MA/MFA in Contemporary Directing Practice
Sidcup, United Kingdom
DURATION
13 up to 23 Months
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Request application deadline
EARLIEST START DATE
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TUITION FEES
GBP 48,300 *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* MFA international students (240 credits) | MFA UK & republic of Ireland students (240 credits): £36200 | MA international students (180 credits): £24150 | MA UK & republic of Ireland students (180 credits): £18100
Introduction
This advanced and rigorous MA/ MFA Contemporary Directing Practice program offers an experiential two-year course, where students will develop their vocabulary and find their own voice and vision as a director while acquiring and honing a diverse variety of skills, techniques, tools, and devices.
The fully-taught MA program is 13 months long, and graduates qualify in October of year two with the presentation of their Independent Research Project.
MFA students commence their year two with a fully resourced production of a One-Act Play, followed by a Professional Placement Module and, notably, Writing & Directing for Camera (resulting in the writing of a short film, learning the film language of making a film and directing actors for the screen). MFA concludes with the Independent Professional Directing Project to be delivered at the end of the program.
Students are supported by continuous assessment regular tutorials with the Program Director, and feedback from Visiting Tutors.
Why choose this course?
Expert training
A playground for personal and professional growth, and experimentation under the mentorship and instruction from established artists; professional encounters, talks, and seminars with leading British and international theatre-makers. It is an exceptional opportunity to join and collaborate with a diverse and vibrant group of emerging theatre practitioners across the postgraduate school.
Unique approach
Master your directing techniques, tools, and psycho-physical vocabulary on this experiential journey of discovery, developing the director’s individual voice and vision.
Resources and facilities
Be part of Rose Bruford’s creative student community. Collaborate with students and practitioners from other courses and disciplines across both postgraduate and undergraduate schools, with access to vast College resources and facilities, both online and on-campus.
Industry contacts and networking
Develop a professional network of creative relationships. Visiting lecturers, tutors and mentors have included: Annabel Arden, co-founder of Complicite; Walter Meierjohann, theatre director; Tinuke Craig, theatre director; Amy Hodge, theatre & film director; Sam Curtis Lindsay, Artistic Director Hackney Showroom; Jay Skelton; Sophie Fiennes, film-maker; Barbara Houseman; Timothy Sheader, Artistic Director Open Air Theatre; Emma Baggott, theatre director; Nikolai Foster, Artistic Director Curve, Leicester; Abigail Graham, theatre director; Jaz Woodstock-Stewart, theatre director; Mita Pujara and many others.
Duration
- MA 13 Months
- MFA 24 Months
Gallery
Admissions
Curriculum
MA Course Structure
The MA runs over an extended academic year of 13 months.
It comprises four taught modules over the course of three consecutive terms, followed by an Independent Research Project that results in a resourced practical project presentation documented in the Director’s Workbook.
Module 1: Embodying the Space
- Part 1: A foundation in wide-ranging mind-body skills and techniques, rooting directors in the language of improvised, devised, collaborative, and immersive story-telling
- Part 2: Creating and Directing a Devised Piece and an Adaptation Project
Module 2: Framing the Space
- Expanding the director’s awareness and language of Visual and Spatial Storytelling, Visual and Musical Composition, and introducing approaches to Director–Designer creative collaboration
Module 3: The Director's Journey
The core module underpins the program as a whole.
- Dialogue with the Playwright: Director Preparation from page to stage, working with complex texts, dramaturgy
- Director’s Lab: independent, practical scene-study and workshops; a practical exploration of Director-Actor interaction
Module 4: Professional Directing Practice
An inter-program British Contemporary Theatre Project. Students will direct a fully realized play in collaboration with European Theatre Arts BA performers, designers, lighting designers, and technical arts students.
Module 5: Independent Research Project
An independent original piece of work; a creative articulation of your practice. The module is designed as the culmination of the program as a whole, with the view to implementing the working methodologies and practices that have been assimilated and acquired.
MFA Course Structure
Directing for Stage and Screen
The MFA Contemporary Directing Practice is a two-year vocational program. It provides director training for those wanting an advanced practice-based course alongside rigorous academic study at the postgraduate level to underpin and develop their work as directors for stage and screen.
Year One
Modules in Year One are shared with MA Contemporary Directing Practice. There are four taught modules over the course of three consecutive terms as highlighted above in the MA Course Structure section.
Year Two
It is comprised of three taught modules over the course of two consecutive terms, followed by the Independent Professional Directing Project, resulting in a presentation between July and September, documented in the Director’s Workbook.
MFA Year 2 - Module 5: Independent Professional Directing Project (IPDP)
- IPDP Part 1: One-Act Play (September – October 2022)
- A fully realized production of a One-Act Play, chosen by the director
- IPDP Part 2: Final Independent Production (July – September 2023)
Building on IPDP Part 1, the final Independent Professional Directing Project facilitates the creation of an original piece of work. It is a creative articulation of your practice honed over the two years.
MFA Year 2 - Module 6: Professional Placement & Introduction to New Writing
- Professional Placement is an ongoing strand within the module and is undertaken over an extended period of six to eight weeks
- Working on a short New Writing Project
MFA Year 2 - Module 7: Directing for Camera
The module offers diverse 10-week film training. It is a combination of screen-writing seminars, followed by an introduction to film language and techniques that culminate in students shooting and directing actors in a series of scenes from the short film they have written.