<p>I really only started to get interested in film my junior year of high school. I started watching a lot more movies, and I started getting interested in where the director put the camera, timing of events, and storytelling methods. I even sometimes makes notes of things I find interesting or things I wonder about as I watch a movie.</p>
<p>The problem is, I'm about to start my senior year of high school and have little experience behind a camera. I haven't taken any classes in my high school, and I really wish I did when I was a freshmen. I have a camera, but it isn't very good, and I play around with it sometimes but I've never really done anything serious with it.</p>
<p>What I'm basically asking is - how worried should I be if I have a strong interest but little experience behind a camera when applying for schools. I'm a great student with a near 4.0 GPA and average ECs. Do schools expect you to have a lot of experience and classes involved with film making. I feel like I'll be way behind everyone else...</p>
<p>A lot of the top film schools (USC, NYU, Emerson etc.) don’t require a film reel or anything film related in their applications, though they can be included as supplements. This way, students who might not have the access to film equipment aren’t punished for it. I’m currently a student at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts and I had NO film experience when I applied, not even a film class to put on my application. Honestly, it’s all creativity they want to see, be it in your writing, your art OR film reels. Because I applied for screenwriting, my application was really writing intensive. I know the production application (which you might be more interested in) included an original character sketch while critical studies required a film review.</p>
<p>I was looking at different applications, and I didn’t like not having anything to fill out for the classes segment. However, I believe I can borrow a camera from our media department at school, and I have a friend in there so she could probably help me out with it. I don’t think I would have anything wrong with creativity, as I have a lot of ideas, and I think I can write pretty well.</p>
<p>And I have to ask the question that xkgx is asking. Are traditional art classes (like drawing) actually important. I could definitely see where photography would come in, and unfortunately we don’t really have a “photography” class… I mean I’m on year book staff which involves photography but I know that’s not the same thing.</p>
<p>I think I’ll film a short film with an application, and I could probably write sketch… I was really just wondering if having no classes on my application would significantly hurt my chances.</p>
<p>Again, thank you for the replies! Anyone have experience with FSU? I know it doesn’t compare to USC and NYU, but it is a good deal less expensive. Also, I am looking at Emerson, but I’ve gotten some negative feedback. USC is my dream school, although I would rather not live that far from home (I’m on the east coast).</p>
<p>Honestly, the West Coast is a BIG change. I’m from the East Coast too and it was weird at first but now I could never see myself at any school other than SC. Of course, it’s a very personal decision but from one Easterner to another, it’s not bad once you’re in the swing of things. USC was my dream too and I never thought I’d get in either. Honestly, give the application a go - you don’t have much more than a few bucks to lose and an entire future to gain.</p>
<p>The fundamentals of art and design are critical to filmmaking. You certainly don’t have to be a great drawer to be a great filmmaker, but knowing color theory, thirds rule, and the hundreds of other design techniques is very important.</p>
<p>I really only mentioned it because USC takes other creative works for portfolio pieces.</p>
<p>Also, storyboards are still used and that requires drawing ability. A great sketcher can illustrate a scene extremely well which helps with communication.</p>
<p>Film is art. Otherwise, films would all look like a 60’s sitcom where the actors performed in front of stationary cameras.</p>
<p>nglover, read the response I just posted on the “Important questions about film” thread.</p>
<p>Most film schools want you to submit a “creative resume” or something similar. In it you’d list things you wrote, music you performed, plays you were in, awards for photography, or anything else that would demonstrate your creativity. </p>
<p>My son can’t draw at all but he acted in some school plays, wrote some screenplays just because he wanted to, and made some short films that won some awards. He never had a school class but took a summer filmmaking for teens thing (just 1 week) and he volunteered on the set of an independent film. I say that so you’ll know that it’s not necessary to have classes in school. He was accepted to Chapman’s film production major, but not USC’s or FSU’s. He didn’t even get an interview at FSU (which is kind of surprising and makes me wonder if one of his recommenders didn’t send in their letter or something like that).</p>
<p>Grades and SAT scores, along with essays and recommendations are also important in film school admissions.</p>
<p>I’m glad to hear that even if I don’t have film classes that I still have a chance go to a school that I would love to go to.</p>
<p>@tor-dazzle
I would definitely be willing to take the dive if I was to be accepted at USC. I know I would gain SO much from USC.</p>
<p>@pandem
Thanks for clearing that up.</p>
<p>@timely
Thanks a lot! I took a look at your post and I’m definitely going to check that book out. Also, I’m going to talk to a friend who works with cameras a lot and see if I can get her help at all. I definitely want to start making short films because that’s really the only way to get comfortable behind the camera.</p>