Admissions

Portfolio Specifications

The portfolio must be submitted with your electronic application. The following should be uploaded with your application.

1. Optional References

   Letters of recommendation are optional. You may list two people, not related to you, whom we may contact for further information about your artistic and academic abilities. (Note: this is not a guarantee that contact will be made). Be sure to secure their permission first. Include phone numbers, best times to call, and e-mail addresses. DO NOT SEND LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION.

2. Essay I

   Discuss three of your artistic or aesthetic influences that are not moving images. Extrapolate and appraise how the formal properties of your influences have impacted your work, for better or worse. Be specific in your references, choose your detail carefully, and be concise.

   The word count should be 250 or less. This should be in PDF or Word (Windows Word 1997-2003 or Mac Word 1997-2004) document (.doc).

3. Essay II

   "The language of film is not that of conversation but of poetry or the novel, whose images, although organized with a definite sense, leaves a margin of indetermination to what is being expressed, something to think about rather than limited to a thought rationally defined." - Jean Mitry

   Assemble supporting examples for your assertions as you deconstruct this quote�s meaning. If you are able, formulate an argument both for and against the implications of such meaning and synthesize these opposing points of view to produce a new construct that allows a meta-principle to emerge.

   The word count should be 250 or less. This should be in PDF or Word (Windows Word 1997-2003 or Mac Word 1997-2004) document (.doc).

4. Creative Pages

   Provide samples of any creative work. The following items are examples of what can be included in the Creative Pages of the portfolio:

   • Writing: Short Story, Short Screenplay or Stage Play, Pages from a longer Screenplay, Pages from a longer Stage Play, Poetry, Critical Analysis Essays or Papers
   • Photography
   • 2D Artwork: Drawings, Paintings, Storyboards
   • Photographs of 3D Artwork: Sculpture

   Limit your upload submission to a maximum of 7 pages and a minimum of 3 pages. Each individual creative work should be a separate attachment. You can upload up to 7 attachments. With writing submissions, consider each printed page to be one page of your total number of creative pages. For example: a 3 page screenplay excerpt, a 2 page short story, and 2 photographs would be considered 7 creative pages and should be attached as 4 separate attachments; 1 for the screenplay excerpt, 1 for the short story, and 2 for the photographs. You can only upload one attachment at a time.

   The maximum total page count is 7; the minimum total page count is 3. This should be in PDF, Word (Windows Word 1997-2003 or Mac Word 1997-2004) document (.doc), or JPEG format.

5. Video or Sound Project

   THIS ELEMENT IS OPTIONAL. If you choose to submit a video as part of your application, it must be submitted via Vimeo (view uploading instructions). If you choose to submit a sound project as part of your application (ex. music composition), it must be submitted via SoundCloud (view uploading instructions). These are the only acceptable methods of submission. Mail in/walk in DVDs, CDs, tapes, or other website URLs will not be accepted. You should title your uploaded project "BFA Portfolio Submission: YOUR TITLE HERE." DO NOT put "UCF Film" in the title of your uploaded project. Please put the correct URL address for your Vimeo video or SoundCloud audio in the space provided. If you have password protected your project, please enter the correct password in the space provided. Please list the project title and your role(s) in its creation in the spaces provided.

   Video or sound projects must be 3 minutes or less in total running time (if a video, time limit includes the credits).

Portfolio Tips

• Keep your portfolio short and strong. A concise portfolio of your best work is most effective
• Keep your video or sound projects short and strong. Less is always more
• If you submit a video or sound project, make clear your role on the project, especially if there are joint credits given to more than one person
• The department considers a student ready for the B.F.A program if the student has developed evidence of strength in at least one of the following areas: Visual, Writing, Voice, and Critical Thinking. Voice is a measurement of the candidate's distinctive approach to life and art, as well as confidence and capability of cinematically saying what they want to say.