MFA in Television Writing
WHAT MAKES A GREAT TELEVISION SERIES?
Story Engine and Heart.
A successful television series generates strong stories every week that create a powerful emotional connection between the audience and the main characters.
Create a television writing portfolio that can launch your career.
Through small collaborative workshops designed to mimic professional writers rooms, intensive one-on-one advisement and supporting classes with industry professionals, Stony Brook's Television Writing curriculum prepares you to join the expanding frontier of television story-telling that is dominating the entertainment landscape in the US and around the world.
Being part of Stony Brook's MFA in Television Writing will enable you to master the tried and true techniques of television writing and
learn how to apply them to this changing and evolving form of storytelling.
Read more from the head of our Television Writing program, Alan Kingsberg
EXPLORE... CREATE... MASTER... LAUNCH!
That's the philosophy behind Stony Brook's MFA in Television Writing. EXPLORE a variety of television writing forms including comedy, drama, dramedy, half-hour, one-hour, spec, pilot, network, cable and streaming.
Find your wheelhouse and your voice. Then CREATE original television series concepts and pilot scripts.
MASTER your craft through collaborative workshops and intensive individual advisement and build the writing portfolio that can LAUNCH your career.
The core Television Writing curriculum includes:
YEAR ONE
Writing the Spec Script
Learn the fundamentals by writing a script for a show that is currently on the air.
Writing the Original TV Pilot
Create an original series and write a pilot script.
Showrunner Workshop
"Break" stories and write scenes with a working showrunner.
Comedy Workshop
Learn to write sketch, late night and monologues in the style of SNL, The Daily Show,
Full Frontal, Amy Schumer.
Guest Series - From the Writers Room
In-depth discussions with working writers and showrunners about the writing process,
writers rooms, and a specific script or episode they’ve written.
Screenwriting
Learn the fundamentals of long form narrative and develop a script for a feature film.
SUMMER IN SOUTHAMPTON AND NYC:
Acting for Writers
Learning to act and to direct actors makes you a better writer. This is the first
workshop in our four-step content creation ladder.
YEAR TWO
Advanced Pilot
Create the second pilot script for your TV Writing portfolio.
Limited Series
Learn how to work collaboratively in a writers room to construct story arcs for a
limited series based on true events.
Skills
Learn how to work camera, sound and editing gear. This workshop is paired with Directing
the Camera and is the second workshop in our four-step content creation ladder.
Directing the Camera
Directing scenes from your script gives you insight into how your writing is translated
into a visual medium. This is the third workshop in our content creation ladder.
Web Series
Write, produce, direct and edit a micro-pilot for a web series. This is the capstone
class in the content creation ladder and pulls together writing, acting, skills and
directing the camera.
Business of TV
Learn how to work with agents and managers, how to pitch and strategies to break into
the business.
Pilot Three
The capstone writing class where you develop the third pilot script for your TV writing
portfolio.
Revision
Revise and polish the writing portfolio that can launch your career as a television
writer.
YEAR THREE
Thesis
Work with your thesis advisor to get your “best” script industry-ready and prepare
a pitch for a new series that you can develop after graduation. Can be in-person
or on Zoom.
Internship
Work on a show or at a production company, network or studio to get real world experience.
(Optional)
ELECTIVES
An array of electives are available from the MFA in Creative Writing and the MFA in
Film.
SAMPLE ELECTIVES:
Producing with Christine Vachon
Memoir with Roger Rosenblatt
Teaching Practicum – Karen Offitzer. Learn to teach at the college level, design a syllabus and teach the following semester at Stony Brook undergraduate.
Humor on the Page with Patty Marx.
Poetry, Writing the Short Film, Dystopian Fiction, European Cinema and more.
Tips from the Writers Room
Writers and showrunners share tips about working in professional writers rooms — from making your script as strong as possible to getting hired on a show.
Television Writing Guest Series
Enjoy this series of short videos featuring Alan Kingsberg, Head of Television Writing for Stony Brook University's MFA in Film Program, in conversation with writers and producers from some of today's top television programs.
