MA Writing for Screen & Stage
A part-time flexible-learning Masters degree in scriptwriting
for television, film and the theatre
London is one of the world's major centres of television, film
and theatre productions - and the cornerstone and starting
point of every one of these productions is the script.
Course Fees
| Get A Prospectus | Apply Online Now
With out a script... No
actor commits to a project, no locations are selected, sets built,
no venues or studios booked, no deals struck and no seats sold.
Two Year Masters Programme
This two-year Masters program is designed to develop the writing
skills essential for the screen industry and the theatre.
The Course Covers:
- Storytelling and the Aristotelian origins of drama
- Narrative structure, character function and creation
- Exploitation of arena and decisions on location and key
narrative tricks and devices
- Practices of the industry
- Converting ideas into saleable products
- Marketing and selling the work
- Connection to the audience
- Dealing with legal and financial issues
- Taking power in relationships with directors, actors and
agents.
Learning Methods
This programme is taught via a mixture of five
short but intensive residential part-weeks on campus,
combined with periods of off-campus distance
learning - at home or anywhere in the world.
Study is geared to the part-time student who prefers to study at
their own pace.
Residential periods feature traditional lectures, seminars,
workshops, individual one-to-one tutorials, workshopping and
performance of the students’ work, the program’s distinctive
feature is that students write their scripts at distance but under
the continuing guidance of their own personal tutor.
In addition the program will contain an optional London-based
screen industry or theatre placement, according to the student’s
preference.
Who Should Take This Course?
Successful writing is built upon a range of skills. These
naturally include storytelling and character creation, but
important also for the writer are a broad curiosity, an interest in
people, an instinct for observation, and genuine life
experience.
This degree is therefore suitable not only for those who have
gained a creative undergraduate degree, but also those who have
studied or worked in other areas of activity. In fact all
areas of human activity have proved to be material for a skilled
and determined writer – of any age, culture or background.
Employment Opportunities: Where Next?
This MA in Writing for Screen & Stage trains not only those
who wish to write, of equal importance to the industry are
many other essential roles: script editors, developers, producers,
directors, agents and distributors of the future are also key to
the success of the industry, and all require a keen understanding
of the writer’s craft.
Therefore the program will develop transferable script skills
which can be deployed in all areas of origination and creative
analysis and which enhance the employment prospects of anyone who
wishes to work in a very wide and varied industry.
Disability
If you have a disability/long-term health condition that may
affect your choice of placement location, you are encouraged to to
contact the Disability Officer, so that
you can discuss any specific needs in confidence.
Page last updated 7/12/2010