MFA SCENIC DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY BENCHMARKS

INTRODUCTION

The graduate program in Scenic Design and Technology prepares students to be skilled and competitive for positions in the areas of scene design and technology. Students are expected to demonstrate craftsmanship and professionalism in all aspects of their work and art, and bring an attitude of openness, enthusiasm, and commitment to learning and collaboration with fellow students, staff, and faculty. Spatial design and technology requires advanced skills in: design; computer-aided drawing; rendering; model-making; fabrication with various materials; and the effective application of technology. In addition to these skills are crucial abilities in critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration, communication, and an extremely strong work ethic. Students are expected to develop in all of the above areas during their residency. When evaluating students’ progress in the program, the faculty looks for consistent and significant growth in the benchmarks listed below. The overriding goal is to achieve a professional level of competence by the end of a three-year residency. Acceptance into the program conveys the faculty’s sense of the students’ potential to accomplish this.

BENCHMARKS

  • I. Personal design skills
    • • Extensive knowledge and historical understanding of art, architecture, and design
    • • Ability to read, analyze, and understand a wide variety of dramatic texts
    • • Ability to watch, listen, and understand a variety of performance events
    • • Ability to articulate visually and orally personal responses to events
    • • Ability to find and shape a personal artistic vision of a production event
    • • Ability to make effective and creative choices that support your vision based on the text, space, research, and your creative responses
    • • Ability to create and present a cohesive and effective scenic design presentation, including visual research, sketches, paint samples/renderings, finished scale model, finished drafting, and prop research and designs
    • • Excellent project management skills, work ethic, and consistency in meeting milestones and deadlines
  • II. Collaborative skills
    • • Ability to clearly and effectively communicate your vision and concepts to a director, the design team, actors, technicians
    • • Ability to respond to feedback in a positive, creative, and flexible way, shaping your vision in collaboration with director, designers, and technicians
    • • Ability to listen well, adapt, and take action
    • • The ability to maintain a high level of inspiration, creativity, joy, and passion through the process
    • • The ability to maintain the highest level of professionalism and work ethic
    • • Ability to be creative, calm, and in control under pressure • Flexibility to lead and/or follow in the design process
  • III. Technical Skills
    • • Ability to understand the technical needs of your own designs and how they might be accomplished
    • • Ability to be a problem-solver
    • • Good hand-eye coordination
    • • Direct knowledge and competence in the use of common scene and property shop tools and equipment
    • • Direct knowledge of most theatrical equipment, standards, materials, and safe working practices
    • • Ability to learn, respond, and adapt to new technologies and processes in both theater and in all of the entertainment and architecture industries.
    • • Ability to communicate three-dimensional spaces and objects in two-dimensional drawings
    • • Ability to estimate, monitor, and control the three resources: money, time, and labor
    • • Familiarity with the demands and parameters of costume design, lighting design, projection design, and sound design
  • IV. Presentation
    • • Develop and maintain an industry standard portfolio/website/business cards/C.V. over the course of residency
    • • Demonstrate exceptional skills in presenting yourself and your work both orally and visually as an employee and as a collaborator and colleague.

SAMPLE COURSE OF STUDY

CORE CREDITS (REQUIRED OF ALL MFA STUDENTS):
TH 680: Group Studio (3)
TH 730: Textual Analysis (3)
TH 793B: World Rep I (3)
TH 699T: Thesis (3)
Subtotal: 12 core credits

TOTAL CREDITS REQUIRED TO GRADUATE: 60

Sample Course of Study (will vary according to student)

Fall, Year 1 (9 credits)
Group Studio (3)
Textual Analysis (3)
Scenic Design Studio (3)

Spring, Year 1 (11-12 credits)
Scenic Design Studio (3)
First Production Assignment (design or assist) (2-3)
World Rep (3)
Technical Direction Intro (3)

Summer, Year 1
Internship/Assistantship

Fall, Year 2 (9 credits)
Scenic Design Studio (3)
Second Production Assignment (3)
Intro to Lighting Design (3)

Spring, Year 2 (12 credits)
Scenic Design Studio (3)
Third Production Assignment (3)
Color & Proportion in 2D Design (3)
Elective (3)

Summer, Year 2
Internship/Assistantship

Fall, Year 3 (10 credits)
Scenic Design Studio (3)
Fourth Production Assignment (3)
Elective (3)
Independent Study (1)

Spring, Year 3 (9 credits)
Scenic Design Studio (3)
Thesis (3)
Fifth Production Assignment (3)