Creative Portfolio

How have you spent the last four years?

We are aware you provide a resume to the Common App. The people reviewing your Creative Portfolio will NOT see any materials provided to the Common App, so please don’t be concerned about repeating yourself.

WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR?

We are interested in a holistic picture of who you are. We would like to see you include things like:

• • • • Social and/or community work
      • Extracurricular activities including sports, clubs, etc.
      • Outside employment whether it's paid, voluntary, or family responsibilities
      • Creative projects
      • Anything else you spend a significant amount of free time on

Required elements:

1. 1. 1. 1. Your full name
         2. Home address
         3. Date of birth
         4. Name of your high school (or college for transfer students)

Format:

• • • • 1 page maximum
      • PDF file
      • Save the file as LastName_FirstName_Resume before uploading to SlideRoom.

WHAT ELSE?

• • Film Credits - How to Format: If you choose to include film credits in your resume (we do not require them and do not want your resume to be exclusively film-focused), please be sure to include information about your role in the project. For a glossary of roles and responsibilities on a film set, please check out our reference page.
  • Sample Resume: If you would like a sample of what a resume can look like, you may find one here. Please note that we do not require your resume to look exactly like our sample, nor do we expect your experiences to mirror Terry Tisch's. This sample is intended only as a visual reference; it is not prescriptive.

Upload a 1-2 minute creative self-portrait where you show and tell us about yourself.

WHAT: Your video should be in your own voice, in your own format, and not a reiteration of why you want to be admitted to NYU's film program. Be creative and have fun! What you choose to say and how you say it is up to you. 

HOW: We will not be judging the production value of this film; we encourage applicants to use cameras that are readily available to them (i.e. cellphones or computers). We are not looking for polished/edited videos; it is meant to be a short video where you show us and tell us something about yourself that we cannot get from other aspects of your application.

AUDIENCE: We encourage you to consider carefully what you choose to share with us and whether it is appropriate for a college application.

FORMAT: Save the file as LastName_FirstName_Yourselfie using whichever video format you prefer.

Please choose one visual AND one audio prompt provided in SlideRoom as inspiration and tell us a complete story, fiction or nonfiction.

WHAT ARE THE PROMPTS?

We have provided six prompts inside SlideRoom - three visual, and three audio. You must initiate a portfolio in order to see/hear the prompts. You can do that starting August 1, 2024 by clicking here. 

WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR?

• • Choose ONE of the visual prompts AND ONE of the audio prompts as your inspiration and write a complete short story. It can be fiction or nonfiction. This should be a single story that incorporates both a visual prompt and audio prompt of your choosing, using both as inspiration for a single short story.
  • Format:
    • • Up to 3 pages
      • Double-spaced
      • 11 or 12 point font
      • Legible margins
      • Written in prose style
      • Saved as a PDF
  • Take note of your grammar, spelling, and punctuation. You should submit something polished, without typos. If you are able to, we encourage you to share this with a teacher, parent, mentor, or friend before submitting. Reading your work aloud can also be a helpful way to find mistakes you’ve missed. 
  • Save as a PDF and name the file LastName_FirstName_Story before uploading it to SlideRoom.

WHAT SHOULD YOU NOT DO?

• • We do not want an excerpt from a longer story. Make sure your story is complete, with conflict and a clear resolution.
  • This should be a short story, not a screenplay. If you are not sure what "prose" means, please speak with your Language Arts teacher or other trusted advisor.
  • Do not provide a .pages document, a Word Doc, a Google doc, or anything but a PDF.

Write a 1 page short story where you describe in detail a memorable and/or formative film or tv viewing experience that left a lasting impression on you. What do you remember about the experience? How old were you? Who were you with when you saw it? Where did you see it? How did it impact you and the kinds of stories you hope to tell? Why did it make you want to study filmmaking? This should be written as a short story that reflects on your personal experience and should not be an essay or a synopsis of the film or tv show itself; rather, it should vividly describe your experience and the influence it had on you.

WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR?

• • Format:
    • • 1 page
      • Double-spaced
      • 11 or 12 point font
      • Legible margins
      • Written in prose style (i.e. short story, not an academic essay)
      • Saved as a PDF with the file name: LastName_FirstName_Scene

WHAT ELSE?

Take note of your grammar, spelling, and punctuation. You should submit something polished, without typos. If you are able to, we encourage you to share this with a teacher, parent, mentor, or friend before submitting. Reading your work aloud can also be a helpful way to find mistakes you’ve missed.

Provide ONE Creative Submission that showcases cinematic/visual storytelling and imaginative expression of thought.

REQUIREMENTS:

• The applicant must be the principal creative force of the work submitted.
• Follow all relevant guidelines and directions. Failure to do so will result in disqualification.
• Applicants must detail their role in the creation of all works submitted in the space provided in SlideRoom. Incomplete or inaccurate descriptions may result in disqualification.
• If you submit more than one type of Creative Submission, your portfolio will not be eligible for consideration. CHOOSE ONE OPTION.

OPTIONS:

Choose ONLY ONE of the following:

1. Artistic Portfolio of 10-15 images
2. Film/Video of up to 5 minutes (including credits)
3. Writing of up to 6 pages

All categories are weighed equally - none is favored over another.

Option 1: Artistic Portfolio (10-15 images):

• • Provide a portfolio of photos, drawings, paintings, storyboards, sculpture, or set design.
  • Your submission should reflect clearly developed ideas and themes.
  • You may upload 10-15 photographic or scanned images of your work.
  • Still images and scans uploaded to SlideRoom should be a minimum of 72 dpi.
  • If you would like to include a gif or short(end) animatic as one of your "still" images, you may do so but it should be 20 seconds or shorter.
  • Images should be a minimum of 72 dpi.
  • You must be the principal creator of your images.

Option 2: Film/Video (up to 5 minutes):

• • You may provide ONE film of: live action, fiction, experimental, documentary, animation, or a combination of any of these.
  • Your submission should be a complete work which represents your best effort and one which engages your audience.
  • Total running time of the submission must NOT exceed 5 minutes.
  • You may not submit more than one film.
  • Video footage of staged plays or theater performances is not acceptable.
  • We do not accept excerpts or reels.
  • You must be clear about your specific contributions the piece you submit.
  • You should be the principal creative force behind your submission and will be asked to describe your role in detail.
  • For detailed upload instructions, please login to SlideRoom.

Option 3: Writing (up to 6 pages):

• • You may provide ONE short story or screenplay.
    
  • Do not submit excerpts.
  • Do not submit more than one piece of writing.
  • The submission may not exceed 6 pages. If you are submitting a screenplay, the cover page will not count as one of your 6 pages of writing.
  • You are welcome to submit fiction or nonfiction pieces.
  • FORMAT: Double spaced, prose or screenplay format where applicable.
  • All submissions must be in PDF format. Save your file as a PDF using the file name LastName_FirstName_CreativeSubmission.