<p>So, I just really want to know if there is that much advantage between the Production major and the Critical Studies major. I know Production students take addtl. courses in sound, writing scripts, directing, and their lvl 300 production courses but with Critical Studies it seems like you can still take other production courses anyways, with a less rigid sort of curriculum. I mean, if I were a Production major, it would be pretty time-intensive in comparison to CS, right? I was wondering if the trade-off of time/ability to handle another major or minor vs. "production major only" courses was worth it, especially if enrollment to other production/writing/animation electives is open to CS students.</p>
<p>Also, I was wondering if USC still owns your films if you are a CS student vs a production student. Is that just the rule for all SC students? I know they own only the physical film vs. the script, but still...</p>
<p>Rule for all SC students. And yes, they only own the physical product itself, not the “concept.”</p>
<p>Yes, being a CTPR major would be more time intensive than being a CTCS major. You can double major as a CTPR major… in fact, there are less major-specific units for CTPR (at least if I just did my math correctly, 44 vs 50), so you’d even have more room for another major with CTPR. But I do not what you mean regarding time-intensiveness, making short films does take a lot of work, I heard even 241 and 290 (the intro production class all SCA majors take) is pretty damn time consuming (taking it in the fall). </p>
<p>In the end, pick based on what you like more. Don’t be one of those kids who’s “only doing crit studies because they’re not doing/didn’t make production.” The question, I guess, is do you wanna do production as your “main thing” and do other things (whether it be crit studies or whatever) “on the side,” or do you wanna do crit studies as your main thing and do production/others things on the side?</p>
<p>I don’t know, I think I read somewhere on the board that the writing major and production major are harder to double major with versus critical studies. But I also watched a video where the guy being interviewed was a double major at USC in physics and production, so I was dubious. I just figured, if I ever want to take a year abroad, my senior year would be pretty full as a production major (the 300 production courses and the final production course) whereas for critical studies, I can take a lot of the required courses in the summer, since they offer them then.</p>
<p>Also I’m applying for both production and critical studies because I want to study film in the most comprehensive way I can…if I didn’t get into production, and I got into CS, i would do CS because I honestly love the idea of studying/watching films, and i know that I would still get experience in film production (the required courses), and I could take a few electives in production/writing anyways. My goal is to someday be a writer/director/producer. (…I know it’s going to be tough…haha, but so are the chances of getting into SC… XD) But I’m leaning more towards CS simply because I think a year abroad would be less difficult to put in there, but i would take studying production just as seriously. there are all the more technical aspects of making a film and all the experience through “doing” i would gain from the major. I might change my mind though. -__- the production major might be challenging time wise, but in the end i know i would make time for it because it’s what i love and want to do.</p>
<p>So, you’re a production major, then? do you enjoy it? i’d imagine SCA is full of bright, ambitious, and creatively-driven people. is this true for the majority? i can’t imagine someone studying film at USC half-heartedly…but it might happen… could you tell me your experience with any of the production courses/electives, if you’ve taken any? </p>
<p>**Correction to above post: “I do know what you mean” (time consuming ness part), not “I do not”</p>
<p>**Read the whole thing, but the bottom paragraph’s the most important. </p>
<p>I’m an Interactive major, but I do have several friends in Production. And I’m a dork when it comes to planning out degree progress. </p>
<p>Definitely, workload wise, Production majors have quite the amount of pressure. But pure credits wise, Production majors have just as much open room as other BA degree candidates, so if you’re good at managing your time and getting stuff done on time, there shouldn’t be any problem for you. Writing’s a whole another story because their degree is a BFA and, by nature of that degree type, they have more major-specific credits. </p>
<p>I’m not sure what the four year plan for Production majors is (your advisor will give you a sheet at orientation that tells you roughly when to take the various required classes), but I wouldn’t be surprised if they finished all their core major requirements by the end of junior year - that’s how it is for Interactive majors. If that’s the case, that leaves you senior year to study abroad (… or if you took junior year off, yes, your senior year would quite likely be very busy). </p>
<p>As I said, I’m in Interactive. But my Production friends love what they do, as much as I love what I do, pretty much for the same reasons - it’s a strange feeling, a combination of being able to do what we love for college and being a part of what is essentially the Juilliard of visual media. You’ll never see anyone (at least, I haven’t) in SCA grumbling about their major - long assignments and big projects maybe, but never the majors themselves. Everyone in SCA is in it because they want to be (unlike, say, premed people who are only in the program because of their parents) and they damn well have the talent to be. Gotta keep in mind though, we’re still college students - we will turn in the occasional late assignment, arrive to class totally trashed once in a while, and so on. You also have the kids who love their major and their classes, but don’t give a **** about academics and don’t show up. I daresay a lot of SCA kids work with this mindset because many of them want to go straight into the industry afterwards, where grades “don’t matter.” I’ll never understand them - I’m planning on law school afterwards, so… yeah. Grades do matter. </p>
<p>You’re a rising senior in high school, I take it? Keep your grades up, make some phenomenal stuff this summer for your creative sample if you don’t have any already. Youtube “School of Cinematic Arts sample” to see creative samples from past applicants - they’ll also usually mention whether they were accepted or not. And honestly, worry about next April.</p>
<p>Interactive major! That’s so awesome. Honestly, everything in SCA just looks like a lot of work…that happens to be extremely fun. :3</p>
<p>I laughed when you said kids in premed are only there because their parents said so. That’s totally true. I have a bunch of friends doing that. XD</p>
<p>And trust me when I say I REALLY want to go to SCA. I’ve ALREADY watched all of the youtube cinematic arts submissions. (: I want to be a filmmaker one day, but I worry about the time to double major because sometimes I think…can’t I be more, too? I AM going to worry about academics because like you, I think maybe law school is an option. My other option would be the Masters @ SPPD…Public Policy/Planning or something like that. People sometimes tell me majoring in film is useless…that it won’t help change the world. But the world doesn’t just need scientists or doctors or lawyers…it needs creative, ambitious minds.</p>
<p>Haha, sorry, I’m rambling again. I think I was having a pretty good conversation with you. Thanks for the advice! And don’t worry, I AM worrying about April. XD</p>
<p>Not sure what you mean by this and I’m hoping it’s a typo and not misguided/wrong information.</p>
<p>Original poster: It’s actually the opposite – much easier to double major/minor when you’re a CTCS major, not CTPR. While a handful of production students DO double major, it’s often at the expense of taking summer classes or staying an extra semester. It also can come at the cost of not enrolling in classes like 480 twice, which essentially means you cannot be a 480 director. </p>
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<p>Hehehe. Sorry, after 4 years of SCA, you can get a little jaded…Yes, there are a lot of creative and really brilliant people at SCA, but they tend to be few and far between. </p>
<p>Some are “business” types that were never really truly “creatively inclined,” but are able to adopt the style of moneymaking films and are strictly in the business to “get big.” </p>
<p>A few use SCA as a academic springboard – but these are almost exclusively CTCS majors, so they tend not to be as stereotypically “creative” as most SCA students. </p>
<p>As the other poster mentioned, there are (surprisingly) a lot of slacker types who never show up to class and never do the work. From my experience, some were just plain ol’ slackers, but a few never did their work because they thought they were “above” the assignments or the coursework. (ie: “I don’t need to do this assignment because I’ve already made a short film that was better than everyone elses’ anyway…” etc.)</p>
<p>There are a lot of film geeks (not surprisingly) who can’t discuss/won’t discuss anything but movies. That’s all they know, that’s all they’re into. I guess that’s OK if you’re like that, too – but I never understood that mindset. I liked to learn about everything and anything because it influenced what I would write – and plus, I had interests other than writing movies and I’d get bored if that’s all I talked about for four years!</p>
<p>As far as a production course plan goes, you are required to finish all your general requirements before you enter the CTPR course track. This means taking all your GEs, intro courses (like CTCS 190) and language classes. Then, you embark upon the short film class sequence – CTPR 290, CTPR 310 and CTPR 480 – while taking production-based electives of your choosing. I think you’re required to take one of each (writing, editing, sound) – but after that, you can focus with your other electives in your desired area of concentration. (You’ll have to check the course plan as it may have changed in recent years.)</p>
<p>CTCS is a lot more open ended, and I think it’s a better program for students who want to dip their toes into writing, production and the academic sides of film. It’s more comprehensive than CTPR and CTWR but places you in many of the same classes as the more specialized majors. (You still take 190 and 290, for instance, and can take many of the production electives and non-major writing courses with the same professors the Writing students have.)</p>
<p>Also, I’m sure it’s not like this all the time – but all the CTCS students I was friends with have good full-time industry jobs while my production friends are still searching (a year after graduation) for steady film work.</p>
<p>^^Straight from the horse’s mouth =] Didn’t know you were a CTPR major Zelds X) Your post was enlightening for me as well. :D</p>
<p>And regarding the major-specific credits note, I know it’s common knowledge that it’s easier to double major as CTCS than CTPR due to the heavy project workload for CTPR, but I’m just pointing out that double majoring isn’t out of the realm of possibility, not at all, for CTPR majors. I’m pretty sure I did the math correct, I just double checked: Unit-wise, CTPR majors only have 44 major specific credits (SCA units, not including foreign lang and GE) if you add everything up from the Undergraduate Degree Requirements, while CTCS majors if you do the same have 50 major specific credits, technically leaving more room for other stuff, at least units wise (I hope I’m making sense, I don’t wanna be the neighborhood rambler, haha XP). However, again, I’m sure that actual time-commitment-wise with projects and workload and such, CTPR majors are far busier.</p>
<p>I was a writing major, not production. I just had several close friends (and a roommate one year) who were production majors, so I know the general scope of the coursework.</p>
<p>And yeah – the CTPR courseload and work it comes with, if you take it seriously and do everything to the best of your ability, would make it very difficult to double major. I knew a few people who did it, but it was at the sacrifice of any number of opportunities. (ie: directing a 480, staying an extra semester, not taking an advanced editing class, etc.)</p>
<p>So, if you’re serious about being a production major – don’t double major and just consider a minor. If you just want the experience but aren’t gung ho on the whole specialization or don’t mind not being a director, then maybe you can double major.</p>
<p>Thanks, to both of you. XD Zelda is always giving helpful advice on SCA threads, so I can only assume she knows a lot about what she’s saying. For instance, I dropped the idea of becoming a CTWR major because of something she posted a while back. I DO love writing…but I Don’t need a $100,000 degree in it, especially because i’m interested in other areas. I didn’t know you have to take 480 twice to be a 480 director…hmm…</p>
<p>I think I will end up majoring in CTCS (more likely) or CTPR [if I get in…hahaha…-_-;] and minoring in a language. I REALLY want to spend a year abroad…so minoring would be more practical. (: thanks again, guys! hopefully next spring, i’ll have some good news!</p>
<p>I think the CTCS program would be perfect for you then. You can study abroad, you can learn a language – it is really the most comprehensive program in SCA and I think, having gone through SCA and seen where everyone ended up, the “best” program to choose.</p>