MASTER OF FINE ARTS

SCREENWRITING

OVERVIEW

Screenwriters are cinematic storytellers. The genesis of any film project is an idea or concept that must be fleshed out into a fully formed screenplay deemed worthy of production. During Semester One, Master of Fine Arts in Screenwriting students at NYFA will be introduced to the tools and develop the skills necessary for writing successful screenplays. Students are encouraged to be creative but are

SEMESTER ONE OBJECTIVES

Learning Goals:

1. WGA format and copyright law.
2. In dept study of classic screenplay structure, character arcs, theme, conflict, flashbacks, voiceover, subtext, style, tone, visualization, discipline, and genre.
3. Critical concepts in film history.
4. Theory and practice of acting.

Production Goals:

1. Write a treatment for a feature length film.
2. Write an outline for a feature length film.
3. Write a first draft of a “spec” feature length screenplay.

The second semester of Year One challenges students to develop their craft artistically and technically, and to progress beyond their earlier experiments with the feature length screenplay. In an advanced workshop, students may choose between revising the screenplay draft they wrote in the first semester or they may

SEMESTER TWO OBJECTIVES

Learning Goals

1. Fundamentals of film directing.
2. In depth look at treatment writing
3. In depth study of the pitch.
4. Standard conventions of TV writing.

Production Goals

1. Revise draft of “spec” or write a new “spec” script.
2. Direct a short film or scene.
3. Write and perform a pitch.

During Year Two, master students begin working on their Thesis, a feature length screenplay or episodic television series. The thesis should representing the best work a student is capable of, and when complete, be of professional industry quality. In advanced

workshops, students will use knowledge gained in the first year to slowly and deliberately construct their Thesis Screenplay. Coursework in Year Two will focus on more general aspects of the entertainment industry thus preparing students for life after the MFA.

At the beginning of Semester Three, master students must form a thesis committee. The thesis committee should consist of a primary advisor (an MFA Screenwriting Faculty member) and two readers. The thesis advisor will work closely with the master student throughout the process, while the readers will act in a more consulting role, reading only the initial treatment and the final screenplay. Students must meet at least once a mouth with their thesis advisor in order to ensure

compliance with New York Film Academy standards, and to seek assistance in the realization of their respective creative visions. Semester Three classes are infused with an emphasis on perfecting craft, and exposing them to the realities of the film industry. The focus of the semester is on “professionalism”. It is designed to prepare MFA students to enter the industry as professional screenwriters and a life in the industry after graduation.

Thesis Options:

Thesis Option A: Feature Film

Students may choose to write a feature length film speculative (“spec”) screenplay.

Thesis Option B: Episodic Television

Students may choose to write a pilot and bible, based on a six episode season, for an episodic television series.

SEMESTER THREE OBJECTIVES:

Learning Objectives:

After Year One, MFA in Screenwriting students will engage in a series of workshops and advanced lectures, and seminars.

1. Standard conventions of TV writing
2. Learn the art of adaptation.
3. Examine principle theories of film.

Production Objectives:

1. Write and polish a television spec
2. Write a short script
3. Direct original short script
4. Write an outline and first draft of thesis

In Semester Four, master students devote most of their time to their thesis requirements. Faculty meets one-on-one with students in an

extensive series of advisements to assist them and coach them through the successful completion of thesis requirements.

Learning Goals:

1. Lecture series with a cross-section of industry professionals
2. The challenges of writing and producing independent cinema
3. Survey of the studio system history.
4. Intense examination of scene writing.

Production Goals:

1. Revise, rewrite, and polish Thesis project
2. Revise, polish, TV writing project

The Graduation Committee is responsible for reviewing and evaluating the full body of work of each candidate prior to the awarding of the Master of Fine Arts in Producing. The Graduation Committee is appointed by the Director of Education and consists of the New York Film Academy Registrar, the Thesis Committee Chairperson, and several instructors specializing in a diverse range of fields of study applicable to the art of Producing. That

committee ensures that each candidate has been adequately prepared for graduation, the standards of the Academy have been upheld, and that the awarding of a degree is warranted. The Registrar ensures that the student has fulfilled all financial obligations to the school and academic requirements for the entire program. Student transcripts showing the awarding of the MFA degree will be withheld until the graduate meets all financial obligations.

In order to graduate, students must successfully complete every course of study with a “Satisfactory” grade or better. Students must also adhere to the Academy’s Attendance Policy and Code of Conduct. Additionally, students must successfully complete and submit all thesis requirements in a timely manner and receive a “Satisfactory” grade or higher for the thesis production requirement.

Satisfactory completion of 78 Semester Credits is required for graduation from the New York Film Academy Master of Fine Art in Screenwriting Degree Program. These units satisfy semester contact hour requirements. As this is a post baccalaureate degree program, no general education units are required. Candidates for admission to the MFA program must possess a Bachelor’s Degree from a post-secondary institution recognized by the United

States Department of Education. Candidates who possess a Bachelor’s Degree from a New York or California State approved school will also be considered for admission. No particular major or minor is required as a prerequisite for admission, but applicants with a strong background in storytelling, and/or the visual arts are preferred. The New York Film Academy Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Screenwriting is an accelerated, four semester conservatory-based, full-time study graduate program. The MFA in Screenwriting does not provide for multiple tracks of study. All classes are mandatory. This is a highly specialized program, and there are no majors or minors. The MFA is a full-time study program only. Classes are Lecture, Seminar, and/or workshop based. The degree may not be obtained in less than four semesters.

Elements of ScreenwritingSemester Credits

This course introduces students to the craft of screenwriting, establishing a foundation for all future writing. Through lectures and clips, the instructor will highlight a specific topic that students will then analyze in classroom discussion and practice through skill-building exercises. Topics include Classic Screenplay Structure, the Elements of the Scene, Developing the Character, Character Arcs, Antagonists, Dialogue, Writing the Visual Image, Introduction to Final Draft, Theme, Conflict, Flashbacks, Fantasy Sequences and Dream Sequences, Voice-Over, Text and Subtext, Developing Your Writing Style, Tone and Genre, Visualization, Revealing Exposition, Creating a Compelling Second Act, Climaxes and Resolutions, and the Beats of the Scene.  Screenplay formatting will be a major focus, and students will learn how to write scene description, to describe characters and locations, and to develop action sequences.  The course will also include script-to-screen analysis, comparing well-known films to their original screenplays.
Prerequisite: None

Screenplay Analysis3 Semester Credits

This course is designed to further students’ knowledge of the intricacies of feature-length screenwriting. Each week, students will be required to view a film (or read the script) prior to an in-class screening of that same film.  The instructor will then critique the film as it is screened, offering minute-by-minute observations focusing on such topics as subplot development, visual storytelling, turning points, planting and pay-off, and character development. 
Prerequisite: None

The Business of Screenwriting1 Semester Credit

There are many “angles” to understand when approaching "the deal," and they differ from film to television. It is crucially important for a writer to protect his or her work both through Copyright Registration and registration through the Writer's Guild of America. Next, the writer must strategize about how to get his or her script into the right hands, in the correct manner, and for the appropriate market. An overview of topics include: Agents, What Is Copyright?, How Do I Enforce My Copyright?, How to Register with the Writer's Guild of America?, Getting Your Script in the Right Hands, What To Do If You Don’t Have an Agent, If the Deal Goes Through What You Need to Know, Options, Pay for Rewrites , Writing on Spec or for Hire, How a Television Deal Differs from a Film Deal.
Prerequisite: None

Screenwriting Workshop I10 Semester Credits

Workshop sessions are student-driven classes in which student work is evaluated and critiqued. Deadlines will be established that guide students in the development of a feature-length screenplay from logline to treatment, then from outline to screenplay.  Each student will be allocated one hour of workshop time a week in which his/her work will be critiqued. A constructive, creative and supportive atmosphere will be strongly encouraged. 
Prerequisite: None

Cinema Studies1 Semester Credit

The Cinema Studies course introduces students to critical concepts in film history and culture, and allows students the opportunity to engage deeply with individual films. Consisting of lectures, screenings, and group discussions, each session will give students the chance to consider classic and provocative films within the context of a broader film culture. The course includes topics such as: film genre; film history; film style; film criticism and cinema-going practice; entertainment industry organization, and other topics in the culture of film.
Prerequisite: None

Acting for Writers1 Semester Credit

Acting for Writers introduces students to the theory and practice of the acting craft, using Stanislavski Method, improvisation, and scene and monologue work as starting points. By exploring how actors build characters and performances based upon the information provided in a film script, writers will learn how to write more powerful dialogue, develop more memorable characters, and create more effective dramatic actions. Upon completion of this course, writers will have a new understanding of how their words are translated into performance, and this knowledge will help students refine their craft.
Prerequisite: None

Special One-Week Seminar in Digital Filmmaking1 SemesterCredit

Similar to our AMC One Week filmmaking course, this intensive workshop trains students in the fundamentals of film directing, which in turn facilitates an understanding of the filmmaking process as it relates to screenwriting. It is our belief that a student who actually picks up a camera, blocks a scene and directs actors from a script is far better prepared to then write a screenplay. If a writer has been on the other side of the camera, if a writer has actually translated a shot on the page into a shot in the camera, then the writer has a much sharper perspective on the writing process.

Hands-on classes in directing, editing, cinematography, and production cover the creative and technical demands of telling a story with moving images. Then, working in crews of four, students will make a short film or shoot a scene from one of their screenplays using digital video cameras. Afterwards, they will edit their footage with digitized sound on Final Cut Pro. At the end of the one-week seminar, the final films are celebrated in a screening open to cast, crew, friends and family.
Prerequisite: None

Treatment Writing1 SemesterCredit

This course introduces students to the workhorse of the screenwriting business – treatments. On fast and furious deadlines, students will be expected to create two high concept screenplay ideas, flesh out characters, and organize their story structures. The end product will be two treatments, which can be used as the foundation for the second feature-length screenplay, the pitch to be developed in the fourth quarter, and/or in conjunction with a producing package for the One Year Producing class.
Prerequisite: None

Screenwriting Workshop II14 Semester Credits

The workshops continue, providing students an arena in which to complete the first draft of their first screenplay or begin work on a second feature length screenplay. This will be the perfect place for students to practice the art of discipline, as they will be expected to work at their own rates and to present scenes only every other week.
Prerequisite: Screenwriting Workshop #1

Revision Class1.25 Semester Credits

Having created three spec scripts during the course of the year, students are now ready to delve into the revision process.  In this class, each student’s feature will be read, strengths and weaknesses will be identified and a strategy for revising the feature will be developed.  Students will then rewrite the script.  Workshop classes will provide students the opportunity to hear their work read aloud and to receive constructive criticism from fellow students and the instructor.
Prerequisite: Screenwriting Workshop #3

Pitching Class1.75 Semester Credits

Description: Pitching is crucial in the film and television business. Pitching is the ability to accurately and engagingly convey the basic outline of your story to another person, verbally, in a very short time. It is not as easy as one would imagine.  Working with experienced professionals, students will actually practice pitching in a mock real-world session. They will come up with characters and storylines (or use one of the treatments they developed in the second quarter), practice verbally pitching them, and will then pitch to the instructor, gaining feedback and comments to further the student’s skills. The knowledge and skill the student attains will be of great value for their future screenwriting endeavors.
Prerequisite: None

TV Writing: Sitcoms and One-Hour Dramas1 Semester Credit

Even in these days of reality TV shows, Sitcoms and One-Hour dramas are still top ten hits. In this course, students will choose to break into different classes and specialize in either writing the sitcom or writing the one-hour drama. Each class will cover standard conventions, proper formatting, expected running times, styles of dialogue, and seasonal character and plot development. As part of this training, students will then conceive, write and polish their own television spec script based on a show that is currently running on television, which can later be used as a writing sample.
Prerequisite: None

Students will write short scripts to be used in later production workshops. By developing a film without dialogue (silent film) students will learn the value and strength of images within the medium. Emphasis is put on maintaining structure and incorporating all elements of visual storytelling within the short form.
Prerequisite: None

Short Script Production Workshop 1 Semester Credit

Using short scripts written in Short Script Workshop, students will produce their own short films thus broadening their perspective of the filmmaking process as a whole. Teaming with students in the NYFA filmmaking program, MFA in Screenwriting students will act as a crewmember on the set of films they have written.
Prerequisite: Short Script Workshop

ELECTIVE: Adaptation Workshop2 Semester Credits

Popular and fascinating stories will always be in high demand for screen adaptation.  Studios often buy the rights to “stories” whether in the form of a play, magazine article, newspaper article or book with the intention of hiring a screenwriter to adapt it for the screen. With this in mind, master students will learn how to adapt a story from another medium into the highly structured visual form: the screenplay. Often this means that crucial moments of the story must be identified while others eliminating. In all instances, imagination must be employed for the successful execution of rearranging one form for the sake of another. Students will share their work with fellow students during in class critiques.
Prerequisite: None

Advanced Thesis Workshop I14 Semester Credits

In this Seminar/Discussion series, master students will structure, develop, outline, and write a first draft of their thesis projects. These projects will be approved by the Thesis Committee and overseen by the Committee and appointed student advisors throughout the semester. Students may choose between Thesis Option A) Feature Film or Thesis Option B) Episodic Television. Working inside the classroom, in consultation with their instructor, and through extensive writing outside of the classroom, students will develop drafts that will be polished and finished in Advanced Thesis Workshop 2 in the fourth semester.
Prerequisite: Screenwriting Workshop #2

Advanced TV Writing I1 Semester Credit

This is an intensive screenwriting seminar that will teach students the art of creating situational comedy. This course will teach and assess the aesthetic elements of writing sitcoms, including both the formal requirements of the genre as well as the basics of technique. Students will write their own sitcom and have their work critiqued during in class workshops.
Prerequisite: None

Cinema Studies II2 Semester Credits

In this course, master students will expand upon the concepts of Cinema Studies I and explore the principal theories of film through advanced critical reading of texts and a close examination of films. The texts to be pursued comprise several groups. Classical film theory includes Eisenstein, and Godard. The critique of classical film theory includes Burch, Perkins, and Henderson. The course will also explore semiotics, psychoanalysis, and poststructuralism, feminist film theory, avant-garde theory, Soviet editing and antirealism.

The Business of Screenwriting II: The Studio System1 Semester  Credit

This course introduces students to the moviemaking machine know as the Studio System:  the players, the relationships, and the deals. A survey of the studio system history starting in the 1920s with vertical integration and the major players of today will be discussed. Topics include writing on spec versus a contract job, re-writes, WGA law governing authorship, the open writing log used by agents and managers to identify screenwriting jobs for clients, distribution, and production.  Similar topics with regard to television will also be examined.
Prerequisite: The Business of Screenwriting I

ELECTIVE: Advanced Scene Writing Workshop2 Semester Credits

The scene is the fundamental building block of any screenplay. Each scene must be essential, reveal vital information, and ultimately push the story forward. This workshop gives students the opportunity to put their scenes under a microscope. During in class exercises, students will hone their scene writing skills through experimentation and establish the most effective way to accomplish a particular “goal” of a scene. Through in class feedback, students can discover what “works” in terms of emotional and/or comedic impact.
Prerequisite: None

In this Seminar/Discussion series, master students will re-write, revise, polish, and learn to pitch their thesis projects. A continuation of Advanced Thesis Workshop 1, students will work inside the classroom, in consultation with their instructor, and through extensive writing outside of the classroom, as they finish their thesis projects for delivery to the Thesis Committee for final review.
Prerequisite: Screenwriting Workshop #3

On a week-to-week basis, industry professionals will address New York Film Academy master students following a screening of their recent work. A broad cross-section of the film community will be represented in this lecture series, including directors, producers, directors of photography, editors, screenwriters, production designers, post production coordinators, and casting directors. Students will be exposed to multiple avenues for potential employment in the film industry. All lectures will be followed by an extensive Q&A session.
Prerequisite: Critical Film Studies 1

The Business of Screenwriting III: Independent Cinema 1 Semester Credit

This course introduces the challenges of writing and producing an independent film. Topics include, how to write with a specific budget in mind, how to secure financing, film festivals, options, distribution, and how to deal with legal issues without the help of an agent.
Prerequisite: The Business of Screenwriting I

Advanced TV Writing II1 Semester Credit

In continuation of TV Writing I, in this advanced writing workshop students will examine the genre while revising and creating original work. In class critique provides an opportunity for students to receive constructive criticism of their writing.
Prerequisite: TV Writing I

An ideal applicant for the New York Film Academy MFA Screenwriting must demonstrate a sincere passion for screenwriting, the ability and desire to collaborate with other artists in a creative environment, and must submit a creative portfolio (Supporting Materials) that illustrate the applicant’s ability to undertake graduate level study, accelerated level of talent and potential for success within the profession.

Candidates for admission to the MFA program must possess a Bachelor’s Degree from a post-secondary institution recognized by the United States Department of Education. Candidates who possess a Bachelor’s Degree from a New York or California state approved school will also be considered for admission. No particular major or minor is required as a prerequisite for admission, but applicants with a strong background in storytelling, and/or the arts are preferred. While GPA will be taken into consideration, and is an important component of the admissions process, the strength of the candidate’s creative portfolio is the primary determining factor for admission. Special attention will be given to grades assigned in areas of study related to any aspects of storytelling arts such as the visual arts, creative writing, theater arts, fine arts, performing arts, and the humanities.  A grade of B- or better is required in these areas for MFA applicants.

Applicants who wish to pursue a Master of Fine Arts in Screenwriting Degree who have received a Bachelor’s Degree (or equivalent degree) from a foreign institution must submit a

credentials comparison evaluation of all undergraduate work in order to verify their Bachelor’s Degree equivalency. All transcripts and portfolio materials documenting prior collegiate experience (including credentials comparison evaluation, if applicable) will be evaluated by the Academy faculty and Admissions Committee. New York Film Academy faculty and the Admissions Committee are also responsible for reviewing all applications and ensuring, via direct interviews and other pre-enrollment portfolio assessment sessions with prospective students that the Academy does not admit students that are obviously unqualified or do not have a reasonable prospect of successfully completing the program of instruction.

In addition to the current application booklet, applicants must submit the following:

All students for whom English is not a first or native language must submit one of the following to verify proficiency in the language:

Prospective students whose scores are below our requirements or who are unable to verify proficiency in the language will be declined admission

Transcripts from prior academic institutions must be sealed official transcripts sent directly from the institution in question to the New York Film Academy’s Registrar’s Office. Transcripts, which have been opened, photocopied, or augmented in any way, will not be accepted as

Applicants must submit two examples of original writing that best demonstrate their talent and ability as creative individuals. Each sample should not exceed 20 pages and may be of the same or of two different genres. Examples of work can range from short stories, portion of a novel or nonfiction book, plays, screenplays, speculative television scripts, or creative essays. 

While the creative portfolio is normally the primary determining factor for admission, the New York Film Academy understands that many applicants have attained applicable skills from various professional experiences in publishing, theater, entertainment, literary agency, production, etc. Often, with these applicants, it is the narrative statement and résumé that reveal the most about an applicant's qualifications, and potential for success in the program, to the Admissions Committee.

It is the general policy of New York Film Academy Master of Fine Arts Degree Programs neither to accept transfer credits from other academic postsecondary institutions, nor to consider prior experiential learning for application toward any degree or non-degree course of study.

Veterans and other eligible students desiring credit for previous academic work or training may submit a written request for such credit to the Registrar, along with any supporting documentation (e.g. transcripts or syllabi.)  If credit is awarded, the length and/or requirements of the program will be adjusted

appropriately, at the Registrar’s discretion, and both the student and the Department of Veteran Affairs will be notified in writing.

Furthermore, the New York Film Academy makes no representation whatsoever that credits earned in the Master of Fine Arts in Filmmaking Degree Program or any non-degree program or workshop operated by the New York Film Academy will be accepted or applied toward the completion of any degree or certificate by any other postsecondary institution. The acceptance of transfer credits is always governed by the receiving school.

A student will be declined admission to the Academy if the Admissions Committee determines that he or she does not meet the requirements of the Admissions Policy, or if no space is available in the Master of Fine Arts in Screenwriting Degree Program. Students who

do not speak English will also be declined admission, given that all instruction is conducted in English. Students who are unable to meet the financial obligations of the workshop one month prior to the start date will also be declined admission.

1st Semester