For those of you who think will be disappointed if you don't get into production

[tsdad]

<p>See this thread in the Parent Cafe: <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=406916%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=406916&lt;/a>. Both my son and his writing partner are Crtical Studies graduates. They started off together on the film floor in New/North in 2003.</p>

<p>BTW, my son was disappointed that he didn't get innto production. In retrospect he wouldn't have had it any other way.</p>

[timely]

<p>Thanks for posting this tsdad. You probably remember that I’ve been posting around here for a couple of years now, and it’s finally here. Time to get in all the apps and to agonize. S really wants USC production, but he’s quite interested in Chapman and FSU, too. I really think he has a decent shot at all of them. We are having some headaches with figuring out who to get recs from. Unfortunately, creative people are sometimes a bit irresponsible, and some who would be good recommenders might not get around to mailing the rec. That would be bad. It is great to know that the world will not end if S doesn’t get into a production major. :-)</p>

[tsdad]

<p>My son told me that being in production is all consuming; that’s all you do. It doesn’t necessarily make you a better film maker, but it does take away from other aspects of college life and learning.</p>

[rainmama]

<p>Congrats to your son! Your last comment is very timely; my son has been waffling on his interest in applying to production because there are many other things he wants to study and experience during his undergrad years. Yet he’s very interested in cinematography. This inspires me to give critical studies a plug. Did your son minor or do a double major in another field? Did he actually make movies, as well as accidentally turn into a screen-writer ?</p>

[tsdad]

<p>To update: my son and his writing partner have been offered an option by an independent film company to produce their film. They are having it reviewed by an attorney.</p>

<p>Rainmama</p>

<p>My son started with a second major in history and switched to a minor in peace and conflict studies. He did make some films in the required production course that all cinematic arts majors are required to take. I believe they have to make five, five-minute films, but I may be wrong as to the number. </p>

<p>This is one of the films he made for that class. Remember it represents the sensibilities of a then 20-year old male.</p>

<p>[IFC</a> Media Lab](<a href=“http://medialab.ifc.com/film_detail.jsp?film_id=411]IFC”>http://medialab.ifc.com/film_detail.jsp?film_id=411)</p>

[rainmama]

<p>Very funny! Thanks, tsdad.</p>

<p>For anyone who has applied to both production and critical studies, this is a logistical question. Did you submit the specialized application materials for both production as first choice and critical studies as second (or vice versa)? Or did you submit materials only for your first choice of major, and just list the 2nd choice major without sending the extra materials (e.g. the film review)?</p>

[ellebud]

<p>My daughter originally applied as a production major. She wound up in Critical Studies. LOVES IT. She did the required courses in film making. Did..5 or 6 5 minute films. She is very happy that she isn’t a production major. In HER case it will give her more options in the job market.</p>

[tsdad]

<p>During May graduation my son had some very caustic comments to make about the large number of production students who graduated with honors. He thought that CS was a harder major because of the significant amount of writing required.</p>

[Puzzled88]

<p>ellebud - what are some of the job options for a Critical Studies major? My freshman is considering a transfer and I don’t know much about the field.</p>

[tsdad]

<p>

Alumnus Russell Brown Hits His Pace With Race You To The Bottom
Writing about films and making movies, writer/director Russell Brown ’97 is living his dream. Now, 10 years after graduating from USC
with a B.A. in critical studies, the creator and co-editor of the entertainment and political online critical magazine The Simon.com is getting ready for a whole new experience with the Los Angeles release of his first feature film
Race You To The Bottom on March 30.

[USC</a> Cinema - About » Stories » In Stride](<a href=“http://cinema.usc.edu/about/news/in-stride.htm]USC”>http://cinema.usc.edu/about/news/in-stride.htm)</p>

<p>

David James Ph.D. focuses on the link between music and movies</p>

<p>In at USC for 16 years, has a moment with Oscar. </p>

<p>David E. James, professor in critical studies at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, has been named one of two 2007 Academy Film Scholars by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.</p>

<p>His award, presented at a luncheon on Jan. 26 at the Beverly Hills Hotel, comes with a $25,000 grant to write a book on the interaction between rock ’n’ roll and cinema in the United States and United Kingdom. His research will cover the mid-1950s and the “British Invasion” of the 1960s through the eras of country, disco, punk, heavy metal, hip-hop and rap.

[USC</a> Cinema - About » Stories » Film Scholar](<a href=“http://cinema.usc.edu/about/news/film-scholar.htm]USC”>http://cinema.usc.edu/about/news/film-scholar.htm)</p>

<p>

When an idealistic reporter uncovers a sex-trafficking ring, it does more than expose the horrors of everyday existence for millions of young women around the world, it brings award-winning recognition for one USC filmmaker.</p>

<p>On September 16, the New York International Independent Film & Video Festival named Fragments of Daniela Best Dramatic Feature, celebrating the work of Sasha Knezev, 28, a second year Critical Studies graduate student at the USC School of Cinematic Arts.

[USC</a> Cinema - About » Stories » Colliding Worlds](<a href=“http://cinema.usc.edu/about/news/colliding-worlds.htm]USC”>http://cinema.usc.edu/about/news/colliding-worlds.htm)</p>

<p>

USC Project Examines The History Of Jews In California
One of the interviews in Jews in the Golden State.
Though the roles of Jewish people throughout California are undeniably important to the state’s cultural development, until now, Jewish California has been a little studied aspect of American history. That’s all about to change as a new interactive media project between four distinguished USC scholars called Jews in the Golden State gets underway. A combination museum installation, DVD with teacher’s guide, and an online archive, the project will bring to light over 150 years of historical richness, diversity and complexity of the Jewish experience in the nation’s most populous state.</p>

<p>The two-year venture is a collaboration between Marsha Kinder, professor of critical studies in the School of Cinematic Arts and founding director of the Labyrinth Project, a research initiative on interactive narrative; William Deverell, professor of history in the USC College and director of the Huntington-USC Institute on California and the West; Bruce Zuckerman, professor of religion and linguistics in the USC College and director of the Casden Institute for the Study of the Jewish Role in American Life; and Professor Donald Miller, professor of religion and sociology in the USC College and executive director of the Center for Religion and Civic Culture.

[USC</a> Cinema - About » Stories » Golden State](<a href=“http://cinema.usc.edu/about/news/golden-state.htm]USC”>http://cinema.usc.edu/about/news/golden-state.htm)</p>

<p>Also see this:</p>

<p>[USC</a> Cinema - Students](<a href=“http://cinema.usc.edu/students/]USC”>http://cinema.usc.edu/students/)</p>

<p>Bottom line is you can do whatever you want to do and are good at: write, research, make movies.</p>

[ellebud]

<p>Basically all you need is the job. You CAN do everything from: working as/in an agency, production, writing, advertising (think outside the box a bit), story editing…anything that doesn’t require union affiliation. Union affiliation is another whole story. Even with a production degree you have to jump through hoops to get into a union. I have one child in a union but she is under 18. The degree from SC is a wonderful door opener. And kids tend to help each other.</p>

[tsdad]

<p>

And kids tend to help each other.

</p>

<p>ABSOLUTELY TRUE. My son is part of a writing group, primarily of USC grads, but also others, that meets a couple of times a month to critique each others scripts. Plus they refer each other to jobs. </p>

<p>Remember film is a cooperative enterprise even with auteurs. It takes a lot of people cooperating to make a movie.</p>

<p>USC is still part of his life. He receives notices of jobs, and he goes back periodically for lectures and to see films before they are released in theaters.</p>

<p>I would love to see him get into the writer’s guild for the medical coverage alone.</p>

[Puzzled88]

<p>tsdad and ellebud,
That was all extremely interesting, thank you. What I really liked was the youtube link to the beginnings of what I assume are student films for a film festival. Do you know how I can see them in their entirety? It just about killed me when they cut off at 3 minutes. Thank you again.</p>

[tsdad]

<p>That film was done for the required production class that all film students, regardless of their major, have to take. I’m not sure about the cutting off. It usually plays all the way through for me. It’s pretty short.</p>

[tsdad]

<p>The screenplay that won the award, see post 1, was optioned to a small production company for $2,500. Half to each of the writers, and ten percent of that will go to their attorney. The company has it for six months. If it’s produced, and they don’t have any backers yet, my son and his co-writer will be paid 10% of the film’s budget. Some of that will go to their attorney.</p>

<p>It ain’t much, but it’s a start.</p>