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watch USC/NYU film application

SquaretheJon

SquaretheJon

Hi guys,

As some of you know, this is the season that high school seniors are hearing back from colleges. Two of the schools that I applied to are USC and NYU in film production. I still haven't heard back from these schools yet, but I'm in the "very anxious" stage. For the school supplemental application, applicants had to create a 5-minute movie (for USC. 10-minute movie for NYU), but I decided to make the same movie for both schools (kill 2 birds with one stone).

This is the movie. I am not particularly proud of this production, namely because of the poor-written script and pacing of the movie. I shot this in one night, and edited it in a few days.

I know you guys are not admissions counselors for film schools, but I was wondering if you could think like one when you watch my 5 minute film. Even though I'm confident it's not my best work, do you think this is what USC/NYU are looking for? Tell me what you think!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_N7ZjOA3LxE&list=UUhwpO6j63yS_81y43F0cvFA&index=2&feature=plcp

Thank you!!
 
Well, I kinda skimmed through it because I'm doing something else, but it looks good to me. It's probably better than a lot of the stuff those schools get.

Aside from bad acting and dim lighting, it was pretty good and watchable. The only big thing I didn't like is that the audio is too low. I had to turn up my speakers a good amount just to hear something.

Last thing, why is the missing person poster blank haha?

Good luck with acceptance!
 
Hey. I think you hit on an interesting situation which Hollywood has proven people want to see. But most of the film to me didn't make a ton of sense. Namely, how easy it was for them to escape. The acting was not frantic enough for people in that situation. Also why was it a big deal if she stabbed the kid-napper who most would assume was going to kill them all any way. Any body could have said it was in self-defense. Wasn't really clear on what the missing posters were all about. Who was putting them up? Also you should have re-filmed the ending instead of just recycling the first 30 seconds. Looked a bit lazy.

Otherwise it was watchable and entertaining. Acting needs a bit of work but good actors are just a quick post on L.A. Casting and $100 in pocket. I really hope you get into one of those schools but it's impossible to say what's going to happen. When I was 22 I finished college during a winter semester and the only good film school still accepting applications was Chapman Film. I submitted a short film I did which months later went on to open at Orlando Film Festival and place well in other film festivals around the country. I did not receive entry.

But it's not the end of the world. Just keep making films. You can learn more from researching and making films yourself then you can at an expensive school.

Best of luck.
 
Considering the competition for spots in both schools I suspect
that this movie will not rise above all the others. You know this
is not your best work - many people applying for those schools
will submit their very best work.

The movie is pretty good. Acting wasn’t good which doesn’t bode
well for you as director. A good director needs to enlist good
actors. Your ending doesn’t work for me. An exposed image isn’t
the same as good lighting - there is so much you can do with dark,
moody lighting. However, you have a good eye, nice use of the
camera and good editing skills.

Story, acting and lighting need work. Next one; spend more time on
those aspects.
 
I stopped watching at 1:53 when the two guys started arguing about who was the alpha male...
Up to that point I had already gotten annoyed at the missing person flyer having the black silhouette, the fact the girl didn't seem to have any blue tape with her, the fact the victims weren't afraid nor at least sweating and the dumb way the kidnapper tied the mouth rag...

Sorry but you have to think of all of this little things if you want to attract an attentive audience.
Good luck to you and your project, keep working on them!
 
Thank you all for your honest criticism and input. I agree with basically everything that was said.

For those who are still confused about the plot, it's about 3 teenagers who are kidnapped. In their attempt to escape, they accidentally kill their kidnapper, but since the police are on their way, they will be seen as murderers instead of kidnappees. Ultimately, they're in a catch-22.

Anyways, I regret not spending more time on this film, for this was potentially a life-turning film. I know the admissions counselors are super experienced in what they do and have an eye for talent, so I hope they may look past my bad story, acting, and lighting. But thanks for your compliments and criticism. Anyone else? Thoughts?
 
I know at least at the graduate level, competition to get in as SC is ferocious. Check their median SAT and GPA numbers and see if you're ballpark. If not, pass on it.
 
brianluce said:
I know at least at the graduate level, competition to get in as SC is ferocious. Check their median SAT and GPA numbers and see if you're ballpark. If not, pass on it.
Click to expand...

Yes and no. Yes, SAT's and GPA are a huge factor in admissions, but I feel like film majors are really subjective and unpredictable. Not only that, but college admissions as a whole is kind of unpredictable. I'm not justifying anything or trying to get my own hopes up, but I feel like there's more to the college admission process than a standard SAT and GPA to get into the school. At least that's what I hear - maybe I'm totally wrong..
 
SquaretheJon said:
Yes and no. Yes, SAT's and GPA are a huge factor in admissions, but I feel like film majors are really subjective and unpredictable. Not only that, but college admissions as a whole is kind of unpredictable. I'm not justifying anything or trying to get my own hopes up, but I feel like there's more to the college admission process than a standard SAT and GPA to get into the school. At least that's what I hear - maybe I'm totally wrong..
Click to expand...

Here's the thing, yes, there are other variables, but in ultra competitive programs they need ways to thin the app pool. Grades and SAT (GRE) are the easiest ways to do it. If you don't have great grades or SAT/GRE's then you'll most likely need to come up with something to show them to distinguish yourself. Generally speaking, admissions are Darwinian. Most schools make admission data available, check how many with similar grades and SAT's were admitted, that should give you a baseline.
If you don't get in as a freshman, don't give up, reapply a year or two later as a transfer student.
 
Not trying to be an a-hole here but why would you not apply more time and effort into something that could be life changing? I do hope you learn from it and move in a positive direction, it just seems baffling... Again, best of luck!
 
joey1320 said:
Not trying to be an a-hole here but why would you not apply more time and effort into something that could be life changing? I do hope you learn from it and move in a positive direction, it just seems baffling... Again, best of luck!
Click to expand...

I have mixed feelings about the movie. Because yes, I do regret not applying more time and effort to make it "perfect." But at the same time, I tried to produce a movie to the best of my capability. You do bring up a good point: Why would you not spend time on it if it's so important to you? I don't feel like I totally blew it; just that I could have done better. With that said, I did try my best. I'm not sure if this all makes sense..

But thanks.
 
SquaretheJon said:
I have mixed feelings about the movie. Because yes, I do regret not applying more time and effort to make it "perfect." But at the same time, I tried to produce a movie to the best of my capability. You do bring up a good point: Why would you not spend time on it if it's so important to you? I don't feel like I totally blew it; just that I could have done better. With that said, I did try my best. I'm not sure if this all makes sense..

But thanks.
Click to expand...

I understand and yes it does make sense.
I take it you are young, so I hope now that you can look back on it you learn from the whole experience.

Joey
 
You'd be surprised what some of these schools might accept. They probably see bundles of films that suck and maybe a handful that are great. I'm not sure if this is the way USC or NYU do it, but sometimes schools need to fill a required number of students for a class, picking all the great ones and some of the half-decent ones. Even if you do get in on a half-decent film, that you know you could have tweaked here or there and they go "that's another one we can put in, to fill up a seat". But do you really want to be a student who they want in to fill up a position or to be a student who the program head says "We want that kid in our school."

That's just my theory, but hey I'm only young and I haven't even applied to film school. It's just some food for thought.

But if you do get in, which you may because it seems like you know your way around a camera by the video, then congrats! But if you don't get in, try again. Take some time to produce it, take your time write your script and give them something the acceptance people want to watch.

:) Best of luck!
 
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I'm sure neither school chooses ONLY the best of the best. After
all, it's a school - they do not expect every student to be at the
top of their game when they apply. However, when a student
does not do the very best they can I suspect that plays into their
decision. Many directors who make their admissions film work for
months making sure they have a script they are proud of, go out
of their comfort zone and hire actors rather than friends and
shoot their 5 minute film over days rather than hours. I have
seen thousands of short films, I can tell when the filmmaker has
put in the extra effort. I suspect the admissions people at those
schools can, also.
 
I fully understand what you mean, director. *Unfortunately I will have to pay the consequences.

They told me I was allowed to send them a separate DVD with clips from my other videos. So I'm hoping they will add that in their consideration since I think it *showcases my best work. *

Still, director, you are right. *My mistake will cost me, but there's nothing I can do at this point.. :/ thank you.*
 
I spoke to an admission counselor on the USC campus. From what he said, it is a very small group of people they let in of the hundreds and hundreds of people that apply every semester. He said that the instructors of your first course choice you are applying for (Directing, writing, production etc...) themselves look at, and choose, the applicants. Such as the directing instructor will look at your directing skills, writing for writing etc... If you're going to get into one of the biggest film schools in the US, you need to put every single ounce of effort into what you give them. I know many people have said that already, but it is so very true. If you don't get in this time, try again. But don't submit until you are SURE you couldn't realistically do anything better to your submission. Good luck.
 
MTsquared said:
I spoke to an admission counselor on the USC campus. From what he said, it is a very small group of people they let in of the hundreds and hundreds of people that apply every semester. He said that the instructors of your first course choice you are applying for (Directing, writing, production etc...) themselves look at, and choose, the applicants. Such as the directing instructor will look at your directing skills, writing for writing etc... If you're going to get into one of the biggest film schools in the US, you need to put every single ounce of effort into what you give them. I know many people have said that already, but it is so very true. If you don't get in this time, try again. But don't submit until you are SURE you couldn't realistically do anything better to your submission. Good luck.
Click to expand...

My dad was on the admissions team at USC's filmic writing program -- it's the graduate program. Interesting anecdote, it didn't used to be competitive. You hear about how Speilberg didn't get in to SC film school etc. You know how they picked in his day? The apps were stacked in order received from USPS, they'd just pull enough from the pile to fill the openings. First come first served. Hasn't been that way for a long time though. Dad was there in the 80's and 90's, Harvard grads, Ricky Schroeder, celeb offspring, perfect GRE's, Nicholl fellows etc.
 
Unfortunately. I plan to submit an application for the 2013 semester as a transfer student. I also plan to make something as creative and as well executed as my mind can create in order to gain their attention.
 
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