The fall quarter for 410s (incoming graduate students) is incredibly rigorous. On top of the following class schedule, we also have to write, cast, scout locations for, rehearse and produce our two minute films. This is what the schedule looks like for the fall quarter for incoming MFA Directing/Production students.
Monday: 9am – 1:50pm – Cinematography
Afternoons, at least initially are scheduled with screenings by Fuji and Kodak, among other events.
Tuesday: 9am-11:50 – Directing
This class is divided up into two sections. In the section with Delia Salvi we perform scenes that we have chosen with undergraduate acting students. In Myrl Schreibman’s class we film those scenes with 9-person crews.
2:00 – 4:50 Sound
Wednesday: 9am – 2pm 410A – Symposium
In the symposium we prepare for our 2-minute shoots, which will start in about three weeks. In class we workshop our scripts, discuss casting and production issues, and learn about our equipment and protocol on the set.
3:30 – 6pm – Film Analysis for Filmmakers
In Film Analysis, taught by the wonderful Rory Kelly (who also interviewed us for the program with Becky Smith, the Symposium teacher), we analyse the following films for story, characterization, plot, etc.
Casablanca by Michael Curtiz
Citizen Kane by Orson Welles
The Apartment by Billy Wilder
Jerry Maguire by Cameron Crowe
Nights of Cabria by Frederico Fellini
Vivre sa Vie by Jean Luc Godard
Chinatown by Roman Polanski
Nine Lives by Roberto Garcia, who is meeting with the class.
7:00 – 10:00 pm Editing
In this class we learn editing as storytelling with Tim Good.
Thursday
9am – 11:50 am Directing
1 – 4 pm Short Script
In this class we write and workshop our 6 minute filmscripts, which we shoot in the winter.
6:00 – 8:00 pm Symposium
Friday
10:00 – 1:00pm Film Analysis
This is the discussion section.
Saturday (First five weeks only)
10:00 am – 12:50 pm Symposium Workshop
This is an opportunity for us to meet with the three TAs for our section to ask questions and work with equipment.
2:00 pm – 4:50 pm Cinematography
Sunday – Day of Rest
It actually feels like less writing it down here, but bear in mind that we have to rehearse our scenes for the directing class, as well as wrangle the production of the two-minute film in 5 weeks.
