UCLA Screenwriting MFA 2013 (1 Viewer)

[thehamm99]

Originally posted by crusader10:
i agree to disagree in sense to everyones remarks and insights. i just received the "explanation" email and i understand mistakes do happen. the email also stated i may or may not be (wasnt exactly clear) recommended for the professional program. if i am im going to jump at the opportunity to gain more experience.

Crusader, don't worry about being "recommended" to the professional program. They take many who apply. I had a few people in my class who were extremely new to screenwriting...but as I've said elsewhere, it was a great experience and well worth the price in my opinion.

 

[Hiram Bingham]

thehamm99

No, they only take up to about 20 (my first year of applying they only took 12. I'll explain at the end) out of 60 interviewed so there are quite a few who are included in the interviews who aren't getting in (unless, 45 people are either psychos or have decided to go elsewhere)

The person who interviewed me the first time was not associated with the program, but taught in the undergraduate film program, this was the first year they were conducting an interview, and it was less than a week before the committee made their final decisions led me to that conclusion.

Also, the next year the interviewer listed me as his highest recommendation told me that the interview had little to do with their decision. There are people they interview as a formality (and, I suspect; 1) to satisfy the Graduate Department 2) an opportunity for a good writer to make a connection with an instructor, and 3) to test someone's resolve. The two writers I know who write big movies (seriously, BIG MOVIES) tried FIVE times (personally, I don't think I could handle that rejection).

As to the numbers; It's a two year program, but you're allowed to take three. That means that if a certain class doesn't complete it in two, there are less spots for the new class. There are only so many instructors after all.

A little insight: You are required to complete 5 scripts (assuming you complete it in 2 years). 1st script: 2 quarters, the other 4, a quarter each. For those 4 scripts, you have to pitch your script to the instructor, and they have to enroll you. Which results in, students going to every instructor teaching that quarter, pitching your story, then winding up with the instructor who wants you.

Is that clear? I know it's kind of odd, and hard to explain, but that's the program.

 

[thehamm99]

I actually like that kind of a system. It would be nice to be attached to an instructor who actually is interested in something you are writing.

Do you have any opinion of in person vs skype interviewing?

I'm doing mine in person.

 

[Hiram Bingham]

I know someone who got in on a Skype interview.

Like I said, I think it's more a matter of not being a psycho If they've already pegged you for admission.

But more importantly, you've already done what you can do with your writing sample and your statement of purpose.

Look at the interview as someone who's got a modicum of juice and who'd actually given you their email that you have the chance to network with.

And that's another thing I've noticed; people complaining about their emails not coming from "official" sources. No teacher (6 so far), no T.A. has come from a ucla.edu source.

No rejection (if you read your stuff, it's on you to check back at the grad division website to see your status. They're trixy that way, their email to you is a favor).

Everyone keeps them separate. I suspect, that the email they use while at university is still good after (as soon as you graduate or move on, your ucla email is no good). But I'm the cynical sort.

 

[jeremy's sea]

I heard the story about the unstable student a few years ago from a person who was in the program at the time, so I can corroborate that much of the story. I haven't done an interview yet, so I don't know what to expect, but it sounds as if you're at the end of the list you'll get rejected if they clear their first choices ahead of you... Yikes!

 

[rmarquez]

So would you guys speculate that if you havent heard anything by now, its really not a good thing?

 

[DeathDealer]

Originally posted by jeremy's sea:
I heard the story about the unstable student a few years ago from a person who was in the program at the time, so I can corroborate that much of the story. I haven't done an interview yet, so I don't know what to expect, but it sounds as if you're at the end of the list you'll get rejected if they clear their first choices ahead of you... Yikes!

Honestly, you guys make it sound as though this guy was a serial killer. It mustn't have been that bad, could it?

 

[freakyfreddy]

Originally posted by DeathDealer:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by jeremy's sea:
I heard the story about the unstable student a few years ago from a person who was in the program at the time, so I can corroborate that much of the story. I haven't done an interview yet, so I don't know what to expect, but it sounds as if you're at the end of the list you'll get rejected if they clear their first choices ahead of you... Yikes!

Honestly, you guys make it sound as though this guy was a serial killer. It mustn't have been that bad, could it? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

You know what, I actually have some footage of this student.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gZIuzQcvlTU

 

[WKJoel]

Has anyone on the west coast that's been given an invitation received the phone call actually scheduling the day yet?

 

[sftola]

I'm on the west coast and still haven't scheduled the interview yet.

 

[Hiram Bingham]

The last two years it seems to have gone in waves, a bunch of people would get their interviews scheduled, then nothing for a couple of weeks, then another wave, etc.

In my case, both times I would receive an email from the person conducting the interview to schedule a time the following week.

Two years ago, that happened the beginning of March.

 

[handstokeys]

I got my date and time, but I'm on the East Coast.
I'm excited, but also really nervous. Any ideas on how to prepare, other than "be myself"?

 

[Hiram Bingham]

Be prepared to pitch. Not everyone gets asked but you'll at least be asked what you're working on at the moment.

 

[sftola]

In addition to pitching, I think sometimes you're asked what you would do if you were not admitted to the program, so be prepared for that.

Out of curiosity, for those who have now had their interviews scheduled, how much time transpired between your being invited to interview and the interview actually being scheduled?

 

[The Somethings]

Does anybody have any experience visiting the campus and speaking with the department about the program?

When I called the prospective student number, the student operator wouldn't connect me with anyone because she said they don't want calls from "random people" but said she could answer a "quick" question now. Most schools have people available in person to speak with applicants or at least allow you to sit in on classes but this doesn't seem to be the case at UCLA. Has anyone visited before? How did you go about it?

I drove down from the bay area and I'd hate for this to be a dead end.

 

[handstokeys]

Thanks for the tips. Good to know about the pitching, a little scared about that.

sftola - I think about 2 weeks transpired between the first call notifying me that I got the interview to getting an email.

 

[Screenwriter70]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yh3XW0oZ0pw

 

[sftola]

Just checking in. Has anybody interviewed yet?

 

[honeybadger]

Nope. I still haven't heard anything.

 

[rmarquez]

Do you guys know if you have to go through the interview process to get into the waiting list?