Film Studies

[jh2805]

Well, I don't see anyone venting over film/media studies anywhere else, so I thought I'd start this for any film people to discuss their waiting games. If anyone has updated information on any programs over the course of the next couple months, this should be the place to post! Good luck to everyone!

Applied to - Brown, Berkeley, Florida (English- Film and Media Studies), NYU, Ohio State (History of Art), Texas, USC, Washington U (Art History)

[Dr._Robotnik's_Shadow]

So nice of you to start a thread about film studies waiting games! I'm not so sure if I have a waiting game, though. I'm just trying not to think about the whole thing...which is hard I know. I take life in 24 hour increments. Every morning I wake up and ask myself, what do I need to do to survive today? What do I need to do to not go crazy today? I just go from there. I repeat the process everyday.

Surfing Grad Cafe seems to help but sometimes I suspect it increases my anxiety.

I got my apps done the third week of october so I've been waiting for a while. I freaked out a little this month so added Harvard (Ha! As if I'd get in!) to my list of schools I applied to.

Anyways, enough of me rambling, here are some topics for us film geeks to discuss. I see film people on these boards a lot and I'm curious about who you all are so let's get chatting while we wait shall we? Here are my 10 questions for you and my answers.

1) MA or PhD?

PhD

2) What do you want to do with your degree?

I'm not going to tell you my real reason but one of them is to teach of course.

3) What is your undergrad degree in?

My BA was in Film (mostly production but some theory). My MA was the same.

4) What topics do you want to study?

Girls Media Culture and Self Reflexivity or Memory in film. For this year's apps I wrote to SOP's based on faculty match for my two topics and picked which ones to send to my 15 schools.

5) What's the #1 thing you concentrated on when working on your apps? [ i]SOP

6) What's the thing you fear the most about being accepted and if accepted are you going to pimp up your dorm or apartment like a true movie diva (huge TV screen, dolby surround sound, max out the netflix plan, have milk duds nearby) or just settle for watching flix on your computer...or worse....your iphone (shame on you!) ?

I'll go to a school and everyone there is going to be so much "smarter" than me. I'm really a creative type-not so much a theory girl-so I'm paranoid that being a scholarly practitioner like I am will backfire. Maybe I'll fail my quals or get kicked out of the program or something. I'm also paranoid I'll never finish my dissertation or I'll go crazy trying to finish it. I don't have money for a big screen or anything but I always make sure I'm set with a little netflix, nice screen and munchies.

7) Do you like making movies or just studying the history, theory and criticism of films?

Both.

8) Do you even like going to the movies?

Not really. I'm sick of annoying people who talk on their cells, stare at me, translate the movie to their friends and the actual movie. It's never enough stimulation for me anymore. I hate it when people talk during the previews and even the commercials and credits. It's all part of the movie watching experience so shhhhhh!

9) When people know you want to study film don't you always hate it when they ask you, "What's your favorite movie?"

I feel so pressured to say something "intelligent" like 'Citizen Cane'. What do they mean by favorite movie anyway? Do they mean favorite movie I like to watch or think is good? I enjoy watching "Shakespeare in Love" (this always disappoints people because they think of that crappy Meg Ryan movie 'Kate and Leopold' instead. I think 'Citizen Cane' is well done but...I don't have a favorite movie or a movie I'd highly recommend or anything.

10) Tell me a story about talking to someone about applying and them "not getting you". Here are some real quotes from conversations I've had.

College Graduate #1: "You want to study what? Cinema studies? Huh? I've never heard of cinema in my life. What's cinema studies? Is that like theater of something? do you want to be an actress or something?

Anonymous Extended Family Member/College Grad: "I didn't even know films had a history"

Crazy Floor Mate in Grad Dorm: "Films didn't get startd because of Edweard Muybridge. That whole horse thing is a joke. Movies got started because of porn movies" (Which comes first the chicken or the egg?)

Anonymous Family Member: "If you are getting a PhD that means you are going to be a doctor right? So why do you want to study movies? Doctors help people. Watching movies doesn't help people. Society is becoming worse with every movie we make! Do you want to be a part of that? Help someone. If you get into one of these PhD programs I want you to do study something that will help people. Perhaps instead of studying girls in films you should study the disabled. By the way, here's a present for you." I then unwrapped a medical book.

Chemistry Professor: "If anyone can tell me the difference between films, cinema and movies I'll give them $100. Likewise, if anyone can tell me the difference between Janet Jackson, Michal Jackson and Britney Spears I'll give them $1,000."

Random Person Who Enjoys Trying to Tell Me What I Should Do With My Life: "The economy is bad now. You need something stable that will help you get far in life...something like a college degree. Do you have a valuable college degree?" "Yes, I have a degree--two actually, maybe even a third; a PhD--in film." "I said valuable."

[Summit_Bid]

1) MA or PhD?

PhD

2) What do you want to do with your degree?

Teach I guess.

3) What is your undergrad degree in?

Film Studies and Film Production

4) What topics do you want to study?

The life of the movie director paralleling the films he makes. (i.e. Jurrasic Park was really about Speilberg's bad relationship with his mom.)

5) What's the #1 thing you concentrated on when working on your apps?

Applying to a a range of different schools not just the top ones.

6) What's the thing you fear the most about being accepted and if accepted are you going to pimp up your dorm or apartment like a true movie diva (huge TV screen, dolby surround sound, max out the netflix plan, have milk duds nearby) or just settle for watching flix on your computer...or worse....your iphone (shame on you!) ?

I don't actually like watching movies. I'm going to bring my Nintendo Wii though. I'm scared I'll fail quals.

7) Do you like making movies or just studying the history, theory and criticism of films?

Both. Making movies streese me out but it's still fun in a way. I don't think I'm good at theory but I kind like some of it.

8) Do you even like going to the movies?

I like going on Monday or Tuesday nights when no one else is there.

9) When people know you want to study film don't you always hate it when they ask you, "What's your favorite movie?"

Yeah I hate it. but I figured out a little trick. I make up names of movies and plots no one has ever heard of. If there is one people really like I try to make that the next movie I make.

10) Tell me a story about talking to someone about applying and them "not getting you".

All my friends are film geeks so they "get it".

[Cinemaaa]

Hey All,

Looks like the UC Berkeley acceptances are in (at least the first round) and I got lucky. They're doing fly-outs around early March. Good luck to everyone, and yay Cinema!!

p.s. when people ask me that every present, always inflammatory question of "vat is your faaaavorite movie?" I always give them a quick respond: "Audition". For those that know, it shuts them up. For those that don't...well...I... who isn't a commensurate aficionado of Miike? I ask you now.

[Katzenmusik]

Aww, reading this makes me miss studying film, creating movies, writing scripts & working at the video store. Film nerds unite!!

I managed to squeeze a ton of movie-making into my critical theory-based college film program. It was the best.

To this day I'm wondering if I should be applying to MFA programs in filmmaking instead of history programs!

[greenpointgrad]

Congrats, Cinemaaa! Looks like Berkeley overlook my talents. I'm in at UCSB and going to Northwestern's interview weekend, so still feeling good.

I share your love of Audition. I slept through a good 30% of the movie and still walked away absolutely terrified. Congrats again about Berkeley!

[Summit_Bid]

Finally some talk on this board!!!! Where have you all been? So nice to be around other film junkies!

I'm having bad luck. so far only 1 official reject from UCSB...14 more to go. No interviews or anything else. I bet I'm an across the board reject for the 3rd year in a row. I don't think a PhD is for me.

Congrats to the rest of you though.

[greenpointgrad]

how 'bout them Berkeley rejections today? At least I saw this one coming.

[Swagato]

Oh, wow. Finally an active film studies thread!

Well, let's get the stats out of the way.

1) MA or PhD?

PhD

2) What do you want to do with your degree?

Research/teach.

3) What is your undergrad degree in?

English/Film Studies interdisciplinary major. My college doesn't have a film studies major, but allows you to design your own major.

4) What topics do you want to study?

Auteur theory via semiotics. Mostly focusing on contemporary directors. Haneke, Wong Kar-wai, etc. I'd love to focus exclusively on Wong Kar-wai, but that's not certain.

5) What's the #1 thing you concentrated on when working on your apps?

Spreading my choices according to departments I felt were suitable fits; personal statement.

6) What's the thing you fear the most about being accepted and if accepted are you going to pimp up your dorm or apartment like a true movie diva?

I fear that I'd actually spend hundreds of hours watching films I love, and ending up losing their magic.

7) Do you like making movies or just studying the history, theory and criticism of films?

Latter.

8) Do you even like going to the movies?

No. I prefer watching films alone so I can focus on them completely.

9) When people know you want to study film don't you always hate it when they ask you, "What's your favorite movie?"

I do dislike it but I've come to accept it as an instinctive reaction. I don't actually have a favourite movie because I love different movies for different reasons.

10) Tell me a story about talking to someone about applying and them "not getting you".

N/A I don't have many friends, but the ones I do enjoy film as much as I do.

That being said, I've applied to U. Chicago, Brown, Emory (MA), Yale (Comp. Lit/Film -- my senior thesis centered on Dudley Andrew's studies in semiotics), Harvard (lol), Northwestern, U. Florida. I have a feeling Chicago and Northwestern are out -- I think Northwestern invited for interviews a while ago (haven't received any word) and I saw someone post an accept from Chicago a day or two ago.

I have a 1480/4.5 GRE (800 V, 680 Q), excellent LORs from three professors who've known me extremely well for 3 years, and I'm hoping to hell my writing samples/SOPs make up for my less-than-desirable GPA.

[Summit_Bid]

4) What topics do you want to study?

Auteur theory via semiotics. Mostly focusing on contemporary directors. Haneke, Wong Kar-wai, etc. I'd love to focus exclusively on Wong Kar-wai, but that's not certain.

Thanks for answering the questions! Cool topic too. I also like auteur theory stuff. I'm interested in a few things but one of them is how a director's life parallels the films he makes and auteur theory is slightly related to that. Also, thanks for posting your stats that's very helpful to all of us I think.

Yes, it's nice to see other film junkies on here. Hopefully, more of you will come out of the wood works and chat a bit with us.

I love the smell of film.

[Cinemaaa]

Hey all,

Loved this survey, thought I would introduce myself a bit more. I'm ducking and covering as I say this, but I was the Chicago admit on the boards. Looks like we might be hearing from Brown or Yale soon. Best of luck to everyone, and all that defend the cinematic arts

1) MA or PhD?

PhD

2) What do you want to do with your degree?

Teach! Young people keep you young and beautiful when you are old, whithered, and full of disease. Kind of like virgin's blood.

3) What is your undergrad degree in?

Comp Lit all the way baby

4) What topics do you want to study?

Bodies in pain, bodies in peril, bodies doing unnatural things.

5) What's the #1 thing you concentrated on when working on your apps?

SOP

6) What's the thing you fear the most about being accepted and if accepted are you going to pimp up your dorm or apartment like a true movie diva?

Judith Butler. I'm going to write a screenplay called "Who's Afraid of Judith Butler?"

7) Do you like making movies or just studying the history, theory and criticism of films?

Theory, very much. I have Caputo on my bedside table.

8) Do you even like going to the movies?

No. I went to a Hipster nest to watch Das Weisse Band and someone faux snored at the end. Never again. Never. Again.

9) When people know you want to study film don't you always hate it when they ask you, "What's your favorite movie?"

I give them a top 5, like Rob

10) Tell me a story about talking to someone about applying and them "not getting you".

"I thought you were a Neuroscientist"...wow.

[Swagato]

Congratulations on the Chicago admit. Would you mind PMing me your stats? I'm really curious...

As for Yale, I received an email from Dudley Andrew recently. It doesn't look good for them. He said they're admitting just one student this time to the Comp Lit/Film Studies program (and that's not me, naturally). I'm not too bothered because Yale would've been a long shot -- it's just that my entire senior work in film centered around Andrew's stuff. Waiting nervously for Emory now.

[Summit_Bid]

@cinemaaa: Congrats on all your admits! That's awesome! You got into some top schools. Wow. I'm impressed. Good job. Also, what exactely do you mean by bodies in pain/peril? I'm curious to know more. Sounds interesting...

[Film_Freak]

Whoops double post

Edited February 26, 2010 by Film_Freak

[Film_Freak]

1) MA or PhD?

MA & PHD

2) What do you want to do with your degree?

Teach, be the female Roger Ebert

3) What is your undergrad degree in?

Philosophy...POW!

4) What topics do you want to study?

Existentialism on Film, Reception/Audience perception, Absurdity, Love (which is usually studied superficially and not philosophically)

5) What's the #1 thing you concentrated on when working on your apps?

My Personal Statement, making that unique and honest!

6) What's the thing you fear the most about being accepted and if accepted are you going to pimp up your dorm or apartment like a true movie diva?

I fear nothing.....I'm a stone cold film-freak. Just kidding. I'll go with 'hating the school I ultimately choose'.

7) Do you like making movies or just studying the history, theory and criticism of films?

I like all of those things, with theory and criticism first. I think you need a superior understanding of the aforementioned things to become a good film maker.

8) Do you even like going to the movies?

Love it...mostly with my boyfriend though because we hack most films we watch to bits with our conversations. Movie theaters themselves are really cool, too. Especially ones

that are historic.

9) When people know you want to study film don't you always hate it when they ask you, "What's your favorite movie?"

Not so much, because I usually tell them something completely ridiculous like 'Transformers 2' and walk away.

10) Tell me a story about talking to someone about applying and them "not getting you".

"Oh, so that's like studying movies and stuff? What does philosophy have to do with that?"

[Swagato]

Any film updates, people? The Brownocalypse came and went and I don't think Modern Culture and Media was included. I've seen a few UF admissions for English and English(Film Track) on the board, but I've no idea how close they are to being done, or otherwise. I haven't received a reply yet (I emailed a professor I'm interested in working with). There's been no update on Northwestern (I'm almost certain they're done, so why not update the site? >_>) or Chicago (perhaps Cinemaaa can tell us if Chicago is admitting any more?). Currently I'm waiting on Harvard, Emory, and Brown -- these are the places there's been not a peep from.

I may have more information on Emory as early as Tuesday/Wednesday *shiver*.

[Film_Freak]

Last year the Harvard rejects came on Feb 28th, March 2nd and March 3rd. I'm expecting their decisions to roll out very soon. I haven't seen ANY acceptances, so I don't have much of a prediction as to when the send out acceptances. Heck, it could be the same time as rejections.

Saw plenty of rejections from Chicago, so I'm looking out for one in the mail because they accepted people waaaaaay back on the 9th of February....unless they are going to waitlist people. I'm not sure about that one.

I'm hoping UCLA keeps their promise to notify by March 15th. I was thinking no one would hear from Emory until the end of march. Some rejections came in early February last year, but I haven't seen anything yet.

[Harvey]

1) MA or PhD?

MA, then PhD.

2) What do you want to do with your degree?

Write and teach. Maybe get into film festival programming as well.

3) What is your undergrad degree in?

Cinema Production and Politics.

4) What topics do you want to study?

Genre studies, with a focus on science fiction; the application of new media in fan/creator interaction (podcasts, blogs, twitter, etc.), Race/cultural studies, Political text and subtext in cinema.

5) What's the #1 thing you concentrated on when working on your apps?

My personal statement.

6) What's the thing you fear the most about being accepted and if accepted are you going to pimp up your dorm or apartment like a true movie diva?

I just want to be accepted somewhere, and hopefully funded. And of course I will pimp out wherever I live like a true movie diva.

7) Do you like making movies or just studying the history, theory and criticism of films?

I'm more interested in the study now, but my undergraduate degree is in film production and I like getting back into that field from time to time. Particularly film editing, which is such an exciting discipline.

8) Do you even like going to the movies?

Very much so. Almost as much as I like tearing apart the films afterwards!

9) When people know you want to study film don't you always hate it when they ask you, "What's your favorite movie?"

Mostly my peers just want to know if I'm serious (film studies didn't have a great reputation where I was an undergraduate). But I don't mind listing off some favorite movies--it's not like such things are serious or permanent.

10) Tell me a story about talking to someone about applying and them "not getting you".

"So, you want to make movies then?"

[Harvey]

And, btw, I've applied to:

UCLA--accepted!

USC

University of Texas at Austin

UC San Diego--rejected.

UC Berkeley--rejected.

NYU

Northwestern

University of Wisconsin Madison--rejected.

[Dr._Robotnik's_Shadow]

And, btw, I've applied to:

UCLA--accepted!

USC

University of Texas at Austin

UC San Diego--rejected.

UC Berkeley--rejected.

NYU

Northwestern

University of Wisconsin Madison--rejected.

Congrats on your UCLA admit!

[Film_Freak]

USC VS. UCLA Battle?

Admitted at both, not sure about what parts of each school are better/different.

[Harvey]

I've had it suggested by several advisors that USC has the better cinema studies program, but I can't speak to many specifics.

[aem88]

Anyone heard from UCSB Film and Media Studies? And to UCLA admits...when did you hear from them? My status has not been updated. So far I've been rejected from UT, Madison, Michigan, USC, and Indiana, so these are my last two hopes. I'm thinking I'll be giving next year a go.

[Harvey]

I learned I was accepted to UCLA just yesterday (minutes before I posted that list, actually).

Still waiting on all the others.

[tomsdiner]

Anyone heard from UCSB Film and Media Studies? And to UCLA admits...when did you hear from them? My status has not been updated. So far I've been rejected from UT, Madison, Michigan, USC, and Indiana, so these are my last two hopes. I'm thinking I'll be giving next year a go.

Can I ask when you heard from Michigan? I haven't heard anything yet.