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The Graduate Program

In Science and Natural History Filmmaking

The Department of Media and Theatre Arts Montana State University

Handbook (v7.0)

2007-2008

This handbook applies only to students entering the program as of 8/15/07 Please report any corrections, proposed additions, or changes to the Film Options Administrator (Dennis Aig) or the Administrative Staff Liaison (Vicki Miller). PLEASE NOTE: This handbook will be in effect only until December 31, 2007, at which time it will be superseded by Volume 7.1, which will reflect the results of the Fall 2007 MFA Curriculum Review.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. THE OVERALL PROGRAM

Introduction and Welcome 5 THE GOALS OF THE PROGRAM 6 “MY INFO” 8

Contact Information Updates Enrolling on the MFA List-Serve

THE CURRICULUM 10 ADVISING 11

First Year Second and Third Year REGISTRATION 12

GRADUATE STUDENT SUPPORT FUNDING 14 An Important Note about Accepting Tuition Waivers from other Departments II. THE CURRICULUM: THE FIRST YEAR 16 Sample Program of Study & Committee Form Policies Regarding Applicability of Courses To the Program YEAR ONE: SCIENCE AND NATURAL HISTORY FILM: 18 HISTORY, THEORY, AND PRODUCTION Fall Semester Spring Semester Summer Semester How to Establish Your Committee 20 Program of Study – Thesis Committee Forms 22 III. THE CURRICULUM: THE SECOND YEAR 24 About Agenda-Based Filmmaking 25

3 The Second Year Project 26 Significant Usage Production Funding Project Length The Directed Production Process The Sequence of Courses 29 The Production Process 30 Scheduling Budgeting Acquisition of Material Review of Uncut Footage Off-Line Edit Script Review of Rough Cut Fine Cut Final Cut

The Comprehensive Examination 34 IV. THE CURRICULUM: THE THIRD YEAR 36 The Thesis 37 Authority of Your Thesis Advisor 41 General Guidelines 41 Thesis Outline and Bibliography I. The Thesis Film 43 Introduction Rough Cut Fine Cut Finished Edit II. The Thesis Essay 45

III. The Thesis Defense 47

Completed Forms 48 Thesis Film and Expectations from DGE 48 Electronic Submissions 50

4 Writing Grants 52

V. APPENDICES 57

1. Selects 2. Policy Regarding Absences 3. Policy Regarding Incompletes 4. MFA WORKSHEET 5. Code of Conduct

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The MFA Handbook (v7.0)

Introduction You are now part of the premiere graduate degree program in Science and Natural History Filmmaking in the world. We believe you’ll find the program to be exciting, insightful, and challenging. You’ll have many questions about the program and how it works. The faculty, staff, and student members of earlier cohorts will help you as much as possible to help you understand how the program works. Our goal is to help you succeed in the program with a minimum of stress.

This MFA Handbook is a continuing work-in-progress and is updated on a regular basis. Keep this handbook in a safe place, because this version (v7.0) contains the guidelines you will graduate under. Changes that occur in versions of this handbook will apply to you only if they begin with the prefix number “7”. A version that begins with a “3” or a “4” for example, does not apply to your cohort. If you need clarification on any point in this handbook, consult with your thesis advisor or with the program manager. It is expected that a revised curriculum, which will be in effect from your second semester through graduation will be decided upon in Fall 2007 and outlined in Version 7.1 of this handbook.

This handbook is a departmental publication so everything contained in it is subject to the respective rules of the Media and Theatre Arts Department (MTA), the College of Arts and Architecture (CAA), the College of Graduate Study (DGE), and Montana State University-Bozeman. For complete and current information about DGE requirements, ALWAYS consult the DGE website at http://www.montana.edu/gradstudies

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The Goals of the Program The basic premise of the MFA program rests on the assumption that there is an inadequate pool of properly educated people capable of producing quality films about science (and natural history). Recent studies show that while people have an abiding faith in the role of science for our future, few people understand basic scientific concepts like how long it takes for the earth to circle the sun. Justifiably, the gap between the current state of science and the public understanding of that science has become a matter of national concern, especially when scientific discoveries directly affect public policy and individual decisions. A major reason for this problem is the mistrust and misunderstanding that often typifies the relationship between scientists and the media. For a variety of reasons, an overwhelming majority of scientists (89% by one study) feel the media cannot be trusted to tell their story accurately. On the other hand, a common complaint heard from the media is that scientists don’t understand the nature of broadcast or mass communications. Certainly, one major factor that has contributed to the strained relations between the media and science is the fact that the people who are regularly making shows about science rarely understand even basic principles of scientific method or language. A common consequence of this approach results in unfortunate distortions, inaccuracies, or outright misrepresentations of the subject matter being presented within programs. While there are many contributing factors that create an environment that is not conducive to properly representing science and natural history. One major element is the current broadcast production model. In this model, scientists are routinely treated as disposable; they are “mined” for information and, under the guise of maintaining creative freedom, are excluded from participating in other critical elements of the production process, during which time such distortions, inaccuracies or misrepresentations can occur. Scientists have a difficult time accommodating artistic demands that interfere or even take precedence over their work so they have to stage an experiment or repeat the same action to accommodate a tightly scheduled film crew who only have a few short hours to shoot their work. We believe a model of inclusion will go a long way to resolve or mitigate such issues. If the broadcast medium is to bridge the gap between itself and science, then it needs to find meaningful ways to work cooperatively within the realm of science rather than to be considered an independent enterprise. Such an approach need not sacrifice or lessen the traditional concerns of the filmmaker who is rightly

7 concerned with schedules, budgets and aesthetics while seeking the best expression of their ideas without undue influence from his/her sources. Such a relationship, however, does not necessarily exclude the possibility of a collaborative model that would almost certainly provide a useful monitoring of the scientific AND the creative content of a program. While the collaborative production model is hardly innovative, it isn’t the dominant model in use today. Because there has been no normative process in proposing and/or these kinds production models, the Master of Fine Arts program in Science and Natural History Filmmaking has three core objectives: • to graduate students from the program properly trained in science AND able to

engage and interact with scientists and researchers at deeper, more meaningful levels;

• to graduate students properly trained as producers and directors of innovative science and natural films that are screened in multiple venues throughout the world.

• to revise the prevailing media production model to directly engage scientists’ critical stages throughout the production process in order to ensure accuracy and completeness of content.

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MY INFO

Every student enrolled at Montana State University is given an identification number that is separate from your social security number. That identification number, also called your “Banner ID” or GID (Generated ID) is eight digits and begins with a “-.” You must include the dash “-“ when using that number on the MSU website to view your information or register for a class. On the MSU homepage, http://www.montana.edu/, at the top of the screen, there are four categories. Under the top heading of “Current Students,” there is a drop down menu. On that drop down menu there is a category called “My Info.” This is where all of your personal information with the university is located. This is also the location in which you update your information (addresses, e-mails, etc.). When entering the university, you are issued the Banner ID number, as well as a default PIN, which is necessary to get into your university account. The default PIN is the six-digit code representing your birth date (mo/day/year). The first time that you enter into your personal account, the computer will ask that you reset your PIN to a more secure number. Please memorize this number. The significance of this information in regards to the MFA Program is that we send out much of our information on list serves. These list serves pull your e-mail address from the e-mail address that you have provided in your university account (through My Info). In the 2006-2007 Academic Year, the MyPortal system was introduced for assigning student e-mails. Unfortunately, there have been a number of serious problems with the system. Each student should have a MyMSU Portal email and one on another service, such as Yahoo, Google, or another ISP. Please register the second e-mail with both your instructors and Vicki Miller. **Please note: Sometimes students are not able to receive the list serve e-mails on their computer, because the computer is set to automatically delete junk mail. Please be sure to check on this option if you are not receiving MSU list serve e-mails (from both the MFA Program, as well as the Division of Graduate Education).

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CONTACT INFORMATION UPDATES

Please be sure to update your contact information in your university account, as well as sending Vicki Miller an e-mail with the new contact information to ensure everyone is current.

ENROLLING ON THE MFA LIST-SERVE

The MFA program maintains an active list-serve. If you are a currently enrolled student, make sure you are a part of this list-serve. During the course of the year we send out many very important notices and information over the list serve and you will be at a severe disadvantage if you are not enrolled on it.

If you have any questions about how to subscribe to the list-serve, which can be done through “MY INFO,” consult with Vicki Miller.

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The Curriculum You are required to register full-time and must complete your degree within SIX years (72 calendar months). Exceptions are granted only in extraordinary circumstances and require joint approval from the Film Options Administrator MTA Department Head, the Dean of Students, and the Division of Graduate Education.

The following curriculum may not apply to all degree candidates and may vary according to the particular circumstances of your admission. Your cohort is comprised of people of varying ages, experience and education. While the majority of students will have at least one degree in science (and, in some cases, advanced degrees), there may also be students who have only minors in science. If you have questions about what courses you should be taking during your first year, consult with Dennis Aig or Vicki Miller.

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ADVISING

First Year The first year of courses in the MFA Program in Science and Natural History Filmmaking is considered “lock-step.” Most students in the first year take the same courses together. If you have questions, please consult with Dennis Aig or Vicki Miller regarding credit requirements and course registration.

Second Year In your second year, you will be enrolled with other members of your cohort in a second year production workshop, a thesis preparation class, and a postproduction class. The faculty members in your workshop will be responsible for overseeing your second-year film, which must be completed by May of the second year.

Third Year By the beginning of your third year, you are required to set up your Graduate Thesis Committee. This Committee must include at least three faculty members from the MTA Department. With special permission, you may include a fourth member form outside the Department whose special expertise will be valuable to the completion of your thesis and your thesis film. One of the MTA faculty members must be designated as the Chair of the committee, and this person will be responsible for reviewing drafts of your thesis, rough and fine cuts of your film, and the general administration of your thesis work. The names of the members of your Graduate Thesis Committee must be submitted on the appropriate paperwork to both Vicki Miller and the Department of Graduate Studies by September 15 of your third year. (September 15, 2009.)

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Registration

I. Registering for Courses in the MFA Program:

The Science and Natural History Filmmaking courses are restricted entry, meaning that students must have special permission to take these courses. Therefore, the Program Manager registers you in courses each semester. An e-mail is sent out to all MFA candidates each semester with a registration notification. You must let Vicki Miller know which classes you intend to take by the deadline accompanying this notice.

Your Registration Responsibilities Include:

1. Making sure that you do not have a HOLD on your account. A Hold on your account prevents you from registering. Holds are issued if a balance is not paid, if your immunization forms are not with the Student Health Center, or if you have not completed the proper paperwork with the Division of Graduate Education. Please check the My Info section on the MSU website to see if a hold is on your records (under the heading, “Student Services and Financial Aid,” then “Student Records,” and finally, “View Holds.”)

2. Meeting the Deadline to Inform the Program Manager of Your Semester’s

Courses. An e-mail is sent to all students on the listserve to convey the registration deadline for the following semester.

i. Making sure that you are Registered for the Courses.

It is your responsibility to follow up and check your “My Info” account each semester to ensure that you are registered for the correct courses.

ii. Attendance Confirmation.

Attendance Confirmation is an additional step required by MSU that reinforces your intent to attend classes. This must be done by every student at the beginning of every semester. Students who have paid for their tuition and have either a zero balance or a credit balance are still required to notify the Student Accounts Office (located in Montana Hall) of your intention of taking courses. This can be done by printing out your account balance (zero or a credit), signing the bottom of the page and returning it via mail (Student Accounts, Box 172640 Bozeman, MT 59717), fax (406-994-1954) or the drop box in Montana Hall. PLEASE NOTE: If you do not confirm, your attendance each semester, then the Registrar will automatically drop you from classes.

13 3. Registering for Courses OUTSIDE of the MFA Program:

If you wish to take courses outside of the Media and Theatre Arts’ graduate program, you are responsible for registering yourself. In order to register on-line, you will need the following information:

a. Banner ID Number b. PIN c. Advisor Code

i. First Semester Enrolled as a Student: You can get this code from the Division of Graduate Education.

ii. Following Semesters Enrolled as a Student: A PDF (Personal Data Form) is issued for each student and given to the department. On this form is your Advisor Code. Please ask for the form from the Program Manager prior to registering on-line.

d. Schedule of Classes: The Schedule of Classes can be found both on-line or in paper form. The paper catalog is located at the Registrar’s Office (Montana Hall).

Important Registration Concerns & Considerations

*Please note that if you are an International Student, you need to be registered for nine credits each semester (excluding your final thesis semester). *If you are receiving Financial Aid, you do need to be registered for a minimum of six credits each semester. *You must be registered for three credits to be a Teaching Assistant. *If you are living in On-Campus Housing, you will need to be registered for five credits each semester. *In order to be AUTOMATICALLY covered by MSU’s Health Insurance, you must be registered for a minimum of 7 credits each semester. *400 level courses can count towards your degree, EXCLUDING 400, 470, and 490. No more than one-third of your courses may be at the 400-level. **Please consult with MSU’s Graduate Policies On-line at http://www.montana.edu/gradstudies or talk with the Division of Graduate Education for further information. NOT ALL POLICIES regarding registration are listed here.**

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GRADUATE STUDENT SUPPORT FUNDING

The MFA program is uniquely situated between the arts and the sciences. While the sciences usually have generous amounts of funding (much of it from research grants) to cover graduate student tuition and other expenses, MTA does not have comparable resources. We do have some limited scholarship and teaching assistantship assistance as well as access to part-time work positions in the Department, but financial assistance is limited. With some exceptions, almost all the assistance offers limited financial relief only for students during their first year. In addition we have devised methods to qualify our second and third year students for financial support. By conforming to the requirements of agenda-based filmmaking and learning to work with hosting agencies and broadcasters, we have created opportunities for project support funding. Fortunately this approach reflects the “real world” process of developing underwriting sources for independent producers. While we continue to seek and to provide the new relationships with hosting agencies and broadcasters, funding is not guaranteed. Your success depends upon your ability to write a proposal that fulfills the goals of the hosting agency and/or the broadcaster. Consequently, we cannot over-emphasize the need for you to develop your skills and abilities in a timely manner; extended learning curves will likely delay your graduation schedule. The prudent graduate student will develop his/her financial support in the temporal framework suggested by this curriculum; however, they must be an active agent in the development of their financial resources.

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AN IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT ACCEPTING TUITION

WAIVERS FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS

Because students often have advanced degrees in a variety of disciplines, it is natural that they seek assistantships from other departments who value their expertise.

We encourage students to seek assistantships from other departments. Typically compensation for an assistantship will take the form of a stipend and/or tuition waivers. Students in the MFA program may NOT accept tuition waivers from any department on campus (including Media and Theatre Arts). The reason you may not accept tuition waivers is because of the way the MFA program is funded. Unlike most academic programs that are funded indirectly by tuition, the MFA program is funded directly by your tuition.

When you pay your tuition, the MFA program receives a major portion of that funding from the university to pay for salaries, equipment, operations, and so forth. Therefore, when students accept tuition waivers from other departments, it seriously diminished the revenues the program needs to keep running.

Therefore, if anyone offers you tuition waivers, you may not accept them. However, if you bring a written offer from the head of the department that stipulates the amount of waivers you would have received, the program will try to match the offer with an equivalent cash award. We cannot guarantee that we can match all offers because our scholarship funds are limited, but we will try to make every effort to do so.

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THE CURRICULUM

THE FIRST YEAR

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THE DIVISION OF GRADUATE EDUCATION

Montana State University

GRADUATE PROGRAM of STUDY & COMMITTEE FORM

Banner ID # Date SSN or GID

SAMPLE FORM ________________________________________________________________ Last Name First Name Middle Name Phone Number

Mailing Address:_________________________________________________________________________________ Street City State ZIP

E-Mail ___________________________________________________ Degree MFA in Media and Theatre Arts/Sci. & Nat. Hist. Film (MA, MS, PhD, EdD, etc.) Department or Program Name

Minimum coursework applicable to graduate degree***: Credits each

Semester Rubric & Course #

Course Title Instructor Year

F S Su

MTA 504 Film and Documentary Theory 200_ 2 MTA 505 Survey of Science & Natural History Filmmaking 200_ 3 MTA 506 Critical Approaches to Sci. & Natural History Filmmaking 200_ 3 MTA 510 Production Technique I 200_ 4 MTA 511 Production Field Technique I 200_ 2 MTA 512 Production Methods and Studies I 200_ 2 MTA 515 Production Technique II 200_ 4 MTA 516 Production Field Technique II 200_ 2 MTA 517 Production Methods and Studies II 200_ 3 MTA 518 Creative Non-Fiction MTA 552 Advanced Production Practices I Comm. Chair 200_ 6 MTA 553 Advanced Production Practices II Comm. Chair 200_ 6 MTA 572 Thesis Preparation 200_ 1 MTA 590 Masters Thesis (15 credits required) 1-8credits per semester Comm. Chair 200_ 8 MTA 590 Masters Thesis (15 credits required) 1-8 credits per semester Comm. Chair 200_ 7 SAMPLE OPTIONAL CREDIT EXAMPLES (7 CREDITS)

offered)

MTA 530 Advanced Cinematography Workshop 200_ 1 MTA 580-01

Directing an Interview 200_ 1 MTA 570 Individual Problems 200_ MTA 576 Internship 200_ 1

18 MTA 580-02

24-P High Definition Workshop 200_ 1

YEAR ONE: SCIENCE AND NATURAL HISTORY FILM HISTORY, THEORY, AND PRODUCTION

We do not expect that you have had any substantive experience with film or video production, and so we begin with the basics. By the end of the first year, you will feel confident about your abilities to produce original work.

We are not attempting to create cinematographers, editors, or sound recordists. We are trying to create producers and directors who have had intimate knowledge with all the areas of production and are comfortable working with the other production professional to create a successful film, videotape, DVD, web program, or other media production.

You must finish all the course work of the first year before you can begin any work during the second year. This includes the courses that are available only during the summer.

YEAR ONE -- FALL SEMESTER (13 credits)

MTA 504: FILM AND DOCUMENTARY THEORY (2 cr) Prerequisites: None MTA 505: SURVEY OF SCIENCE AND NAT HISTORY FILM (3 cr)

Prerequisites: None MTA 510: PRODUCTION TECHNIQUES I (4 cr)

Prerequisites: None. Must be taken concurrently with MTA 511. MTA 511: PRODUCTION FIELD TECHNIQUES I (2 cr)

Prerequisites: None. Must be taken concurrently with MTA 510. MTA 512: PRODUCTION METHODS AND STUDIES I (2 cr)

Prerequisites: None. Must be taken concurrently with MTA 510. 511.

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YEAR ONE -- SPRING SEMESTER

MTA 506: FORM & THEORY OF S/NH FILM (3 cr) Prerequisites: MTA 504, 505 MTA 518: NONFICTION WRITING (3cr)

Prerequisites: MTA 504, 502, 510, 511 MTA 515: PRODUCTION TECHNIQUES II (4 cr)

Prerequisites: MTA 504, 505, 510, 511. Must be taken concurrently with MTA 516.

MTA 516: PRODUCTION FIELD TECHNIQUES II (2 cr) Prerequisites: MTA 504, 505, 510, 511. Must be taken concurrently with MTA 515.

MTA 517: PRODUCTION METHODS AND STUDIES II (2 cr) Prerequisites: None. Must be taken concurrently with MTA 515/516

SUMMER SEMESTER

We offer a variety of optional advanced courses during the summer. Check with program manager for a listing of the courses that will be offered in a given summer.

20 SECOND YEAR

SECOND YEAR: The main project during your second year is the completion of an agenda-based film or videotape. Usually averaging about 10-15 minutes, this project will be made in cooperation with (and often with funding from) an NGO, governmental agency, University department or project, or other organization. Work for TERRA and TERRAPOD may also qualify as a second-year project. The second-year film is produced under the supervision of 2-3 MTA faculty members within the context of MTA 552 (Fall Semester) and 553 (Spring Semester). The cohort will be divided into two groups of six students and there will be two workshop classes, one for each group. This faculty will meet with you once a week to guide your work, help you resolve any problems that may arise, and provide ongoing reactions to your work. The Workshop Faculty serves as your second-year Committee, although most of the supervision takes place within the context of the 552 and 553 classes. During the Spring Semester, students will also take a thesis prep class to prepare for your third-year work. ALL STUDENTS MUST BE IN RESIDENCE IN BOZEMAN DURING THE ENTIRE SECOND YEAR. FALL SEMESTER MTA 552 – PRODUCTION WORKSHOP SPRING SEMESTER MTA 553 – Production Workshop MTA 572 – Thesis Prep THIRD YEAR: The Third year is devoted to the thesis and the thesis film. According to MFA Guidelines, the committee should have no fewer than three members, all of whom must be members of the MTA faculty.

• The Chair of the committee must be either tenured or tenure-track in the Media and Theatre Arts Department. No faculty member is required to chair a committee, so make sure you have some basis of discussion and understanding with a faculty member before you ask him or her to chair your committee;

21 • A fourth member Committee member from outside MTA may be included if

that person brings special expertise necessary for a fair evaluation of the student’s work. In most cases, a fourth Committee member is not necessary.

• A student may, at his or her request, change committee members by filing the appropriate paperwork with the Division of Graduate Education. Faculty Committee members, including the Chair, may excuse themselves from a Committee at any time if their workloads, special assignments (Fulbrights, sabbaticals), or other factors preclude their active and conscientious participation in the thesis process.

The student is responsible for completing all requirements of the Division of Graduate Education for setting up and maintaining his or her committee.

Make certain to fill out the appropriate committee form (available from DGE or the program manager) and obtain signatures from your committee members. This form must be filed with the program and with the Division of Graduate Education and is part of the Program of Study form. The role of the Committee is to monitor and review your work during the third year. You may not use equipment or make any commitments without the express written permission of your committee Chair. You determine (in your proposal) your plan of work and schedule, which is approved by your committee Chair. Thus, all third -year students are required to submit a proposal for their films containing (not necessarily in this order:

• A written proposal and a detailed treatment and/or script • A statement regarding the format you intend to use, the length of the proposed

program, and a justification for the use of HD if you plan to use it • A crew list for primary positions • proposed audience and distribution plan • a statement regarding fulfillment of significant usage • a shooting schedule (number of days, not specific dates) • contracts (if applicable) • a plan of work (the overview of time needed for pre-production, production,

and post production) • a budget summary. • Provide copies of your proposal to your Chair and to every member of your

committee, who will review your proposal with attention to detail for its appropriateness of form and content and to determine if your vision for the project fits within your budget constraints. Be prepared to provide justifications after a review of your proposal, and in particular your budget and schedule. The Committee’s review will result in either an acceptance of your proposal, a tentative acceptance subject to stipulated revision, or it will be rejected. The Committee will also review your plan of work and will ask you

22 to schedule time with them for future reviews during the scripting, shooting, rough, fine, and final cut stages of the production. Your committee will grade your work as well.

If you have been given a provisional “green light” by a broadcaster or exhibitor, it is important for you to understand that a provisional acceptance is not a guarantee of acceptance for broadcast. A provisional acceptance represents only a willingness to consider a finished show for broadcast provided it meets all the broadcast or exhibition standards. Whether or not your show is ultimately accepted will depend entirely upon the variables stipulated by the organization with whom you are working.

The professional standard that we hope you will embrace is to expect and plan for adjustments at every stage of the production in order to conform to the expectations of the Committee, the Broadcaster or Exhibitor, and/or the Hosting Agency.

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PROGRAM OF STUDY- THESIS COMMITTEE FORMS

(sample found on the following page)

PROGRAM OF STUDY-THESIS COMMITTEE By the end of the second semester of your first year in the program, you will need to fill out the “Program of Study and Graduate Committee” form: (http://www.montana.edu/wwwdg/pdf_files/GradProg.pdf).

This form must be approved by the Program Manager, copied, placed in your student file, and sent on to the Division of Graduate Education. This form outlines your entire course career while in this graduate program.

I. Instructions for the Front Side of the Form (Program of Study): A. You need to fill out all the courses that you intend to take to complete

the degree. A minimum of sixty credits are required. The program requires that you take 56 credits, so you will need to come up with an additional 4 credits (EG: MTA 530, MTA 580, MTA 576, MTA 570).

II. Instructions for the Back Side of the Form (Committee):

A. You will need at least three committee members. The Chair must be a tenure -rack or tenured professor from the Media and Theatre Arts Department.

B. The two other committee members need to be scientists from the field related to your film project. If any of these members are not affiliated with MSU, then a Curriculum Vitae is required at the time that this form is submitted.

III. Program of Study and/or Committee Changes:

You may make changes to your Program of Study and/or Committee. The change forms are available on the DGE website. Please note that there is a deadline about changes, if any, toward the end of your career in this graduate program (deadline found on the DGE website)

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SAMPLE COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT AND APPROVAL FORM

Graduate Committee: Program Approval:

1. MTA FACULTY ___________________________ _______ ___________________ Name (please print) (Chair) Signature Date e-mail

2.Scientist ____________________________ _______ ___________________ Name (please print) Signature Date e-mail

3. Scientist ___________________________ _______ ___________________ Name (please print) Signature Date e-mail

4. _________________________ _______________________________ _______ ___________________ Name (please print) Signature Date e-mail

5. _________________________ _______________________________ _______ ___________________ Name (please print) Signature Date e-mail

6. __________________________________________________________ Name (Division of Graduate Education Representative) e-mail

***Please attach vitas for all off-campus members or faculty affiliates (adjunct faculty, research faculty, etc…)***

Program & Committee Approval:

_________________________________ ___________ ___________________ Head of Major Department Date Dean of Division of Graduate Education

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THE CURRICULUM

THE SECOND YEAR

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THE SECOND YEAR

All required first year courses must be successfully completed before beginning this sequence.

ABOUT AGENDA-BASED FILMMAKING

An important challenge of this MFA curriculum is learning to work with a variety of people and organizations. We’ve designed this program in order to teach you primarily about agenda-based filmmaking. Agenda-based filmmaking means that you have to learn how to conform to the expectations of the people and/or organizations that are involved in the production of a broadcast film. The Broadcaster or Exhibitor has its agenda (based upon its commercial and/or demographic concerns); the Hosting Agency has its agenda (based upon what it feels its priorities are); and the Respondents in your film will have their personal agendas. You may be acting in the role of an Independent Producer, Director, Writer, and Editor, but you are never free from the influence of those people and organizations who have involved themselves in your film for a variety of reasons, some of which you may find conflicting with your personal vision of a film. It is your responsibility as a filmmaker to develop “a synchronicity of intent” between the various parties involved in your project. Unless you’re prepared to fund your own productions without regard to their outcome (i.e., distribution and / or broadcast venues), then you’ll have to learn how to conform to a set of reasonable (and often negotiable) set of expectations that have been set by others. Be prepared for the fact that you may be considered a “work for hire” on a sponsored film, and understand that your successful evolution as a filmmaker requires that you develop exceptional interpersonal and negotiation skills.

These skills and applications aren’t theoretical or arbitrary; they’re essential to successful filmmaking in the public and in the private realms. Artists, like scientists, seek what is true. The most successful scientists and artists develop work and sustain relationships based on trust, integrity and honesty. Therefore it is imperative that you cultivate the ability to honestly assess your work, to take full responsibility for all of your decisions, and to cultivate the interpersonal and negotiation skills that will enable you to succeed in all your endeavors.

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THE SECOND YEAR PROJECT The second-year project will be produced within the context of MTA 552 and MTA 553 workshops under the supervision of the respective workshop faculty members. The second year project BEGINS WITH FACULTY APPROVAL OF YOUR PROPOSAL and must result in a film that fulfills the requirements listed below: 1. Significant Usage. The second year project BEGINS WITH FACULTY APPROVAL OF YOUR PROPOSAL and must result in a film that fulfills the following requirements: Significant usage is defined as a film that meets or exceeds a professional application. Examples of significant usage might include meeting broadcast standards, either on national or state/regional television, (such as for the Montana Public Television science and natural history series, TERRA). Other forms of significant use may include a work that will be used for exhibition, as in a museum or an interpretative center in a National Park, or similar cultural institutions that the committee Chair can agree fulfills the spirit of significant usage. In one case, a student asked to make a film that helped a tribe preserve its indigenous language. Even though there are only sixty people in the tribe, this is considered significant usage. The primary standard for evaluation is to make certain that the film is going to be used in a professional context. In the past such projects included films produced for NASA, NOAA, National Park Service, the National Science Foundation, the US Navy, and conservation organizations such as the Sierra Club, the Wildlife Conservation Society, Trout Unlimited, and the National Wildlife Refuge System. Some of these films were made for educational purposes (for use in classrooms, for example) while others were made for broadcast or exhibition. There has been such a variety of proposals submitted to us, that it is impossible to define exactly what constitutes significant usage, and so your Committee and Chair must have the latitude to make that assessment in consultation with the student. SECOND YEAR STUDENTS have fifteen days of equipment use and may use either the SONY V1U cameras or the higher-end High Definition cameras ONLY after fulfilling the following requirements: 1) You have taken and passed either in-class instruction during the first year or special Certification Workshops ); 2) You have documented evidence of the need for High Definition cameras and equipment. You do not have access to High Definition solely because you wish to

28 practice on it. You must provide to the 2nd year workshop faculty with your evidence of need. For example, you may provide a letter from a broadcaster expressing interest in producing your program for broadcast in High Definition, or a letter from an exhibitor explaining their need for High Definition (i.e., it will be exhibited in a high definition theater, etc.); 3) In addition, any project shot on the higher-end cameras will be assigned a limited amount of head-recording time, which is tracked by a built-in camera program. The committee shall assess your needs and then assign an appropriate “head-record time,” which, in addition to the fifteen day maximum use, shall provide the allotted recording time for that project 2. Production Funding The student is also responsible for raising any funds necessary to pay for the professional costs of his or her project. Typically the sponsoring organization provides such monies. Financial support has ranged from a few thousand dollars to almost $100,000. The MFA program provides in-kind support in the form of equipment packages, faculty advising and facility usage (editing, recording, studio space, etc). You may include the dollar amounts of these in-kind contributions as line items in your budget, as this can assist in matching fund scenarios as well as providing “actual” production value assessments of your work. The student may also include in-kind support in the form of time, and some students have included modest budget lines as stipends for themselves (see caveats below). However, our philosophy regarding payments to students for their work or for crew positions is “film first,” meaning that the requirements of the film MUST be fulfilled satisfactorily before the student may compensate him/herself. Students cannot begin production until the workshop faculty is fully satisfied that he or she has submitted a proposal that demonstrates they have satisfied all research, funding and planning requirements. Students who want to produce for Montana Public Television should understand that there may not always be production funds available from the station to support production. However, the station can provide certain in-kind forms of support for a project they wish to endorse. Students who are interested in producing for the Montana Public Television should acquire a copy of the station’s production guidelines. 3. Project Length We do not encourage projects that are shorter than five minutes or longer than fifteen minutes in length. Exceptions must be appealed in writing. EG: In certain instances, a sponsoring agency may require that a student produce a commercial half-

29 hour (22-minutes) in order to fulfill a broadcast requirement, and it is within the Committee and Chair’s discretion to allow it as an exception, as these requirements place much greater material demands on program resources in the form of equipment, time, and facility use You should know that the University considers itself a co-producer in your endeavors, and is therefore a co-owner of your work. Historically the University has waived this right, and will likely continue to do so, provided this longstanding trust is not abused. Therefore, under no circumstances may a student shoot additional footage with the intent of creating stock-footage for sale, as the University can rightfully expect a proportionate share of revenue created by these sales.

4. The Directed Production Process. The workshop faculty is responsible for overseeing student project progress. The respective faculty groups will determine benchmarks, due dates, reporting requirements, and other production requirements and deadlines. 5. Signing Off on Work

If, in the faculty’s estimation, the student has successfully completed all aspects of his or her work for the second year, then the faculty members should sign off on the project. The program manager will provide you with the proper form, which will require your signature. 6. Submission of the Completed Work The project will not be considered complete until the student submits the finished work to both the hosting agency and to Vicki Miller You will not receive a final grade for your second year until you have provided Vicki Miller with the two copies of the completed work (one DVD and DV). A student may not, under any circumstances, begin thesis work until he or she has successfully completed all the requirements for second year work.

THE SEQUENCE OF COURSES MTA 552 ADVANCED PRODUCTION PRACTICES I, 6 credits. This course cannot be taken at the same time with MTA 553. MTA 553 ADVANCED PRODUCTION PRACTICES II, 6 credits. The student must have finished MTA 552 before taking this class.

30 MTA 572 THESIS PREP, 1 credit. Required of all students in the spring semester of their second year.

MTA 570 INDIVIDUAL STUDY (1-3 cr) Optional MTA 576 CAREER INTERNSHIP (2-12 cr) Optional MTA 580 SPECIAL TOPICS (1-3 cr) Optional

Equipment resources are limited and depend upon scheduling.

THE PRODUCTION PROCESS The following description of the production process is provided as one typical method of producing your second year project. Your 2nd year faculty is the final arbiter in this process and may choose to add or subtract elements in this outline. It is your responsibility to cultivate and to maintain a continuing and open dialogue with the faculty members so you know exactly what is expected of you. It is your responsibility to meet all due dates and scheduled deadlines.

We reiterate: It is the student’s responsibility to initiate and maintain dialogue with her/his committee. Do not “wait” to hear from your committee; always take the initiative to make sure the process is consistent and the expectations are clearly laid out and appropriately scheduled. You are required to attend classes (MTA 552, 553, 570).

STEP ONE: SCHEDULING

Scheduling is a critical part of production and must be coordinated carefully with the MFA staff and the MTA departmental equipment and facilities manager. The Program can reasonably be expected to supply basic equipment (such as cameras, DATs, lighting packages, NLEs) for reasonable amounts of time, but you are required to observe and honor all checkout rules and procedures. All of your equipment requests must first be approved and signed by your committee and by the MFA Director working in conjunction with the Program Administrator and the MTA Department Equipment Manager. All 2nd and 3rd year projects are allowed equipment use for up to fifteen days. Extenuating circumstances (like travel) may require more days. Anything over the fifteen day limit is considered an exception to policy and requires a formal written request that then secures formal approval from your committee. Please plan well, as this process takes at best, a minimum of two weeks and, depending on faculty and equipment availability, up to sixteen weeks in

31 advance of your requested date for your exceptional use of equipment. All approved projects are assigned a project number. Once you have obtained a project number, your work will be then be authorized for a given number of hours based on “recording head” time and the maximum number of days use (fifteen). For example, if the completed work meets the standard requirement of fifteen minutes in length, then you are shooting at a 20:1 shooting ratio, for a total of 300 minutes of head recording time. Therefore, you have to make sure you complete all of your 300 minutes of “recording head” time within the fifteen days allotted for equipment checkout. If you are working “typical” ten hour days, you have 150 total hours (15 days X 10 hours /day) to shoot 300 minutes, or two minutes per hour; an ample time allotment even for those in the steepest learning curve of their career. If any student exceeds the maximum number of record hours, she/he will be fined. THIS IS A NO TOLERANCE POLICY. Under no circumstances may anyone receive more than a 20:1 shooting ratio. Because there is keen competition for the cameras, do not assume or expect that the department or other students will adjust their schedules to fit your needs. Although checkout times can be lengthened or changed (with the aforementioned process of approved formal exceptions to policy) implementing a professional standard of equipment scheduling is one of the fundamental pedagogical goals of this, and of all MFA programs. One consideration is to ask how a professional rental house would react to your reschedule request and then adjust your expectations with our checkout facility accordingly. While the program makes a sincere effort to accommodate everyone’s needs, the reality is that production schedules are dynamic and often change. This typically creates conflicts, and if a camera package has been scheduled by another crew during a time when you want or need it (even when it is a result of circumstances outside your control) then your need will always be considered a secondary priority to the crew who has already reserved the equipment. In all fairness, you wouldn’t want another student to interfere with your production time thus it is appropriate that you shouldn’t expect the right to break into someone else’s production schedule. The bottom line: schedule carefully We realize that schedules are inevitably subject to change, and please know that we will make every attempt to work with you within our limited capacity to do so.

STEP TWO: BUDGETING

By the time you begin your production, your proposal will contain a summary and detailed budget approved by your 2nd year faculty that has authorized you to proceed. The faculty simply wants to ensure that you likely have enough money to complete the project using the aesthetic production values and within the time allotments you have proposed.

32 You’ll be allowed to include a standard contingency in your budget in order to offset any overruns or unexpected expenses. (You will learn how to create an accurate schedule and budget in your Production Management module.) If you have enlarged the scope of your project after your proposal has been approved, or if you have altered it in ways that impact cost, or if you have severely underestimated some aspect of the production, know that you will have limited recourse to amend your budget. Like all producers who must confront these same problems every day, you will either have to pay for cost overruns out of your own resources or find some other source of funding. Once a budget has been established and approved by your sponsor and your committee, you have to work within those financial parameters; your budget dictates your schedule and your aesthetic, so accurate budgeting is one of the most critical steps in producing your film.

Typically funding from outside sources must run through the university Grants and Contract’s office. (See Writing Grants, Page 52)

Your committee will evaluate your budget carefully during the initial review process, and you may be asked to elaborate your thinking on why you did or did not include certain budget line items. Amounts for both crew rates and equipment rentals must reflect current industry standards. The faculty wants you to make a good film, and expects your completed budget will accurately support the work you’re proposing. Each project has its own peculiarities and endless variables, so not every budget line item is entirely predictable. It is your job as a Producer to prepare for the unexpected, because it is certain to occur.

STEP THREE: ACQUISITION OF MATERIAL

Early in the process you will need to determine on what format you want to shoot, keeping in mind you are able to reserve the equipment for a maximum of fifteen days. The MFA program has several broadcast quality cameras available for use, including high-end professional Hi-Def camera packages, several DVCAM cameras, and a Super-16mm Aaton film camera. Each method of acquisition has its positive and its negative aspects. If you’re interested in acquiring your footage on one of the high-definition cameras or one of the advanced DV series cameras, then you must first be qualified for their use by successfully completing the summer HD Seminar Only second-year students who have successfully completed the HD Seminar are qualified to apply for the use of an HD camera, and only second-year projects are allowed use of the HD cameras.

Before your first day of shooting, the faculty must have on file your final proposal at least two weeks in advance of your equipment requests. No exceptions, please. This is

33 to ensure that your committee has time to review your proposal and ensure your plan of work, your interviews (including questions) and all other pertinent information necessary to pre-production is in place.

STEP FOUR: REVIEW OF UNCUT FOOTAGE

Once you’ve completed shooting, you’ll need to screen all of your uncut footage (or optionally, your “selects”) with the workshop faculty. You may be required to conduct re-shoots or additional shoots based upon this initial review.

Please refer to the appendix of this handbook to read about “Selects.”

STEP FIVE: OFF-LINE EDIT

Once your committee has signed off on your footage, you may begin editing. As with equipment rental, you’ll be allowed to schedule editing facility time through Equipment Checkout on the Non-Linear Editing (NLE) equipment. Please budget to buy your own hard drive to contain your footage (please check with the MTA departmental equipment and facilities manager before doing so, as they have very strong recommendations about brands and size that best interface with our equipment). We will try to make the NLE available to you as much as possible, but keep in mind that all of our facilities, like our equipment are subject to contemporaneous use by faculty for classroom use and by the other graduate cohorts.

STEP SIX: SCRIPT

Based upon the deadline stated in your proposal’s plan of work and approved by your committee, you must submit a rough draft of a script for review. You may be asked to revise your draft based upon comments by the faculty or in consultation with other advisors or experts in the field.

STEP SEVEN: REVIEW OF ROUGH CUT

Once you’ve completed a rough edit, you must submit this cut to your committee for review. The rough edit should contain a scratch track of the narration, and rough approximations of the graphics or animation elements you intend to use. This process requires your presence at the review, during which time you will almost certainly be asked questions. Your committee will likely require or suggest changes and will offer

34 critiques based upon many years of seasoned experience, to which you will need to respond appropriately and in a timely manner.

A hard copy of the script must be submitted to the faculty along with your rough edit. The script should be footnoted according to an appropriate manual of style and should include a bibliography and a filmographic citation of all the sources you’ve used (print, broadcast, or otherwise). If you have an external reviewer that is also part of this process (such as a Broadcaster or a Hosting Agency), the committee will also require that you submit your rough cut (or a revised rough cut) to this reviewer for comment. If you should get feedback from a source that contradicts your committee or other experts or advisors then immediately meet with your committee to reconcile these disparities. Contradictions and variations in opinions regarding artistic enterprises are quite common and should not be a cause of undue concern for you.

STEP EIGHT: FINAL CUT

You must submit a final copy of your program for review to your committee. Your entire year’s work is graded at this point. A final cut has ALL the elements in place including final narration, sound, music, graphics, and credits. Once accepted by your committee, your hosting agency, and/or your exhibitor or broadcaster, then your committee may sign off on your second year, allowing you to begin work on your thesis.

Lastly, make sure you deliver copies of your final work to the MFA program manager (see item 6 of “The Second Year Project” above).

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The Comprehensive Examination

All degree candidates must take and pass a comprehensive examination prior to enrolling in any thesis credits. The examination is given at a single location and may not be taken off-campus or off-schedule. The exam will be offered during the final exam week of the fall semester of the second year. There will not be any variance or exceptions to this schedule, so make sure you plan for it properly. If you miss an examination, then you may not take it until the following year, which could seriously disrupt your course schedule. No student may enroll in thesis credits until he/she has successfully passed the comprehensive. The Comprehensive Examination Committee The exam will be administered by a graduate faculty committee that consists of three members. The committee will, typically, include at least one production and one studies faculty member conversant in the films and written texts that comprise the MFA screening and reading lists for which you are responsible. The Film Options Administrator appoints the committee. Content The exam will consist of general questions on filmmaking, scientific method, and critical studies drawn from your general educational experience and from a required bibliography of books and articles. Some, but not all, of the works on the reading list will be familiar as texts; others will require independent reading. You are expected to be fully conversant with the history, theory, and practical content of these works. The Reading List The standard reading list will be available to you at any time and can be obtained from Vicki Miller. The Examination The exam will take the form of written essay responses to a set of questions that will be provided at the beginning of the exam. You have three hours in which to complete the exam. You have to be in Bozeman to take the exam.

36 Grading Individual sections of a student’s exam will be graded by the committee members. Students will then be issued a consensus grade of: high pass, pass, low pass, and fail. If a student fails the exam, s/he will be permitted to re-take the exam once, during the following semester’s final exam period. If a student fails the comprehensive exam a second time, s/he will be asked to leave the program.

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THE CURRICULUM

THE THIRD YEAR

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YEAR THREE: THE THESIS All required second year courses and the comprehensive examination must be successfully completed before beginning thesis work.

The Thesis

The MFA graduate program requires that you submit a thesis film with a written component of no less than 5,000 words and no more than 6,000 words (exclusive of bibliography, footnotes, endnotes, or any supporting materials). You will be awarded a degree with thesis, which is a stronger degree than options available in other programs. Your MFA is a terminal degree and allows you to teach in a university or college. The thesis is a year-long process. You should not try to accomplish all the goals of a thesis in a single semester because of the time it takes to successfully complete the process. In order to begin work on your thesis, you must have completed all your coursework (including incompletes) and you must have passed your comprehensive examination. There are no exceptions to these rules.

REQUIREMENTS

The MFA graduate program requires that you submit a thesis film with a written component of no less than 5,000 words and no more than 6,000 words (exclusive of bibliography, footnotes, endnotes, or any supporting materials). You will be awarded a degree with thesis, which is a stronger degree than options available in other programs. Your MFA is a terminal degree and does allow you to teach in a university or college.

The thesis is a year-long process. You should not try to accomplish all the goals of a thesis in a single semester because of the time it takes to complete the process.

The following guidelines may be amended as required by your thesis advisor and are

given here only a sample.

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THESIS GUIDELINES

1. Do not submit any material to any committee member other than your thesis advisor without the express permission of your thesis advisor. The thesis advisor is your focus and should always be aware of everything you are doing. If you are in doubt about how to proceed with any aspect of this process, consult with your thesis advisor.

2. Communication is key. Always maintain close contact and open dialogue with

your thesis advisor. Keep your thesis advisor informed, preferably in writing, of all developments regarding the evolution of your thesis.

3. Paperwork. The student must complete all required paperwork necessary to

apply for graduation in a timely manner and must conform to all deadlines as posted on the Division of Graduate Education website. The responsibility for completing forms and meeting deadlines falls upon the student entirely, so please be diligent about what is required of you. Study the DGE website carefully and direct your questions either to the DGE or the MFA program manager. Please be aware that there is no tolerance on behalf of the DGE for late, missing, or incomplete filings on your behalf. In addition, you must be enrolled for at least three hours during the semester you intend to graduate.

4. Avoid seeking extensions. The schedules are always very tight, and your

inability to maintain the schedule may jeopardize your ability to graduate on time.

Requirements

Before you begin on your thesis, you must submit and have approved the following materials:

1) A Proposal for a Thesis Film Based upon the requirements of a thesis film as stated in the Handbook, prepare a proposal for a film that does not exceed 500 words that explicit covers both the content and the form of your proposed idea. We are awarding a degree in filmmaking, and so how you intend to make your film is more important than what you are making your film about. Therefore, take the time to clarify the aesthetic vision for your film. What kind of film do you envision? Make sure your emphasis is on technique: what is your vision as a filmmaker?

40 2) A Proposal and Outline for a Thesis Essay Based upon the requirements outlined in the Handbook, propose a topic and a central argument for your essay. The essay does not have to relate specifically to your film, although many like to make the connection. You should find a topic that is relevant specifically to science and/or natural history filmmaking. Include also a bibliography of works that you believe are central to your argument. Upon acceptance of your essay idea, you will then be asked to write an outline.

SCHEDULING 1. Film

• First Edit. Allow a minimum of three weeks for the advisor to view and respond to your edit and for you to make any changes prior to submission of your Second Edit.

• Second Edit. Allow a minimum of two weeks for the advisor to view and respond to your Second Edit and for you to make any changes prior to submission of your Third Edit

• Third Edit. If, in the advisor ‘s assessment, your film is ready to be viewed by the rest of the committee for comment, then she/he will ask you to provide DVDs or VHS (with time code) for the other committee members. If I don’t feel your work is ready to go to committee, you will be asked to provide another edit. Allow the committee at least two weeks to read or review any materials submitted to it.

• Fourth Edit. Depending upon your committee’s responses, you may have to do additional edits. If the committee finds your film acceptable, then you may produce your Final Edit.

2. Essay

• First Draft. Allow a minimum of three weeks for the advisor to view and respond to your cut and for you to make any changes prior to submission of your Second Draft.

• Second Draft. Allow a minimum of two weeks for the advisor to view and respond to your Second Draft and for you to make any changes prior to submission of your Third Draft.

• Third Draft. If, in the advisor’s assessment, your essay is ready to be read by the rest of the committee for comment, then she/he will forward your essay to the other committee members. If your advisor doesn’t feel your work is ready to go to committee, you will be asked to provide another draft. Allow the committee at least two weeks to read or review any materials submitted to it.

41 • Fourth Draft. Depending upon your committee’s responses, you may have

to do write additional drafts. If the committee finds your essay acceptable, then you may produce your Final Draft.

• ALL DRAFTS MUST CONFORM TO THE MLA STYLESHEET AND INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:

o Footnotes or endnotes o Bibliography in standard format (MLA) o Formatted with all materials required by DGE including abstract, title

page, table of contents, glossary, etc. Your advisor may return any draft that does not fulfill all these requirements. If you have any questions about them, please ask.

• Important Note: This is a sample schedule. Your work may require more or less drafts or edits and so will impact your schedule accordingly. You should have a clear sense of the work you have to do after you get comments back from your advisor in the early stages.

3. Defense

• Submit to your advisor (and not directly to your committee) copies of your film and essay for distribution to your committee in preparation for your defense. Allow at least three weeks for review before your defense date.

• Do not try to schedule your defense in the final week available. Scheduling for the defense is a first-come, first serve basis: once a defense has been scheduled for a week, then that week is no longer available, so scheduling your defense early is a clear advantage.

• The Defense must be completed a minimum of two weeks before the end of the semester in order to comply with the Division of Graduate Education deadlines. Consult DGE website for dates and deadlines.

• Completed forms signed by all committee members attesting to your final status (pass/no pass).

4. General

• Always, always feel free to inquire on the status of a review either by the advisor or by the committee.

• Make certain that your advisor has received your materials if you send them by email. Always ask for and give acknowledgements for the sending of and receipt of materials!

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Authority of Your Thesis Advisor Your thesis advisor (Committee Chair) has the authority to alter or change certain aspects of the schedule of deliverables. An essential part of this process requires that you maintain a constant dialogue with your thesis advisor about your progress (or lack thereof). Your thesis advisor must approve your plan of work, which outlines your schedule of requirements that include what has to be done and by what date. Your inability to perform according to any of these requirements will jeopardize your ability to graduate on time.

General Guidelines

1. Do not submit any material to any committee member other than your thesis advisor without the express permission of your thesis advisor. The thesis advisor is your primary focus and must always be aware of everything you are doing. If you are in doubt about how to proceed with any aspect of this process, consult with your thesis advisor. 2. Always maintain close contact and open dialogue with your thesis advisor. You are required to keep your thesis advisor informed in writing, of all developments regarding the evolution of your thesis. 3. Avoid extensions at all costs! The schedules are always very tight, and your inability to maintain the schedule will jeopardize your ability to graduate on time.

Thesis Outline and Bibliography

Discuss with your thesis advisor what she/he requires of you in terms of an outline and Proposal. The proposal requirements should be clear to you by now (see page 27). An outline typically includes a thesis statement of approximately 750-1,000 words written as a narrative that explains what questions and issues you intend to address in your written thesis, how your film will relate to the written thesis, the methodology you intend to use in order to accomplish these goals, and a bibliography of works that you feel are relevant to your discussions. Your thesis advisor may require that a certain number of works (or certain specific works) appear on your bibliography, and you will likely be asked questions during your defense that relate to those works. (You

43 should provide copies of the articles from your bibliography to your thesis advisor and to your committee). The thesis outline should be specific, and not over-generalized, outlining the major points of your thesis (both written and filmic). Discuss the outline with your advisor before attempting to write your thesis. Your advisor may ask that you revise or rewrite your outline and/or bibliography if she/he feels it is deficient.

The Proposal should also contain the standard elements. What will vary this time are things like your plan of work, your proposed audience and distribution (this is likely going to be a non-commercial work, but is it being made for the festival circuit or museums or educational use only? Who will see it?) and your budget. It is important that you identify and explicate your approach and style in this unique thesis-driven, non-traditional avenue of producing a film. Your advisor may ask you to revise or rewrite your proposal if she/he feels it is deficient.

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I. THE THESIS FILM

Introduction

Once your Committee Chair has signed off on your second year film, you may begin work on your thesis. The thesis is comprised of two parts: a film and an accompanying comprehensive essay (not to be confused with your proposal).

Length: The thesis film should be not shorter than five minutes and not longer than fifteen minutes. Consult with your advisor.

Focus: The focus of the thesis film is distinctly different than that of the

second year film. The second year film has two major stipulations attached to it: first, that it be a professional film that satisfies the criterion of significant usage, and second, that you solicit the funds necessary to make such a film. These stipulations are no longer required for your thesis film. Given that the majority of films created within the marketplace allow little creative freedom to explore non-traditional avenues of production, the likely result of second year projects is conformity to the norm. By now it should be obvious to you that the bulk of science and natural history films conform to a rather narrow (some would say primitive) mode of construction: namely, an expository argument supported by an evidentiary style of narrative and structure. With your thesis film you should reveal your knowledge and understanding of other dominant modes of documentary techniques. Applying the knowledge and techniques to which you have been introduced during your course of study, you are now being asked to explore the process of making a science or natural history film that is unhindered by any of the more formal or informal considerations of typical of agenda-based filmmaking. More simply put, how would you make this film if you had complete creative control and why? The unofficial motto of the graduate program is “Breaking In So You Can Break Out.” The meaning of this phrase rests upon the critical assertion that mainstream science and natural history filmmaking has not evolved much during the past century. A major reason for this apparent stasis is that until 1999 there had been virtually no meaningful interchange between filmmakers and critics that is typical of the ongoing

45 critiques that are the hallmark of other modes of non-fiction filmmaking. Lately, however, critics have “discovered” science and natural history filmmaking, and a substantive critical exchange has at last begun. Our hope is that the effect of on-going critical dialogue will prompt evolution of the science and natural history genres. “Breaking In So You Can Break Out” means that the program will introduce you to the conventions required to break into the industry, but that the program will also introduce you to other possibilities inherent within the documentary science and natural history genres so that you can gradually “push the envelope” and thus create change over time. In the spirit of this assumption, your second year film is an exercise in “breaking in” by producing work sponsored by and for the professional world. For your thesis film, however, we ask that you intellectually and creatively take responsibility for what you have been introduced to during your time in the program and produce a film that is free from the restraints of agenda-based filmmaking, and thus “break out.” You are accountable for your creative vision and technical prowess, but your are now receiving the genuine gift of unbridled creative freedom to produce a film that best exemplifies your exceptional vision of what a science or natural history film could be. Your thesis film, must, then, be free from any commitments to outside agencies, broadcasters, distributors, etc. First and foremost, your thesis film is to be a culminating expression (in image and word) of your vision as a scientist and now, at last, of yourself as a filmmaker.

Third year students may not have access to the high-end digital or film cameras. No exceptions: Please do not request their use. For your thesis, your platform for acquisition is of no meaningful importance; rather, we prefer to be completely absorbed in your aesthetic choices as they are driven by your film’s content. The following outline represents the typical stages of review in the process of making a thesis film. Consult with your advisor as to the exact nature of what shall be required and when it shall be due.

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II. THE THESIS ESSAY

The essay that accompanies the film is typically written either after the film has been produced or during the late stages of production. The reason for this is to allow the filmmaker to fully realize the film during the course of producing it. The essay should make manifest the intellectual and creative modes employed within the film. Further, you should show an understanding of the historical and critical tradition of documentary in science and natural history specifically so as to place the work within the historical and critical traditions that precede it. Of course you should take notes along the way, but to remain objective you should resist prematurely incorporating them into a formal thesis. You must write an original essay of no less than 5,000 words (exclusive of footnotes, bibliography, or any supporting materials) that clearly articulates your position as a filmmaker in the genre of science and natural history filmmaking and explains how this relates to the work you are submitting as your thesis work. Your essay must demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge of the canon of science and natural history film from a historical point of view, a sense and application of documentary theory in general and in specific, describe how it relates to the genre of science and natural history film. Connect yourself to the tradition to which you feel is most relevant to your work by comparing your work in its style, critical mode, approach, content, etc. to those films and/or filmmakers whose work you admire and explain why and how you make those connections. Your thesis outline should propose your approach and all the major points you intend to argue. Typical considerations that typically may be covered in this essay include (but by no means are limited to) the following:

1) Rhetorical Strategies (and the role of rhetoric); 2) Ethics (Axiographics); 3) A critical evaluation of the genre in both its historical and contemporary forms; 4) Style; 5) Issues and Models of Representation; 6) Issues of Gender, Politics, Race and Other Important Considerations.

You are encouraged to use your work and the work of others as the foundation for discussion and demonstrating your points.

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Introduction The essay that accompanies the film is typically written either after the film has been produced or during the late stages of production. The reason for this is to allow the filmmaker to fully realize the film during the course of producing it. The essay should make manifest the intellectual and creative concepts employed within the film. Further, you should show an understanding of the historical and critical tradition of documentary in general and science and natural history specifically so as to place the work within the historical and critical traditions that precede it.

You will have to write an original essay of no less than 5,000 words (exclusive of footnotes, bibliography, or any supporting materials) that clearly articulates your position as a filmmaker in the genre of science and natural history filmmaking and explain how that relates to the work you are submitting as your thesis work. This essay should demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge of the canon of science and natural history film from a historical point of view, a sense and application of documentary theory in general and in specific as it relates to the genre of science and natural history film. Connect yourself to the tradition to which you feel is most relevant to your work by comparing your work in its style, approach, content, etc. to those films and/or filmmakers whose work you admire and explain why and how you make those connections. Your thesis outline should propose your approach and all the major points you intend to argue. Typical considerations that typically may be covered in this essay include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Rhetorical Strategies (and the role of rhetoric); • Ethics (Axiographics); • A critical evaluation of the genre in both its historical and contemporary forms; • Style; • Issues and Models of Representation; • Issues of Gender, Politics, Race and Other Important Considerations.

You are encouraged to use your work and the works of others as the foundation for discussion and demonstrating your points.

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III. THE THESIS DEFENSE

Once you have completed all requirements regarding your thesis film and essay, you may defend your thesis. This phase consists of a second examination but the questions you will be asked will pertain specifically to the material in your film and your written essay. You may be asked follow-up questions that explore concepts that extend outside the immediate thesis.

The thesis defense is a scheduled three-hour question and answer session during which time members of your thesis committee will require oral clarifications about your essay and the choices you made as a filmmaker.

Questions may deal with a range of considerations including aesthetic, theoretical, critical, historical and scientific concepts as they relate to both the form and structure of your film. You will be examined on the clarity of your ideas and you will likely be asked to elaborate the positions you take in the paper and in the film.

You may also be questioned on any aspect of the film a committee member deems worthy of examination. Typically what the committee looks for (among other things), is a clear and certain articulation of your views; a sense of understanding how your work and ideas fit into the genre and into documentary as a whole; your understanding of how film and science can work together effectively (or not); an appreciation for the work of those who have preceded you; and a vision of the strengths and deficiencies of the genre specifically and documentary filmmaking as a whole. If you fail to pass your defense, then you may reschedule the defense in consultation with your advisor. You may not undertake a second defense within four weeks of your failure to pass. Additionally, scheduling also depends upon the availability of the committee members. Students cannot demand a specific date and must conform to the availability of all their committee members. If you fail to pass your defense, do not expect to graduate during that semester. Consult with your advisor about how better to prepare for the next examination.

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Completed Forms

Once you have passed your comprehensive and your defense, then you must make sure that your thesis has been signed by all committee members and submitted to the Division of Graduate Education on or before the deadline set by DGE for that semester. It is the student’s responsibility to make sure these requirements are met.

Thesis Film and Expectations From the Division of Graduate Education

Note: Please consult the Division of Graduate Education website for all information regarding the completion of your degree and the set deadlines. We are providing you with much of the information, but not everything is covered. You are responsible for knowing the procedures for completing your degree.

Division of Graduate Education Website: http://www.montana.edu/gradstduies/catalog.shtml

The Final Semester

Ready to graduate?

1. Please make sure that you are prepared to graduate during your designated semester. There are financial consequences to extending your graduate date another semester once you are in your designated “final” semester.

2. Students must be registered for a minimum of three credits during your term of graduation. This should not be an issue, because the Thesis: Post-Production course is five credits. However, if all of your course work is completed and you have to extend your graduation date into the next semester, you are required to take three additional credits. That said, you do have three semesters in which to take a leave of absence (including summer session) prior to registering for that final course, Thesis: Post-Production in your term of graduation. Please plan accordingly.

3. The nine credit requirement for International Student is waived during your final semester when you will graduate.

Committee and Program of Study: Please make sure that the “Program of Study and Committee” form is up to date before filling out the paperwork for you Application of An Advanced Degree. If you made any changes in your Program of Study, whether it be semesters that you took

50 the course, or the courses themselves, then a “Change to Program of Study” form must be completed. The same situation applies with your committee members, and needing to complete a “Change of Committee” form. These forms can be found on the Division of Graduate Education website. Application for Advanced Degree: 1. Please fill out the “Application for Advanced Degree” form at the beginning of the term of graduation, and submit it to the Division of Graduate Education. This lets DGE know that you are intending to graduate that semester and they should be expecting your thesis materials to be submitted to them. 2. The deadlines for the form to be into the Division of Graduate Education is September 20 for fall semester, February 5 for spring semester, and June 10 for summer session. 3. All candidates for advanced degree will be charged a $30 graduation fee. The fee is generated by the Registrar’s Office upon filing the Application for Advanced Degree. Deadlines for Thesis Comps and Paper: Please remind your committee chair and the department that your evaluations and grades need to be submitted to the Division of Graduate Education no later than one week after taking the exam.

Remember that 14 Working Days BEFORE the END of the SEMESTER is the deadline for ALL procedures regarding your thesis. Make sure that you have read and re-read the Division of Graduate Education website regarding all thesis requirements and deadlines: http://www.montana.edu/gradstudies/catalog.shtml

IMPORTANT REMINDER: All of your thesis committee members must be present when defending your thesis. If you have a committee of three members, then two are required to physically be there, and one can be there via conference call.

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ETDs Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Submissions

The following text was submitted by the Division of Graduate Education on the new requirement for submitting theses electronically. If you have any questions or need clarifications on any detail, please consult either the DGE website or a person in the DGE office. “Due to the large percentage of students who submitted the electronic version of their thesis or dissertation under the ETD initiative this past year, the Division of Graduate Education will require students to submit the electronic version of their thesis/dissertation beginning Fall 2004.* The Division of Graduate Education hopes you will find this process as easy and accessible as other students have found it to be. We also hope that placing most of these documents on the internet for worldwide access will have the same benefit for graduate studies at MSU as this initiative has had at other universities.** For your convenience, the checklists for Master's or Doctoral ETD procedures are attached to this document. MSU joins over 150 universities in the implementation of the ETD initiative. In addition to streamlining the process for submitting, formatting, and accessing the thesis/dissertation, the following benefits have been identified in the ETD project:

• simplified and more accessible processing • formatting standards are relaxed when it adds meaning to your

document • working through formatting issues via email instead of meeting

in person • no paper copies required by the Division of Graduate Education for MSU

libraries • ability to submit document from off campus • less paperwork required • more access to research • research is available on campus • research is accessible worldwide (enabling other universities,

job prospects, publishers, and institutions access to your work on the world wide web)

• less expense to authors and libraries • no paper costs

52 • no physical shelf space • lower cataloging costs • presentation of research adds meaning to the content of your

work (The following are not usually accepted in paper format) • color accepted • multimedia objects and files • dynamic presentation of data • hyperlinks • programs and code • other format support • interactive features can be included • audiovisuals • spreadsheets, presentations • multiple files

Please read more about the history and procedures involved in the ETD initiative at <http://www.montana.edu/etd/

If you have any questions regarding these new procedures or if you need to visit about special considerations please contact Jennifer Miller or Maggie Gudaitis in the Division of Graduate Education.”

Additional MFA Requirements

You will be required to submit the following materials in addition to the written essay:

• Your completed film; • You should consider including a video watermark on the video segment to

prevent piracy since this material is available to anyone who wants to download it. A video watermark will prevent unwarranted usage of your material. A video is not a requirement but is recommended for your own protection.

• All work must be submitted on both DVD and DVcam.

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WRITING GRANTS Grant Procedures:

I. When You are Applying for a Grant:

a. The University needs to be aware of all grants applications from students and faculty. This requires that a Proposal Clearance Form (http://www.montana.edu/wwwvr/grants/PropClearWord.doc) is filled out, signed and approved by the proper people, and filed with the Office of Sponsored Programs Office prior to submission to the sponsor. Please make sure that both the Program Manager and the Grants Representative are aware that you are applying for a grant. This needs to be done at the same time that you are applying for the grant.

b. With the Proposal Clearance Form, you must submit your grant proposal and your budget. Within the budget, F & A costs must be accounted for. F & A stands for Facilities and Administration Costs (formerly called IDCs, Indirect Costs). Typically, the F & A rate for students getting grant funding is 8% (you may want to call our representative in the Office of Sponsored Programs to make sure that the F & A percentage will be 8%). This 8% should be deducted from the total amount of the grant money, and the balance is the amount from which students can make expenditures. Do not include cost-sharing, match, or in kind figures in the budget narrative nor the written proposal, unless it is absolutely required by the funding agent.

c. Students cannot serve as PI’s (Principal Investigators) on the grant. Therefore, your committee chair should be the PI, and you sign yourself on as the Co-PI. Please make sure that your PI is aware of his/her responsibilities with your grant, and that you are aware of your spending responsibilities. You are accountable for all expenditures.

d. Once all the signatures are on the Proposal Clearance Form, the Office of Sponsored Programs has 24 hours to review the information and sign off on the proposal. Please allow for adequate time before the sponsor’s proposal submission deadline for the G&C review process. After G&C has approved the proposal clearance form, it is your responsibility to submit the proposal to the sponsor. Once award notification has been received from the sponsor, an account number is then provided for your grant. Please make note of this account number, as it will be useful when making inquiries with the Office of Sponsored Programs office.

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II. Using Your Grant Funding:

a. Please be sure to review the uses for grant monies from the Grants and Contracts Website (http://www.montana.edu/wwwvr/).

b. Note the dates of your grant. All expenditures must fall in your allocated timeframe. Any expenditure that is before or after the issued dates of funding will not be reimbursed.

c. Note: University policy discourages nepotism (hiring friends or family members on your grant-funded project).

d. University insurance and legal concerns require that all equipment rentals be made by contract with approved vendors and these agreements must signed by your Advisor in order to be paid out of your grant. No exceptions, please. The program Director or Manager can advise you on approved Vendors.

e. KEEP ALL RECIEPTS!!! Including all boarding passes, the hotel bill that breaks down the rooms and nights (MSU will not reimburse hotel expenses that are simply logged with a credit card receipt), food receipts, gas, etc…When in doubt, ask for more paper proving your purchase. Make sure the receipt has a date, the name of the establishment, and the amount spent. For any credit card charges, you are still required to have the original receipt/invoice. If you are purchasing anything over the Internet, please print off the pages with reference to your purchase. For proof of per diem, log your time, and any other person’s time spent on your project.

f. Before you travel, a “Travel Advance and Authorization” form must be completed (http://www2.montana.edu/policy/business_manual/Traveljustification1-04.doc). This is important for insurance reasons. On this form, you can indicate that you would like a travel advance. In order to receive travel advance money, the paperwork has to be completed and into the Controller’s Office ten working days prior to your departure. Typically, depending on timing, the check is also issued ten working days before you travel. You are allowed to receive 80% of your estimated travel expenses.

1. IMPORTANT: MSU does not provide insurance for, and is not liable for student-owned property or equipment. If you plan on taking MSU equipment while traveling, please be sure to fill out the proper paperwork with the Safety and Risk Management’s Office BEFORE you leave. Please visit the Risk Management Website several months in advance of travel for details: (form is included in handbook)

55 (http://www.montana.edu/wwwsrm/Insurance/MTARiskPlan.htm).

2. If you are planning to take anyone out to dinner while traveling and it is related to your film project, a hospitality form must be completed PRIOR to your travel. You may not submit receipts for payment post facto without a hospitality form. No exceptions, please. (http://www.montana.edu/wwwbu/Forms/hospapp.doc). You will also need the receipt detail listing meals from the restaurant/establishment in order to get reimbursed. NOTE: MSU will not pay for alcohol expenses nor tips beyond 15%.

3. If you are planning on hiring anyone to work on your film, you will need for them to fill out a Contracted Services Agreement Form See II d above regarding vendors. (http://www.montana.edu/wwwbu/purchasing/Forms/PD-49%20%20CSA%20Template.doc , the approved vendor / Independent Contractor Checklist form is a valuable resource, so please consult it: http://www.montana.edu/wwwbu/purchasing/Forms/PD-52%20Independent%20Contractor%20Checklist.doc). This needs to be on file prior to the person working.

4. Per Diem MSU will pay you a per diem for your days of travel. The rates of pay can be found at http://www2.montana.edu/policy/business_manual/bus500.html#550.20. Even though MSU pays a set per diem rate, please keep all of your food receipts for your own tax purposes.

5. Hotels MSU has a set rate for hotels. If you know that your hotel bill will be over this rate, the actual rate needs to be included on the Travel Authorization and Advance form, with the three boxes checked and the rate listed at the bottom. You must have a hotel receipt that shows the rooms and nights in order to get reimbursed. This receipt may be in addition to your credit card receipt. You will not be reimbursed for a credit card receipt alone. If you don’t have a receipt, the university will reimburse you $12.00 per night. (http://www2.montana.edu/policy/business_manual/bus500.html#550.20)

6. Payment to you and/or other students: Note: If you receive funding through your grant, the University is legally entitled to consider you their employee and you would then be subject to University policies. (See

56 F-4 above). Please note that all personal income you take through your grant will affect your Financial Aid package. Possible payments to you can be made through the following:

1. Traineeship & Fellowships: This is a G & C initiated form that needs completing by the 15th of the month in which the amount is to be paid. This form of payment is taxable, and you are responsible for claiming it on your taxes at year end.

2. GAAF: This is payment as a Graduate Research Assistant. This requires that a W-4 and I-9 are on file with the university, because the payment goes through payroll. Therefore, you will be paid the following month on the 11th. Please plan in your budget for payroll taxes should you decide to go this route.

3. Paying through Tuition: You can route the grant money so that it credits toward your tuition bill, and therefore, it is not a taxable item to you. This does affect your financial aid package if you have one.

7. When preparing your grant budget, please designate whether your payments will be received as awards (options 1 or 3) or salaries and benefits (option 2). Be aware that some sponsor organizations specifically prohibit use of grant monies for tuition and awards.

8. If you hire friends, other students or family members on your project, they must be approved as independent contractors or vendors with the University (see F-3 above).

g. Equipment Please remember that any equipment purchased through grant money is property of the university. If you purchase equipment with grant money, you are required to have these purchases shipped directly to equipment checkout in the VCB so these purchases can be inventoried before they can be used. Also: University risk management policies require that all equipment rentals must be facilitated by contracting with a program-approved vendor. You must obtain a contract from the vendor that is approved and signed by your Advisor and by the Program Director or Manager before any equipment rentals can be paid out of your grant. (see II-d above)

III. Reimbursement: a. Please bring all receipts to the Program Manager so that the paperwork

can be processed and you can be refunded the money.

57 b. Keep in mind that signatures are required on all paperwork, and that

takes time, as well as the actual processing of the forms. Always plan for at least a four-week process once all of the paperwork is complete.

c. You are responsible for your budget and the grant money. Please make sure that your budget line items correspond with your expenditures.

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APPENDICES

59

Welcome to Equipment Checkout Equipment Checkout is located in the Visual Communications Building, room # 214. It is a luxurious area also known as “the cage”. Inside the cage you will find many treasures from cameras and tripods to jib arms and sound kits, all of which can be yours if you run, jump, and hurddle through the appropriate hoops… In reality it is not that difficult to procure the gear your techy hearts desire, in fact, in your first year it is quite easy. First Year Students: � You must pickup a copy of the “Graduate Equipment Checkout Policy” at the cage; read it completely, sign and return it to the checkout attendant. *Policy is updated from time to time, you will be asked to sign the latest revision. � When you are requesting gear you must obtain an “Equipment Reservation Form” at checkout. Fill out the form completely and return it to the attendant a minimum of 24 hours before your desired gear pickup time. *Your instructor has already submitted a list of gear that you are allowed to checkout for your project. Ask checkout for details if you are unsure what equipment you are allowed. � Last, put your name on the “Equipment Pickup / Drop off Schedule” at checkout and show up at that time to receive / unload gear. Second / Third Year Students: � Pickup the current policy revision at checkout; read, sign, and return. � Make sure you have an advisor / committee that is onboard with your project. � Check to make sure you registered for the appropriate credits. *Independent study projects require registration for credits in addition to those for your second or third year film. � Obtain a “Risk Management Form” at the front desk, complete form and give to Vicki after your committee chair / advisor has reviewed and signed it. � Have your committee chair / advisor fill out, sign and return a “Project Information Form” to checkout after Vicki has also signed it to verify that she has received your completed “Risk Management Form”. *This form allows you to check out the specified gear for the duration of your project without the need of additional signatures. One form is required for each project. � Last, obtain an “Equipment Reservation Form.” Fill out completely and return to checkout a minimum of 24 hours before desired pickup time. Add your name to the pickup / drop off schedule and show up for that time. The equipment checkout area has more than just gear, we also offer a film and comps library, video and much more. See you soon. . . .

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SELECTS

Selects are a compilation of material gleaned from your raw footage. The purpose of selects is to demonstrate the quality of your visual material. Typical material that you would include in your selects is:

a) representative samples of shots that typify the content of the film; b) representative samples of interviews; c) B-roll or 2nd Unit photography; d) First-pass graphics or animation elements.

The key word is “representative.” Give the viewer a sense that you have enough footage to support your film and that the quality of the imagery and the quality and content of the interviews are adequate for its purposes.

1) Show a variety of shots that cover the major story points of your film; 2) Show portions of interviews that give the viewer a sense of what the

interviewee has to say about the subject; 3) The shots do not have to be edited in any particular sequence; they do

not have to be narrated or set to music unless you choose to do so; 4) Clearly identify the people being interviewed either by the use of lower

thirds or by title cards; 5) Make certain you include enough material for your advisor to make an

evaluation of the content as a whole; 6) Length varies; typically, however, we would expect to see selects run

between five and ten minutes, depending upon the length of the final product;

7) The preferable format of choice is VHS with window burn for reference; 8) Clearly identify the name of the work and the filmmaker.

Consult with your advisor for specifics or if you have conditions that are unique.

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POLICY REGARDING ABSENCES

Each instructor has her/his own guidelines regarding absences from class and you should consult the syllabus for a course to determine what that policy is. From time to time, however, students have asked permission to miss one, two, three or more weeks of class because of a special opportunity. The program does not allow students to exceed the normal number of absences allowed by the instructor under any circumstances. The first year depends upon your ability to attend classes, and if you feel you have an opportunity that you cannot resist, then you should withdraw from the course. DO NOT ASK THE INSTRUCTOR FOR PERMISSION TO MISS MORE CLASSES THAN WHAT THAT INSTRUCTOR NORMALLY ALLOWS.

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POLICY REGARDING INCOMPLETES

An instructor may give a grade of "I" (Incomplete) when students have been unable to complete their academic obligations because of circumstances beyond their control. In order to receive an incomplete, you will have to petition the course instructor and submit the appropriate forms to the Registrar. The Incomplete form requires two important pieces of information: --what must be done to complete the requirements for the course; and, --by what date this work must be completed. This information should be shared between the instructor and the student. Your instructor may require that you finish the work on a specific date or may give you until the end of the following semester. Please note the following very carefully: All responsibility falls upon the student to complete the coursework and to complete it on time. An Incomplete will automatically turn into an “F” on the expiration date. Once you have been given an “F” that grade then becomes a permanent part of your academic record.

Do not expect to be reminded either by the instructor, the department, or the university that you have an incomplete or that your deadline for completion is approaching.

Extensions for Incompletes are given only in exceptional circumstances. The program expects all work to be completed within the time allotted on the original incomplete form. The maximum amount of time anyone can have to complete an incomplete is one full semester.

The following is the official university policy regarding Incompletes:

"I" Grade Eligibility The University takes the position that when students register, they commit themselves to completing their academic obligations as their primary responsibility. Therefore, the instructor may give an "I" grade only in cases when students have suffered extreme personal hardship or in unusual academic situations.

63 The Office of Student Affairs and Services will certify personal hardship cases when students have been unable to fulfill their commitments because of illness, death or illness in the immediate family, family emergencies, or military orders. The instructor may give an "I" grade to a student thus certified, provided the student has completed three-fourths of the work of the course with a passing grade. The instructor may require that the student take an early final examination. With the exception of one and two-credit courses, early final examinations will not be given prior to the start of final examination week. The instructor may also assign an "I" grade, subject to the department Head's approval, in cases when students have been unable to complete course requirements for reasons such as apparatus or equipment failure, death or disease in experimental animals, delays in material shipments from suppliers, or in other unusual academic circumstances which are clearly beyond the student's control. In these situations, the students must have completed three-fourths of the work of the course with a passing grade. In each instance qualifying for an "I" grade, the instructor must fill out an "I" Grade Authorization form (available from the Registrar). On this form, the instructor will list the make-up requirements and the date beyond which the "I" will revert to an "F" grade. The following circumstances will not make a student eligible to receive an "I" grade: 1. Absence due to participation in University activities, such as athletics, except with prior approval. 2. Travel or vacation plans which require leaving campus early at the end of the semester. 3. Attendance or participation in a wedding. 4. Conflicts of the student's own making. 5. Failure to take one or more scheduled exams or to hand in class assignments, term papers, and project reports prior to specified deadlines. In order to remove the "I" grade after the make-up work has been completed, the instructor will obtain the proper form from the Registrar's Office, place the grade on the form and return it to the Registrar's Office. The instructor may specify the time period within which the work must be made up. Unless a specified time is given by the instructor, an "I" grade shall be made up no later than the end of the next semester the student is in attendance (excluding summer session). An "I" grade not made up in the prescribed length of time lapses to a failure (F). However, "I" grades received during the Summer and Autumn Quarters of 1970 and

64 Winter Quarter of 1971 will remain on the student's record until replaced by another grade.

Make-Up of "I" Grades

An "I" grade make-up is reported to the Registrar on a Grade Change form. No fee is charged. These grades are not included on the next semester grade slip. The student's College Dean, Academic Department and advisor are notified when "I" grades are made up. Grades of "I" or "F" are not removed from the student's permanent record.

Code of Conduct This policy is part of the instructional design of this program and is intended to create and sustain a dialogue concerning the professional, artistic, and personal standards of conduct in the film industry. Everyone who remains in this program is expected to adhere to this professional standard. 1) I will treat everyone in this program with respect. At all times my behavior will reflect this respect for others both in their presence and outside their presence. This is to develop trust, which is the core of all meaningful relationships. I understand that without trust, all progress and all work in this program will eventually fail. 2) I will speak and conduct myself in a manner that demonstrates respect for others at all times. I understand it is disrespectful and unethical to speak of others’ talent, abilities, actions, or reputation outside their presence, and to complain about, demean, or degrade others in any way is inappropriate and unethical, and I will not tolerate it. I pledge to speak directly [one-on-one and privately] to anyone who I perceive has wronged me or with whom I have a “conflict” and I promise not to speak about them to others outside of their presence. 3) I will actively engage in the workshop milieu of this program. I understand this is an atmosphere that encourages critique, which is defined as a healthy, supportive, and constructive dialogue with each other about our work. I will do everything in my means to distinguish for myself and for others the vast difference between professional critique and personal criticism. I will not get defensive or take personally critical input from others about my work, especially when it is offered in the spirit of professional critique. I will only grow if I have the integrity to be honest with each other, and with myself.

65 4) I understand this code of conduct is the professional standard of conduct in the motion picture industry. 5) I understand this code of conduct is intended to help me hone the critical analysis skills necessary to achieving at the highest tier. I also understand that this policy is meant to assist me in developing the integrity and honesty required to effectively critique the work of others, let alone be honest about my own work with myself. I pledge to treat everyone with respect.