UCLA Interviews?

[Winterreverie]

Does anyone know what to expect from the UCLA interview? I'd really appreciate the help!

 

[Jayimess]

O-H....


....I-O

 

[sa]

New York resident....I've heard UCLA accepts 21 directors...

 

[cinema]

I'm a North Carolina resident....originally from Europe. I've heard they accept 21 directors too.

 

[Winterreverie]

Originally posted by Yossarian:
They definitely only accept 2-3 cinematography students at UCLA. I think they get around 100 applicants, interview 20, and accept 2 (or 3). For directors, they interview between 60 and 70 and accept 18.

Very bad odds indeed.

Yossarian

Not true. I know for a fact they accept 21 directors, so chances are your odds on cinematographers is off too.

I'm from California Tima

 

[rockstar]

Tima, I'm a California resident.

 

[Yossarian]

Not true. I know for a fact they accept 21 directors, so chances are your odds on cinematographers is off too.

That is not what I was told on the phone or when I went in for my interview. I was told they admit 18 directors and 2-3 cinematographers. Thus the total number of students in the production track is either 20 or 21.

It is true that UCLA's web page states that it admits 20 (or 21) people for the production/director track, but it says nothing about the production/cinematography track. So either they completely forgot about the cinematographers or they combined the two.

UCLA's MFA page is itself evidence that they combined the two. If you click on the production/directing link, it takes you to a single page which is titled:

MFA PRODUCTION/DIRECTING
MFA PRODUCTION/CINEMATOGRAPHY

Anyway, I would be very happy if I was wrong and they admitted more since that would only improve my chances.

Also from California,
Yossarian

 

[sa]

Actually, now that you put it that way Yossarian, I wouldn't be surprised if you are right. There is this weird combination of the two disciplines at UCLA that I still don't understand. I guess I would concede that it is possible that the cinematographers are included. Anyone else have ideas on this?

 

[Jayimess]

I got into UCLA!!

Just got the email!


(Screenwriting!!)

 

[Winterreverie]

Jayimess,

Do you know if your status changed on the UCLA website? Or is there correspondence only through email and mail?

(*proud, jealous, and still waiting...*)

 

[rockstar]

Jayimess, Congrats!

Winter, I'm still waiting too even though they told me beginning of April...could be any day now.

 

[surlymonkey]

Hey winterreverie,

At least in my case, the grad decision page still says that no decision has been made. In the acceptance email, it said that a hard copy letter would follow in the mail, and to expect an "official" notification within a few weeks.

They requested a decision by May 4th and said "Your notification informally will assist us in completing the process of students who will be attending". I'm not sure if they officially put people on a waitlist right away, or just let more people in as they get declinations?

 

[Tima]

CONGRATS JAYIMESS! Very happy for you!

 

[sa]

Congrats UCLA acceptees! Congrats Jayimess. Surlymonkey, did you also apply for screenwriting or directing? Has anyone from the directing program heard as well?

 

[wcarnahan]

Thats awesome congrats on getting in.

I am from Souther california too. Yes I interviewed for cinematography, I think it went very well, but I guess I will really find out in the next two weeks or so... Not sure if anyone else has heard from the cinematography yet as far as acceptance?

 

[Sixto]

Congrats Jayimess!

Originally posted by Yossarian:
They definitely only accept 2-3 cinematography students at UCLA. I think they get around 100 applicants, interview 20, and accept 2 (or 3). For directors, they interview between 60 and 70 and accept 18.

Very bad odds indeed.

Yossarian

Also NOT True on the Cinematography numbers!

When I interviewed last Saturday, they had it written on the form that they would be accepting 15 people out of 30. It also said that they traditionally had only accepted 2 to 3 people for Cinematography, but as the program grew and interest grew, they have accepted more people over the years. Those numbers were from when the Grad program in Cinematography just started. Also, I talked to Bill McDonald and Tom Denevoe, the two head Cinematography professors about the website, and they said not to go off of it, and it hasn't been updated for quite some tiem now. I checked and the most recent dates on there are from like 2003. Anyways, I also have a friend who is an undergrad at UCLA, and this person whom talks to the professors on a daily basis said, that out of the 30 applicants scheduled to interview for Cinematography, only 28 showed up. So that just increased the odds, 15 people out of a total 28 choices. PM me for more info, i'd like to know what you talked about, because I heard that 3 applicants talked about the same doc subject and that they thought it was rare and interesting, and they are thinking of bringing those 3 in together so they can make a more powerful film, on the same subject 3 different perspectives.

Also from Cali!

 

[Jayimess]

Originally posted by Winterreverie:
Jayimess,

Do you know if your status changed on the UCLA website? Or is there correspondence only through email and mail?

(*proud, jealous, and still waiting...*)

Still says no decision has been made...last update to my app page was 10.18.06.

No need to be jealous!! You'll get in...I have a feeling.

 

[Jayimess]

Thanks Rockstar! They told me mid-April, I assumed it would be next week...today's email took me by pleasant surprise.

Surly! Congrats as well...does this mean I can have your spot at USC? (haha) What do you think an "informal" notification means? I need a finance package, I need to hear from AFI before I make any decisions.

Thanks, Tima!!

Sa, Thanks to you as well.

WCarnahan, thanks...good luck.

Sixto...thanks so much. Good luck with Cinematography...

 

[surlymonkey]

sa - I applied to screenwriting. It seems like production/directing candidates haven't been notified yet.

Jayimess - Well, you obviously don't need my spot at USC, but someone's gonna get my spot at UCLA!

I'm guessing "informal" notification means they just want us to email them back with our plans since it sounds like the UCLA grad division might be slow about sending "official" paperwork.

Good luck with AFI! I'm sure you'll get in there too.

 

[Yossarian]

Hey Sixto,
You had me convinced for a minute about the cinematography numbers but I looked at the form they handed out titled:

MFA Specialization in Cinematography
A Brief Overview, 2006-2007

It says in the second paragraph:

"Currently 2-3 MFA students in Cinematography are admitted each year with 10-15 MFA Cinematography students enrolled at any time."

So I think the 15 admits you mentioned might be coming from all 4 years of the graduate production program. I guess it's possible that they changed their minds for the 2007-2008 year but it would be pretty odd to hand out such inaccurate information the day of the interview. Does your form say something different? Maybe they realized their mistake and printed out updated handouts for the people that interviewed in the afternoon?

Somewhat confused,
Yossarian

 

[Sixto]

Hi Yossarian,

You are right, my form does say the same thing as yours. I'm now confused myself, because I was always under the impression that they picked more than 2 - 3. I don't think they would jump from 2-3 to 15 admits in one year, so I'm gonna assume your right. But that form is for last year, so maybe they admit more? Anyways, Best of luck!
What did you talk about on your interview, and how do you think it went?