Screenwriting MFA writing samples?
So I've decided that next year I'm going to expand things a bit and apply to some screenwriting MFA programs. I'm looking at programs now, and a lot of them seem to have specific writing prompts they want applicants to submit. This is going to take a long time because some of them have a lot of different things they want, and I'd like to get
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From what I can tell, the prompts don't change much. Most schools will ask you for a personal statement. Then they might add that they want a personal history, academic background, teaching philosophy, and request for financial aid in additional essays. I'd be warey of any school that makes you jump through too many, hoops. They're weeding you out by snaring you in technicalities, and they aren't going to focus as much on you as a writer than trying to fit you into a cookie cutter mold for their ideal graduate.
But definitely start picking out your writing sample now. Get your friends to read your work and get them to pick out their favorite story. Then pick out your favorite story.
I started working on my rough draft July last year. Then I took November to polish it and trim it to fit the word/page counts for schools.
I wouldn't recommend trying to use a different writing sample for every school. Don't worry about trying to match the school's voice. Let your voice show through, and the right school will find you.
Also, pick up a copy of The Creative Writing MFA Handbook (there is also a low residency version). It'll seriously help you a ton when it comes time to organize your applications and selecting schools.
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There's also an MFA blog that's great for answering specific q's like yours: http://creative-writing-mfa-handbook.blogspot.com/
I applied for fiction, so I'm not too sure how they do it for screenwriting. But if you're having a hard time finding schools that fit, you can also go for playwriting. There are also a handful of schools that don't force you to specialize in one genre. They'll probably have more compatible prompts with what you already have. All the schools I applied to simply said, "Submit your best work" in 10-30 pages fiction/5 pages of poems depending on the school.
Um, other than that, it might be helpful to take a creative writing class in the meantime to help you get a leg up on editing your new scripts. http://www.newpages.com/writing-conferences/ has an awesome list of conferences and workshops
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