[ 3 / biz / cgl / ck / diy / fa / ic / jp / lit / sci / vr / vt ] [ index / top / reports ] [ become a patron ] [ status ]
2023-11: Warosu is now out of extended maintenance.

/lit/ - Literature

View post   
File: 7 KB, 407x124, images.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
4605084 No.4605084[DELETED]  [Reply] [Original]

Just got rejected from the MA Scriptwriting course. Obviously I feel terrible. Anybody know the actual amount of places available in such a type of course? Anybody got some nice platitudes?

>> No.4605090

It would have been a waste of money anyway.

>> No.4605095

>>4605090
£6,000 for a year is not bad

>> No.4605098

Now you're not dropping a dickton of money to insulate yourself just that much more from actually fucking writing scripts and getting things made. You also get to experience the real world for awhile now, which will either inform your writing or convince you to quit writing altogether through the simple oppression and bliss one can find in mindless toil.

>> No.4605109

>>4605098
That's a good one.

Though I didn't expect a reply, I asked if they could provide me with anymore info. They did reply:
> The admissions tutor has read your work carefully and they do not feel it compares strongly enough with other applicants to merit a place on the MA at this time
>In the meantime, if you would like detailed feedback on your work, you could consider attending writers groups or workshops, taking a course (for example, see http://www.arvonfoundation.org/)) or employing a literary agent/consultant (for example, see http://www.literaryconsultancy.co.uk).

>> No.4605118

>>4605095
£6,000 too many

You don't need a scriptwriting course, you need to write, and have some life experiences.

Go travelling or something. That's a better way to spend that money.

>> No.4605125

>>4605118
Fortunately I do travel, I do live a life, and I write regularly. What I was seeking out of a graduate program was a level of feedback from a source of competence I could trust.

>> No.4605142

>>4605084
Good, you saved yourself from the indignity of studying at UEA

>> No.4605155

Not top 50 m8.

>> No.4605160

Sounds like a worthless degree.

>> No.4605176

>>4605142
>indignity
I got wait listed and then rejected by Oxford two years ago. Was that better?

>> No.4605177

UK university thread? Where are you studying what?

>> No.4605190

>>4605177
I graduated with a BA for Film Production at Emerson College December 2011. I have since then been back in Amsterdam, where I grew up, working as a freelance director/writer/editor. I've been doing alright, getting enough gigs to get by. However, as I continue to work on my scripts and more personal projects I realized I wanted the benefit of experienced structure and feedback.

>> No.4605280

Are all Masters programs in Script or Drama writing useless?

>> No.4605289

>>4605177
University of Southampton, but I'm absolutely miserable.

>> No.4605294

>>4605289
I have a friend who studies physics there and he loves it.

>> No.4605310

>>4605125
Why not ask /lit/ for feedback?

>> No.4605315

>>4605294
Yeah, it's a great University. I brought the sadness with me.

>> No.4605320

>>4605310
/lit/ has not been very supportive when it comes to screenplay or scripts.

>> No.4605324

UEA runs a highly appealing post-grad degree in Communication and Language Studies, but I don't want to live in Norwich at all.

I'm going to apply to Sussex/Nottingham instead.

>> No.4605326

>>4605315
Just go to Jesters and get #smashes with the #lads you autist

>> No.4605327

>>4605176
Much. They aren't comparable institutions, if you're not going to get in at least do it somewhere classy like Oxford.

>> No.4605331

>>4605326
I go to Jesters all the time m8 you cheeky cunt, i'm not autistic at all.

>> No.4605330

anybody know anything about University of the Arts London's MA in Dramatic Writing?

>> No.4605334

>>4605331
#banter
#LADbible

>> No.4605336

>>4605330
>paying to study Dramatic Writing
>paying to live in London

Nope

>> No.4605339

>>4605320
This. also 4chans format isn't really suited to sharing a script in a post for feedback the way you can prose or poetry without just linking to your work.

Are we able to share pdfs in the image field here the way you can on /tg/? I've never seen it done anywhere else, but I don't visit too many boards. Would be a useful function here for posting your work.

>> No.4605342 [DELETED] 

>>4605190
>>Emerson College 2011

Did you graduate with Ben G?

>> No.4605345

>>4605327
Eh, I think creative writing-wise UEA has a good reputation. The real classy institutions don't want to be associated with something as fluffy as creative writing.

>> No.4605347

>>4605334
ur the one sounding like an autist now m8

>> No.4605349

>>4605084
>Anybody got some nice platitudes?
There, there.

For real though, sorry OP. Keep working on your shit and there will be other opportunities. At least you've got an ambition in life, which is far more than I can claim.

>> No.4605377

topkek

must suck to be old. finishing up my gap year, then going to oxford for undergrad.

>> No.4605398

>>4605377
>on gap year
>posting on 4chan
What the shit? Shouldn't you be experiencing the world?

>> No.4605411

>>4605084
Giving up all ambition is the best way to live, OP. You lucked out.

>> No.4605410

>>4605398

I don't always shitpost on 4chan, but when I do, it's on lazy Tuesday afternoons.

>> No.4605425

>>4605411
>tfw you wish you had ambition

>> No.4605440

>>4605425
>>4605411
>tfw have ambition but too depressed to act on it
You will never know this pain.

>> No.4605443
File: 37 KB, 511x341, 1391455475716.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
4605443

Should I go to London and work besides uni to survive, or go to a worse uni and take it more chill?

>> No.4605470

>>4605443
What university/course? And can't you just get a socking great loan?

>> No.4605491

>>4605470
queen mary - english and european law

how much loan would i have to get to pay for the tutition fees + rent + living expenses? a shitton

>> No.4605494

>>4605491
The new student loan system is more of a 'graduate tax'. If you earn below a certain amount they don't take anything, and they only take small amounts monthly. After a few decades it gets written off

Maintenance loans are bigger if you live in London.

>> No.4605497

>>4605494
i still don't really like the idea of being balls deep in debt

>> No.4605500

>>4605497
Don't be silly.

>> No.4605507

>>4605440
Topped only by the
>have talent / ambition / proven competence but current existential crisis has given you, rather than cutting insight, a total creative block
feel.

>> No.4605506

>>4605336
Are there any programs left that PAY you to study Dramatic writing? I've heard of them whispered, but I can't seem to find them.

My ex gf is in a course in St. Louis where she receives a stipend to write and study poetry.

>> No.4605509

>>4605342
I did graduate with a Ben. G if that's the one you are referring too. His brother also went there.

>> No.4605513

>>4605507
>current existential crisis
AKA the over whelming fear of failure, and that if you applied yourself you might reach short of your own expectations?

>> No.4605532

>>4605497
You're studying law you ridiculous eedjit. They'll just take a small chunk of your massive salary.

If the best university available is in London, do it. London can also be pretty cool

>> No.4605543

>>4605513
More an overwhelming sense that failure is the only option for anything anybody will ever do. And I just haven't managed to swim back to the solid ground of "fuck it, let's go" as of yet.

>> No.4605565

>>4605543
Just write shit. Don't expect to be great. Write something terrible. Imagine you are being held hostage and if you don't produce the worst piece of writing they will execute you. Then go from there.

>> No.4605629

>>4605425
You sound like one of those girls who want a puppy without really realising you have to train the bitch and take it for walks every day and it shitting all over your comfy zone and ripping up the pillows.

>> No.4605637

>>4605629
Haha, probably. But dammit, I still want a dream. I want to want to be something.

>> No.4605659
File: 47 KB, 200x304, ataraxia intensifies.png [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
4605659

>>4605637
Just count your blessings friend, wanting to be something is basically the cause of all the disagreeable things in the world. But if you absolutely must, try to be someone who wants to be someone who is content being a nobody.

>> No.4605691

I would like some citations on which as to what screen writers have an MA in screen writing, and also wouldn't it be an MFA?

>> No.4605800

>>4605506
Is this your ex-gf?

http://proemproem.tumblr.com/

>> No.4605807

>>4605345
This. I don't even think it's possible to do scriptwriting at Oxford.

>> No.4605817

To get a job in an industry like film, 2 years work experience is vastly more valuable than 4 years study and a pile of debt.

Good luck to anyone trying to follow this dream, You're really going to need it.

>> No.4605833

>>4605691
An MFA is actually a different kind of degree; it's a step higher than an MA.

>> No.4605835

Come on, just get over it.
It would be no use anyway.
You know, what brings up a good scriptwriter? Experience. What makes your script good? Interesting plot, which is not a fantasy-shit-tier-bullshit.
Experience, I say, gives you an opportunity to get more ideas for your next scripts. I strongly recommend you to write down some interesting stories, events, memorise it and this would be a great training for you.

>> No.4605845

>>4605084
why did you only apply to 1 uni

>> No.4605852
File: 125 KB, 450x566, Snyder_chair.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
4605852

How does this plan sound?
>Get qualified as an electrician
>Work on short films etc in spare time
>When qualified, work on proper films, as a runner or technician
>Carry on writing while supporting myself with the trade
>Build connections and break into industry

Workable?

>> No.4605855

>>4605835
Yeah, I'm getting over it.

But, I did want the "experience" of an educational institute and the support they would provide. I wasn't seeking it simply to have parchment to wave around, but to have a reliable and trusted institute guide me into becoming a "better writer".

I feel I am hitting my threshold of ability without valuable outside input.

>> No.4605856

>>4605800
>http://proemproem.tumblr.com/
wait...what the fuck?

>> No.4605864

>>4605852
If becoming an electrician is something that would be satisfying, then I see no reason not to pursue that trade.

Here's a nice quote from John Logan, great screenwriter and playwright:

>I graduated from Northwestern. I had no money. No one had any money. So I got a day job, shelving books at the Northwestern University Law Library. Every morning I would work from nine to five and shelve books, for ten years. Every single day for ten years…And it was the greatest time in my life because I had no expectations of anything but learning how to do my job, which was to be a playwright…It was a very vibrant time in Chicago theatre, and I loved it. I spent ten years learning how to do my job and it was fantastic.

Shelving books worked for him as a playwright, will working as an electrician work for you as a filmmaker?

It took me about a year to get to the level of getting paid filmmaking gigs. I have the amazing good fortune of not having to make rent, but still had to get daytime jobs to survive. I also occasionally work as an actor which helps.

>> No.4605870

>>4605852
Sounds bad.
Name a well-known scenarist that began as an electrician (or any other manual work).

>> No.4605869
File: 36 KB, 400x468, yep.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
4605869

>>4605855
Nothing makes you a better writer, than yourself.
All those educational institutes are paid (by you) to tell you things, that you may learn yourself, but with an addition, represented in a form of an old bearded man, whose duty is to sit and do shit.
Some people graduate the Scriptwriting course, and what we get is fucking Jeremy Kyle show, or soap dramas. Here you go.
I'm pretty sure that there may be various meeting with famous authors in your libraries/bookshops/whateva, just come and listen to what they say. This will be much educational, than this uni course, I swear.
Also, try working in film industry. Even a small duty can make no harm, and you will get used to this world and its rules.

>> No.4605911

>>4605870
>Look at bios
>All got into film where it was possible apparently possible to "be a writer" or "go and work in films"
>This is impossible today without people willing to support you
>Also, for some reason everyone is Jewish
>scenarist

>> No.4605912

>>4605506
What's the program?

>> No.4606049

>>4605911
>Also, for some reason everyone is Jewish
There is a historical precedence to this. Jews were often barred from a lot of work. Entertainment and banking were career that remained available, hence the large amount of Jews working in both.

>> No.4606453

>>4605177
MLitt Philosophy at St Andrews. Anyone else here at St Andrews?

>> No.4606488

>>4606453
I very nearly did that but opted for York instead for my masters.

>> No.4606640

>>4605177
In the process of picking my final choices for where I want to study English lit
Edinburgh is my main option, although coincidentally they're the only university who still haven't replied back, the snobs.
I've got an unconditional scholarship from Sussex so even if I fuck up tremendously in my final exams, I've got a secured average university

>>4605324
what do you think of sussex? It's a pretty nice campus and the lecturers seem competent enough. I was surprised to find that it isn't a russell group considering their high asking grades

>> No.4606647

>>4606640
I'm still waiting for Edinburgh too, they are just lazy shits

>> No.4606658

>>4606647
What did you apply for?
I'm kinda relieved that they're not asking for an interview, either I get a place or I don't. Saves me having to spill my spaghetti everywhere in front of the interviewers

>> No.4606660

>>4605852
>implying you can elect better and cheaper than poland

>> No.4606673

>>4606658
Law with international relations

>> No.4606717

Any opinions on Portsmouth uni?

>> No.4607217

>>4606717
It's not held in any particularly high regard, but I know people who are happy there. Plus it depends on the course you're planning to take

>> No.4607227

>>4605084
Not getting accepted to a MA Scriptwriting program seems like some sort of "baby proofing" of one's life.

Like the safety on a lighter, consider this rejection as a guard against your making a truly terrible and irrepairable mistake.

>> No.4607240

>>4605324
I go to UEA and love it here, what's your beef son?

>> No.4607486

>>4605565
That, uh, that isn't the thing. Again, it's out of the "obligation is bullshit and I no longer feel obligation to myself" feeling. A sensation of zeroing in on semi-Buddhist enlightenment and whatnot.

>> No.4607565

>>4605856
>Maybe I am an aquarium after all

>> No.4607576

>>4607486
>sensation of zeroing in on semi-Buddhist enlightenment
Keep telling yourself that. I believe the quacks refer to that as a symptom of a personality disorder

>> No.4608060

>>4607576
>2014 and visiting /lit/
>implying I'm not totally aware of what's going on with me and that I'm not being to some extent deliberately obstinate

>> No.4608177

>>4607240
What do you study at UEA? I graduated from there last year.

>>4605324
I've lived in both Norwich and Brighton and the latter is the better city, although Norwich isn't as bad as you'd think - the students union is really good and the on campus nightclub isn't bad. Beer prices are a joke though, when I first went there it was £2/pint or less on everything, and the "union ale" is a really average pint.