Preparing For Residency

Do You Have Your Coffee?

Now we begin, so please block out a few hours to thoroughly review all of the content provided in the tabs on this page. We want you to come to residency prepared and feeling confident. This experience is wonderful, mind expanding with seriously intensive 12 hour days. To get the most out of Residency we strongly suggest that if you are remote you clear your schedule to “come to Campus”, and if you are able to be physically present on Campus to really leave work at home.

Managing both your time and energy while in residency will make the experience more valuable and productive for you. This is the full-time part of our MFA in Film program. Being fully present at residency means that you can focus in a dedicated way on the content, people and work you will be introduced to. There will be a lot going on. We do build breaks into the schedule for meals, casual socializing and recovery. We strongly encourage you to take these times and use them as breaks to help integrate your thinking, ideas, and needs. We know it is tempting to try to pack all of the rest of life into these breaks but we strongly recommend that you resist that impulse. You’ll thank us later.

New Students

We are excited to have you join us. Please be sure to have personalized your project site by completing your Bio and adding a picture of yourself, which will be included in our Student Directory. Please prepare an informal introduction of yourself, your work, and aspirations for the time you have in this program. We will have about 10-15 min for you to present and time for our community to ask questions and get to know you. This can be a short clip, a spoken introduction or a whatever form feels most comfortable.

Please read thoroughly the Residency Expectations, Critique at Residency* and Study Plan pages in the drop down menu. *It is important to note that your role in crits is that of an observer.

Continuing Students (Including those returning from LOA)

Welcome back! Please prepare your crit selection and upload it to your project site for ease of access to students and faculty. We strongly encourage you to review and thoroughly read Critique at Residency*, the Residency Expectations and Study Plan pages in the tabs. *You will be presenting at the residency

Graduating Students

Congratulations! We are excited to see what you have accomplished during your time in the MFA in Film program. Please be sure you have already provided all of your Final Thesis links and material to the program office. We are excited to see you at the graduation ceremony! Well done.

A Few General House Keeping Notes

Attendance: All enrolled students are expected to participate fully in the entire residency period, including all Film program functions, all guest lectures, and student lectures as specified in the residency schedule. Such participation is required for the semester’s credit and for the granting of the degree. If a student cannot participate fully they must submit a petition to the MFA Program at least one month prior to the residency. Exceptions will be considered and approved for one-time only situations deemed appropriate and affecting a student’s arrival or departure from the residency by no more than one day. Graduating students are required to attend their graduation ceremony for the actual awarding of the degree.

Remote + Online Participation

You will find all remote access links in the Residency Calendar in the Residency Menu drop down

Residing On Campus

You will find all the information you require about how, where and what to bring in the On Campus tab.

Residing Off- Campus

Students may reside off-campus during residencies and, for billing purposes, must notify the office of such accommodation well in advance of the residency. All students, and especially first semester students, are encouraged to stay on campus so that they can experience the residency, including the informal community that develops. Students residing off-campus during residencies can inquire with the program about purchasing a meal plan separately if needed.

Guest Attendance

Although specified events are open to the public, other activities and facilities are for students and faculty only, and students may not be accompanied to the residency by spouses, friends or family. Our experience has been that the residency period is an extremely demanding time to which students must give full attention. Guests are allowed for special occasions only, such as public performances and graduation ceremonies. Students must receive permission from the MFA office for guests to stay overnight in a dorm; if approved, there is a fee.

On time completion of all deliverables, meetings, forms and evaluations are required to maintain good academic standing.