USC Writing Portfolio--especially from those who got in!

[sophiedog]

Hey guys,
I'm applying to USC for writing in the fall, and for the 20 page writing sample, I'm wondering if you sent in 20 pages of screenwriting or 20 pages of prose. Do you know if USC prefers one over the other?
Thanks!

 

[whatdoyouknow]

To which program are you applying to. I'll be starting my MFA in production in the fall and we didn't need a 20 page sample.

 

[A Plan Unfurled]

Hey Sophie,
Feel free to take this with a grain of salt, but I've always heard that USC prefers non-screenwriting samples. That said, 13 of my 20 pages were the opening to an original screenplay...haha. But, in hopes of not completely disregarding seemingly helpful advice, I did use the other 7 pages to showcase a wide variety of different styles - poetry, journalism, and a bit of prose. Hope this helps.

 

[Icarus Ascending]

Sophie--

I sent 10 pgs of screenplay, 10 of stage play.

--IA

 

[Jayimess]

18 page first act of a feature, two page poem that I used as a VO for a film.

I'd say my class was mostly scripts, with maybe two or three non script submissions that I know of...but I'd heard the same as A.P.U.

 

[sophiedog]

Thanks guys! I'm applying for screenwriting, not production (for whatdoyouknow).
Plan, I didn't know you could submit journalistic pieces. I have an 8 page feature that I'd love to submit, nonfiction of course. That's actually okay with USC? Awesome if it is!

 

[teresabud]

Honestly, at the risk of sounding cheesy, just send in whatever pieces show your skill and passion as a writer. Ultimately, that's really what the admissions office wants to see. And if nothing else, the prompted "creative challenge" scenes will be in screenplay format, so the admissions office will know that you're capable of working in that form.

Best of luck!

 

[A Plan Unfurled]

Sophie,
Was the peice published? If so, I say go for it!

 

[sophiedog]

Yup it was published in a magazine that is sold across Canada, sadly not the States though. Thanks Plan and everyone, good luck in September and keep the forum posted on how you like it there!

 

[Jayimess]

If the piece is non-fiction, I'd put it in the reserve pile...the CCs show your imagination to a certain extent, and the article may show your talent as a writer, but I think you should go for 20 pages of work that show BOTH.

Add the article to your portfolio list, and they'll still know it exists!

That's just me...I had a four page published feature that I thought encapsulated my writing talent and passion for film, but I discarded it in the name of a more creative sample.

 

[sophiedog]

Hmm good advice as always, Jayimess. Maybe I should check with USC admissions to be sure closer to the date. It's definitely a creative article (more of a literary journalism style, lots of dialogue scenes with sources), so maybe it will be okay, but it is nonfiction. The writing is some of my best though (was a big article with info never made public about the country's biggest broadcaster's management...and I'm now blacklisted for applying for any jobs there lol) so I'd like to include it but if I don't use it in the 20 page I'll definitely put it in the portfolio list!

 

[A Plan Unfurled]

I actually sent two creative non-fiction pieces with my app - granted they were only about a page each (I single spaced my writing samples), and didn't accomplish anything as cool as getting me blacklisted in the better half of North America - but they seemed to have done the trick.

In my opinion 8 pages is probably a bit lengthy given the 20 page cap (if you're applying to UCLA definitely send them the whole thing), so maybe an excerpt for SC? But, either way, I definitely think you should include it in some form.

 

[sophiedog]

Lol thanks Plan. It's a tough piece to excerpt from, but it makes me feel better knowing you sent 2 non-fiction pieces--although yes 2 pages is definitely different than 8 (well 7 without the graphic, I can take out the illustration in it so let's say actually 7 pages). I'll have to think about it but I'll send it to UCLA for sure, will apply there too.

 

[hafo]

I have sent two short stories written in prose form. Total was between 15 and 20 pages. I didn't send any screenplay other than the creative challenge requirements. I sent the same short fictions to UCLA and AFI also and they worked.
Good luck!