Just kidding. This is more of a question of demographics. Are most of the applicants to these grad programs just out of college or do most have industry experience?

I'm a 28 year old male with an English degree from Brown University and I have been working in Hollywood for three years.

What's your story?

Graduated from Cal Poly Pomona last year with a degree in English and Theatre and minors in digital media and nutrition. Been working at a university for the past year. I've done a few Independent film projects, established a decent working relationship as a director w/ Matt Reidy and trained under Saul Landau.

Total nutshell me...

Im 21, graduated last spring from Univ. of Maryland with a degree in Government and Politics. Ive made 2 short narrative films and 1 documentary in the West Bank. I took this year off to work on some films in Iran with a few cool Iranian directors. Now Im back in the US waiting for that "key". Nutshell also.

Tima, I have to know, how did you end up going to work with Iranian directors? That's brilliant. Who?

Well, Im Iranian myself. I worked on set with Talebzade who is currently post producing his feature "The Messenger". This film is about the life of Jesus from an Islamic perspective and it includes the largest cast in Iranian cinema history.

I also started to work with M. Majidi until he was summoned to Beiging to work on the 2008 Olympic shorts. He read a couple of my scripts and kinda expressed his opinions on them, advised me to lengthen one of them to a feature. Really helpful, really HONEST, really down to earth, HUMBLE! Really amazing person.

I was also mentored by the former head of cinema (government position), Seifolla Daad, who has also been the executive director of the Fajr Film Festival for the past 6 years. He helped me mobilize my crew and helped us with our script and of course HELPED A LOT with bureaucratic obstacles. Amazing person as well.

I also had the chance to work with Kiarostami, through my mentor/professor, but he left for Europe before our meeting time, so its scheduled for a different time now. Im not that big of a fan anyways. His writing is a lot better than his directing, example, Panahi's "White Balloon" .

So, yes, thats my experience with Iranian directors...

Wow you guys sound like you've had some wonderful opportunites, cool! I just turned the big 30 a few weks ago! (There's an accomplishment!) I graduated with a film and media arts degree from Temple in '04...before that I got my start in television and radio broadcasting in the Air Force. I was stationed in northern Italy from 97-99 and was sent to Kosovo to cover the story of Slobodan Milosovich's attempt at genocide. Those refugee camps and the stories I found there made me want to become a filmmaker.

Anyway...since graduating from Temple I have produced and directed a few films. Here's a link to clips of my most recent short called "Member's Only". It's a fun little piece commenting on american politics, pop culture and consumerism.

myspace.com/membersonlymovie

Do any of you have links to your work?

I'm 25 years old and graduated from the University of New Hampshire in 2004, studying the Fine Arts and concentrating in photography. While there, I spent three years helping run the student television station, acting as General Manager for a year.

After school I worked for a new media company for a while, then spent the last two years working in Massachusetts for a growing television network acting as a producer, editor, and technician. I've gained experience in some other areas over the years to a lesser degree, but those are the basics about my background...

Wow, I'm surprised how much experience is floating around these pages...


Strike that, not surprised at all. Of course we would be the ones persuing this at graduate school.

If we've come this far its a calling.

I just wanted to say I'm sorta relieved... I don't feel so old anymore (still older than people who've posted here so far).
That, and sorry for disrupting this enlightening thread with a useless comment like this.
And since I'm not a Grad Prog candidate, you don't get to know who I am.

E.