Sapphiar, just to be clear, does that mean that you heard that people who were accepted would hear today?

Nono, it was that they'll be meeting today to discuss admissions. I'm not sure what that means precisely, but I imagine you'll hear from them in the next week if you've been accepted (just based on my previous and current experience with the faculty.)

But don't hold me to this! Maybe I shouldn't have said anything...

Don't stress! Drink tea. Watch Bob Ross. Be calm.

Char just confirmed that all admissions had been sent out this afternoon. Didn't get one. I can still hope for the wait list, I suppose

Turner, does "sent out" mean by snail mail, email, or phone?

Sent by email this afternoon. She said the emails go out "top down". Like I said, there is still hope for the wait list.

Oh, okay. Thanks, Turner.

Come on, waitlist! haha

No waitlist for me. I just got the rejection email.

The journey continues...

I received a PM with some questions about UT, and I thought I'd share my responses with everyone.

quote:

I wanted to ask you also about the experience of living in Austin- I've lived and worked in NY and Boston, so am really familiar / comfortable with the Northeastern urban environment - although I firmly believe it should be about the program, and Austin sounds incredible, are there any pointers you could give me?

I had the same questions before moving here. While Austin is definitely very similar to those cities culturally, it's a quite different feeling in terms of space and environment. It might be Austin, but it's still Texas. If you're used to density, you may feel a little out to sea, but ultimately, you'll get used to it, and it's not the most important thing about a city. I think you'll find that the arts culture and the film community are fantastic, and the program is so tight, that you'll find a welcoming community to walk into. Every other aspect is secondary to those things.

quote:

Is it ok to get by without a car (I don't bike) - what are the best housing options to look for? I have no reference point for Austin-

If you look for a place north of campus in the Hyde Park, Rosedale, or East Austin area, you'll be set. There's a pretty decent bus system in Austin, and you'll be able to get around. You can walk to school. (Although I definitely recommend biking. It's a fairly flat city with great weather, and pretty good bike lanes. Consider it.)

That said, as easy as it is to get around town and to school without a car, you're going to have trouble making your films. I only use my car once or twice a week, but when you need it you really need it. You may find yourself asking for rides or getting a membership to Car2Go. After the first semester of making our docs, the few students in my class who didn't have a car ended up getting one.

quote:

It's definitely exciting, people keep mentioning the SXSW fest, the live music scene, the liberal atmosphere, but is it really that incredible?

It's as incredible as you make it. Are you interested in meeting people, going to events, putting yourself out there? If so, you'll find a ton of good stuff to do, especially in film and the arts. But that could be said of most cities. I've lived in some cool cities, and Austin holds its own.

quote:

Also besides the small class what would say are the major pro's of the program?

I'm not going to say anything that hasn't been said before, so definitely go through the archives and look at what's been written, but here's what I love about UT:

It's a small, tight program. You'll meet fewer people than at the big schools, but you'll have better connections with them. The city is full of enthusiastic filmmakers and production people. It's a smaller community than in NY or LA, too, so you'll get to make lasting relationships with people. I love the combination of doc and narrative here. I came to UT with no interest in doc at all, but I learned way more than I thought I would in the process of making a doc my first semester. Even if I never make another, it's changed the way I think about editing and story-building. It's also cheap as hell, comparatively. It starts off cheap, and gets even cheaper when you consider the TA guarantees. Which means that I'll come out of school with more money to possibly fund myself while I look for work or try to get a movie off the ground.

But I don't want to tell you it's the perfect school. It's got it's own personality, and you need to look closely at what kind of experience you're looking for in school. Let me know if you have other specific questions about the program or the classes, let me know. I know it's a tough decision to make, and I'm glad I don't have to do it again! Good luck.

Also, Sapphiar, do chime in on this one! I know you have opinions.

Do I have opinions! Heck ya!

No, I think Brittak has a lot of good points, but she's also far more diplomatic about her positions than I am about mine...

I'm just gonna start with the car question: I'm not even going to give Austin transit any respect here, 'cause it certainly doesn't offer any respect to me. As someone who is "car-less", I find the transit here terrible. Many of the bus lines finish before 11PM, half of them are consistently late, and the other half only run every 30-60 minutes. Just this morning I missed my bus going home because they changed the stop (not the first time), and after I finally figured out where it was going and found it (and it was 15 minutes late, to boot), the driver drove right by me. Typical. I definitely recommend a car, and if you can't afford one, do make sure you live close to at least three main bus lines. Do your homework.

Outside of that, Austin's strong suits lie in its atmosphere. It's very laid back here, and the communities are super friendly and non-threatening. Yes, the downtown area can get a bit hairy, but I've never felt more than slightly uncomfortable. I'm from the west coast of Canada and I found a lot of the city/suburbia really adorable and lived-in in this really great way. And hey -- as soon as that cold snap finished in February, the weather is friggin' fantastic. Nothing is more satisfying at the end of a school week than going to bar's backyard and having a $2 beer in the sunshine.

Pros of the program (as a screenwriting MFA) have been the professors and the students. As Brittak said, the tiny groups are a plus (for the majority) as you definitely grow together as a group, which is fantastic when going through editing and finding your voice/strengths, etc... I've made some friends here that I never expected and have become as close with them in six months as I have with some of my friends at home. And then outside of a few snags, I've found the professors here top notch (again, I'm screenwriting.) They're friendly, giving, helpful, and so knowledgeable -- it's really amazing. And although some weeks you may feel like you're head is spinning, the fact that its so rigorous is also really fantastic. But as with anything, it's always how you make things. It's still possible to be a slacker in this environment, but if you work hard you'll see the results.

I hope that helps anyone who's actually reading this still. And anyone is always welcome to email me, too!

Sapphiar makes some good points about the buses. Mainly, if you know you're going to be bus-bound, make sure you're on a decent bus line. You're probably not taking the rush hour morning and evening buses, so you should also make sure your bus line has enough buses at the right times.

But also don't discount the almighty bicycle. Unless you live halfway to Bee Caves, you can probably bike to school or bike + bus. (And what happened to your grand plans to buy a bike, Sapphiar? I thought we were gonna start bike-pooling! Let's continue this argument over some $2 beers in the sunshine.)

So how did everyone who started this program in fall 2011 do in their first semester?

I'd like to live vicariously through you lol

I'd like to get my MFA eventually and UT is one of the schools I am considering.
I am from just south of Austin and would choose UT if I decide I want to move my career from L.A. back to Texas. If I stay in L.A. I will apply to USC, UCLA and AFI. For fun I will apply to the National Film and Television School.

I earned my BS from Texas A&M University so maybe my statement of purpose alone could get me into UT.