Playwriting MFAs

[smooshie]

@smooshie

Congrats on your acceptances.

I don't know too much about dramatic writing MFAs but a few years ago I was looking into screenwriting programs. One of my advisors received his MFA in screenwriting at UCLA and spoke more about the connections he made than the program. His advice was in that field it's more important to go to a school with good connections that allows you to rub elbows with those in the industry. I don't know if anyone else has been told the same on here.

As for waiting for a "better" program, I can't speak to that. This was my first year applying to mfa playwriting programs and didn't get in anywhere so... yeah, not the best resource for that. But I know a lot of people are in that boat so I don't know. I'm using this year to try and get some internships.

Second, the journalism programs seem like a great get. Do those programs cover all your expenses?

Hey SeaLou,

Thanks so much for the response~

 

And no, the JSchools don't cover all my expenses. It's just partial tuition $$

[lavendercloud]

Smooshie, any particular reason you were going after those schools? It seems like very few of them are going to provide much funding for international students. I don't know much about screenwriting programs, and I guess they tend to have worse funding overall than playwriting, but I can't imagine moving to an expensive city like New York or LA for a minimally-funded program. That's a ton of debt to take on and, while screenwriting careers can be lucrative, it's a volatile business. Plus, many cable channels are now hiring playwriting MFA grads in higher numbers than screenwriting grads, so it doesn't necessarily give you a huge leg up in the business. And, like many people, I'm just never gonna recommend anyone go into significant debt for an MFA.

 

J-school also isn't a path to a lucrative career, so unless you want to do it instead of screenwriting, I don't recommend going that way just to prep for a "day job." There are lots of ways to get into that field without school, too, like Buzzfeed's new four-month fellowship for writers. Again, this probably isn't a degree you want to go into debt for.

 

Have you had any films produced yet? I'd focus on writing short films, getting together with friends to produce them, and entering small, local festivals. You can move up from there, but I doubt you'll have much luck getting into a funded screenwriting program as an international student without some demonstrated experience with small productions. A Youtube reel can absolutely help you in this process.

 

SeaLou, where are you at with internships? Still in the interview process?

[SeaLou]

@smooshie

I agree with Lavendercloud. I was heavily involved with my college film community but I don't have a reel to show for it. I hated the work I made - most of the time I directed not writing. Regardless, make work you're proud of whenever you can. I'm sure that's not new advice. And yeah, debt is a huge part of that college industry. I would also encourage you to work wth theatres, both traditional and otherwise (comedy/improv) and maybe get a foot in that way.

@lavendercloud

I had my second interview with Portland Stage last Friday. Think it went well. Will be notified by the end of this week. Haven't heard from any others.

[iamnonightbird]

@LavendarCloud, have you heard from Sundance? I'm waiting to hear and I guess some people have gotten rejected and I haven't heard anything...eep...

[smooshie]

Smooshie, any particular reason you were going after those schools? It seems like very few of them are going to provide much funding for international students. I don't know much about screenwriting programs, and I guess they tend to have worse funding overall than playwriting, but I can't imagine moving to an expensive city like New York or LA for a minimally-funded program. That's a ton of debt to take on and, while screenwriting careers can be lucrative, it's a volatile business. Plus, many cable channels are now hiring playwriting MFA grads in higher numbers than screenwriting grads, so it doesn't necessarily give you a huge leg up in the business. And, like many people, I'm just never gonna recommend anyone go into significant debt for an MFA.

 

J-school also isn't a path to a lucrative career, so unless you want to do it instead of screenwriting, I don't recommend going that way just to prep for a "day job." There are lots of ways to get into that field without school, too, like Buzzfeed's new four-month fellowship for writers. Again, this probably isn't a degree you want to go into debt for.

 

Have you had any films produced yet? I'd focus on writing short films, getting together with friends to produce them, and entering small, local festivals. You can move up from there, but I doubt you'll have much luck getting into a funded screenwriting program as an international student without some demonstrated experience with small productions. A Youtube reel can absolutely help you in this process.

 

SeaLou, where are you at with internships? Still in the interview process?

Lavendercloud, Thanks for your input!

Unfortunately, my experience with film is very limited (my background is more creative writing), so I thought a MFA program would help, and I heard that some schools had good networking opportunities. But I think you've made convincing arguments. Either way, I don't think I'd be going into a MFA program in the fall.

[SeaLou]

Offered an intern position at Portland Stage! And got an interview with Kitchen Theatre!

[lavendercloud]

iamnonightbird: I've heard nothing whatsoever from Sundance and had no idea any rejections had gone out - whaat? That's potentially good news for both of us, then! Oddly enough, my boyfriend's parents are trying to convince us to spend the summer in Salt Lake City so when he mentioned my Sundance application his mom was like "Oh I have connections there, let me talk to some people for you." I don't think she gets that's not really how this process works, but I figured if she does ask it might at least help me to know something sooner. As for BAPF, it'll still be another week or two before they make their announcement. Nervous as hell!

 

SeaLou, OMG CONGRATS! I'm so excited for you! How long do you have to decide? I wanna hear all about it! That's so great

 

Smooshie, it's absolutely true that an MFA is one way to learn about screenwriting, and that you'd come out much more prepared to get into the field wherever you go. However, there are also tons of free and low-cost ways to learn about screenwriting, and if you educate yourself first - read books, join a writing group, read the screenplays of your favorite films, and most of all, write a lot and produce as much as you can - you'll be poised to get into a much better program with funding. The Michener program at UT-Austin, for instance, is one I'd recommend to any serious screenwriters. I wouldn't worry too much about whether you're in a big city for the sake of connections during an MFA program, but I don't recommend debt (or even spending significant savings on an MFA). It's not the only way to learn and it's generally worth it mainly because it provides time to write and access to getting work produced - but if you're completely new to screenwriting you simply wouldn't be able to take advantage of those benefits as fully.

[jnp809]

Hi everyone,

 

Just found this forum.  Wish I had known about it sooner, you all seem so wonderful and supportive.

 

@Zissou I interviewed at Yale this year too and didn't get in.  I also thought I had had a really great conversation with Jeannie and sent her and Sarah thank you notes after the interview.  And then to get the generic rejection letter was just heartbreaking.  I was wondering if you received anything more personal.  I know a rejection is rejection no matter what but I would have loved an "apply again next year" or something to that affect.  Wondering if everyone just got the generic letter or if I did something wrong in particular to not get a more personal note

[SeaLou]

@smooshie

There's a book called the sequence approach to screenwriting (something like that). It was what we read in my undergrad screenwriting classes. I would check it out if you haven't.

@lavendercloud

Thanks! I have until April 24 to decide. I'd be torn getting into both theatres. They both have such good programs/festivals for playwrights.

Edited April 9, 2015 by SeaLou

[lavendercloud]

jnp809: Congrats! That's wonderful that you interviewed at Yale. I'm sorry you didn't get it. I interviewed at UCSD my first year of applications and was crushed that I didn't get in. Now I'm headed for a program (Ohio) that's a great fit for me and I'm very excited about, even though it was tough to let go of the dream of a really big-name program (including Yale, where I have a friend in his second year). It's too bad that they send generic letters, but in my case the effusive emails I got from the program heads at UCSD made me think I'd definitely have a solid shot this year - but I didn't even make the shortlist. In any case, many people apply more than once or even twice and this is a tough, competitive process that seems like it's uniquely designed to pulverize your soul. But hey: in the five-year history of this thread only a handful of people have gotten Yale interviews and I don't think anyone's gotten into the program, so you're already ahead of the curve. I hope you're ready to hit the ground writing this summer and maybe apply to more programs next time around! What was your list?

 

SeaLou: Yeah, and Ithaca vs. Portland, ME is a tough call, too...both smallish places in the bitter cold most of the year! I'm sure either one would be great. Definitely let Kitchen Dog know that you're on a timeline and you have to get back to another theater soon (no need to specify which) and hopefully they'll give you time to make an informed decision. I'm trying to get my friend's contact information (the one who interned at Portland Stage) from another friend so hopefully I can put y'all in touch.

[Zissou]

JNP809!

 

I had the exact same thing happen to me- the generic "a decision has been made" prompt to check the website- felt pretty crappy. I followed up with both Sarah and Jeanie after the rejection and got a nice note back- nothing to illuminate why I didn't fit into their trio, but very nice. They did encourage me to apply again, but like I said- I got in touch after the rejection. You did nothing wrong- I know we don't know each other, but I feel confident saying that. If you really want it- go for it next year- I'll be rooting for you. 

[jnp809]

Thanks Zissou for your kind words!  I will definitely apply again and see what happens, it was comforting to here that at least one of the current MFAs had interviewed twice before she got in so there's still a chance.

 

Lavendercloud: Thank you also for the encouragement.  It's amazing how helpful someone else's perspective can be.  Here is the list of schools I applied to if you're interested.  As you can see I applied to a lot and got a lot of rejection despite the elusive Yale interview.  It's amazing how subjective the whole process is.  I didn't apply to Ohio but I'm looking into it now that you've said such wonderful things about your experience with them.  I hope you won't be a stranger to this forum after you go off to grad school.  I'd love to hear more about what it's like there as a student.

 

Yale: Interview, Rejected

Columbia: Interview, Waitlisted

NYU: Rejected

Michener: Rejected

Iowa: Rejected

Brown: Rejected

UT Austin: No response but I know offers went out so expecting rejection any day

Juilliard: No response

[Singsalot]

Anyone else get an official Brooklyn College rejection?

[annabananaphone]

@jnp809. It is so subjective! I think it's very impressive that you got interviews at both Yale and Columbia. I got interviewed by some of the schools you got rejected from, but did not get interviewed by Yale, so who knows what goes on behind closed doors.

 

I know it's technically illegal to have quotas in a lot of states, but I think your background as a person partially plays into their decisions. I know UCLA's program is lacking in female writers, so in addition to liking my writing or whatever else they saw in me, the fact that I am female may have played a part in my ultimate acceptance. They might have interviewed a male candidate who was just as impressive that they may have admitted instead of me if the situation had been reversed. Point being, it's out of our control, and I know it's so easy to jump into that "what did I do wrong?" thinking, but the truth is that no one who showed up, tried their best and then got rejected did anything wrong. The only way to have done something wrong would have been to not show up or to tell them that you hate their school and writing plays... which I am sure no one who spent the time carefully applying to these schools did.

 

 

While I think playwriting MFA programs are great for those who want to attend them (me being one of those people), it does often seem challenging and almost meaningless to mix creativity with a systemic and competitive process. If we were all applying to business school, I might understand that I did not get into a program that someone else got into because my GMAT score was lower than theirs. Of course there is a level of subjectivity to everything in this world, business is a lot about personality, and test scores aren't everything, but I do believe the subjectivity factor generally increases in creative fields. So in a hypothetical sense it suddenly becomes one person writing comedic heightened realism about teenage girls living on the moon competing against someone else who wrote a realistic drama about the civil war and maybe the person reading the two plays so happened to be way more interested in serious war plays than zany poetic plays about teenage girls... so which candidate is really more "qualified" in that sense? The great thing about creative fields though is that everyone ends up where is best for them... even if that place isn't in grad school quite yet.

 

I got rejected from Brooklyn College today too, so now I’ve heard from everywhere. Yay!

Edited April 10, 2015 by annabananaphone

[SeaLou]

Sorry to hear about the rejections. Does anyone have a set procedure for reapplying? I know it varies on schools but do you send in two new plays?

@lavendercloud

Your friend got in touch with me. She's been a great help. Thank you!

[DoctorTheatre2015]

I just got an email saying I was accepted to Texas Tech, if anyone knows anyone else who applied there. I'm still waiting for information on the award package and to hear from my other schools.

Are you going to Tech? I just got accepted to the PhD with an emphasis in acting/directing and playwriting! Let's be besties!

[PrincessIsInAnotherCastle]

I have been away from the board for a spell, ya'll.  Busy with multiple projects.  I got to see Zissou's AMAZING play here in NYC last month.  (It.  Was.  Amazing!  I adore her!!!)

And have just generally been busy as hell.  But congrats on all the acceptances!  And for those who haven't been accepted somewhere -- keep applying if it is what you really and truly desire is grad school!

 

[Zissou]

Princess- I'm blushing! It's been so nice to get to know you and your amazing work, my friend.

 

I have to say- I've found this forum to be such a big help (this year in particular). 

 

Crossing fingers, guys.

[theotherlily]

@Sealou-

 

You can recycle almost everything else, but you definitely need a new writing sample. You should probably also revamp your personal statement, but unless there was something really really wrong with them, or you get a great new recommender in your life, I wouldn't replace your letters of rec.  And use those GRE scores till they run out!  Why waste money?

[theotherlily]

Also, Zissou, I'm only waiting on Julliard, and I've moved so many times this past year that I'm definitely not going to get my rejection letter.  Any intel would be great from a life-planning perspective.

[Singsalot]

@theotherlily -- Juilliard is reading on a rolling basis and (as far as I know) notifying and interviewing semifinalists this month, so it's quite possible you will still hear from them. I was told that all finalists will be notified by the beginning of May.

 

Hope that helps!

[jnp809]

I was rejected by Juilliard exactly one year ago today (at 2:41 pm PST) so I can't help but that news (good or bad) is imminent, although I know that school's change their timeline all the time.  Please keep us updated if you get any news.  I'm refreshing this page and my e-mail helplessly every other minute.

[theotherlily]

Wait, you got an email?

 

(didn't apply last year, I feel like when I applied before I got a letter.)

[mcw98]

Singsalot, does your post mean you are a semifinalist at Juilliard?  Hope so...

[jnp809]

I got an e-mail from Juilliard last year so i assume that's how rejections will go out this year as well.