The MFA Program in Film and Video Production at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro is now seeking students for admission to the class of August 2008.

American Cinematographer May, 2001 included UNCG among "Top U.S. Film Schools"

The Film and Video Production MFA is designed to develop individual artistry--you write, shoot, edit your films--while establishing a foundation in the theory and practice of film and video production. The MFA is an academic credential, too, so the program emphasizes theory, history, and criticism as a basis for developing production skills. We normally admit fifteen to twenty students every three years. For a sample of the work produced by students in the UNCG MFA, check out first year student Jason Flynn's spring 2006 practicum, Only the Dead, and Sukhada Gokhale's 2005 MFA Master Production, Dhyas (Longing).

Why Study Filmmaking at UNCG?

Small program with quality teaching

Competitive teaching assistantships

Shoot film and DV A community of artists in a livable city

We develop the well rounded film artist: you learn writing, producing, shooting, editing, lighting, and sound.

Emphases also available in screenwriting and documentary

The program requires the completion of sixty semester hours. This usually can be accomplished within six semesters (three years). Among major awards won by MFA films produced by students while they were enrolled are Academy of Television Arts & Sciences College Awards, CINE Eagles, Dore Schary Award. and numerous regional, national, and international film festivals.

Applicants submit GRE scores, undergraduate transcripts, a goals statement, and creative materials (films, videos, slides of artwork, short scripts, etc.) for review for admission to the program. Students from any discipline with a strong academic record and evidence of a good visual sense can be admitted with the understanding that they will take such prerequisite work as is deemed necessary. For a complete outline of admission criteria, degree requirements, and curriculum, please see our MFA Degree page.

How to Contact Us

Listed Below are Are Some Frequently Asked Questions About Our Program:

1. Is there a minimum GRE score for admission?

   We do not have a fixed minimum score for the GRE--we look at your total package: your GRE scores, your undergraduate GPA, your portfolio. But in general, the verbal GRE score is the most important element we look at from the GRE. We do not currently have a minimum GRE or TOEFL score for admission.

2. When do I take the GRE?

   The sooner, the better. Traditionally, if you register for the GRE in November, you can take the GRE in December, and the scores are mailed out in January. That's a 90 day lead time. We need your scores by 15 January 15 2008.

3. What's the deadline for completing my application to the MFA in Film and Video Production?

   The Department's deadline for complete applications is 25 January 2008 for admission in fall 2008.

4. Do I need an undergraduate major in the field of film or video?
   Sukhada Gokhale from India is one of several overseas students who are in or have recently completed the UNCG MFA, including students from Cameroon, China, Germany, India, Korea, Romania, and Taiwan.

   Often students admitted to the MFA have an undergraduate major in mass media, broadcasting, cinema, a related discipline, and/or practical experience in the field. Students without appropriate undergraduate or experiential preparation but who show strong academic and creative promise can apply for admission to the program. Such applicants are frequently admitted but are expected to satisfactorily complete prerequisites in order provide the foundation for their graduate study.

5. When are you admitting students to the program?

   Students are admitted to the program on an three year schedule. The next year students will be admitted into the program will be fall 2005.

6. How many students are admitted?
   Former MFA students Jeff Loftfield, Vince Gonzalez, and Sarah Westmoreland set up a shot.

   We are a small program. We ordinarily admit fifteen to twenty students every third year and try to put as many students as we can on an assistantship and tuition waiver (pending funding). Given year-to-year changes in funding, it may not be possible to provide teaching assistantships and tuition waivers to every student; students may also want to pay for their education rather than be tied down by a teaching assistantship.

7. What do students who graduate from your program do?

   We have students employed in a wide range of positions in the film and video industry and in the academic world. UNCG MFA graduates work for major media companies (e.g., A & E, ESPN, NFL Films) and on feature films and independent productions in Los Angeles and New York, and, when possible, in North Carolina. Some of our use the MFA as a teaching credential in order to work in colleges and universities while continuing to make narrative, documentary, animated, and experimental films.

8. What is the portfolio required for admission?

   A portfolio is a carefully selected, purposeful, organization of your creative accomplishments: written, visual, or performing. The portfolio represents your ability to organize your work logically and effectively. It demonstrates that you have the entry-level visual or writing skills required for graduate school and a creative spark that informs your work.

9. How should I organize, select, and present materials for my portfolio?
   Former MFA student Jack Lucido sets lights.

   Select and organize material that present a range of skills or reflect a variety of responsibilities you may have exercised on different projects.
   Include materials that have been edited and polished as much as possible.
   Select those completed undergraduate assignments or independent projects that document well specific skills and those with which you are especially pleased. You must have a minimum of four items in your portfolio.

Portfolio Requirements:

1. Personal Statement

   In this essay you are asked to engage in a self assessment of your creative abilities. The document--no more than three typed pages--should discuss the general artistic skills that you feel you possess and do not possess. The personal statement should refer to the examples included in your creative portfolio to demonstrate specific strengths and weaknesses. You should also cover a brief history of your background experience and a statement of how graduate school fits into your long term professional goals. If applicable, here is the place to explain any deviation from the portfolio requirements

2. Resume
3. Sample(s) of Creative Work

   These could include any of the following:

   • Copies of slides of paintings, sculpture or visual art
   • Copies of creative photographs
   • Video clips of two-three minutes, edited onto a tape or dvd. (Because media production is often collaborative work, make clear which role you undertook in the production.)
   • Creative writing samples such as poems, short stories, or short scripts.

Page updated: 26-Nov-2007

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