#usc sca

Please reblog :3

Here’s photos for reference:

And also proof I’m not the only one yearning:

I’ve always known that I wanted to be a filmmaker since I was 15. But when my parents and I moved to the US, I had to set my dreams aside for a few years so that I could focus on making money instantly. I went to a trade school to study computers and immediately got hired as an IT Administrator in San Francisco after I got my associate’s degree.

As soon as I started working, I wanted to go back to school to study film. But I had no idea which university to apply to. So I googled for the “best film school in the US”, and that’s how I picked the University of Southern California.

Alright, I’m done bragging.

Since I went to a crappy trade school, I couldn’t transfer to USC right away, so I enrolled at the City College of San Francisco and took only the classes that for sure would transfer to USC. This website helped me find out which classes I needed to take: http://bit.ly/1HUG76c

For almost 2 years, I was a full-time employee by day and a full-time student by night, even in the summer.

There were many nights when I would come home from school and cry over dinner because I was so sick of spending the majority of my day doing something that I don’t love. I wished I was in film school already.

I used those emotions as my motivation to do whatever it took for me to get good grades and still keep my job. Becoming homeless was not an option!

I turned in my application in the summer of 2013. I wrote about it here: http://bit.ly/1K1EQYw. I also decided at the last minute to apply to Chapman University and New York University to cover my butt. The application requirements were different for each school so I was in a lot of rush to get my applications in.

Well, I got rejected from both schools. I didn’t really care for Chapman but I was kind of sad about not getting into NYU because part of me wanted to live in New York. But looking back now, I’m glad I stayed closer to home given how much I love going back to SF to see my boyfriend and my parents.

On May 20, 2013, the best news I’d ever gotten in my life came in a red glossy packet.

That’s me in my parents’ tiny studio apartment in Downtown SF. I had just finished crying (tears of joy, of course), but inside, this was what I was really feeling:

FINALLY!

I notified my kind employer and coworkers right away. They were very happy for me! They threw me a fun karaoke farewell party and I left my job a week before moving to LA.

There will be a special screening of Kate’s film Farah Goes Bang at the Ray Stark Family Theatre (@ the USC School of Cinematic Arts) on Thursday, August 7, at 7 PM.

Admission is free and open to the public.

There will be a Q & A session with Meera Menon (co-writer and director) after the screening.

ok…. work isn't stressful really……. but this USC film is!! I got relieved when I thought I had everything bought…. then I re-read my script breakdown….. I MISSED A WHOLE LOOK…… 

        Would you be surprised if I tell you that this video helped me get accepted into USC film school? I wouldn't be surprised if you said yes. Every year, hundreds (or maybe thousands) of students all over the world submit their application to USC's School of Cinematic Arts (SCA), but only a small percentage of those applicants succeed. So, how the heck did this amateur video of mine stood out from the rest? I don't think I'm ever going to find out the exact answer to that, unless I break into the Admissions office and secretly pour *veritaserum into their water dispenser. If you have been dreaming of attending SCA but have never done any professional work in the film industry, don't get discouraged because Admissions do not base their decision solely on your video sample. Here are some ideas to consider when applying for SCA's Film and TV Production program:

1. Show that you can be a good storyteller in your essay.

        You'll only get to "sell yourself" in a thousand words. How can you possibly talk about your awesomeness without writing a whole book? Think of a way in which you could give them (the Admissions) a glimpse of what defines you as a person. They want to know the real you! Tell them about your passions, your dreams, your most significant experiences, but you can't just say "I really love watching movies" because that's already expected! Don't tell them who you are, "show" them through words. In my essay, I told the story of how my experiences in the US as an immigrant have helped me realize why I want to become a filmmaker. There were so many things that I wanted to say about myself, but ultimately I decided to focus on what I can do with my talents to make a difference in the world, and how I think USC can help me fulfill my vision.

       I heard from a very reliable source (during the student orientation) that the essay is the most important factor in the application. So make this essay a reflection of yourself! Talk about the things that you haven't mentioned in any other parts of the application to give them a better idea of who you truly are. Remember to be honest, and creative. Have your friends read your draft, and if it makes them laugh or cry (or both), then that's a good sign!

2. Submit a video that exhibits your potential.

        Only two people were credited in my video sample: I, and the other actor. I didn't have a crew (if you couldn't tell), or even a script! And I did not intend to make the video specifically for my application. In 2012, my folks moved out of our studio so I had it all by myself. I figured it's the perfect time to launch my YouTube channel (youtube.com/nvisualize). I came up with a web series called "Confessions of a Pinay Immigrant". The style of my series is more popular among YouTube comedians like NigaHiga, Community Channel, and Shane Dawson, but instead of talking about random everyday issues, I wanted to focus on culture because I believe that media can be used not only to entertain, but also to influence how other people view the world. I chose this particular video because it's both funny and informative. Plus, I had loads of fun filming and editing it!

        Even with the lack of professional camera, lighting, or editing software, you can still produce videos that possess an artistic value. Unlike companies, schools look for potential. If you've produced videos for your previous class projects or for personal enjoyment, then you probably have a better chance of getting accepted, but professional experience is definitely not a requirement. After all, you want to go to school because you know you still have so much to learn!

3. Be consistent throughout your whole application.

       If in one of your application materials you said that you want to produce documentary films that inspire social change, but then you wrote a script for a slapstick comedy as your creative writing sample, then the Admissions might think that you're just playing around. Every single part of your application—essays, video and writing samples, short answers, recommendation letters—needs to support one another. They certainly do not have to be repetitive, but they also cannot be conflictive. In my essay, I said that I'm passionate about helping people overcome cultural conflicts, and so I submitted a video sample about language barriers, and then my creative writing sample was a film treatment about how two groups of people from conflicting cultural backgrounds tried to work together to keep an epileptic girl alive. Also, I mentioned that my goal is to become a film director and producer, and so i showed them that I could create contents that have substance. If you want to be a cinematographer then the Admissions might look for good compositions in your video sample, or if you want to be an editor, then they might look for some epic effects!

                I wish I could tell you the real formula to easily get accepted, but I can only speak for what I have experienced. It might be as simple as "be yourself" (more like "no BS"), because if you focus on what you think the Admissions want to see in your application, you might end up pretending as someone that you're not. What if the real you is actually more awesome?

        Best of luck! And remember, whether you get accepted or not, your successful career still relies on your character.

I know, I'm horrible. I have no excuse other than I'm in college people. take what you will from that. haha. 

Now, since it's been, I don't know, roughly 4-6 months since I've last posted, I figure I owe you guys something. Lets talk classes. Oh the days when 290 was my biggest worry. haha. 

project 4 and 5 were ridiculous. 4 was a fail of epic proportions, but I learned so much, most importantly that it's ok to have limits and know them. There's no shame in not being able to come out being able to direct a transformers. Baby steps people, they will save you. 

Now, after 290, USC has a little class that is anything but little called 310. This class is your reckoning, your awakening, your birth into the world of film. If you can get through this class, you can make an independent film on your own, or at least know what it takes to make one. I'm not talking about technical skills, those you can learn after a few days on set. What I'm talking about is your emotional stability - what kind of person you are and what you're made of. Filmmaking is a brutal beast that will rip you apart and leave you for dead on the pavement, but it's also a unicorn that will carry you into the clouds. if you can survive the highs and lows, then filmmaking is for you. 

I decided that it would be a smart idea to make a film about a world where talking has been outlawed and a young girl decides to literally find her voice. It was my first film and I'm proud of it. Could it have been better, yes, but that is not the point of 310. They give you a partner and this person will be the bane of your frustration, your anger, your happiness, and so much more. It's about learning the art of collaboration and learning to trust yourself, your instincts and the ability to 'kill your babies'. To change your entire plot when things aren't working with your first screening. There is so much i can tell you about this class, but the most important things I learned were about who I am and how I look at life. I learned that there are so many amazing people in film that want to help you make your visions come true if you let them help you. The film industry is an amazing place if you find the optimism, the good.