Hello!
I was accepted to both Undergraduate Production programs at the LMU School of Film and Television and NYU Tisch.
I’m from Germany and for me it is really hard to actually get a feeling for both universities, here oversee, and I can only rely on their homepages and different online-forums.
I have a few questions about these two universities, i really hope you can help me!
I heard a lot about the great community and social life at LMU. I only read about NYU that it does not have a „real“ campus, so it seems that the social life is much better at LMU. I know, there can’t be an objective answer, but maybe you can give me an estimate.
From what I have read, LMU seems much more personal and more caring about the individual students. Is this the case? Are professors more caring and more supportive at LMU?
NYU seems for me like a very elitist University. How do students get along which each other? Is it really competitive (in a bad way) or do students get along each other well and like to see flourish each others and collaborate?
I have checked the rankings on the Hollywood Reporter and other ranking sites. NYU is the better university for film production. But how important is it to actually BE in Los Angeles? Since most of the film industry is based on the West Coast, it seems that it is harder to succeed on the East Coast, even though I attend the „better“ university. But on the other hand: each year there are far more film students graduating in LA than in NY.
I have seen different student films of both NYU and LMU. Many of the LMU films do not look like I would expect an Thesis film to look like. I don’t want to sound cocky, but from my own experiences I could make some of the films on my own without any University education. Maybe you can tell me about (your) film projects and LMU and NYU and the degree of professionalism.
Maybe someone can tell me about their internship programs. It seems as if LMU focuses very strongly on internships, but NYU offers the opportunity for internships, as well.
I hope somebody can answer some of my questions. I know, in the end it depends on me what I get out of my education and how I will flourish career-wise.
Thank you very much in advance! Every answer is really appreciated!
Is cost an issue for you? Both universities have wonderful film/tv programs. The campuses are indeed very different.
LMU has a traditional campus, and it’s very pretty. To get to Century City or any area where studios are, you could not walk as the LMU campus is a bit isolated from these areas, being a traditional campus nestled in its own area of LA.
NYU does have a campus of sorts despite what you hear, as most of the buildings surrounding Washington Square Park are occupied by the university. The area is very predominantly populated by students. But yes, the university is integrated into what many consider the most charming part of New York. No car is necessary to reach nearby opportunities.
LA’s TV and film scene is well populated with LMU grads. And my impression from visiting the campus (albeit briefly, I must admit), is that the student body is friendly and supportive, as you have heard. On the other hand, NYU has a large and diverse international student body, so I think you would find support there, too.
Honestly, for a film degree, my decision with respect to these two colleges would come down to cost.
You answered your own question with point number 5. If you don’t like the films coming out of a program, why would you want to go there?
From my experience at Tisch, I can tell you that while people can be a bit arrogant, it’s never at your expense. They think that they’re amazing (they probably aren’t), but you’re also amazing and they’re not out to prove that they’re more amazing than you. Almost everybody is very supportive and hardworking.
Also, in film you’ll be meeting people on your own and other peoples’ projects so much that it’s probably easier to develop a social life than in another major where you’d never see people outside of classes.
The NY vs LA thing is an entirely different debate. To me it comes down to the fact that I like indie cinema more than Hollywood cinema. However, when people talk about this, they usually compare NYU to USC, not LMU, which I actually had to Google to know what it was.
At the start let me warn you that I am biased toward NYU. My daughter is currently attending NYU Tisch for Film and has had Summer Internships in LA the past two summers, while also interning in NY during the year. So just because you’re in NY doesn’t exclude internships in LA. When choosing a college we visited lots of west coast schools like USC, Chapman and UCLA, but unfortunately LMU wasn’t one of them so I can’t compare campuses. What I can say is that my daughter has met people from all over the world at NYU. It truly is a very diverse campus and she even spent one semester abroad at FAMU in the Czech Republic and shot a film while there that was a finalist in a film festival. NYU really encourages their students to study abroad at least one semester. The films produced are as varied as the student population and living at NYU is truly living in New York City which is home to a vibrant entertainment community. You can even combine your film degree with a minor that includes the business side of the entertainment world and take courses at NYU’s Stern school of business.
Here is one article that talks about the films being made in NYC. http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-ny-la-rivalry-20140503-story.html
About competition - Film is a cooperative venture, no one can make a film themselves and during her time at NYU, my daughter has spent time doing every job that you can do on set from starting out as a PA to being the Writer and Director on her own. I’ve never heard her say anything negative about her fellow film students.
Someone else mentioned above, cost is a big factor. However, I think LMU is in the same range as NYU, so unless there is some financial aid being offered, I don’t think there is a big difference in cost.
In the end, it’s up to you. Your own feeling about which place will be best for YOU, but despite what you choose, if you’re passionate about what you do, I’m sure you’ll be a success. Good luck!