Program Overview

Directing for Stage and Screen is for those who have a passion for  directing for both the live theatre and for onscreen film and television as well those wishing to develop audio-visual elements for the live performance context.

We offer this course at both MA and MFA; the MA is one year and the MFA requires a second year of further study. Please choose which qualification you would like to apply for by selecting your choice at the apply button.

The programme will prepare you for entry into the moving image and theatre industries through the production of work which could be distributed via film festivals and / or theatrical performance. The programme will also act as a base for doctorial study, an academic career or professional work in theatre and film practice.

The focus of the practice-based training offered in the programme is intended to prepare you for work in the exciting and innovative moving image and theatre sectors through high-end technical instruction, development of professional performance and production methodologies, creative writing, performance praxis and stage craft, and an insight into the industry's structures and business models.

You will also benefit from the programme's wide networks in the theatre and moving image industry; you may also gain wider industrial film experience via Schema, UEL's Student Production Unit. Schema coordinates a variety of film projects with external organisation and is a conduit for internships and work placements.

You will leave the programme with a substantial portfolio of work for both immediate production / screenings and as basis for fundraising for future productions.  You will also have learnt a wide range of technical skills, in both production and post-production.  You will leave having developed an innovative practice and an understanding of industry.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

The MFA / MA Directing for Stage and Screen course takes a practice-based approach as it explores different stage and film directing methodologies – Realism, Narrative Cinema, Moving Image, Contemporary Devising and Screenwriting.

You will gain the skills needed to become a creative and innovative Director in Film and Theatre with the opportunity to experiment and learn your craft taking your ideas from concept to realisation on the stage or screen.

The Director and the Text module draws on the Stanislavskian approach to staging plays and gives you an in-depth understanding of how to work with actors.

The Narrative Cinema module gives you a grounding in scripting, crew dynamics, production planning and practical filmmaking skills in the production of a short fiction film.

The Devised Project module works in collaboration with a major cultural organisation, at present the V&A Museum, to create an original performance work to be staged and hosted in the museum.

The Moving Image module looks at a wide range of experimental approaches to moving image work and explores a range of film technologies, including16mm film, green-screen and multiscreen installation.

The Screenwriting module will introduce you to the process of screenwriting. Through an analysis of the art of writing for screen, including developing story structure, characters and dialogue, as well as the mechanics of screenwriting such as format and structure, students will advance their own professional scriptwriting practice.  

Your Final Project will be your chance to realise an ambitious, high production value, festival-ready film or stage play which acts a ‘showcase’ for the innovative directorial practice you have developed on the course