on this for the rest of your life. He must mean A LOT to you. And if he's referencing that much in a given scene he must also be crazy smart. Then of course, didn't he attend NYU?

I don't think I have any specific directors that have influenced me primarily because I haven't seen enough work from one particular director, but definitely specific films. I'm still working on familiarizing myself with all the crucial ones (that everyone talks about).

My biggest influences I have previously mentioned on this board: Daughters of the Dust, Elephant, Le Gai Savoir, and then there's Heavenly Creatures, The Piano, and Thirst.

I've loved watching/ making films since I was about ten. I just never realized I could pursue a career in filmmaking or even study film until my senior year of high school. I am so happy I finally pursued this... it keeps me alive.

I'm glad we're thinking alike- let's keep this conversation going! It's going to keep me moving throughout the next few weeks.

When did you start studying film? Did your high school have a program? Did you make silly videos with friends when you were younger?


Azmerza, no news over here. I'm hoping the next couple weeks will bring us news. Who/what are your influences for deciding to pursue film?


Anyone else out there feel like chatting while we wait? Lurkers, come out and play!

 

[Asmerza]

The reason why I am interested in film is that I believe that film is the best method of communication to the rest of the world. There are so many people and issues in the world that people are just not well informed about.

I know what many of you are saying right now and that is, oh he's one of those guys, but I am not. I honestly believe that the right film can change the world (not preaching religion...lol) but social changes. Spike Lee inspires me, and I much appreciate all of the work he has contributed to the advancement of film and the type of people who are portrayed in film. It's time to change the world.

 

[bornfromcelluloid]

Spike Lee! Good deal. What's your favorite film by him? Do the Right Thing is absolutely fantastic. Are you looking to concentrate on ethnic and racial issues in your own films too? I'd primarily like to focus on gender relations in my own. But I'm assuming ideas will change and grow as time goes on.

Yay to Kathryn Bigelow for last night!

 

[Oquendo]

Then of course, didn't he attend NYU?

Yes. But that was when the program was new and vibrant to the cinema scene. Don't get me wrong, I think NYU is one of the top film schools, but I feel they are really living off their names and stigma as the "indie" school; plus, for 60 thousand a year and additional camera costs, I had my beef with their tuition costs. According to Scorsese, NYU's film program was just starting out.

I'm still working on familiarizing myself with all the crucial ones (that everyone talks about).

Scorsese is a great one, especially. He does great documentary work on all sorts of filmmakers of the past, which is how I've come to know them and analyze them. I really didn't have clue until I started listening to his commentaries and reading books about him.

My biggest influences I have previously mentioned on this board: Daughters of the Dust, Elephant, Le Gai Savoir, and then there's Heavenly Creatures, The Piano, and Thirst.

Great to see Elephant on there too and a Jean Luc Godard film?!?!? Wow. That's pretty cool!

I've loved watching/ making films since I was about ten. I just never realized I could pursue a career in filmmaking or even study film until my senior year of high school. I am so happy I finally pursued this... it keeps me alive.

Do you have a youtube/video sharing site of your work? Or any art/photography you do?

I'm glad we're thinking alike- let's keep this conversation going! It's going to keep me moving throughout the next few weeks.

Tell me about it. I have sophmore-ites; I really just don't feel like doing any more G.E.'s!!! I am so bored with my classes now and don't feel like putting forth the effort.

When did you start studying film? Did your high school have a program? Did you make silly videos with friends when you were younger?

1. Studying? Analytically, about 2-3 years ago so I still have a lot to learn. Although I had been studying camera shots since I was a kid.

2. Yeah, I was a nerdy video production guy in high school. All the films on my vimeo site are from high school - just me and my friends having some fun, also making films to get our grades in class. The program itself was disorganized and 'meh', but I was allowed to check out 24p cameras(XL-2), tripods, and mics. Last April, I bought an HDV camera that shoots 24!!! I have been trying to finish up this movie which I started shooting junior year(07?). It's hard to keep working when I have to focus on school so much.

And congrats to Miss Bigelow for her highly deserved oscar! I don't usually watch the oscars, except for best director/foreign/cinematography, but I really enjoyed The Hurt Locker.

 

[bornfromcelluloid]

I just finished watching Shutter Island again. Couldn't contain myself. Holy Gosh. AMAZING AMAZING AMAZING. I feel like I just watched a COMPLETELY different film. Holy crap. That's all that can be said at the moment.

I have about two things up on vimeo, one of which I am actually pleased with.

I completely hear you about those Gen Eds and the sophmore-ites. My classes are driving me mad this semester... they're all far from intellectually stimulating.

Good to hear you were the nerdy video production kid in high school, I was always walking around filming everything.

What kind of film are you shooting? That's a spread out shooting period, that's awesome you're still interested in finishing it. Have you gotten to take film courses at your current college?