Write the script for your admission onto a film studies course by demonstrating what you know about film and the broader industry, your creativity and critical thinking, and where you hope your degree will take you.
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Think about why you want to study the subject
- Have you been inspired by someone, a news story, a documentary, or a podcast?
- Do you have career aspirations in this area of study?
- What interests you about the subject – be specific; rather than saying you enjoy it or are good at it, try to explain the ‘why’ behind your reasoning.
- What do you already know about the subject and what are you looking forward to learning more about?
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What makes you suitable to study the subject?
- Have you done projects or essays in this subject at school or college?
- Think about who you are as a person; your personality, your strengths, your experiences in life – how do these make you suited to study the subject?
- How have you shown an interest in the subject outside of school or college – have you done extra reading, online courses, been part of clubs or competitions?
- Your current subjects and grades will be included elsewhere in your application, so try to think about specific things you’ve learned during your studies that relate to the subject, rather than listing your grades and subjects.
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Look at the bigger picture
- Have you done any work experience, an internship or had a part-time job in this subject area or related? Most job or work experience will give you transferable skills, even if it’s in a different industry.
- Do you have any hobbies you can mention that might relate to your chosen subject? Many hobbies show that you can be motivated outside of school to achieve and succeed in something you’re interested in.
- Think about how your life and personal experiences have helped make you the person you are today, and how these challenges and experiences can support your application by evidencing essential qualities for certain subjects.
- If you’ve got ambitions and goals for your life and career, can you express how this subject will help you reach these goals?
What motivates you and what current experiences do you have in terms of thinking critically around film and media? What did you do; did you write essays, create podcasts or have a personal blog? Are you a creative thinker and how do you develop ideas? Do you have any knowledge of the film industry or film sector; are there any projects that inspire you? Why is the University of Salford and this film studies degree the right choice for your future goals?
Guidance and examples you can use
Question 1: Why do you want to study this course or subject?
This is your opportunity to showcase your passion and knowledge of your chosen subject area and to demonstrate to universities and colleges why it’s a good fit for you and your future ambitions.
Examples:
- Whether your interest was sparked by Marvel movies, filming on your iPad at home, or your first trip to the IMAX, get across how your enthusiasm for film studies has translated into wanting to pursue it at degree level. Even better if you know where you want it to take you: producer, director, critic, scriptwriter, cameraperson, editor?
- Pick one or two films, or elements of film, and critique them. If you love musical films, can you compare how Wonka was made, compared to Everybody’s Talking About Jamie? Or if you love action adventure films, can you comment on how some of the toughest action scenes are scripted and shot?
- Mention books, forums or blogs you read, or people you follow that have taught you more about the industry. Maybe you’re a fan of director Greta Gerwig or Alex Garland and you follow them on social media, or maybe you’ve read something about black and white films in Sight and Sound, or about women in independent film in Filmmaker Magazine. Make sure you relate it to the course you’re applying for.
Question 2: How have your qualifications and studies helped you to prepare for this course or subject?
This is your chance to shout about the relevant or transferable skills you’ve gained from your formal education and highlight your understanding of how they will help you succeed in this subject area.
Examples:
- Elaborate on specific skills you’ve picked up, such as video and image editing, scriptwriting, and project management in your art, English, or photography A level or equivalent. Think about other skills too, like creativity, innovation, thinking outside the box, and teamwork.
- Some courses require essay-based subjects at A level or equivalent, so make sure you check the course entry requirements, then give an example of when you’ve argued a point or critiqued something in writing.
- Think about what else you’ve learned during your studies too. You may have discovered a great mind-mapping technique for revision that you can also use for coming up with creative ideas. Or you may have learned script-writing skills from being in a drama group, or content writing skills from contributing to a section of the school website or magazine.
- Have you done any online courses to boost your knowledge in the subject? For example, why not try Subject Spotlights or Virtual Work Experiences from Springpod to grow your skills and interest?
Question 3: What else have you done to prepare outside of education, and why are these experiences useful?
This is your chance to talk about any other activities you have undertaken outside of your formal education, or personal experiences which further demonstrate your suitability for the course. This section is likely to be highly personal to you and anything you do include should reflect on why you’re including it.
Examples:
- Mention any volunteering, work-shadowing, or part-time jobs you’ve done. It’s great if you’ve got experience at a cinema, film production company, theatre, or at the Young Film Academy, but if not, you could have picked up useful knowledge working in a restaurant, shop, or supermarket – like good communication and teamwork, as well as the opportunity to observe people.
- You’ll need to be analytical and good at structure and planning when doing film studies, so give examples if you play things like chess, sudoku or challenge games in your spare time, or give examples of when you’ve carefully crafted and planned something.
- Show you’ve got broader cultural knowledge which you can apply to your film studies, whether through listening to and reading current affairs, travelling, or enjoying literature and theatre. Maybe you’ve also started a blog, vlog, or podcast in relation to your interest.
Dos
- Do relate any examples back to the subject you’re applying to – make it relevant
- Do make it personal – admissions staff want to get to know who you are
- Do use a spell-checker and grammar-checker to ensure there are no errors
- Do ask people for feedback, whether that’s family members or teachers
- Do your research to find out what universities are looking for, and make sure you include evidence to show how you are suitable for the course
Don'ts
- Don’t just list out examples, subjects you study, or experiences you’ve had without any evidence
- Don’t copy something you’ve seen online or use AI to write something for you
- Don’t make things up just because you think they’ll make you look good on paper
- Don’t leave it until the last minute – you need time for several drafts
- Don’t worry about making each section the same length; as long as you hit the minimum character count, you can use the 4,000 characters across each answer in the way that suits you best
Unis are looking for creative and motivated students, with a good cultural awareness
So, if you love music, can you compare how Bob Marley: One Love was made, compared to Miss Americana? Or talk about film scores and composers you like, and how they influence audience reactions to a scene. Maybe you’ve had a go at creating music for film using software on your computer – what did you learn from the process?
What else do you enjoy doing in your spare time? If you love hiking, or going camping for the weekend, you’ll have picked up independence and problem-solving skills. Maybe you’re part of a drama group, and you’ve observed how the director and producer work with the actors, or you’ve dabbled in scriptwriting for a production. It’s fine to have hobbies that are unrelated to film – just try and draw out some of the relevant attributes like managing your own time, working well as a team, and commitment to a sport or playing an instrument, for example.
It’s even better if you can relate what you’re saying in your statement answers back to something you’ve read in Empire, Total Film, or on the Culture section of the BBC News website.
Some more tips to consider
- Research the course: Why do you want to study film studies, what specific aspects of the course interest you, how does it relate to your academic studies, and what additional reading or other activities have led you to apply?
- Creativity and innovation: Try and give examples of when you’ve scripted, filmed, or edited a short film and give insights into how you craft your ideas. Mention any content you already host on YouTube or TikTok.
- Make your work experience count: If you’ve work-shadowed a production company, a casting agency, a camera person, an academic, or anyone related to film studies, that’s great, but make sure you also spell out what you gained from it.
- Transferable skills: Brainstorm what skills you’ve picked up through extracurricular or supercurricular activities, work experience or a part-time job that are relevant to your course. Think laterally – if you play basketball, can you explain how that has given you self-motivation, good time management, and perseverance?