Northwestern University - The Department of Radio/Television/Film

The NU Theatre program accepts about 50 girls and 50 boys annually. It is a BA program, so you are able to take classes outside of your major, and many people do. The majority of the students are type-A, and many have an inflated sense of their own importance. By contrast, the majority of RTVF students appear more laid back, because it is a less competitive program. Theatre and RTVF don't have a ton of crossover, although in recent years more crossover courses have been baked into the curriculum. It's very difficult to take Theatre classes as an RTVF major, whereas it's not too difficult to take RTVF classes as a Theatre major.

The majority of the theatrical productions put on annually are put on by StuCo, the student theatre coalition, which is essentially a bunch of student-run clubs with varying funding, with internally-elected student boards making the decisions on who will direct, produce, and act in the shows. This means that you have to be social and volunteer to help on student productions to have a chance at directing a show, and it helps a lot if you want to act, too. If you don't figure this out early in your time at NU, it's much harder to work on shows. If you have other social interests, i.e. Greek life or sports, you're pretty much screwed and it's unlikely you'll be performing a lot within the StuCo system. All shows at NU are extracurricular, so you'll be in rehearsal from 6-10:30PM or later multiple days a week after class, and you won't get school credit for it. RTVF has a similar system with student boards like NUWFA and Studio 22, which give some of the largest student film grants. For Theatre majors, the holy grail is to be cast in a TI show, which is a show put on by a local professional, Theatre MFA student, or NU faculty, in any of NU's largest/nicest theaters.

All in all, I learned a lot at NU, really enjoyed my classes - especially historical theatre, puppetry, and technical theatre classes - and loved certain professors. I did not come away with any deep faculty relationships, even with my acting teacher. The campus politics can be really aggro, but that's so many liberal arts colleges these days. It's particularly bad in the Theatre program. It's freezing cold for most of the year, but you get used to it. There is a strong nose-to-the-grindstone mentality and a lot of people there take school super seriously. It's generally not a very laid back or chill place. But, like any other program, it's what you make of it, and it's a very well-respected school.

*Please take this with a grain of salt, as I went to NU over a decade ago. While I was there:

• Classes in film theory and screenwriting were great
• Professors were also good and caring
• The major was called Radio/TV/Film and offered various certificates (for example, in Sound Design) - but it was quite difficult to achieve certificates in your 4 years there because not all courses were always offered
• Extensive film "cage" where you could rent out equipment fairly regularly
• Extracurriculars / few film grants for film students felt very "insider-y" and at times nepotistic (upper classmen who ran and allotted student film grants seemed very much to just give it to underclassmen "friends")
• Not much diversity in the student body or in the major
• Didn't particularly feel prepared for post-graduation by the School of Communications or the university
• Major itself does not have much of a technical / production focus. I would say it leaned more toward film theory/media studies and screenwriting.

I did have a good experience with their Financial Aid, which made it possible for me to attend an otherwise very expensive school. It is a very high academically achieving student body, so if you want to explore another double major, etc. in addition to a film degree, this would be a great school to attend and learn. I'd caution though that it might be difficult to get a job in the film/tv industries unless you can snag internships in LA/NY during the summers (also very costly), because the School of Comms doesn't necessarily prepare you very well for a post-grad professional career. Ultimately, your journey is very much up to you and what you make of your time while in school and the years following.

It's so unfortunate that this program hasn't gotten as much attention compared to other MFA writing programs--which is why I felt so compelled to write this review.

Let's talk location. Chicago is a fantastic city and is completely underrated in the face of NYC and LA. Might I add that I lived here for four years of undergrad, and now live back in my hometown of LA (so a girl knows what she's talking about). It's incredibly affordable, since finding a neighborhood that suits your price point is so easy. Northwestern is along the subway line so your commute is just a hop and skip away. Chicago, in general, is incredibly accessible, so kiss your car and insurance goodbye, because she ain't necessary.

Northwestern's campus is beautiful and pristine and sits in cozy little Evanston. The campus sits lakefront so if you get landlocked, you'll find it a-okay. It's nice, the end.

So the program itself, is strong, considering it's about 10 years old. Considering that timeframe, there aren't a ton of notable alumni from this program, although, many are quoted to be working for theaters, TV, and film companies across the nation. However, the general alumni network is substantial especially in terms of comedy and playwriting. Something that makes me hesitate is the lack of TV and film presence in Chicago. As someone who wants to be a feature writer, it's concerning. However, there is a lot of weight in knowing how to write plays, tv, and film as a writer. A lot of the faculty themselves exercise their various writing abilities. A look at the core faculty shows that all are playwrights, but one also writes for TV and the other writes for/works on films. And this is just the core faculty. Because Northwestern, like NYU, utilizes a multi-medium approach; it gives you more power and breadth as the auteur. I think this is a serious consideration when making decisions about film schools: Do you want to be an exceptionally specialized writer in the Hollywood assembly line or do you want the freedom of being a multifaceted independent artist? Both have their pros and cons, so feel out what draws you as a writer.

They expect volition on your part when it comes to producing your own work which I find valuable. Everyone is required to take a production course, sure, that's standard for writers. However, they offer you a $5,000 grant to produce one of your pieces, but it's optional and not required to graduate. It's on YOU to get that together, too, because there aren't other MFA programs in film and/or production at Northwestern. Finding actors shouldn't be an issue though, but editors, producers, directors (if not yourself) requires a bit of networking on your end.

Speaking of money that Northwestern throws at you, they offer every accepted student some nice grants and scholarships. Having an intimate program with only 12 people allows you more opportunities to get funding! All students will receive a $6,000 scholarship their first year (spread over 3 quarters). Your second year, everyone is assigned as a TA for a quarter, receiving a full tuition subsidy for that quarter and a $5,000 spending stipend. I'm sure with a bit more digging, there are plenty more opportunities for scholarships, but these are the ones they quote as a surefire aspect of your acceptance. Everyone is also required to do an internship at some point, and they make sure of that with there being only 12 students. So, if you're sad that you're not in NYC or LA, that's your chance to experience more of the world while gaining experience in whatever area you choose!

I think that Northwestern's Writing for Screen and Stage MFA program has so much to offer! I hope that this helps any potential candidates in the future. I'd love to answer any questions anyone has about Chicago life and so forth.