What Film Schools Look For: Interview with Chapman University Dodge College of Film and Media Arts Admissions

Applying to film schools can be a stressful experience. Students might wonder how they can get into film school; what makes a good portfolio and sample film; or if they have enough experience to apply.

To answer our students’ questions and give students a better understanding of how film school applications work, Babel Film Workshop chatted with the admissions team at Chapman University Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, ranked fourth in Hollywood Reporter’s annual film school listing in 2022.

Read excerpts from our conversation with Dodge College’s Jessica Houston and Carlee Correia below. If you’re a student at Babel Film Workshop, you can request access to the full video here.

Babel Film Workshop: Who do you think film school is for? 

Carlee: Anyone who has a genuine passion and interest in storytelling, even if you don’t have the technical ability or the experience. A lot of students may be hesitant because it's daunting to go into the arts, but it really is so rewarding, and the film and media arts schools prepare you for the industry. You learn so much and meet great people.

Jessica: When people think of film school, they think directing, screenwriting or something like that. At Dodge, we also have animation, visual effects, and virtual reality. There's also public relations and advertising, which is a big part of getting your project seen or purchased.

What do you think is the greatest benefit to going to film school?

C: The personalized care from people who work in the industry and a ton of knowledge you wouldn’t get outside of film school. You get to hear their personal experiences and learn their practices.

What are some common career paths for international students after graduating from film school?

J: Some students take the opportunity to intern. For example, a student interned at NBC Universal, and after graduation started working at Peacock, NBC’s streaming service. Another student interned at Warner Brothers Studio, and now works at another production company. And another student who was a Public Relations and Advertising major did an internship in costume design, and enjoyed it so much that she now works full time in the costume department.

Our career office is overseen by Joe Rosenberg, a former agent at CAA (Creative Arts Agency). He worked with people like David Fincher and Robin Williams. The office helps students with networking and internship opportunities. We also have a career advisor who meets individually with students to go over interview techniques, cover letters, and resumes.

What film-related experiences do students appreciate most at film school?

C: We are such a small, tight-knit community that your professor and everybody in class is guaranteed to know your name, so you can make the best of friends.

You’ll connect with your professors on a level that goes beyond the classroom. They'll know what you want to do in life, where you came from, your story, and then they'll be able to advocate for you as you go out into the industry.

What sets Dodge apart from other film schools? 

C: It's the people. Dodge has the best people I've ever met in my life. Just so many great people who are so knowledgeable and kind. If you are a screenwriter, for example, and you want to do sound on set. You can go on set and say, “I have no idea what I'm doing with sound. Will you please help me,” and you will be mentored and guided by someone who knows sound really well and they will never make you feel ashamed for not knowing something.

Second is collaboration. Collaboration at Dodge is essential. You're thrown into a screenwriting class or maybe a television production class where you're in a TV stage and you're rotating roles.

J: The phrase “it's not what you know, but who you know,” is very real, especially in the entertainment industry. Fortunately, Dodge provides you with both: the technical skills and the collaborative relationships.

We also have amazing facilities: three buildings in our film school, which in most places is unheard of, and 13 soundstages.

What qualities do successful applicants have in common? 

C: They showcase who they are and aren’t afraid to be authentic, even if it makes them maybe feel a little silly or not as professional as other applicants. Just do you, that's all we want to see. Don't try to please us and show us what you think we're looking for. Because we're not looking for that. We're actually looking for who you are as a person.

You also have to follow the rules. If it’s a two-minute short film, please make it a two-minute short film, and if you have any questions like “Can I use this music?” or “Can I go over the time?” Definitely email us, and we will tell you that you can use the music, but you cannot go overtime. It doesn't hurt to ask questions, reach out, and really show interest. 

Can you speak about the overall decision-making process in considering applications with regards to students’ creative abilities? 

J: You’ll be submitting the Common Application for Chapman, which will be reviewed by the Office of Admissions, separate from my office. For Dodge, you're required to send in creative supplement materials.

We do not look at the Common Application at all. The main campus looks at it, while we look at the creative supplement. They’re equally important, and for every single student, we come to a joint decision.

As for the creative supplement materials, they differ depending on the program. If you're interested in applying for Film Production, for example, you're required to submit a personal statement, a creative resume, and a visual sample, which has a specific prompt: two-minute film, no dialogue, with a character who makes a significant decision.

Students can choose between multiple emphases within film production, which they have to showcase in their visual sample: Directing, Editing, Sound Design, Production Design, and Cinematography. For Directing, there’s an additional requirement to provide a short story.

What are some misconceptions about the application process? 

J: Students write what they think we want to hear, or look up “accepted film sample” on YouTube. It’s okay to do that, but you shouldn’t try to replicate what somebody else already did.

C: You really don't have to have technical ability. If you look at our prompts for film production, it's all about the story and the character. It can be the most beautiful thing we’ve seen in the world, but if it doesn’t have a good story, that's not going to cut it. We’re not asking for technical, we're asking for story and passion. 

J: The point of going to film school is to learn the technical side of everything. We can't teach you creativity, but we can teach you technical skills all day.

What are some things that international students should keep in mind when they're applying? 

J: We have a large population of international students at Dodge. There is a support system and services for international students, not only during your application process, but also when you're a student. There's no disadvantage for international students in the application process.

The expectation is that you would be submitting your application materials in English because they are mostly going to be read by native English speakers. But if you are also interested in adding something like a short story, and parts of the short story are only fitting if they are in your native language, that's okay to do. But we would also need a translation in order for the reader to be able to know what you're saying. 

When is the best time to start thinking about applying to Chapman specifically? 

C: Junior year is a great time to start looking and do a virtual or in-person tour. That way come senior year, you already have a some familiarity with different schools that you might apply to. For seniors, I would try to start researching schools around the beginning of August because a lot of deadlines are in the fall, like November 1st.

Thanks to Ms. Houston and Ms. Correia for taking the time to speak with us. You may reach the Dodge Admissions team here, and Chapman’s International Admission Counselor, Bryant Dowd, here.

To learn about Babel Film Workshop’s program offerings for middle and high school students interested in film, please contact us here.