John August

Education

How to get into film school

Education, QandA

questionmark
I know there’s a post in the archives about film school, and [whether it’s necessary,](http://johnaugust.com/archives/2003/is-film-school-necessary) but I would love to hear any advice you have on actually applying to film school.

How can someone improve their chances for getting accepted to a MFA program in film production/writing? What in your opinion are film schools really looking for in applicants? Any thoughts on what to avoid in an application?

–Oz
Honolulu, HI

This time, I decided I would go right to the source and ask [Howard A. Rodman](http://imdb.com/name/nm0734912/maindetails), who in addition to being a fine writer and all-around good guy, is the chair of the MFA and BFA programs in screen and television writing of the USC Cinema School.

Here’s what he had to say.

first person**Howard Rodman:** I read many, many applications. [We just this week finished selecting this fall’s incoming class.] Here’s what we’re looking for:

1. Writing. Good writing. Not necessarily in screenplay format. We’re less interested, at this point, in whether you know what we’re here to teach you, than in whether you can put together a sentence. Tell a story. Create a dimensional character. In short: do you have your very own voice? [P.S. – We know the difference between “its” and “it’s,” and we actually care.]

2. Grades, good enough to pass muster with the larger USC admissions apparatus, and good enough to give us the confidence you’ll be able to execute a demanding program. Four point something GPAs and 1600 SATs (or GREs) are truly lovely, but are not in and of themselves guarantors of anything. We’re looking for writers [see #1 above], but we do need to know you can handle the load.

3. Diversity. Folks with life experience. Folks from strange and wonderful places. Folks who’ve had interesting ‘first’ careers before turning to writing. Not just your typical work/study/get ahead/kill types. The New York Times says that a cinema MFA may be the new MBA; but I’m not sure we’d view it that way.

4. A good mix. Not all Hummers, not all Priuses.

Reading scripts at the WGA library

Education, QandA

I’ve been going through the past Q&As, and another place to read scripts for free is is the [library at the Writers Guild](http://www.wgfoundation.org/library.aspx), on Fairfax and 3rd in Los Angeles. While you do have to read the scripts there, it’s a pleasant environment, and the staff is very helpful.

–Blake
Hollywood, CA

I didn’t even know this library existed, so thanks for writing in. Another great resource is the [Margaret Herrick Library](http://www.oscars.org/mhl/generalinfo.html) on La Cienega, which is run by the Academy. In addition to screenplays, it has clipping files on many topics, and would be the ideal first stop for any research into Hollywood history.

Where to find scripts

Education, QandA

How can I get my hands on the screenplays to movies I like (that aren’t mega-blockbusters)?

–Andrea

There are a few good sources online, such as Script-O-Rama,
which can point you to other places to check out. Most of these sites have
scripts you can download for free –
which is technically a violation of copyright, but is largely overlooked. These
sites do lean more towards blockbuster or science-fiction movies, however,
so if you’re looking for OUT OF AFRICA, you may be Out of Luck.

If you happen to be visiting Los Angeles, you can visit the Margaret Herrick
Library on La Cienega. It’s run by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
(the Oscar people), and has an amazing screenplay collection. You’ll have to
read the scripts on-premises, however, and the whole place has disquieting
feel to it, like an occult bookstore run by the Swiss.

For award-winning or indie-favorite movies, it’s worth trying Amazon or one
of the other on-line bookstores to see if the script has been published. Often,
you’ll find that even if the book version hasn’t come out in the U.S., it has
in the U.K.

Finally, if you’re considering working in Hollywood, you should know that
all the agencies and most producers have pretty extensive script libraries,
so an added bonus of an internship is the chance to read a bunch of great material.
USC’s film school has a great script library, but you have to be a student
there.

Incidentally, whatever script you do get your hands on, make sure you know
exactly what kind of script you’re reading. Generally, you’ll find three types:
the original spec script, which is what the writer wrote before it was produced;
the final continuity script, which reflects all the changes made during production;
and a transcript, which is simply a write-up of the movie, often made by an
overzealous fan.

Of the three types, the spec script is generally the most useful for a writer
to read, because it best reflects the intention and craft of the original screenwriter.
The final continuity script – which you can recognize because it has scene
numbers in the margins and odd breaks halfway down the page – is often something
of a Frankenstein monster, with hastily written descriptions by the script
supervisor of what the actors actually did in a scene, or lines they improvised.
And a transcript is more or less useless except as a quick reference, or a
typing exercise.

Journalism degree

Education, QandA

I’m considering getting a journalism
degree as a base point for a screenwriting career. I noticed you did the same
thing. Do you have any regrets about getting your bachelor’s in journalism,
or was is the best option available to a future screenwriter?

–Larissa Barlow

As I’ve mentioned in previous columns, I think journalism is a good bachelor’s
degree choice, particularly if film studies aren’t available. Journalism teaches
efficient, structured writing, and good work habits. But it’s by no means the
only undergraduate major that helps.

An English degree is a great and obvious choice, particularly one that combines
literature and composition. Depending on the specific program, a major in communications
could be good, if it had a strong focus on writing. But any field in the humanities
would really work. A quick survey of my writer friends reveals political science
majors, religion majors, art history majors, and probably a dozen other specialities
I don’t even know.

More than anything, I’d advise majoring in something that really interests
you. While you may aspire to a screenwriting career now, who knows what the
future will bring? A physics degree is no obstacle if you decide to apply to
graduate-level film school. In fact, it would probably be intriguing enough
to an admissions panel that they’d be eager to meet you.