How To Get Into Film School (USC And All Those Other Ones) 

As a junior in high school applying to film schools, I really needed this. Thank you! Your films are amazing!

im only going into junior year of highschool with a huge interest in film making but i have zero experience with it. but this really helped putting everything into perspective, thank you!

this feels like a coming of age movie

Omg I didn't realize you were the filmmaker behind "Shot Gun"-- I watched it a while ago and I can't stop thinking about the transition between day and night with the car until the streetlight.

That lamp trick with the music is the most impressive thing I've watched stoned

this is one of the best videos i’ve ever watched. not only does it consist of very useful tips, but it’s also very entertaining. it’s obvious how much talent you have and i do believe you’re going to be huge in the years to come

I applied to film schools this past year and was accepted to Emerson, waitlisted at LMU, and rejected from the other big names. While the result wasn't entirely what I wanted it to be, it has given me a bigger drive than EVER to pursue film. Through constantly working on films on the side, it allowed me to craft a portfolio to get into a film fellows program which has given me so many opportunities in the film industry, and I haven't even started college yet. I've actually chosen not to go to Emerson as the financial cost outweighed the benefit of going BUT I will be applying as a transfer student to these film schools (including USC ofc) more prepared and amped up; I def think it's wise for me to spend 1-2 years in a mediocre school, to then transfer to the bigger universities, as it saves money :). Even if I don't get into my top choices the 2nd time around I know I will still have a great future in film, as I found other ventures in it. So yes, while I didn't get into USC or NYU or LMU, I was still able to put my filmmaking skills to use to eventually find beneficial opportunities working in film, such as my fellows program. SO KEEP MAKING FILMS!! All of this advice was great by the way, it didn't come off as prententious, but genuine. As long as you have some sort of camera, an idea, and a person to put in front of a camera (it could literally be you if you have no one else), then YOU can make a film!! Don't worry if your stuff is bad, just keep at it, and be PERSISTENT. Don't let ANY situation define whether you want to pursue film. I knew NO ONE in the film industry, and yet in a whole year I was able to make so much progress in my film journey. Also understand that you are so young starting out in film!! I've met so many film professionals who started in their mid 20s. Don't let any situation deter you. BELIEVE IN YOURSELF, AND GOOD LUCK!!! YOU can do it.

I'm so glad this exists! I would have totally killed to have watched this as a junior and senior in high school. :)

I'm a junior in high school and this video is so helpful!

Probably the most well spent 23 minutes of my life. Awesome job bro!

I’m a senior right now and I’m so stressed with all of this so thank you for making this video

Going into my junior year of high school next year and I’m so grateful for this video. It really opened my eyes on the application process and just gave me so many ideas and motivation for things I want to work on. Thank you, loved the video!

I'm pressed this doesn't have more views. The editing and overall quality of the video was amazing and I honestly really needed this. THANK YOU and I hope you get the views you deserve soon

Your videos continue to be the best! Thanks for this. I'm a sophomore in high school who wants to go to film school but can't really afford it, but I hope that I'll manage to pursue film in some way in life, and your vids are very inspiring. (This somehow gave me a spark of inspo and I just started a new script. let's hope i finish this one :') )

Liam this is such a good video!! I'm so freakin impressed, I wish I could have watched this video myself when I was applying to USC. Also all my classmates made such cogent and moving points-- I love y'all

I saw this video 6 months ago when I was uncertain about going to a film school. Now I have applied to the top film schools and got into LMU. Just wanted to appreciate Liam🔥🌟. Thanks to him and this video I got a lot of info and confidence to apply.

I know I’m a bit late to this videos release but my god this is helpful! I’m starting my senior years of highschool soon and I know film is what I want/need to do as a career. I stress and think about this career path everyday and wonder if I’ll be successful or fail at it all together. A video like this on applying for a school really made me encouraged and gave me hope that I can become successful! Thank you so much

LIAMMMM this is so great!! This is just what everyone needs when applying- I'm so happy this is out there :)

This was actually insanely helpful. I’m crunched for time rn and this really helped. Thanks bro

This is so well put together, I loved every second

I know there's a billion other comments like this, but as a senior who had no idea where to start to get into film school, this really eased a lot of my worries. Thank You!!

Great work here! Best of luck to everyone applying!

im just in 8th grade and i have loved the art of film making ever since i was 9 and i really wish to learn from the best on how to make stories into movies, one day i will hopefully become an amazing director and i hope you succeed in whatever you plan to do in the wonderful art of cinema.

So well put together and I appreciate how this video helped me lessen my stress around applying. I don't know you, but thanks so much Liam.

This is such a great video. I am a junior in high school and this is exactly what I needed. Such a well done video, and I can tell you are very talented.

This couldn't have come out at a better time for me, thank you!

I really appreciate all the time and effort you put into this. Your advice should help me out a lot!

This is so cool! I am planning on making a short film over this summer and this was super helpful

This inspires me so much! But I also feel a sense of impending doom that my story will not be as incredible as all these amazing short film applications! I am going to work very hard and do my very best though!

I really liked Hannah and Ben’s point at the end- a LOT of people apply to these schools and don’t get in (me, i’ll be the first to admit ;) ). You just can’t take it personally. It’s really about how you handle the rejection, not the rejection itself. With almost a year done at UIUC for CS + Advertising, I can tell you that production will happen wherever you make it happen. Liam and I are going to have two EXTREMELY different college experiences, but we’re two different people. As long as you put in all that you can, then there’s not much need to worry. life has a way of figuring things out. open to talking more if ur feeling stressed.

I am 11 second into it and I already know this is going to be fun and educational... love it

Damnit Liam, you're one year behind. Could have used this for my application. Guess I'll have to try to adapt it for a transfer student. But love the video and information and the way you portrayed it, definitely shows why you got into USC. EVERYONE trying to get into a school take notes!

As a freshman that’s worried about the upcoming years, this really helped.

I have been watching a lot of RU-vid really trying to get rid of this anxiety for film school. This one really helped me. Thank you, all of you. I will be searching for your name in the lights.

This was so helpful!! Really calmed my nerves and taught me a lot 😌

thought this had more views. really glad this was recommended to me. im gonna take advantage over the free time i have bc of covid. i wish the best for everyone pursuing their dreams :) thanks for this

I did not even apply to film school since there is absolutely no way in the world I could afford it, but this video is amazing!! Your points were great and it was done in such a cinematic way! I loved it!! I subscribed! Awesome job!

Hey I so those short films a long time ago, I really really loved them, had no idea you did them, great job!

Im a freshmen in high school but this is really helpful and something ill keep in mind for the future, thanks for all the info!

That's so awesome. High quality video and interesting storytelling.

Very well done and articulated, I agree with everything you said in the video

Thank you so much for this video. Learned a lot my grades were the biggest problem right now I was going to take all AP classes, and all the college courses so I could cover up my freshman and sophomore gpa gap. But my grades are improving soo much better I feel more confident now. Ever since I watched the Dear Basketball film animation it had me in tears and I'm a huge basketball guy. So I started wondering how this film touched my heart and not the other film, story, or video. I realized strip writing is a big stuff that creates a huge difference, The film animation although is not a film as I know it is what gives me the passion to become a filmmaker. and now my film teacher a former USC student is teaching us the 3 act structure of the story when I master I guess I will become a better screen writer and make a better story and improve my chance. Hope me luck guys :) I'm a juniors btw

thank you so much for making this! truly encouraging and inspiring

Me watching this while already in Film School.... P.S. I remember watching your short "Delivery" back at MMEA a few years back... absolutely goated film!

thank you so much for this video, it helped me a lot, it was the kind of video I needed ps: your work is amazing

thank you so much , I was so needy of info like this! see u in Hollywood y'all

I needed this 5 years ago

YO MAN, JUST THANK YOU SO SO SO SO MUCH REALLY, SO HELPFUL :)! Btw! I love your shorftfilms!

This was very helpful and intuitive! Great tips!

I love you for making this!

omg i was obssesed w ur application videos i didnt realize it was u that made them

As someone studying business and not considering switching, I didn't need this, but I enjoyed it nonetheless

I really needed this video thank you so much.

THIS IS AMAZING ADVICE! THANKS SO MUCH

I really liked this, great job and Thank you

Thank you for making this video, I will try my best to apply USC in 2022

i love your work with the music in this video

YOURE THE GUY BEHIND THESE TWO SHORTS?!?!?!? YAAAAASSSSSSS KIIIIINGGGGGG

Even this advice video is so beautiful

I'm so glad I never had to do any of that bullshit when getting into college. 2 years at community college for an associate of arts, then transferred to a Film and Video Production BA. I had 0 experience with anything video before transferring, as it really was a shot in the dark, but thankfully I excel at it and it's now my entire life.

This is excellent advice, thank you so much!

Even with the fact that the school sistemes are very different here in my country, but this was so helpful. Thank you

Brilliant video, thank you

loved it!!!

First of all, the quality of this video is AMAZING! Also, what's the name of the song at 0:46? It's so good!

Really need this, thanks

So helpful. The amount of haze killed me LOL. This video is for the undergrad production program, right? I'm hoping to apply to the MFA production program but the creative app is quite similar so this was still very helpful :)

Very helpful

Could you make a video on how to make a shory film, i really want to make one. But i don't excactly understand what i have to do before filming amd while filming. And a basics video would help a lot!! :)

SOO FREAKING GOOD

Bro I gotta have a drink with you at the 901 or something, you're so goddamn talented

I really need this :) Thank you

That’s just so useful thank you thank you thank you

what if you dont have anything to put on your creative resume because you decided film was your passion at a very very late stage of your high school life?

thank you so much I need this

where does this man live it’s so pretty like I’m pretty sure that ain’t in the usc dorms

This was so freaking helpful

shot like a Wes Anderson film. I love to see it.

This is really good information thank you

Amazing, amazing, amazing! But I doubt you don't know that. 😁 I was inspired😍

this is such good quality! what camera do you use?

hey this was super good!

damn i remember seeing delivery at mmea! i hope to see you at usc one day

Thanks for the video bro!

you are a godsend

I have watched a ton of these types of videos - I am so glad I did not go to film school. I learned everything I know about my gear and filmmaking from RU-vid, and just by making my own videos. I have seen film students who have made their capstone video, and then nothing since. I just want to ask them why they are not making short RU-vid videos - experimenting etc. The most important thing people need to understand is that there are NO RULES - sure there are best practices and good technique, but there are no rules. I made and published 3 full length documentaries, before I realized that film students make a bunch of shorts before they make a feature film. I learned how to be a one man production company. Again, I'm so glad I did not go to film school.

Very helpful. Thanks!

thank you for this!

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

Thank u for this video !!!

THANK YOU 🙏🏽

THANK YOU SO MUCH

Is the usc writing supplement the same as the cinematic arts personal statement?

Hey does anyone know if it’s ok to use copyrighted music in your film? I usually don’t but there’s one song that’s perfect and I don’t really need to submit the film to any festivals.

Guys, help! So many questions What is more important: awards and extracurriculars or portfolio? Or any of these can work? I have no experience at cinema or anything related, could I apply with a few short films and photos only? I consider only need blind schools (for international students) Am I understand correctly, your films is the most important thing for a college to make decision?

Hey! Is it allowed to use copyright music in the films you submit??? I have some songs that I really love and would help tell this story I have.

How do you make a short film for your submission and can a 22 year old with no prior school training (save for high school) still apply?

Heyy I have a question...for your film application, how were you able to use copyrighted music ?

thank god I found this this was so helpful kjrsjtrs

YOU MADE THOSE TWO FILMS??? JEEZ