FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q: When do classes start?

A: Monday, September 22nd, 2008. The Motion Picture Production Program begins
only once each year in September.

Q: When is the enrollment deadline?

A: Enrollment continues until either all the sessions offered fill up to capacity or the school year begins (see above). Seating capacity for each session is 20 students.

Q: How many students do you accept?

A: MPI offers three sessions each year. Each session has a maximum capacity of 20 students. Total enrollment for the program is 60 students each year.

Q: How hard is it to get in the program?

A: Applications received by the school are reviewed by three administrators. Students must submit the application, a writing sample, and a copy of their high school diploma or GED equivalent. If they’re attending college we also prefer to see
copies of their most recent transcripts. If students have any creative portfolios we request copies (i.e. previous video or film productions on dvd or VHS).

MPI administrators look closely at the writing sample for writing ability, mechanics, creativity and/or career goals. We look for students who take their education seriously, are passionate, show a willingness to learn, can work well with others, have an agenda and have the capacity to meet the minimum requirements of the program.

Q: What is the writing sample?

A: The writing sample is one of the tools we use to evaluate applicants. It can be part of a screenplay (10 pages or less), a treatment, or story ideas. Many students come to MPI do not consider themselves writers and have no aspiration to become screenwriters. Their goals most often focus on production skills (i.e. camera, lighting, audio). Those individuals may write a three to five page essay on their career goals for the next five years and how they see MPI helping reach those goals.

Q: How much does it cost to attend?

A: Tuition is $9,995.00. This includes all textbooks, coursepacks, handouts, equipment useage, expendibles, in-class film materials and assigned group film projects.

Students do pay for all expenses related to their individual thesis films. (Note: MPI does provide all cameras, lighting, audio and editing equipment as part of the tuition). Students shooting on Hi-Definition will need to buy a portable hard drive to back-up their files. Students shooting thesis films on 16mm can expect to pay on average $300.00 per 400 feet of film (includes: rawstock, processing and transfer) which is approximately 11 minutes and 7 seconds running time.

Q: Do you accept financial aid?

A: MPI does have tuition financing options, but does not accept federal financial aid or grants.

Q: How many hours a week will I be going to class? And how much homework will I have?

A: Classes are three days a week four hours per day. This equals twelve hours spent in class each week for the first three semesters. Homework for each course varies (see catalogue for estimated out of class work hours per semester.) The fourth semester is sixteen weeks and students attend class for only two hours each week. A majority of learning time is done shooting film projects outside of class during this period.

For homework students can expect to spend at least twelve hours each week outside of class working on projects during the first and second semesters. In the third and fourth semester the amount of out of class time usually doubles. (Note: Class time in the fourth semester is reduced to two hours per week).The type of homework varies from reading and writing scripts, practicing on equipment, editing, to shooting or directing film projects.

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