Application Procedures
Division of Film & Television Production
· Bachelor of Arts
· Master of Arts
The Film & Television Production program emphasizes exploration of the student filmmaker’s creative voice through hands-on filmmaking. Students learn all aspects of cinematic storytelling from writing and producing to directing, post-production and cinematography.
The faculty panel evaluates applications for originality, clarity, personal insight and artistic excellence. Considerable importance is placed on the personal statement, writing samples, portfolio list and letters of recommendation. There are no admission interviews. The committee ensures that all applicants are judged equitably by limiting evaluation to the items listed.
Note: Transfer students—admission is granted on a space available basis. 48 transferable semester units (may include units in progress during the fall or spring semester) are required for consideration.
Note: Graduate applications are accepted in both the fall and spring semesters.
USC Admission Materials
Cinematic Arts Supplemental Materials
Undergraduates: The following materials must be submitted directly to the USC Cinematic Arts Admission Office (Attn: Undergraduate Production, CTV-G130, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2211) with the applicant’s name and student ID number (if available) indicated at the top of each page. All items must be typed or legibly handwritten on standard 8.5 x 11-inch paper.
Graduates: The following materials must be submitted online at: www.usc.edu/admission/graduate.
1. Cinematic Arts Supplemental Application Form (undergraduates only)
Available online here.
2. Photocopy or Printout of the USC Application for Admission (undergraduates only)
Send a photocopy or printout of the application you have submitted to the USC Office of Admission. Do not send the original application to the School of Cinematic Arts. It is not necessary to send the university essay, quick takes, or short answers to the School of Cinematic Arts. Transfer applicants should send the activity summary. Online applicants should print a copy of the application from their computer. A brief statement indicating submission of the online application is acceptable if you are unable to print the materials.
3. Cinematic Arts Personal Statement (1,000 words or less)
The personal statement is an opportunity to express your individuality, to reflect on your life experiences thus far and to comment on what has shaped your values and creative interests. This statement will be read by the Film & Television Production Admission Committee as a measure of creativity, self-awareness and vision. There is no standard format or correct answer. Your statement should give the committee a sense of your artistic ambitions while answering the questions: “Who are you as a person? What are you trying to say, using film or other media?” Please limit the length to 1,000 words or less.
4. Writing Samples (undergraduates only)
Category I (Original Character) - Write a one-page profile of an original fictional character, whom you consider to be truly unique. Do not describe an acquaintance or take a character from an existing film, television program or book. Describe this person in terms of appearance, social background and psychological attitude. What makes this person interesting?
Category II (Intense Emotional Moment) - Briefly describe the most emotionally intense moment you have experienced. Limit your description to two double-spaced, typed pages.
5. Photo Essay Assignment (graduates only - must be physically mailed to us at the address below:)
Part I - Prepare a series of six photographs taken by the applicant expressly for this assignment which, when viewed in a specific sequence, portray a unique and original character or develop a simple narrative story. An alternative approach would present a series of photos that capture a powerful sense of time, place, mood or emotion. The images may either be black and white or in color, but should be the product of an original photographic effort, i.e., not subject to any manipulation or enhancement during printing or, in the case of digital capture, through the use of programs such as Adobe Photoshop.
Format - 5 x 7 inches. Enclose the photographs in a plain brown 8 x 10-inch envelope labeled with your name, USC student ID number (if available), and the heading “Photo Essay Assignment.”
Identification - Place your name and USC student ID number (if available) on the back of each photo. Also, indicate the sequence in which the picture should be viewed, 1 though 6, in the lower left hand corner.
Part II - Prepare a prose essay not exceeding two double spaced pages in length which communicates the equivalent mood, emotion, character and/or story explored in the photo essay assignment. This essay should not be a mere description of the images but should capture and develop the same concept in a literary form. The challenge here is to create a parallel dramatic experience utilizing a uniquely different mode of communication.
6. Portfolio List
The portfolio list is a written record of the applicant’s creative material. It should include a concise description of each project, the month and year the project was completed, the applicant’s creative role and the purpose of the project. The material, which does not need to be film- or television-related, should give an idea of the range and depth of the applicant’s creative ability. Formal recognition—such as awards, publications, jobs and exhibitions—should be noted. The name of the institution or publication should be included when listing creative materials prepared for a class or publication. An example of the portfolio list is below:
June 2004, “KABLAM!” VHS color video, 5 minutes. Position: writer/director. A high school student imagines himself as a superhero during a particularly stressful day at school. Produced for video production workshop: “Movie Making 201,” San Raphael High School, Miami, Florida.
March 2004, “A Day at the Vet,” a series of 10 color photographs. Position: photographer. A day in the life of a veterinarian. Published in the Des Moines Sunday Journal.
February 2003, “Cellomorphosis,” short story. Position: writer. A variation on the novella by Franz Kafka; published in Writing, vol. IV, 2003, at Amherst College, Amherst, Massachusetts.
7. Letters of Recommendation
Three letters of recommendation are required. Undergraduate applicants should send the letters to Film & Television Production Admission Committee at the appropriate address below. Graduate applicants are highly encouraged to submit their letters through the university’s online application. Applicants are responsible for verifying that the letters have been received.
Undergraduates (Freshman and Transfer applicants)
Send the above materials—Cinematic Arts Supplemental Application Form, photocopy or printout of the USC admission application, Cinematic Arts personal statement, writing samples, portfolio list and letters of recommendation to:
USC Cinematic Arts Admission Office
Attn: Undergraduate Film & Television Production Program
University Park, CTV-G130
Los Angeles, CA 90089-2211
Graduates (M.F.A. applicants)
Submit the university application, Cinematic Arts personal statement, portfolio list and letters of recommendation online using the university’s online application. Recommenders who will not use the online process as well as the photo essay assignments will be sent directly to:
USC Cinematic Arts Admission Office
Attn: Graduate Film & Television Production Program
University Park, CTV-G130
Los Angeles, CA 90089-2211
Admission ChecklistFilm & Television Production Division
USC Office of Admission
213.740.1111
• USC Application for Admission
• Official Transcripts (from all schools attended)
• Official Test Scores (and TOEFL for international applicants)
USC School of Cinematic Arts
Office of Admission
213.740.8358
• Cinematic Arts Supplemental Application Form (undergraduates)
• Activity Summary (transfer applicants)
• Photocopy or Printout of USC Application for Admission (undergraduates)
• Cinematic Arts Personal Statement
• Writing Samples (Categories I & II) (undergraduates)
• Photo Essay Assignment (graduates)
• Portfolio List
• Letters of Recommendation
