Positioning

Where do we position the UCF Film MFA? Let's look at three things: Where are we located, what do we offer, and how successful have we been?

Where are we located?

In Florida, not only do we have FSU, one of the most prestigious film schools in the country, but right down the road in Orlando is Full Sail University. Full Sail does not offer any MFA degree in filmmaking, as you can see on the front page of their website. FSU does have a Film Production MFA, as well as access to the latest and greatest in camera equipment. which leads me to my next question:

What do we offer?

In terms of equipment, very little in fact. You get to work with DSLR cameras and prosumer sound gear to make movies here. But what PSU doesn't offer is the Feature Length Project. You graduate from their program with a very expensive short film ready for festival run and little else. UCF Film allows student to make a feature length film and own it themselves. FSU still owns their students' films when they graduate. So UCF Film is one of the few universities that allows the student a) to make a feature, and b) to own it when they leave. Of the other film schools that allow you to make a feature in the US, they seem to only a allow documentary features. This is a very unique and interesting market that is left untapped.

How Successful Have We Been?

I couldn't tell you. Because UCF Film can't tell me. Because there is no one at UCF Film who can keep track of these things. FSU, Full Sail, AFI, etc, have committees and divisions dedicated to keeping track of alumni. UCF Film doesn't even have a person running the blog anymore. The marketing of this former department and current division (?) has always been somewhat of an afterthought. Why else are all marketing materials created by the Operations Manager and students in the Equipment Room, even when there was a marketing person on staff? UCF Film has a "specialist" now, but they mostly do office work for the division, through no fault of their own. This is one of the main reasons UCF Film is not of any stature today. What it offers is unique and kind of amazing, but the sights are too short.

If I was positioning UCF Film, I would sell it not as any kind of lesser program, or fall back option. I would say they are the ONLY ones doing what they are doing, and the first. They do their own thing. Here are a couple of not-so-serious slogans:

UCF Film: What the hell can you do with a short these days?
UCF Film: Yeah, we're here.
UCF Film: Why pay more for less?
UCF Film: Make the feature you never would otherwise.
or, more concise:
UCF Film: Make YOUR feature.