<p>I've decided to apply to some schools in California. They are:</p>
<p>-University of Southern California
-UCLA
-Loyola Marymount
-Chapman
-Pepperdine
-CSU, LA (I know it's not great, but there's no harm in applying.)
-Stanford (Just for the heck of it.)</p>
<p>And I'll be applying to the various film schools there too. One problem: my passion for film is not something that's really been reflected in my EC's. My school doesn't have a film club, and I've only told one teacher about my desire to make and write movies. I haven't made any movies either, but many of these places require short film submissions, even if they are amateur. I don't have a lot of charismatic or photogenic friends, and the ones I do have are, well, weak actors. I know I shouldn't be expecting top-notch acting in a student film, but even then they're still not that great.</p>
<p>What should I do? Where should I start? I want to make movies, but part of me is such a perfectionist that I fear not making a masterpiece the first go around, even if it is just a five-minute movie which will never, ever see the light of day.</p>
<p>Is there maybe a theatre or acting club, troupe, or class near you that would allow you to use some of their students in exchange for acting practice?</p>
<p>You can apply to USC creative writing major and try to do internal transfer. It’s much easier for Critical Studies than other film major like Production.</p>
<p>It’s harder to get into production major. My daughter has a critical studies major but the degree will say cinematic arts.
Her Production friends didn’t fare any better than her in job experience.
In fact, one guy has been serving coffee and tea in a really big block buster this summer from Marvel. He is going back to USC to get a Master degree. The other guy she knows is filming for the Discovery channel. 2-year out of school.</p>
<p>Is Critical Studies where you watch movies and talk about what works and what doesn’t? I could not care less about getting a film degree; I just want experience behind the camera and working with actors while in college.</p>
<p>You might want to check USC website for more specifics. But all cinema majors have to take 290 class which means you must use the camera. Introduction class for production. You must write and produce your movies then do a group project. Some classes are not opened to non production major.
She worked with student actors and musician from well known name like Hans Zimmerman, iirc.
If you want production, Chapman is a good school to get into.</p>
<p>“but part of me is such a perfectionist that I fear not making a masterpiece the first go around, even if it is just a five-minute movie which will never, ever see the light of day.”</p>
<p>The opposite of perfect is done!</p>
<p>What you need to do is start. Get a camera. Write what you know. Just get going.</p>
<p>You won’t be making master piece right away. Btw my daughter started out with the camera where she can make little movies with her little sister and best friend. Then she did high school classes in video and did the school video for the yearbook. Nothin spectacular but she learned a lot of editing skills.
She started the class 290 with a very crappy movie because she didn’t have any idea. I think she ended up as the only one with an A in that class and got hooked in making movies. USC graded on improvement and I think she made the most improvement. USC kept a lot of rights to her movies. They must have liked some of her movies.</p>
<p>Yeah, you’re right. I have this obsession with making a tour de force the first go around, and it just won’t happen. I mean, I’ll try to make my first feature a great work of art, but when it comes to just making a short film as a means of practicing, I’ll just scribble. </p>
<p>I don’t understand MFA but I did hear my daughter mentioned the person she hired part-time for her company got a MFA and that’s why he’s not strong. All hearsay, I’m just relaying here.</p>
<p>Eh, looking at the requirements for applying to all of these film schools reminds me of why I hated the idea of film school when I started out. Too structured. Blech.</p>
<p>I know it works at USC because USC encourages double major and minor. It also has all kinds of joint programs. I don’t know the other schools because my kids didn’t go there. Maybe somebody can help answering your question.</p>