USC MFA Film & Television Production Spring 2019

Catchyfan

New Member
Hi everyone :)

Just started this thread for USC Spring 2019 applicants to connect with each other.
Anyone else planning on applying? Please feel free to post here.

Good luck to all of us!;)
 
I was initially planning on applying for Fall 2019, but Spring might actually be a better idea. How come you guys wanted to go with Spring rather than waiting for the Fall and starting then?
 
I am also considering Spring 2019, I guess there's still time to apply before 15th of August 2018. However I have one concern, as program that interests me the most is Peter Stark Producing - but I was unable to find it in the application list?..

Website says the application deadline for the program is 15th of Nov 2018 (for Fall 2019), but until today I have no idea how to apply and choose it. So in case Fall 2019 program will appear no longer available - I'll proceed with Film & TV Production (Spring 2019).

My aim is either Feature Film & TV Producer or Talent Agent, so I am not quite sure what program suits my goals best...
 
I am also considering Spring 2019, I guess there's still time to apply before 15th of August 2018. However I have one concern, as program that interests me the most is Peter Stark Producing - but I was unable to find it in the application list?..

Website says the application deadline for the program is 15th of Nov 2018 (for Fall 2019), but until today I have no idea how to apply and choose it. So in case Fall 2019 program will appear no longer available - I'll proceed with Film & TV Production (Spring 2019).

My aim is either Feature Film & TV Producer or Talent Agent, so I am not quite sure what program suits my goals best...
From what I know about Stark, admission to that program is as competitive as it gets. The people who are admitted have usually tried multiple times to get in and failed repeatedly before getting accepted. If you aren’t sure you want to be a producer, you’re probably wasting your time applying to Stark.

But if you do want to go forward with it, you have till November 15 to apply.
USC Cinematic Arts | Application Procedures

I’d suggest if you wanna go that route that you zero in on why producing is gonna be your real goal and then on your application really stress why you deserve to get in at Stark. Good luck!
 
From what I know about Stark, admission to that program is as competitive as it gets. The people who are admitted have usually tried multiple times to get in and failed repeatedly before getting accepted. If you aren’t sure you want to be a producer, you’re probably wasting your time applying to Stark.

But if you do want to go forward with it, you have till November 15 to apply.
USC Cinematic Arts | Application Procedures

I’d suggest if you wanna go that route that you zero in on why producing is gonna be your real goal and then on your application really stress why you deserve to get in at Stark. Good luck!

I am actually more of a contractual / business / management type, not a writer or storyteller (though I believe I have understanding if story is somewhat good or not). I would consider myself as a sales person with an artistic taste, passion for feature films and strong desire to work in the film & TV industry.

So, after reading all available books and materials about talent agencies and film industry, I believe that becoming a producer or talent agent is what I want. But I see that there are no programs preparing future talent agents at all... So I thought that producing is the closest thing to both, correct me if I'm wrong?..

From my most recent search I have this programs in mind:

USC Peter Stark Producing Program
USC Film & TV Production
LMU Film & TV Producing
UCLA Producers Program
Chapman Film & TV Producing
AFI Producing Program (though this one is the most expensive)

I'd really appreciate if someone could suggest me another program options, more focused in the talent agenting business. As after several days search I am still a bit lost here.

Thanks!
 
I'm applying for the spring semester.
I have a question for the concept option for the supplemental part of the application - I'm wondering if this is meant to be descriptive, like a synopsis? I don't really understand the format.
 
I'm applying for the spring semester.
I have a question for the concept option for the supplemental part of the application - I'm wondering if this is meant to be descriptive, like a synopsis? I don't really understand the format.

Hi Esther, I have emailed them before to ask the same question, and they said there is no criteria for the concept option. You can choose the format you would like to write it in. I think a synopsis works.
 
Hi Esther, I have emailed them before to ask the same question, and they said there is no criteria for the concept option. You can choose the format you would like to write it in. I think a synopsis works.

cool, thanks!
i'm writing a documentary treatment but the documentary is from my perspective. so there isn't a set synopsis, it's rather a process of exploration of some questions. do you think there's any problem with explaining what i want to do while i'm explaining it...? i know film is a 'show and tell' kind of thing so i don't want to explain too much but i feel like i'm trying to explain the style of the doc (if that makes sense).
 
ok one more question!
i realized i made a mistake in my audio - it didn't sync properly after i denoised in it audition and moved it back to premiere (sigh). do you think this is a big deal or are they understanding about little mistakes like this?
 
I'm applying this fall. I'm really at a lost with my Personal Statement. I was wondering if it's okay to post the draft here to get some critiques.
I'd love to read it :). I already submitted mine for the Spring so I'm a bit curious what everyone else's will look like.
 
I would like to ask though. How did you guys make the audio for your video samples? It's been nagging me for months how to get quality audio because obviously the camera audio sucks I watched a ton of previously accepted samples (like this one) and I really don't know what equipment is required to get the sound of this quality. Thanks!
 
I would like to ask though. How did you guys make the audio for your video samples? It's been nagging me for months how to get quality audio because obviously the camera audio sucks I watched a ton of previously accepted samples (like this one) and I really don't know what equipment is required to get the sound of this quality. Thanks!
First let me just say that was a fantastic short film. It’s no surprise that got accepted. Thanks for sharing it.

So from what I heard, the secret to that film’s audio is that they didn’t have to do much dialogue. Dialogue is always the hardest thing for sound. They had some basic dialogue but they added audio filters to just about all of it, like phone sounds or muffled talking through the door. Even if the audio for the dialogue was terrible, we wouldn’t know because it was behind a filter.

Most of the audio was just sound effects layered in with the music. The underlying sound was the song playing throughout, and if you have a background song the song itself is usually already in high quality.

Then they had some ambient sounds like birds chirping outside. They probably downloaded those as sound effects online, or maybe they actually went out and recorded it. Freesfx.com has some great sound effects that are high quality if you’re looking for some.

If they recorded the sounds themselves, they probably had a boom and a zoom recorder, or maybe something more professional but I doubt it since this was an application film. But tbh, you could probably get almost as clean sound using an iPhone or something simple. Since almost all of the sounds come from objects filmed in a closeup, like the sound of the markers on the paper, they would have been able to get the boom or phone right up next to the sound and record it cleanly.

I submitted this video.
We mostly did the same sort of thing as the video you linked, with music covering most of it and sound effects layered in around it with a little bit of dialogue behind a filter. And obviously I only submitted the 5 minutes without the credits.
 
First let me just say that was a fantastic short film. It’s no surprise that got accepted. Thanks for sharing it.

So from what I heard, the secret to that film’s audio is that they didn’t have to do much dialogue. Dialogue is always the hardest thing for sound. They had some basic dialogue but they added audio filters to just about all of it, like phone sounds or muffled talking through the door. Even if the audio for the dialogue was terrible, we wouldn’t know because it was behind a filter.

Most of the audio was just sound effects layered in with the music. The underlying sound was the song playing throughout, and if you have a background song the song itself is usually already in high quality.

Then they had some ambient sounds like birds chirping outside. They probably downloaded those as sound effects online, or maybe they actually went out and recorded it. Freesfx.com has some great sound effects that are high quality if you’re looking for some.

If they recorded the sounds themselves, they probably had a boom and a zoom recorder, or maybe something more professional but I doubt it since this was an application film. But tbh, you could probably get almost as clean sound using an iPhone or something simple. Since almost all of the sounds come from objects filmed in a closeup, like the sound of the markers on the paper, they would have been able to get the boom or phone right up next to the sound and record it cleanly.

I submitted this video.
We mostly did the same sort of thing as the video you linked, with music covering most of it and sound effects layered in around it with a little bit of dialogue behind a filter. And obviously I only submitted the 5 minutes without the credits.

Thank you so much for the reply! May I ask what you filmed this with?
 
Hi everyone,

Thought I'd get this thread back on track and introduce myself! My name is Ed, and I am a USC Spring 2019 Applicant as well.

I was on Vimeo last week checking the short film I submitted for my video sample, and noticed it had 2 new views coming from slideroom.com (USC's application portal), one of which was to completion. Pretty exciting -albeit a little nerve-wracking- to know that our applications are currently being reviewed!

Looking forward to connecting with all of you :)
 
Hello,

I was waitlisted for Fall 2018 and I was offered a seat in Spring 2019. I have just received my offer today, and I would love to connect with my future classmates!

Please let me know if you’re accepted to Spring 2019 as well. I would love to add you via FB or Instagram haha!
 
Log your film school application with our Application Database so that we can improve our admissions statistics.




Latest Accepted Applications


Acceptance Data
For up to date Film School Acceptance Rates, including Minimum GPAs, Minimum Test Scores, After Interview and Off-Waitlist Acceptance Rates, Film Experience and Undergraduate degrees of accepted applicants, Age data, and other acceptance statistics for your film program of choice simply navigate to the Acceptance Rates tab on each film school's page in our Film School Database.

For example:
Log your own Application with our application database to help improve the site's acceptance data.

Latest Film School Reviews

  • University of Colorado at Boulder (BFA)
    4.00 star(s)
    Reviewed by: Alumni
    Degree: BA/BS/BFA
    BFA University of Colorado at Boulder BFA Film Production
    Honest review. CU Boulder is an interesting place to learn filmmaking. The University boasts some excellent professors who are actively making...
    • Anonymous
  • University of Central Florida - School of Visual Arts & Design
    4.00 star(s)
    Reviewed by: Current Student
    Degree: BA/BS/BFA
    Concentration: Film - Feature/TV Writing
    UCF Film BFA (College of Sciences - School of Communication)
    UCF's BFA program is split into 4 modalities: narrative production, documentary production, experimental production, and feature/tv writing. I...
    • Anonymous
  • Syracuse University
    4.00 star(s)
    Reviewed by: Current Student
    Degree: BA/BS/BFA
    Concentration: Film
    Syracuse Film and Media Arts - BFA Film
    I'm in my last year at Syracuse University as a member of the department of Film and Media Arts, and it's been a lot of ups and downs. There's a...
    • Anonymous
  • Fitchburg State University
    5.00 star(s)
    Reviewed by: Alumni
    Degree: BA/BS/BFA
    Concentration: Film/Video and Theater
    A Great School with Great Professors!
    I was a student there from 2018-2022 and had a great experience. I would recommend it to anyone, especially people living within Massachusetts...
    • Anonymous
  • Florida State University - MFA in Writing
    5.00 star(s)
    Reviewed by: Current Student
    Degree: MA/MFA
    Concentration: Screenwriting
    Hidden Gem
    Before I get into the details, it's worth mentioning that I'm in my second year at this program and have really enjoyed my time here. I will be...
    • catmom

Latest Applications

Latest questions

Latest Articles

Latest Accepted Applications

Applications
Articles
Forums
Film Schools
Scholarships
Back
Top