<p>so i sent off my portfolio to USC's Writing for Screen and Television program last week, and noticing there wasn't really any discussion about this rather prestigious division of USC prompted me to post something.</p>
<p>did anyone else apply? how was your portfolio? (mine maxed out at a whopping 45 pages...the screenwriting division asked for a lot of essays...)</p>
<p>I applied to film production.... i was tempted to apply to screenwriting as well (as a second-choice) but decided against it ultimately...</p>
<p>I guess my portfolio was okay...well i hope it is better than okay!... i've had a really ****ty last month so who knows... my writing sample #2 ended up really "stream of consciousness"-like... (i like james joyce...maybe thats why!)</p>
<p>good luck zelda! maybe we'll be working on some stuff next year at 'SC!</p>
<p>I applied to critical studies, so no portfolio for me. My writing sample was an analysis of the original 1954 Japanese cut of Godzilla and its significance as an artistic expression and allegory. Here's hoping for one of those few spots in the program.</p>
<p>Tawny,
What kind of things were included in your portfolio for film production?</p>
<p>you mean like, what was in my portfolio list, or all of my materials for production? well, i'll just list everything lol...</p>
<p>*portfolio list: I put all my theatre productions, films, things i had written (scripts, stories, poems), some design projects i had done and a website i run...and a couple of other random creative things...</p>
<p>my writing sample #1 was my character profile, obviously...haha...um
writing sample #2 i wrote about when my father was rushed to the ER about 4 years ago (he still hasn't actually been diagnosed)...</p>
<p>oh yeah and then there were the recommendations... how many did you guys send? who did you get to write them? i sent like 4... (the minimum was 3)
the first one was from my high school theatre teacher (he knows everything about me practically), the second and third were both from PhD students in the USC Critical Studies program who taught the summer seminar I was in, and my fourth was from a director in LA I worked with recently on a documentary.</p>
<p>I applied to Critical Studies. My writing sample was an analysis of Vertical Ray of the Sun.</p>
<p>How long was yours, asarg? They never indicated anything about length, so I'm just curious as to how far other people took it. Same thing with the personal statement.</p>
<p>My writing sample was a little over 4 pages double spaced, and my personal statement was about 1 page.</p>
<p>I was at a little over 9 and 1 and a half. I went with that because it's basically the same thing NYU asks for, and I figured USC would want around the same. Your topic sounds really interesting and complex, though, and I really doubt length plays much of a factor at all.</p>
<p>On the topic of the scool... To be honest, I don't think I will get in. I have good grades and test scores (I think), but in terms of ECs and related things, I'm pretty much worse than lacking. I say "worse than lacking" because I don't want to give the impression that I'm merely bad for the quality of the school to which I am applying... I'm just really bad. I'm hoping I did really well on these supplemental materials and that they'll make up for the activity-related stuff, but I can't really even say that (on either party, actually). =</p>
<p>How does everyone else feel about their chances?</p>
<p>I'm in the same boat as you, Shirobot. My ECs related to film are kind of lacking, which is one reason i applied to critical studies rather than production. I thought there might be more of an emphasis on the writing than past film experience, since it is Critical Studies after all. I have pretty good test scores (top end of the mid-50 SAT, slightly above ACT) and grades, and I'm hoping that these, combined with my writing, which I think shows that I at least have somewhat of an idea of what I'm talking about (hopefully), will be enough to get me into consideration.</p>
<p>I applied to film production. I don't think I'm going to have a huge problem getting into USC, it's just the film production program... it's so competitive. But my portfolio was decent... my personal statement was really good, I think, and my "most emotional moment' writing sample was really good as well. My character sketch kinda sucked, but I tried my best. As for my portfolio list, it's all theatre and singing and stuff except for three films, so we'll see. I've heard USC likes applicants with little experience so that they can mold them to how they want. Good luck to all!</p>
<p>Hey Zelda! I applied to writing for film and television too. My portfolio was 30 pages long....I tried to include things that were not exactly film related in the writing samples, to show some versatility, as the creative challenges should be enough to evaluate my film writing techniques. Here's a question: Just how competitive is the writing for screen program? I would say it is a lot less competitive than the film production one, since they only take like 30 undergrads each year, or something like that....</p>
<p>For the fall 2005 semester, Production has 52 new freshmen, Critical Studies has 33, and Writing has 26. My source (a USC press release) does not list the amount of applicants, but I think it's safe to assume that Production recieves a much bigger chunk than the other two divisions. So, we can't really tell comparative selectivity from this, but it shows how many spots everyone is competing for.</p>
<p>... Wow. 33? I am so not in.</p>
<p>Do you have any idea how many applicants there are? I know you said that your source doesn't list it, but how many do you think it is reasonable to expect?</p>
<p>Sorry, but I have absolutely no idea how many applicants they recieve. I remember hearing somewhere that Cinema-Television as a whole has something like a 5% acceptance rate, but I'm not sure how reliable that really is.</p>
<p>Geez. I knew it was competitive, but that's pretty demoralizing.</p>
<p>Shirobot, if you don't mind posting, what kind of stats and ECs do you have? Also, what makes you interested in critical studies? I guess I sounded like an application right there, but I'm interested in what kinds of backgrounds people have who are also applying.</p>
<p>Production has the most applicants with least acceptance rates. Many applicants only apply to production and do not want critical studies or screenwriting. Screenwriting has the least applicants but they only take 25. (give or take). Some applicants put production or screenwriting as a first choice, then critical studies as a back up and get in that way. My son wanted screenwriting but got into his second choice, critical studies and he couldn't be happier. Right off the bat, he was able to take screenwriting courses and will specialize in that in his last two years. Some production applicants that didn't get in that did put critical studies as a 2nd choice can specialize in production. It is harder to get into USC film school than it is to get into Harvard. But they welcome diverse talented people and if you are lucky enough to get acceptance you will be very happy. The ones they chose all "did" something that made them stand out. Examples - Some had films they sold to HBO, one won a local Florida award for a film, one won a conveted state Journalism award, one put together an indie film festival in his small town. I personally feel that women have an edge because more guys apply. I also think that being from say Kentucky, Iowa or someplace that they don't have a lot of applicants you may have an edge. But do not give up - who knows how they decide. But you should also apply to NYU Tisch which also has an excellent film school.</p>
<p>White Male
Pennsylvania
Decent HS</p>
<p>SATI:
Math: 740
Reading: 710
Writing: 700</p>
<p>SATII:
Math Level 2: 800
Literature: 710</p>
<p>GPA:
Weighted: 4.833 (3 out of 367)
Unweighted: 4.00 (1T out of 367)</p>
<p>AP:
English Lit: 5
Calculus AB: 5
European History: 4
Gov and Law: Planned
Biology: Planned
Calculus BC: Planned
Statistics: Planned</p>
<p>Alright... This is where I die. Don't laugh at me. D:</p>
<p>ECs/Related things:
Mock Trials, 9th
Amnesty International, 10th
National Merit Commended Student
AP Scholar</p>
<p>That's it... I know. I suck. Neither of my parents went to college, so I was basically completely unaware of the importance of ECs and related things to an application (and I remained that way until very very recently). Coming into High School, I was planning on being a lawyer, but soon after Mock Trials (though not necessarily because of it), I decided that it wasn't for me and sort of lost interest and direction. Around that time, I discovered film as a serious art form, and I began to watch and analyze as many films as I could get my hands on. Unfortunately, I never participated in a formal and documented activity that supports this claim. It wasn't until the end of last year that I seriously considered a career in film, but when I did, the idea took and root and now I can't picture my life going anywhere else. Too bad, because now I realize that I'm not qualified to go anywhere serious about it. Regardless, I think I have a passion for film, and I enjoy analyzing and learning about them. I'd like to direct my own films down the road (I know... How can I know if I've never done it? I just do), but I know that Critical studies is my only (minimal) chance to get into USC or any other good film school. Besides, I think I'd enjoy majoring in Critical Studies, and it seems very beneficial and worthwhile even for someone who wants a career in production.</p>
<p>Edit:
I'm also applying to the following...
NYU
UCB
Northwestern
University of Rochester
University of Miami</p>
<p>Also, I realize that the fact that I don't "stand out" makes me look like someone with a 3.0 trying to apply to an ivy, but I figured that I may as well try. Plus, who knows, maybe my lack of standing out will make me stand out (ignore my blindly optimistic and crackpot logic there)! >_> Anyway, if I didn't apply, I'd just wonder if it was possible the rest of my life, so why not?</p>
<p>to nachontondi1 :</p>
<p>yeah my portfolio was 1.5 spaced, so maybe that added to the 50 page total.</p>
<p>i included about 4 short stories, two scenes from the plays ive written, two creative essays/opinions pieces for the max total of 20 pages.</p>
<p>when i did my interview, they said writing is fairly competitive. (yet i cannot help but ask how many people out of all the applicants to usc woke up one morning and said "i want to write movies".)</p>
<p>yeah, I hate that, but I guess that shows on the portfolio right? I really hope I get in, and for the record, I'm not one of those applicants! I've been writing (or trying to write) screenplays since I was twelve!</p>