USC and Film

makkuroi
Sat, 20 Dec 2008 21:16:57 +0000

It is difficult to transfer from Critical Studies to Production, but not impossible. I have known a good number who attempted, but only a few that I could name personally who managed to transfer. Still, being in Critical Studies doesn’t mean you can’t work on Production students’ films – in fact, you will find this is a great avenue for networking which will help you as you start to forge a career based on your connection to the USC family. It’s definitely worth applying to both (or applying to Production and Screenwriting, if that’s your thing – although there are even less screenwriters admitted than production students due to the size of the program). If you apply to Prod. and Crit., you might even hear from Production first and then later get accepted into Crit. Studies.

Another plus for incoming “crit studs” is that there is an increasing number of moviemaking competitions taking place at USC now, which you can participate in regardless of major, and which are completely separate from classes. So you can make your films with a group of friends, while many production students will be too busy to compete because they are busy with the films they have to make for their classes.

I’m a production major, in case you were wondering.

Oh, and if you’re looking to do production design, that is the only position open to crit studs in the advanced undergrad production class, CTPR 480 (basically like making a studio film but mini).

The best advice, seriously, is to do creative things and try to get good grades, and START your ESSAYS the summer before you apply. :)