tee-tee

I graduated with a Film and Media BA and will be applying to Cinema Studies MA programs at SFSU and Columbia University (mostly because at the moment I cannot afford to take the GRE & these programs do not require it). I plan on taking the GRE in the winter/spring after applications are due and when I have funds available so I can use my scores for future PhD applications. My plan is to complete my MA and then apply to PhD programs at other schools. I was wondering if I should ask a Lecturer teaching at my alma mater for a letter of recommendation. I took most of my courses with her (and received excellent grades) and she is currently a PhD candidate from a top film school. I am not currently planning on applying to her alma mater because it requires a GRE score (but I will apply in the future). Should I even bother asking for a LOR from her? Will the programs I apply to weigh a LOR from her the same as from a full-fledged professor? I have three other professors I could probably get a LOR from because I spoke with several about pursuing a Cinema Studies PhD in the future and most were receptive to the idea. I was slightly discouraged by a professor who made it seem as though I should have at least a 3.6 gpa when applying to PhD programs in Cinema Studies (granted, the prof. who was most vocal about this wanted me to apply to Yale) which is what is mostly prompting me to apply to MA programs first. My overall gpa from my university is a 3.4 but my FMS gpa is a 3.6 (I graduated with two degrees). Will my gpa really limit the chance of direct acceptance from a Cinema Studies PhD program? Should I hold out to apply next Fall to more programs for a PhD/MA when I do have a GRE score?