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MASTER OF
FINE ARTS
DOCUMENTARY
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NEXT START DATE:
Universal Studios: Jan 8, 2009
New York City: Jan 8, 2009
TUITION:
$15,000 (USD) Per Semester
€10,491 (EURO) Per Semester
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+ Universal Studios, Hollywood |
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+ New York City * |
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*Students have the option of completing the credits and course work for the first year at our campuses in New York City, Los Angeles at Universal Studios, or Abu Dhabi, UAE. All students will complete the second year at our location in Universal Studios. |
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DEGREE PROGRAM OVERVIEW
The New York Film Academy is proud to offer a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree program in Documentary at our film school at Universal Studios, Los Angeles location. This two-year conservatory-based graduate program is designed to educate talented and committed prospective documentarians in a hands-on, total immersion, professional and supportive environment. The intensive curriculum will challenge, inspire, and prepare candidates for professional work both as an independent Documentary-maker and within the non-fiction film and television business.
The Master of Fine Arts in Documentary is an accelerated, four or five semester graduate program. It offers qualified students a full course of production and study, including the opportunity to produce and direct a feature length documentary in the second year of film school.
Candidates for admission to the MFA program must possess a Bachelor's Degree from a post-secondary institution. |
In Year One, master students undergo a thorough regimen of class work and film production that lays the groundwork for a professional life in the documentary arts.
In Year Two, master students focus on a major Documentary project their experience. In fulfillment of the thesis production requirement, students have three choices. While these requirements differ in the length of time required for completion, they are equivalent in scope and content.
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SEMESTER ONE OBJECTIVES Learning Goals:
- Art, aesthetics, and technique of non-fiction filmmaking
including directing, 16mm cinematography, editing
- Fundamentals of digital video production and digital editing
- Fundamentals of story
- Fundamental training in production
- Fundamentals of the New Media landscape
Production Goals:
- Produce, direct and edit two short documentary films and a series of V-logs
- Crew as Cinematographer, Sound Recordist, and/or Assistant Camera on approximately 8 additional films
- Research, create a beat sheet or shooting script for, produce and begin production on a 10-minute social issue documentary
SEMESTER TWO OBJECTIVES
Learning Goals:
- Advanced documentary craft including directing, producing, production and editing
- Fundamentals of HD video production
- Fundamentals of non-fiction television
Production Goals:
- Edit and post-produce 10-minute social issue documentary
- Create, pitch and format an original documentary or "reality" series
- Collaborate on a 5 to 10-minute "taster tape" or "pitch pilot"
- Research, produce, direct and edit a short independent documentary of students own choosing
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All Year Two master students must complete a series of highly specialized classes, participate in multiple documentary productions, deliver a thesis film of their own creation, and complete all graduation requirements in order to successfully complete the program and graduate with a Master of Fine Arts in Documentary.
Thesis Option B students will require a mandatory paid fifth semester of study.
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YEAR TWO OBJECTIVES
Learning Objectives:
After Year One, MFA in Doumentary students will engage in a series of advanced lectures, seminars, and hands-on workshops. Classes will consist of:
- Feature Project Grantwriting
- Advanced Approaches to Documentary
- Line Producing Workshop
- High Definition Workshop
- Master’s Seminar: Industry Perspectives
- Advanced Post Production
- Applied Documentary Studies
- New Media: Documentary
- The Business of Non-Fiction
- Navigating the Industry
Production Objectives:
Students are expected to research, develop, pre-produce, and package a feature length documentary or Docu-series for industry sale and/or production, and complete one of the following production requirements:
Thesis Option A: Short Form Thesis Film and Feature or Docu-series Prep.
Students may choose to direct and edit a short form Thesis Film of up to 40 minutes in length, and prepare a feature length Documentary or Docu-series of their own creation for production.
Thesis Option B: Feature Length or Docu-Series Production & Collaborate in a Key Crew Position on a Short Form Thesis Documentary
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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 Documentary. 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 documentary. 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.
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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 80 Semester Credits is required for graduation from the New York Film Academy Master of Fine Art in Documentary Degree Program. A paid fifth semester is required to successfully complete 80 Semester credits for Thesis Option B. All 80 Semester credits must be undertaken at the New York Film Academy as scheduled.
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 Documentary is an accelerated, four or five semester conservatory-based, full-time study graduate program. With the exception of the choice of 1 elective and the thesis requirement, the MFA in Documentary 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 Studio based. As is customary in visual arts studies, Lab and Practicum instructional hours are treated as studio hours. The degree may not be obtained in less than four semesters for Thesis Option A and C, or less than five semesters for Thesis Option B. Students who elect to direct feature length films are required to register for a paid fifth semester of study in order to complete their thesis requirements.
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