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Columbia College Chicago Introduces MFA in Creative Producing
The general idea many people have about what goes into the making of a movie is as follows: The screenwriter provides the script, the director does most of the work (and gets most of the credit), the actors act (in between bouts of stomping off to their trailers and demanding fancy beverages, of course) and the producer sits in an office in a skyscraper somewhere, signing checks (or, sometimes, refusing to sign checks).
Bruce Sheridan is out to change the notion that a film producer should be a business-savvy individual who just so happens to work with films. As the Chair of the Film and Video department at Columbia College Chicago, Sheridan recently created the school’s new MFA in Creative Producing program. Sheridan took the time to answer some questions about the degree program and explain why films need a creative producer.
Rebecca Pahle (MM): What led Columbia College Chicago to start the new MFA Creative Producing program? What does the program offer that makes it different from taking other classes on producing at other schools?
Bruce Sheridan (BS): When I came to Columbia College in 2001 I had already articulated a plan for how education should be conceptualized for the future. One of the key principles of that plan was that truly creative producers (as opposed to people with financial, business or legal expertise who apply that expertise to film production) would be central to the evolution of film and other visual media. So an MFA in Creative Producing was on my agenda from 2001. I started the formal process about five years ago (things take a while in academia) so that the degree would enroll its first students around 12 to 18 months after the Media Production Center (another key concept in the plan) was completed and working.
The differences of our MFA in Creative Producing to other programs are significant. It fully synthesizes the logistical and creative aspects of filmmaking—it’s not based on gluing a piece of an MBA to a piece of a traditional MFA. Students have 12 weeks of their formal learning in our semester in LA at the Raleigh Studios lot, and this overlaps with the American Film Market where, as part of their course work, they will participate in AFM. All students will produce high-level short films and develop a feature of their own ready for the market in order to graduate. (There are a number of graduate producing programs students can graduate from without actually producing any films.) Just being a full MFA rather than either a diploma or an MBA/MFA hybrid is a also a differentiation from some other (often high profile) programs.
MM: A lot of people think that a producer just controls the budget; what sets a “creative producer” apart? Are there certain types off productions (indies, large studio films, etc.) that would benefit more from having a creative producer?
BS: As Sundance director John Cooper said at a festival screening at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival, the future health of independent film is in the hands of creative producers. With studios ossifying and marketing and distribution fragmenting, these are the people who will nurture and make good on the potential of the best projects. Every type of project would benefit from a true creative producer.
MM: A creative producer would have to be knowledgeable about a variety of aspects of moviemaking in order to offer insight in all of those areas—with so much ground to cover, how will the program go about making sure everyone’s “caught up?”
BS: The program is designed to have a mixed cohort of students, some straight from undergraduate film programs and some coming in with prior professional experience. One primary mechanism to establish an even starting point is a three-week “pre-semester” all the students must participate in late in the summer before their first fall semester. This is designed to discover levels of experience and competencies and also to help fill gaps for individuals.
MM: How will the knowledge received in the MFA program prepare students to get jobs in film? After graduation, what credits will they have to help them start their careers in producing?
BS: They will have produced very high-level short films. We just sold one of the advanced practicum films for worldwide distribution, and these films are generally more complex and sophisticated than the term “student film” implies. They play in festivals around the world. The students will also have a developed a feature film they own and have ready for production.
MM: What will Columbia College Chicago’s new Media Production Center add to the college’s Film and Video Department?
BS: It’s been in operation for six months and the best word to use is “metamorphosis.” The complexity and sophistication of teaching, learning and production have all increased exponentially as a result of having the building and its innovative design—it is much more than a classroom you can shoot in or a studio you can teach in.
For more information on Columbia College Chicago’s MFA in Creative Producing, visit http://www.colum.edu/Academics/Graduate_Study/Graduate_Programs/Creative_Producing/.
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COMMENTS | POST A COMMENT 
- Comment by Film Slate Magazine on 11/19/10 at 9:49 pm
It’s good to see a program like this around. Producing is one of the most mis-understood professions in the film business.
- Comment by Rent 3D Movies on 1/09/11 at 4:52 am
Continuity in training is important for long term success - as much effort and funding as is possible should be directed into ongoing training
- Comment by Aleksandra on 4/12/11 at 7:25 am
I am writing to you from the new Software Press’ magazine which is about 3D films. I am looking forward Authors who would be able to write some articles about that subject to my magazine.
Maybe you or some of your aquintances would like to write for my readers?
I would be really grateful for your help.
The major topic of next issue is Post-Producting 3D Films and I will need articles until 05-15-2011.
If want to write for Software’s readers e-mail me and then you will find out additional things.Regards.
- Comment by Aleksandra on 4/12/11 at 7:27 am
mu e-mail:
- Comment by banik on 8/12/11 at 6:27 am
After completing my graduation, it was a hard job for me to decide whether I apply for general courses or I opt for some unconventional but creative courses. One of my close friends, who got admitted in associate degree in criminal justice, suggested me to apply for that course. But I was not willing enough to take that course. One day while searching the web, I got your post. And I took less than a minute to decide my future way. Thanks a lot for sharing.
- Comment by DavieAlvin on 8/15/11 at 11:17 am
I was looking into some christian degree programs when I found out about the Columbia College Chicago movie courses. Cinema has always been a passion of mine and now I am really considering taking it to the next level. This college seems to stand out form the others and I consider it’s worth giving a try. I just hope I’ll be good enough to get in.
- Comment by imwilliam on 9/27/11 at 4:47 am
Such creative courses would help improve the overall quality of the film making. If a producer gets more involved in the creative process of film making then it would only contribute to betterment of the industry. New courses are being developed; most courses could be done online. Such as Nursing Bachelors Degree. Achieving higher degrees is no longer a distant dream.
- Comment by banik on 9/30/11 at 7:11 am
Film making is an art which has many nuances. It is essential to learn these before making a film. From the angle of education we can say that new and better roads are opening up for students. In other subjects also. You would be surprised to know that higher studies in a wide range of subjects like master in public administration is possible now.
- Comment by imwilliam on 10/14/11 at 6:45 am
Studying offbeat courses can help you make a brilliant career. Apart from film making you can study a lot of subjects like photography, animation etc. it is interesting to learn that studying diverse range of subjects could be done online. I am looking for information on online rn to bsn degree.
- Comment by imwilliam on 10/25/11 at 6:39 am
Online education offers many courses for students world wide. Those who are not into creative field but want to make a dynamic career they could consider doing courses in information security which is in great demand now. For example through online you could easily have a masters in information security.
- Comment by Tabatha Lupien on 10/30/11 at 2:25 pm
I think it’s good that people at Columbia are trying to do something about this myth about the producer being somewhere in the back counting his money. The are a lot of creative producers out there, like the Weinsteins, who put out beautiful films. I also think that the more experienced the person is, the better the movie will be. I’m a screen writer and after I took my criminal justice degree my overview on life changed dramatically and so did my writing.
- Comment by banik on 11/04/11 at 6:28 am
Those who want to have their careers in the field of movies this is a great course for them. By going online a student can access multiple range of subjects and get high degrees too. If you are planning to have a high profile career then go for doing doctorate education online.
- Comment by NeilKirchoff on 11/27/11 at 5:25 am
I’ve got a nursing bachelors degree from Columbia and I was pretty pleased with the level of education there. I’ve heard about people that go there for the MFA in creative producing and I think they are taking a good step. I don’t know why everybody is complaining about our education level because I think we have a pretty good education system.
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