Playwriting - Indiana University - Bloomington

Playwriting from Indiana University - Bloomington is a Campus Master Film degree that prepares you for a Art and Design career. The Philosophical Basis Certain university playwriting programs pride themselves on their determination to turn out "professional" playwrights as opposed to merely more teachers of playwriting. Other schools seem to abhor the very word "professional," recoiling from some imagined overtone of venality. Frankly, we at Indiana University regard such dichotomies as artificial and ultimately pointless. It is the intention of our program to seek out playwrights of demonstrable talent and drive, then to hone that talent to the point of "survivability." If that means passing along the secrets of the craft in an academic context, wonderful. If it also means having the ability and the knowledge to track down and secure agents, grants, prizes and productions in whatever venue, so much the better. One thing is certain: To be a playwright in this place and time requires pragmatism as well as idealism, resourcefulness as much as courage. If it takes talent and initiative to get into playwriting at Indiana, here are some of the things it will take to get out: A demonstrable mastery of the fundamentals of script construction, not only for the legitimate stage but for the screen as well; an awareness of current theatrical conventions and an ability to use and distort those conventions for full dramatic effect; a solid knowledge of dramaturgical techniques developed (and perhaps discarded) over the centuries; and a generosity of the spirit which will permit both compassionate critiques of your fellow students of the craft and a deep respect for your collaborators in the production process, be they actors, designers, directors, or administrators. Though inevitably an emphasis must be placed upon contemporary fashions in construction and staging, playwrights do not leave Indiana University with an MFA until they have acquired a solid grounding in theater history and theory. Along with an awareness of available techniques and theoretical options in composition, our playwrights must attain a like familiarity with the actual production elements involved in transferring their work from script to stage. This means taking the fruits of their word processors and typewriters through a series of readings, workshops, and studio productions, culminating (if the work is deemed sufficiently meritorious) in a full production of their thesis play during their final year. The ultimate arbiters of a playwright's labors are audience members. We will endeavor to supply them for you. We hope that when you leave Indiana University , you will take with you a pride and a faith in your own vision. And if we have done our job well, you should also depart with a sense of mission: To revitalize the American stage, filling it with rich texts which address substantive issues and timeless themes. View more details on Indiana University - Bloomington, IN . Ask your questions and apply online for this program or find other related Film courses.