Hey, y'all.

With the USC acceptances coming in and decisions being made to attend the School of Cinematic Arts, I feel like I'm looking for and answering questions for you guys all over the place...since none of you are asking stupid questions, I figure I'd start this forum so everyone can benefit from the limited knowledge I have to share about my division (SW) and what I've heard and/or observed of other divisions (Stark, IM, DADA, and PR), not to mention the other Trojans lurking about...*Hi, JB*

So, fire away, and fight on!

(or don't, and I'll feel like a pompous a-hole for offering)


First...to A Plan Unfurled, from the Attending in 08 thread, re: 1st and 2nd year mentor pairings....

I would guess it's completely random, for the most part they seem same gendered, but that's all I see...You'll figure out who the ones are that will help you pretty quickly, and it's different for everyone...just like friendships, really.

I have a few second years that I go to with all of my questions, a few that I go to with some of my questions, and ones I've never met, or only seen once or twice...my mentor actually falls into the latter.

A lot depends on you, but I suppose a lot depends on who your mentor is, assigned or adopted. Our class is full of fantastic peeps, so we'll take care of you, fear not...



Also....

Is anyone going for the season ticket for football? We joked about this earlier this month, but if you went to a tiny, football teamless school like I did for UG, it's pretty cool. Also, and I think this is important, it forces you to make time for something besides film school, which is important to avoid burning yourself up and out.



I am so very excited to meet all of you new Trojans next year, and though they might not be here on this site, know that we are all excited to meet you next year.

Feel free to PM me your FB, and I'll add you guys...please, though, for your own protection, do not post it in the open forum...

Thanks! I guess I assumed they'd be random, I was just curious if they factored in our writing samples at all. Oh well - I think I know at least one second year who'll be willing to field the occasional question or two...

And I'm definitely buying season tickets if I can get my hands on them - I hear its harder for grad students...? Did you/anyone you know have much trouble?

I have a few, Jayimess.

I applied to USC film production as a transfer student, and what I originally heard was that decisions would be available at the end of April, and now I'm hearing from them that it won't be until June 1. Yikes.

Anyway, a week or so ago I received a phone call from a woman in the film admissions office asking for updated grades from my fall clases. We really didn't talk about much else. She asked me where I lived. We talked about that for a bit. She told me she thought the area (Century City) was "boring." LOL. I offered to bring the updated grades down to SC myself instead of faxing them... Which I did the next day.

As there surely is a million ways to analyze the phone call (which I obviously have been doing), has anyone else received one? I just thought it was a little strange that they would take the time to call every single applicant asking for updated grades, and what not. That would seemingly take forever. And if I'm not mistaken, you can't update them on the application site at this point. Maybe I'm wrong. But who knows? Is this standard procedure at USC?

Plan,

I wouldn't worry about it. Everyone I know who applied for a season ticket got one this year, and two even got spouse/DP tickets, too.

USC seems to like to make things seem harder than they are. Case in point, as soon as I got my welcome packet (after the entire class was formed and the enrollment checks cleared), I tried to get a parking pass. The website said they were sold out, but as soon as I got to LA, I just strolled in to the parking office and got one, no problem.

HINT...Go for PSD...even though they say cinema students should park in PSB. It's far more accessible than the other garages, and just as far of a walk to Lucas, and eons closer to Zemeckis.


TTPoint,

I wish I could help you, but I'm an MFA Writing student, so I don't know from Adam about BFA transfers.

However, I would think that asking for your fall grades means they care enough to see how you're doing. And though she may have offended you by insulting your current residence, I think it's cool that you had a conversation instead of a clipped, all business exchange. That's just me.

Finally, they did actually call me for my final transcripts, though I had already accepted and enrolled.

Hope this helps, sorry if it doesn't. And man, June 1st is a ways off...hang in there!!

Great! When/how do I buy tickets (and how much are they)? (Four years of undergrad without a football team was torture!!!)

And thanks for the parking pass tip... I 'll be sure to keep that in mind come August.

Thanks for your input, Jayimess! And sorry if the question was misplaced.

Okay, I'll play.

1) What goes on with Mardik Martin? Is he really only teaching undergrads next year? I'm confused.

2) I'm still trying to sort out why the USC screenwriting department offers two 500-level progressions: the 515abcd progresison (from "Basic Dramatic Screenwriting" to "Practicum in Screenwriting") and the 528-529-533ab-553 progression (from "Screenwriting Fundamentals" to "Advanced Screenwriting"). Why does this exist?

Thanks,
IA

Plan,

I think you can buy as soon as you're an official student...$145. Google USC SEASON TICKET and it should be the first link.

Icarus,

Don't know about Mardik. I see him every once in awhile, he shares an office with my prof from last semester. The chances of you taking him next year are unlikely, though, as a first year...

And I told you already, don't worry about the 533 thing. You can take 533 and 553 your second year, and nobody takes 528/529. Whatever you're reading is a mixup in the system.

Gotcha. It took two goes before I got the deal w/533 and 553.

You gotta admit, USC seems to specialize in mixups in the system.

--IA

HaHAH! I'm SO taking Martin's class next year!!

I'm sorry for that outburst...

IT'S OFFICIAL - I just sent in my deposit!!!

Yay, A.P.U!

I'm super excited for you...I was hating my feature last night this morning and I was re-reading our Accepted Rejected forum from last spring, and I saw your post, that you literally shouted WHAT?? when you read that I got into USC...can't wait to put a face to the internet presence who shared my joy!

PM me your Facebook, people...let's get the Trojan Family Reunion started.

Jayimess, I've asked this of others, but how do you feel about your job prospects and paying off your student loans when you are done with your program?

Agck! If only I understood social networking sites.

Oh, and Jayimess, don't forget how euphorically excited you are to meet *moi*!

--IA

quote:

Originally posted by Bartleby Fink:
Jayimess, I've asked this of others, but how do you feel about your job prospects and paying off your student loans when you are done with your program?

I feel good. It's a crapshoot, this business, but because of the television and video game experience I'm getting at USC, I feel I'll have more opportunities to work as a writer than I would if I strictly wrote features...TV staffing season lines up with my last semester (I'm taking a third year, so I'll actually be graduating with most of you writers unless you choose to do the same).

I'm not worried, and maybe I should be, but it's just not my style. There are a lot of gigs in various areas of the entertainment industry...I just hope to get one to start with.

Also, I've been optioned to write two Stark theses, which are designed to launch their producing careers...and my own as a writer, if it goes well, so that's exciting...hopefully I'll get a nice chunk of cash off one or both of them not too long after they graduate...and any lump sums I get will go to my car note and loans...

But Bartleby, you're an editor, correct? You'll be just fine.


And Icarus, dahling, Facebook is hella easy...have you even tried? It kicks myspace's butt.

And I am excited to meet you all...but me and A.P.U. go back a little further, that's all.

Don't be jealous now.

I have enough excitement for everyone, you'll learn soon enough.

Facebook is the new myspace-- all those film kids are on it.

Jayimess,

I most definitely shared your joy - still do. Perhaps even more so now that we'll be classmates...

And it’s funny, that, even now, in moments of intense frustration you re-read the accepted/rejected thread - because, in all, honesty, I don't think I would have made it through all this insanity without those posts.

And just think, a year from now someone’ll be reading this...

Hey Jayimess,

I'm not sure if you answered this question before but do you know what kind of financial aid USC offers? Are there fellowships?

Soo, Directors and such have been selected.

I just got a call from USC, I have been accepted to MFA Production. I am super excited, and look forward to meeting and working with you all.

Question, of the "Production" group, how is that broken down to editors, cinematographers, Directors (others too I guess)? How many of each are there, how many people total? Clearly you wouldn't want everyone trying to Direct, I hope.

quote:

Question, of the "Production" group, how is that broken down to editors, cinematographers, Directors (others too I guess)? How many of each are there, how many people total? Clearly you wouldn't want everyone trying to Direct, I hope.

Nobody goes in with a specialty selected. Your "specialized field" will be selected after your first year as things progress. Not everyone is a director, but I believe everyone can make their own thesis (if they can pay for it, while some projects get funding). Apparently not everyone gets to specialize at exactly what they want, but it usually works its way out. They let in about 50 people a year into the program. I believe they spell most of this out on their web site, if you search through it.