Screenwriting

Master of Fine Arts

The Master of Fine Arts with a track in Screenwriting is granted by the School of Cinema-Television. It is a two-year program which concentrates in writing for narrative film and television. The curriculum covers the writing of dramatic scenes, story structure and the full array of tools available to the storyteller for heightening audience interest, involvement and participation. Graduate screenwriting students advance from learning the basics of visual storytelling to writing short scripts and treatments and finally a feature-length screenplay.

Each fall 30 students are selected to begin the Graduate Screenwriting Program (GSP); there are no spring admissions. Applicants must submit supplemental application materials to the Graduate Screenwriting Program. For specific instructions, contact the Graduate Screenwriting Program, University Park, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2211, or telephone (213) 740-3339.

A total of 42 units in cinema-television at the 400 and 500 level is required. In addition to the writing courses, course work includes instruction in: video equipment, uses and technology; acting and the direction of actors; directing; film economics; and history and theory of film.

Graduate Production Preparation Course

In addition to the 42 units, students are required to take a four-unit undergraduate prerequisite production course, CNTV 291 Beginning Dramatic Production, in the first semester.

This course reviews the basic aspects of filmmaking through lectures and hands-on production using 8mm video. A minimum grade of B (3.0) is required in CNTV 291 in order for a student to continue in the Master of Fine Arts program. CNTV 291 is not a graduate level course and will not count toward the total 42 units required for the degree. Grades received in this course will not be included in calculating the student's grade point average.

Requirements for the M.F.A. in Screenwriting

Year One, First SemesterUnits
CNTV 291Beginning Dramatic Production4
CNTV 459*Business and Legal Considerations for the Writer, or
Elective2
CNTV 513Writing the Short Script2
CNTV 572Practicum in Directing Actors4
____
12

Year One, Second SemesterUnits
CNTV 459*Business and Legal Considerations for the Writer, or
Elective (e.g., CNTV 434 Comedy Writing, etc.)2-4
CNTV 509Understanding the Process of Filmmaking2
CNTV 514Basic Dramatic Screenwriting2
CNTV 516Advanced Motion Picture Script Analysis2
CNTV 575Directing for Scriptwriters2
____
10-12

*Note: CNTV 459 may be taken either semester.

Year Two, First SemesterUnits
CNTV 515aPracticum in Screenwriting4
CMPP 589aGraduate Film Business Seminar4
Elective e.g., CNTV 437 Writing the Situation Comedy Pilot, or CNTV 502 History of the International Cinema: Silent Film etc.)2-4
____
10-12

Year Two, Second SemesterUnits
CNTV 515bPracticum in Screenwriting4
Electives (e.g., CNTV 536 Editing for Screenwriters or CNTV 464 Film Genres, etc.)6-8
____
10-12

CNTV Electives

A minimum of 14 units of CNTV electives at the 400 and 500 level is required and at least six units must be taken from the following critical studies courses:

ElectivesUnits
CNTV 464Film Genres4
CNTV 469Film Style Analysis4
CNTV 500Seminar in Theory and Textual Analysis4
CNTV 501History of the Interna-tional Cinema: Silent Film2
CNTV 502History of the Interna-tional Cinema: Sound Film2
CNTV 503Survey History of the American Sound Film2
CNTV 510Case Studies in National Media4
CNTV 511Seminar: Non-Fiction Film/Video4
CNTV 518Seminar: Avant-garde Film/Video4
CNTV 564Seminar in Film Genres4
CNTV 567Seminar in Film and a Related Art4
CNTV 569Seminar in Film Style Analysis4

Grade Point Average Requirement

An overall grade point average of 3.0 must be maintained in all courses. In addition, an overall grade point average of 3.0 in all units attempted is required to qualify for registration in CNTV 515ab.

In lieu of a thesis, the student is required to complete a full-length screenplay which will be developed in CNTV 515ab and must be accepted by the Graduate Screenwriting Program Graduation Committee.

Time Limit

Students must maintain satisfactory progress toward their master's degrees at all times.

The degree must be completed three years after the beginning of graduate work at USC. Course work more than seven years old is automatically invalidated and may not be applied toward the degree.

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