Sound like you have a lot of experience Allen. Why you heading back to school?

Placebo, Kelmo, Rola1981, I also have not heard about my interview and am in California. I think it's safe to guess that no one from the West Coast has been notified for UCLA screenwriting because otherwise there would be a thread from the West Coast contingent.

Can anyone help with what questions were asked at the screenwriting interview in New York?

My interview is (Screenwriting MFA in NYC) is tomorrow. I'll let you know what they ask afterwards.

Thanks dharmagirl-- and congratulations on your interview. That's great news!

I'm also curious in what area or style (drama, comedy, action, suspense, etc.) everyone is intending to specialize in while studying there?

I'm all about writing comedies from a woman's P.O.V., and was wondering if there are any like-minded applicants in the applicant pool.

Excited to engage in a dialogue, Falco

Dharmagirl, good luck on your interview!!

Radiant, I called UCLA student services a few days ago--I'm from the west coast of Canada and haven't heard a thing from screenwriting either. Student services gave me the graduate advisor's email and I emailed him--he (Tony) said he hasn't heard anything from the screenwriting committee, so he thinks they're still reviewing files. Maybe they really arent' notifying west coast people until after the east interviews? I hope so!

Thanks Sophiedog! That's hopeful news. Thanks for keeping us posted.

Well, let's keep our fingers crossed for an interview. I did read somewhere that one screenwriting applicant got in without an interview, so you never know.

If we haven't heard by mid-April, then I think we've a right to be worried, but not till then!

To anyone that has been to their UCLA interview already...

What questions do they ask?
What did you wear?
Did you bring a visual sample? Did they watch it?

Yeah, I wouldn't be shocked to hear that UCLA is slower with their application reviews/interview offers than other schools, especially in screenwriting as they did not have a page limit on supplemental materials. I (after calling the department to double check that it was really okay) submitted a full feature length screenplay, I'm sure others did the same. That's a lot more to read than the 20-pages per applicant at other schools.

So I literally just walked in the door from my screenwriting interview in NYC. All I can say is that it was just as Jayimess and others have said. Professor Ackerman was so sweet and it felt much more like a conversation than an interview. We talked a lot about the program, and then he asked me about what I like and didn’t like, in movies, TV but also theater, fiction, magazines, etc. That was pretty much it. So as long as you can talk about what you like you should be A-OK. He said that they were trying to make decisions as early as possible in April.

Thanks again to everyone who shared their experiences on this forum, it made the interview so much less intimidating. If you have any specific questions I’m happy to help, but really, just be yourself, know what you like and want to do and you should be OK (this is coming from someone who doesn’t yet know her fate, but just from going through the interview so take it for what it’s worth!).

Hey, Icarus – Hal said that the guy right before me lived in Brooklyn, too. Could it have been you?

Good luck, everyone!

I second dharmagirl: don't sweat the UCLA interview. Hal is chatty, warm, and basically awesome. This is not a test.

Dharmagirl--that was so me. I was this close to asking if you were dharmagirl, instantly calculated the risk of humiliation, and walked on. Dumb Icarus.

--IA

While my impression of Hal's personality was the same, I had a slightly different experience than dharmagirl's.

2 things stood out as red flags for me: he spent way too long explaining how the professional program functions, and he didn't ask a single question about my tastes (ie. we didn't talk about movies, books, tv, etc.) which was freakily weird and disappointing because I was prepared to talk his ear off.

I don't know what that means but it feels bad. Anyone else get a long-winded sell of the professional program? Hope I'm not alone.

Anyway, good luck to everyone.
pb

Yeah, a friend last year who was waitlisted for UCLA screenwriting also received the Professional Program pitch.

Unfortunately, it's become sort of the stepping stone needed in order to get into the graduate program.

This isn't true in everyone's case, but I have a feeling it's like 50/50. Half come from the professional program, the other half don't.

Edit: By the way, I am currently in the Professional program if you have any questions about it. But I am applying to schools for directing.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: dahinducow,

I got the professional program spiel, too, but it seemed to make sense in context. I know when I found out about the interview Jayimess mentioned that if you get the interview the least you get is instant acceptance to the professional program, so it seems like she had heard the same pitch and she was accepted so I don’t think that means you are out by any means. Besides, he wouldn’t fly out to meet you if they had already decided they didn’t want you. Don’t sweat.

Dahindu, that totally makes sense. Did you end up in the professional program because you didn’t get into the MFA (sorry to pry, just curious)? Or did you all on your own?

Icarus, you crack me up. I hope we will be able to laugh about this in Westwood in September!

So I just got back from my interview/professional program infomercial. Unlike most here, I ended up with Walter who, despite being a pretty friendly guy, is a far cry from warm and basically awesome. He proceeded to pitch the certificate no less than 3 times, and even went as far as to cite former students turned colleagues (UCLA professors) who began with the certificate. And, if that wasn’t discouraging enough, he was very reluctant to discuss film! I managed to work it into the conversation a few times, but it certainly wasn’t the focus of our discussion (we probably talked about Italy more than anything). All in all, I’m expecting to be offered the certificate. If I get in, great, but I’m definitely having second thoughts about UCLA.

I am applying to schools for directing. I just heard about the professional program on my own.

Here it is:

http://www.filmprograms.ucla.edu/screenwriting.htm

thanks,

I see this professional program is only for screenwriters, and also an option for those who applied to the MFA screenwriting program and didn't get accepted. Are the directors candidates offered anything like this in case of rejection? Just curious.

The directors aren't offered anything. It's strictly a writing program thing.

Got an email this morning inviting me to interview with Professor Ackerman tomorrow (March 27) at UCLA. I live in Utah, so this is going to take some last minute planning to go, but I do plan on flying out tomorrow morning to meet with him.

A Plan Unfurled,

I gotta say, I'm not a big Richard Walter fan. I went to UCLA film for undergrad, and he can be very full of himself and at times humiliates his students. In any case, I wish you and everyone here a lot of luck!