<p>Who has the best screenwriting program that would take me without any experience at all other than some visible talent in writing (710 in writing on my SAT's, I know it's not great but compared with my 520 in math, it's really good for somebody of my intellect) ?</p>
<p>I've got a 3.5 unweighted, top 33% of a competetive highschool, close to 4.1 weighted and 1900 on SATs. 170 volunteer hours and a ton of work experience.</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>The screenwriting programs I know are more interested in your demonstrated ability to tell a story. They will teach you the technical formats at the school, so don’t worry about direct experience as a screenwriter. </p>
<p>Some schools ask for a short story or excerpt from a longer screenplay or creative writing piece you’ve done before, because they want to see how you tell a story. Others want you to compose a new piece just for them with their prompts. It varies.
Often these are requested as Additional Materials to the usual college application essays and so forth that all students would submit. Take extra care with those short answers and essays on the college aps, by the way. They might look there, too, to gauge how you write. </p>
<p>Read some books about Screenwriting (seek out in an online bookstore, used copies abound). That will help you see what is important, for example (not a full list here): characters, an ear for dialogue, imagination, authenticity, emotional sincerity.</p>
<p>If your storytelling ability in written form shows reviewers that you have the ability for them to teach you and move you forward in your work, then you are a candidate. </p>
<p>Nobody here can say who’d take you, or which is the best program for you. But you can do your reseasrch, as you’ve begun and then apply. That’s how to really find out.</p>
<p>I want beam out some encouragement to you about your stats. Doing your math, I get that you got: 670 CR/ 520 Math/ 710 Writing. If I understood that correctly, you are average in the nation for Math (least important to the screenwriting review people), but with a fine showing in CR and Writing, both of which are relevant to anyone in film.</p>
<p>Your grades are solid. You have shown team spirit (essential to film industry work) by volunteering your time generously. I bet there are many stories embedded in your “a ton of work experience” especially if it’s paid work in any capacity, from construction to dishwashing. As you know, there’s a story to be found just about everywhere. Work from these strengths as you describe yourself in your general application. </p>
<p>The structure of each school is different and a bit mysterious, when it comes to review of a submitted creative writing portfolio. In some schools, you’d find a central committee giving you a green light (I would hope) based on reasonable SAT’s and grades for their university in general. Then they’d send your portfolio over to relevant department faculty (theater, film, screenwriting for example) for review.</p>
<p>If They Like Your Portfolio, that’s the whole thing right there. If they don’t, your grades and stats don’t matter at that point. In some schools there seems to be a back-and-forth consultation between the creative reviewers and the central academic reviewers, so your strong grades DO help you. It was worth the effort.</p>
<p>It works differently than other admissions, so do not go comparing yourself negatively to others in your h.s. with 10 or so points higher in any of those SAT scores. They’re pursuing other paths.</p>
<p>Once you hit upon some universities or colleges with programs you wish to pursue, then look up the exact requirements for the creative writing portfolio, skit, or whatever else the department asks you to write. Do that long in advance of admission deadlines, because writing a portfolio, whether it means
putting together existing written pieces, or responding anew to some writing prompt that uni/college department wants to see, it will take more time than the usual application questions. Estimate adding 1/;3 in time to every app, and really start way in advance of deadlines. It compares to how the performers have to run around auditioning, although in a way it’s easier because you do it all from where you now sit!</p>
<p>Schools that have some course offerings in their catalogue, but no major or portfolio review process, might take you just on stats and teacher recommendations in general to their institution of higher learning. I think screenwriting hopefuls should look for as many courses, or even a department, specialization or concentration in screenwriting or dramatic writing, if possible. </p>
<p>Note also that there are other pathways to become a screenwriter than majoring in it during undergraduate years! That’s a much larger discussion than this one post can handle, however. </p>
<p>For this OP: Do not be discouraged when people tell you about “8-12% admit rates to film school departments.” Yes, this is true, but that can be a generalization of all the departments’ majors, from production to directing to screenwriting rolled together. So, when you inquire about admit rates in a film department, see if they’ll break out the Screenwriting admit percentages, if there’s a separate major in screenwriting.</p>
<p>I think if you are committed to screenwriting, as compared to directing, there might be schools where you should say that, since in some places the stats are gentler for screenwriting hopefuls than for directors, for example. Some director-hopefuls put down Screenwriting as their second-choice major, but if it’s truly your first and central hope, then say so. It might help your chances, actually. </p>
<p>Some folks feel screenwriting is their entry point because they only own a computer and don’t have access to the camera equipment. There’s nothing wrong with that, either. In fact, at some film schools you have the option to apply as a director even by submitting a short screenplay, not a video. </p>
<p>If the department reviewers feel you have that spark of talent, plus work ethic to meet deadlines and handle your college courses, that’s a great package to present. Then the faculty can help you develop. Scores, awards, grades take a backseat to the creative review, but the good grades and all show you have follow-through and intelligence. </p>
<p>So focus upon submitting the best possible, responsive written portfolio you can.
OP’s academics will take care of themselves, and are sufficient or above for many programs. </p>
<p>Do not compare yourself statistically with others in your school who have different career goals in the professions. If a committee likes your portfolio, your 3.5 unweighted will trump someone with 3.7 unweighted whose portfolio is dull. </p>
<p>In California, just to get started, look up: Univ of Southern California/School of Cinematic Arts (SCA); Chapman University/Dodge College of Film and Media Arts; UCLA; AFI. UCLA is different because they don’t let you apply to become a film major until the end of sophomore year, so no guarantees going in. </p>
<p>In Massachusetts, check out Emerson College</p>
<p>In upstate NY, look at Ithaca College; downstate, see State University of New York at Purchase, NY (Dramatic Writing Program), and of course New York University/Tisch College in Dramatic Writing.</p>
<p>Midwest: see what you think of the U of Michigan with a up-and-coming emphasis on film.</p>
<p>That’s just a starter list for you. I HOPE OTHERS WILL CHIME IN with more school names for this OP to pursue.</p>
<p>Thanks for the detailed response.</p>
<p>And I’ve actually done some research on film school requirements. Is Syracuse any good? Their requirement is a 5 page written script. I looked at other schools whose main campus are targets for me and I’m looking for a big school overall. I also checked out FSU but they’re way too competetive for me.</p>
<p>Since film school is so competetive, what about a film studies program in the College of Arts and Sciences? Some are concentrations of an English major and some are totally separate.</p>
<p>^^My pleasure.</p>
<p>Film Studies programs can work, but be aware that they approach film from the literary, critical and historic point-of-view. You might compare it to the difference between enrolling in a “Creative Writing” major vs. an “English LIterature” major, as follows: Creative Writing has you reading, then writing original pieces, like crazy. English Lit has you reading, discussing, observing, and evaluating other peoples’ novels and poetry. By analogy, in Film Studies, there are many courses in the history of the film and you learn to perceive and analyze, figure out why it works or not, write many papers about other peoples’ works of film art (or rotten tomatoes). Film Studies departments approach film as visual literature, which is wonderful and elevating. </p>
<p>You might find a strong Film Studies Department and co-major in Creative Writing or English if there are professors who teach screenwriting or dramatic writing classes, for example. Film Studies generates film critics and reviewers who understand and deeply appreciate film as literature, history, and more.</p>
<p>In fact, I think a good strategy for anyone applying to film school, which IS competitive, is: apply to some of them! But in addition, and as safeties, also apply to other schools where there might be a chance to major in Film Studies, Creative Writing, Dramatic Writing, English. Even consider a co-major in English and History, or English and Science. There’s no one precise way to do this, after all. </p>
<p>As well, there is the Master of Fine Arts available to those who come to this later on at the ripe old age of 22, after completing their undergraduate studies in anything! </p>
<p>Everyone needs a Safety, Matches and Reaches. Screenwriters and people who are just keen to do films in some way can apply to several different kinds of colleges and approaches, as your Safety, Match and Reach. If you admire a great screenwriting program but feel it’s too competitive, apply anyway and think of it as your reach. </p>
<p>As always, the most important college on your list is the Safety (or two) and a financial safety as well if that’s relevant to you. Once that’s in place, layer on the Matches, then think of those “competitve programs” as your Reach.</p>
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<p>Well, hey now, since I’m the newly appointed CC moderator for this here Arts Major forum, why don’t we see if anyone from Syracuse wants to chime in?
They have the Newhouse School of Communications.</p>
<p>Also, since you’re in Maryland, look over at Goucher College in Baltimore, a very creative school indeed.</p>
<p>What say others? CHIME IN, please! A screenwriting thread like this could help the OP along, and generate more ideas and experiences for us all.</p>
<p>I’ll be quiet now and hope others chime in with Screenwriting ideas, or any responses stimulated by our dialogue above, MarylandMike09. </p>
<p>Agree or disagree, but remember to stay within the Terms of Service (TOS) for friendly discussion of ideas and experiences.</p>
<p>OK I will do my research on what schools to apply to. Sorry I should have specified that size is important. Any suggestions would be great though.</p>
<p>By the way I forgot to mention I’ve done Cross Country and Track every year of highschool and won the sportsmanship award every season in Cross Country (3/3 so far). So I definitely am a team-oriented kind of guy. And yes your math is correct, 670 on reading. And I do get paid it’s an independent retail store.</p>
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<p>That’s exactly my state of mind, by the way. I’ve thought about being an author too (I figure why not try screenwriter and author and see if I can succeed in one) and I would never do creative writing because I don’t see how trying to muster up a good story could be nearly as beneficial as really learning about great books and great authors. Same applies to film. If film school is like a creative writing program than I’d rather major in film studies and go in-depth on good films and filmmakers then to simply try to become better at screenwriting. Two analogies: Mountain climbing- you gotta go down the mountain to go higher. And the other: It’s like a car- putting your seatbelt on, checking your mirrors, putting off the parking brake, you can’t just put your foot on the gas pedal man. You can still become a better driver but you gotta do other things too not just drive.</p>
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<p>Hey, now your goals are coming into focus. And you’re in luck because there are many, many more colleges and universities that offer Film Studies. A possible reach for you is Wesleyan College in Connecticut, an LAC (liberal arts college) with strong major in Film Studies. Also: NYU, a big university with film critical studies, at NYU I think look towards their College of Arts and Sciences to find film critical studies (whereas film production is at NYU/Tisch). </p>
<p>But when you said, “size matters” – pin that down a bit. Big and small are both sizes! What were you envisioning?</p>
<p>I want big. No smaller than Syracuse. A school where I can have a lot fun every Saturday afternoon of the Fall and some of Winter ;)</p>
<p>See Fordham University in NYC. They do some interesting things in Media Studies! And their size and stat profile seems to resemble yours.</p>
<p>Ahhh sorry you’re on the righttrack but I’m going to have to be really picky and say that it’s pretty important to me that the school doesn’t have a religious affiliation and at least twice the size of that</p>
<p>Is there anything in Los Angeles or other big cities per chance?</p>
<p>See what you think about USC (Unvi of Southern California) in Los Angeles! It’s a large, private university with great attention to film.</p>
<p>And now that we’ve got this poster’s focus out here, I will be quiet and let others chime in with more ideas for him.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, that was a useful brainstorm about screenwriting, that brought out the differencess between film production and film studies. Thank you, MarylandMike09 and good luck!</p>
<p>As a writer and long-time WGA member, my best advice is to major in English. And take lots of courses on Drama Lit., Mythology, History, and psychology. Oh, and the Bible as literature; seminal. Prepare yourself to be a storyteller by learning the great stories. And sure, see all the great films, starting with the silents, and break 'em down. Film History’s good for that. The problem with majoring in film is that you can lose perspective on what really matters, on what’s been done outside the medium, on the history of story-telling. The format? You can buy software for that. The trick is having something worth telling, and learning how to tell it.</p>
<p>I’m a professional screenwriter and have been for 30 years. I can’t tell you how much I agree with what the other WGA member said. Hollywood is lousy with film school graduates who don’t have anything to say, even though they know all about HOW to say it.</p>
<p>Get a liberal arts education. Find a school with a good playwriting program. Learn the foundational stuff. Start with Aristotle’s Poetics, not with Quentin Tarantino’s greatest hits. Become a well-rounded, well-educated person of substance. Learn to be a storyteller and learn to have some stories worth telling.</p>
<p>I’m on this site because I’m ready to slow down on the writing and I’m trying to find a good place to start teaching, and when I do, those are the things I’m going to stress. I’ve spent way too many years reading bad spec scripts from people who don’t know how to tell a story and don’t have anything to say. And to tell you the truth, most of the showrunners I know (myself included) put the “great film school” graduates’ scripts at the bottom of the pile. They’re all derivative and they have no heart, because the person is writing to SELL SOMETHING instead of because they have a story they’re burning to tell.</p>
<p>Is it possible to be a print journalist and a screenwriter? Can you freelance if you write for a TV Show, how does that work? Also, is it hard to be in your own movies/tv shows? I’m also a film actor. I like Northwestern’s Accel Masters program in journalism and may just like to get an MFA in dramatic writing. I like the Tisch Asia program, do they expect you to be more experienced if I went this route? I’m also more interested in writing for tv shows than plays. :)</p>
<p>Wow! datripp and khall356 have shared rare knowledge. My son is a rising senior and wants to become a film maker. He is a good writer and enjoys reading. He prefers larger universities and will be looking at FSU, UW-Madison, UI-Bloomington, Emory, UF, UMiami, NYU,USC and UGA. He will also look at little Denison. The plan is to get a solid LA education and then study Film in graduate school.</p>
<p>Which one of these schools can give him the greatest exposure to Drama Lit, Mythology, Bible (as lit), Aristotle’s Poetics, etc?</p>
<p>I, an old mom, went to the always huge, UW-Madison. As a freshman, personal attention needs to be sought out by the student. #1 son will be a senior at Carleton (econ major) where he received lots of personal attention and by the way, got involved with improv. comedy and theater just for fun…lots of these opportunities. </p>
<h1>2 son will be a frosh at Denison this fall where he has already registered for his classes as a film major. Prior to registration, the cinema dept. head initiated a personal correspondence with him to discuss what aspects of film he was interested in and to save him a spot in the class which best suited this. This same professor also met with him face to face at the June orientation and registration on campus(along with an upperclass student advisor) and helped him plan the rest of his first semester schedule.</h1>
<p>I am impressed by this and by numerous personal touches that Denison (and Carleton) offer students. At the big U’s the classes are more numerous and can have bigger names teaching upperclassmen and grad students but it is easy to get lost in the shuffle if you are a freshman on your own.</p>
<p>To datripp and khall356 Hi, Im Maggie a sophomore in high school and I want to write for Television. Do you have any tips for what I should do for/in college and beyond? Like where I should go or whats the best way to get started. I was thinking either Florida, New York or California for College so I can intern at a studio.
Thanks in advance.</p>
<p>I’m not sure if you are still in high school or if your school offers this, but I took a Virtual High School class in screenwriting. It was incredibly beneficial and taught me a lot about it. Most of the class is writing essays about films we have seen and noticing the technical details that are necessary for screenwriting, but half way through the course, we wrote the first act of our screenplays. So if your school has VHS, I highly recommend taking it.
If you can’t pick up the book “Save the Cat!” by Blake Synder. It’s a very good read, even for someone who does not want to actually write films. It gets to the nitty-gritty detail of structure and really helps with what you do BEFORE you actually start writing.
Once you have either or both of those, download the free screenwriting software Celtx. It is as good if not better than any $500 program, and really helps keep everything organized.
I know I’m only a junior in high school and I don’t have a whole lot of experience with screenwriting, but I hope this helps!</p>
<p>Hi, I’m interested in scriptwriting for animated films. Don’t realy care about location of the university or college. But it’s important that they addmit international students.<br>
Some background about myself: I’m 23 year old russian but in past 9 years lived in 5 different countries in Europe. Have a bachelor degree in International Communications and Multimedia that i got in Denmark. Also worked in biggest animation studio in North Europe- The Animation Workshop. After that spent a year traveling around the world (visited over 50 countries), during what gained a lot of experience in different cultures, traditions and mythology. Want to study scriptwriting for animation because i simply love books and animation became my passion.
So I would like to ask is there such a place that teaches scriptwriting for animated films and where can i read more about it?
Thanks.</p>