After completing foundational coursework, sophomores apply for Candidacy to continue in the concentration. The required portfolio constitutes an important early step toward career readiness. Contact a Philm professor if you have questions. Completed applications are due April 15 and October 15. Allow sufficient time to improve your application with multiple drafts.
CANDIDATE INFORMATION
- Name
- Email Address: Provide your professional email handle – not your PennWest student email. Email addresses are frequently coordinated with web domain names (see below).
- Phone number: (XXX) XXX-XXXX
- Student ID (include @)
- Download your unofficial transcript from Banner, save as a .pdf, and upload here. A minimum GPA of 2.75 is expected of all applicants.
PROFESSIONAL WORK – DIGITAL PORTFOLIO
Consistent colors, fonts, and design elements, memorably reinforce a filmmaker’s identity. The successful film/video candidate thus communicates a unified personal brand by aesthetically coordinating the following items:
- A link to your personal Vimeo site.
- A professional website.
- First, register a domain from a site like Domain.com, Bluehost, HostGator, or GoDaddy. Securing a web address (like brianfuller.org, for example) is like buying a plot of land. Next, build the house, with a service like Squarespace, Wix, Weebly, or WordPress.
- Submit a link to the résumé page of your website – not a document.
- Submit a link to the gallery page of your website. A gallery of completed projects, usually organized by genre (e.g., commercial, documentary, animation) or crew position (e.g., director, cinematographer, editor). For purposes of candidacy review, your gallery must include projects completed in ART 2005, Introduction to Photography, or ART 2105, Introduction to Digital Film Production.
- Submit a link to the demo reel page of your website. A reel is a collection of your films’ most impressive moments. As a sophomore applying for candidacy, your reel might be less than 20 seconds in length. As your coursework continues, develop a habit of saving impressive images from each class project for a combined running time of a minute in your final semester.
- A business card design. Your card should feature a professional business email address. Students often find sites such as moo.com helpful in the design and printing of identity suite elements.
- Three to six drawings from ART 1100, 1300, 1106 & 1206. Of particular interest are images which demonstrate an articulation of depth and an understanding of composition.
COMPETENCIES & QUALIFICATIONS
A link to your LinkedIn Profile. Your profile should include a professional headshot and a customized url (the default url ends in a string of random numbers).
An essay (500-750 words) which discusses (1) two goals you have for your remaining college projects and coursework, OR (2) two characteristics that make your work aesthetically distinctive. Because essays should be free of surface errors, please employ a reliable proofreader like Grammarly.
A conversation with Career Coach for the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences might include the following topics: on-line job search resources; freelancing and the gig economy; relocation; guild and union membership; the path from entry-level to experienced career. Enter the date of your most recent meeting with the Career Coach.