Thesis and Exam Guidelines

Introduction:

For their thesis project, students will write and direct an original film, based on an original or adapted screenplay written by the student.  Students must own full rights to any adaptation.  Thesis films will have a minimum running time of 20 minutes and a maximum running time of 30 minutes.

Steps and Timeline:

-By the end of the third semester of study a student will have chosen a thesis advisor (committee chair) and a committee.  The committee will be comprised of a minimum of three members: the thesis advisor, a second member of the Digital Filmmaking graduate faculty, and a third member who may either be from the Digital Filmmaking graduate faculty or another department’s graduate faculty.

-At the beginning of the fourth semester students must pass a comprehensive examination administered by the thesis committee before.  This must be completed before beginning the thesis project.  The comprehensive examination will cover history, theory, and production practices.  The comprehensive exam takes place in the middle of January in the student’s second year.  Students are given a list of questions at the start of the third semester, from which the exam questions will be drawn.  The exam itself is a one-day, written exam.

-By the end of the fourth semester of study (39-42 hours completed) the student will submit a script that must be approved by the thesis committee.  The script details the student’s proposed film and provides the opportunity for review and feedback from the committee.  The committee may require revisions prior to approval.  Copies of the approved script are to be distributed to the department chair for the departmental file, the major professor, and the student.  Any significant modifications to the script require the approval of the student’s committee.

The script will be submitted to the committee in a formal meeting.  Graduate students are required to make an oral presentation of their script, providing committee members the opportunity to evaluate the student’s knowledge and understanding of the proposal as well as the student’s ability to reason and present logical explanations to questions related to the completion of the proposed film.

The presentation will be conducted as a script proposal defense. The student will provide an overview of the script and proposed film.  Following the oral presentation there will be a period for questions and answers.

Normally, the script proposal defense takes place in early March.  The meeting is scheduled well in advance.  All students are expected to defend their script during the same week.

-The student must also file a Petition for Admission to Candidacy with the Graduate School.  This includes a formal declaration of the student’s Program of Study and will be used later by the Graduate School as a check-sheet for graduation. The Petition for Admission to Candidacy should be filed by the end of the student’s fourth semester (39-42 hours completed) to indicate the student’s intention to complete a thesis.  In addition, students must also submit a Notice of Intent to Complete a Master’s Thesis and a Notice of Appointment of Dissertation Committee.  Students must complete and receive approval for all coursework before beginning thesis hours.

-Once all of these steps are completed, students are allowed to enroll in thesis hours for their third year (fifth and sixth semesters).

-Students typically enroll in nine hours of thesis production per semester in their third year.  Students must complete 18 hours of thesis work to graduate.

-After the script has been approved by the student’s thesis committee, the student must have a production book approved by the thesis advisor before the student will be allowed access to any university equipment.

-The Application for Graduation is a separate step from filing the Petition for Admission Candidacy and must be completed by the deadline in the semester in which the student plans to graduate  (This is typically very early in the term and includes payment of a graduation fee at the Business Office or the Graduate Office.)  The Application for Graduation specifies the title of the student’s thesis.

-The thesis, in final form with signatures of all committee members, must be submitted to the Graduate Dean at least two weeks prior to the date of graduation. The routing form signed by the Thesis Committee Chair, Department Chair, and College Dean must accompany the thesis.

-Verification of successful completion of the comprehensive examination and/or the defense of the thesis must be submitted to the Graduate School office two weeks prior to the date of graduation.

Comprehensive Examination

At the beginning of the fourth semester students must a comprehensive examination administered by the thesis committee before.  This must be completed before beginning the thesis project.  The comprehensive examination will cover history, theory, and production practices.  The comprehensive exam takes place at the end of January in the student’s second year.  Students are given a list of questions at the start of the third semester, from which the exam questions will be drawn.  The exam itself is a one-day, on-site written exam.  The graduate faculty will evaluate the comprehensive exam and give it either a Pass or a Fail.

Students who pass the examination will be able enroll in thesis hours and continue the program.  Students who fail will not be allowed to enroll in thesis hours.  Failing students must re-take and pass the exam before they will be allowed to enroll in thesis hours and complete the program.  If a student fails the comprehensive examination the first time, they will be allowed to take it twice more.  Students can only take the exam once per semester.

Thesis

Thesis Elements:

The completed thesis project will include the following elements:

1.  A completed narrative, fiction film.

2.  An artist’s statement.

3.  The final shooting script in proper script format.

4.  A production book containing all relevant pre-production and production paperwork, including, but not limited to: script breakdown sheets, shooting schedule, element lists (props, costumes, etc.), and all necessary release forms (actor, location, music, etc.).

5.  A director’s book containing all relevant paperwork, including, but not limited to: shot lists, set plans, and script analysis.

Thesis Length and Cost:

Thesis films will have a minimum running time of 20 minutes and a maximum running time of 30 minutes.

There is no set or required cost for a thesis film.  Because thesis films will be shot in digital video with department equipment, overall budgets should be kept to reasonable levels.  The most expensive items on the budget will probably include: photocopies; craft service; catering; transportation; costumes; props; settings; blank tapes and DVDs; location rentals; music composition, recording and rights; and publicity materials and festival entry fees.  If students choose to use SAG actors they may have salary deferrals to pay.

Thesis projects budgets can vary widely depending upon the film and the student.  However, a budget of $1500 to $2500 would most likely be reasonable.  Currently, the university does not provide any funding for thesis projects.

Thesis Defense:

When the thesis project is completed three copies of the film on DVD-R must be provided—one for each member of the thesis committee. Three copies of the script and artist’s statement must also be submitted.  After all the committee members have viewed the thesis project, an oral examination of the candidate will be held. The oral examination is principally a defense of the thesis. This provides an opportunity for the student to present his/her work to the committee formally and for the committee to indicate its acceptance or to require further work to make it acceptable.  This defense must be successfully completed in time for the thesis to be in the office of the Graduate Dean at least two weeks prior to the date of graduation.

The thesis defense takes place in two parts.  The first is a screening of the thesis project.  All thesis projects for that semester will be screened on the same day (usually the first Saturday in April).  The screening is open to the public.  The second part is the oral defense, which will be scheduled for the week following the screening.  At the oral defense the candidate will present an artistic overview of the project. The director’s book and producer’s book must be made available at the oral examination.  The committee will then ask questions of the candidate.  When the questioning is completed, the committee will deliberate and vote on whether the project passes or fails.  The deliberation and vote will take place in private.

Submission of the Thesis:

After all corrections requested by the thesis or dissertation committee have been made, the student must submit the following to the Graduate School:

1) One copy of the movie (format to be specified).

2) One unbound original on bond paper of the artist’s statement and script with original signatures of the thesis committee on the approval page.

3) The signed routing form (Appendix A).

Final verification that all requirements have been met will be given by the Graduate Dean, who will notify the student and committee chair.  The original paperwork on bond paper will be placed in Torreyson Library.

The student will also submit the following to the Department of Mass Communication and Theatre:

1) Two copies of the movie; one on DVD-R and one on a specified tape format.

2) One bound original on bond paper of the artist’s statement and script with original signatures of thesis committee on the approval page.

3) A copy of the complete production book and director’s book.

Graduation

In order to graduate students must pass both the comprehensive examination and the oral thesis defense.  Students must submit the following to the Graduate Office.

1) Application for Graduation with fee (early in the semester the student plans to graduate).

2) The thesis (film, unbound copy of artist’s statement and script, and signed routing form) at least two weeks prior to graduation.

3) Notification of successful completion of comprehensive exams and thesis defense at least two weeks prior to graduation.

For more information, students may access the Thesis and Dissertation Guidelines provided by the Graduate Office.