Published November 27, 2024
Dear Future NYU Film Students, Here’s Where to Start
So you want to be an NYU Film Student...
NYU is known to be one of the top 5 universities for Film & Television in the United States, making it a dream destination for aspiring filmmakers. The Maurice Kanbar Institute of Film & Television provides students with strong fundamentals of filmmaking and opportunities to gain valuable experience in hands-on environments. If you have a passion for storytelling and are considering applying this fall to Film & Television at the Tisch School of the Arts, your journey starts with a personalized creative portfolio.
Similar to other creative programs at NYU, Film & Television applicants are required to submit a creative portfolio in SlideRoom as an extension of their Common Application submission to NYU. The purpose of this portfolio is to showcase your unique artistic abilities and potential as a creative artist to the Film admissions committee. This is your platform to showcase the experiences and viewpoints you have that make you stand out from the crowd, which make you unique.
With the right preparation and passion, your unique voice can shine through and open doors to incredible opportunities at NYU. This article will guide you through the essential requirements and tips to craft your portfolio. With the right preparation and dedication, your unique voice can shine through and open doors to incredible opportunities at NYU.
Start by asking yourself these questions:
What art is meaningful to me? What personal experiences do I have that I would want to share? What elements of creativity do I value? What makes me stand out?
Before I unpack the details of the application, I want to authentically emphasize that answering these questions is not easy. When completing my application, I tried to tailor my interests around what would appeal to others– worrying about what the admissions team wanted to see from me opposed to what I wanted to share.
After overcoming this biggest hurdle, realizing that my work must come from my own voice, I felt motivated to create. It’s harder to tell a story that you aren’t as invested in compared to a story that you want to share. Don’t devalue your life’s experiences! An idea that you might think is silly could be the best idea someone else has ever heard!
The Creative Portfolio: Breaking Down Slideroom
The creative portfolio on SlideRoom is due the same day as your selected application deadline. Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to complete all 5 sections, as well as additional short response questions.
#1 One Page Resume
Your creative resume is the first step to giving NYU Tisch a glimpse into your passions and interests. This is your opportunity to display what you’re involved in, whether it’s related to film or not. This includes social and/or community work, extracurriculars, sports, clubs, etc. You can also include creative projects or jobs you’ve worked outside of an academic setting! Make sure you are meeting all of the formatting requirements for this resume; one page, PDF format, and personal details.
#2 Yourselfie Video
This 1-2 minute video is NOT where they assess one’s filmmaking skills, and does not require a high productive value. You can record on your phone or laptop camera, and don’t need to edit it if you wish not to. This video allows the admissions team to hear your voice, getting a glimpse into who you are outside of film.
Use this video to share something you are passionate/care about rather than a testimony for why you love filmmaking (if you are willing to complete the extensive creative portfolio, we know that you want to come here already). For example, I used my Yourselfie video to share my deep passion for music over the course of my life! Check out my submission below!
AJ's Yourselfie Video Example (2022)
#3 Tell us a Story
Choose ONE visual prompt and ONE audio prompt as inspiration and write a complete short story up to 3 pages long. It can be fiction or nonfiction; but must be a complete story. You have a lot of creative liberty; however you must incorporate both visual and audio prompts in your work!
Candidly, I struggle to see myself as a writer. In the midst of constant writers-block, one of my professors at NYU introduced me to a helpful tool to start generating ideas. In my “Storytelling Strategies” class, my professor gave us a journal on the first day of class. With no requirements of what to write in it, he said that we should write something down everyday. Whether it’s a diary entry, a rant about something that’s frustrating, or even something small on your mind, the act of converting your thoughts into pressureless writing can open so many doors for the creative mind.
I would recommend keeping a journal for all creatives, whether you chose to use it for this application or not. My creative story, inspired by a conversation about peer pressure, follows a teenage girl who, pressured into throwing a party without her parents’ permission, ultimately shatters her family’s TV. My audio prompt was TV static!
#4 Set the Scene
Write a 1 page short story where you describe in detail a memorable film or TV viewing experience that reflects on your personal experience. This story should describe the impact and influence this experience had on you. This is not an academic essay or an analysis on a movie, but rather a narration of a moment that had a lasting impression on you.
Think about some of your favorite films; ask yourself why it is your favorite film. Think about the shows you choose to binge watch in bed and what makes them compelling. Or maybe a time where you went to the movie theater with all your friends and cried with popcorn in your lap. There are no wrong answers!
#3 The Creative Submission
Final stretch! This is the big one. Provide one creative submission that showcases cinematic/visual storytelling and imaginative expression of thought. There are 3 options.
- Artistic Portfolio of 10-15 images
- Film/Video of up to 5 minutes (including credits)
- Writing of up to 6 pages
For specific requirements detailing each of these individual sections, review the Creative Portfolio Requirements on the NYU Tisch website.
As a highschool student, I loved giving myself opportunities to direct my own films with my local theater friends. I found it really difficult to figure out a concept for my big creative submission. I was stuck thinking about the stories that haven’t been told yet, but soon realized that I should be telling the narratives that hold value for me. My creative submission was a coming-of-age dramedy of a young girl who goes on multiple unamusing dates with boys to try and get over her ex-boyfriend. At the time I made this, I thought my idea was cliche and unoriginal. But after deep reflection, I realized that these are the stories I’m most passionate about and that brings me the greatest joy to create.
I made this concept my own, and I am so glad I didn’t settle for making a horror film that I wasn’t going to feel fulfilled by. At the end of the day, your art is for you.
The End!
The journey itself can feel really heavy, causing you to ask a lot of questions about yourself and the world around you. However this challenge will strengthen your outlook as an artist! Know that you are not alone, and that no idea, art piece, photography, or concept is insignificant.
What I would tell my younger self:
- Don’t doubt yourself because of comparison! You are a unique candidate even if you have similar interests and passions as other applicants.
- Take care of yourself: it can be overwhelming balancing heavy college applications with senior year and personal self-care. Make sure that you are keeping yourself healthy and supported– it will help you feel more comfortable in the application process!
- Give yourself enough time: Whichever application deadline you chose to apply for (EDI, ED2, or Regular Decision), make sure you have ample time to submit the Common Application and gather your materials before your selected due date.
The person I’ve evolved into as a Film & Television student in New York City is an experience my younger self would have never expected. I got the opportunity to network with highly involved members in the industry, work on sets, and solidify my passion for entertainment. Like my dad would tell me, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”
Submit that application– because your art could leave a mark!
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