Advanced Study Applications

[tanouye]

Hi everyone,

We have updated the questions on the application for our Advanced Study Program (specifically question 2). Moving forward, we will be weighing the application more heavily as we consider students for the program, so please put some time and thought into your answers. This is especially true for students who may have taken Improv 401 multiple times -- we are interested in the work you're doing outside of class.

Here is the page with application information:
http://newyork.ucbtheatre.com/classes/advanced

If you have any questions, post them here, or contact Will or myself.

[setsuna02]

If it's been more than 10 days from the completion of Sketch 201 or Improv 401, and we haven't heard from our instructor regarding Advanced Study either way, should we contact them and ask? Or do only students who pass get an email?

Thanks!

[tanouye]

You won't hear from your instructor directly at any point. You'll hear from the registrar regarding your completion of either 201 or 401.

If you receive notice that you have successfully completed 201, you can enroll in 301.

If you receive notice that you have successfully completed 401, you can apply for the Advanced Study program.

[yo dude]

Hello,

Usually how long after applying to the Advanced Study Program does one hear if they got accepted?

Thanks!

[tanouye]

Assuming you've heard from the registrar about your previous 401, it shouldn't take more than a day or two (depending on weekends vs. weekdays)

[jlane]

Question #2 seems to be asking mainly about performance experience. What sort of experience are you looking for from non-performing writers applying for Advanced Study Writing?

I 'd guessed permission to take advanced study writing would be based on writing samples and/or instructor recommendation. Is that wrong?

[tanouye]

We're interested in what you're doing outside of class, so if it's improv, what shows or practice groups you're in.

If you're looking to study sketch, are you in a writing group that meets regularly, or a sketch group that puts up shows, we'd be interested. Or maybe you're writing videos regularly for some other outlet. Or anything else that you think would be relevant.

Instructor recommendation plays a big part in our decisions, but we're also interested in what people are doing on their own to further their craft (beyond taking classes at the UCB Training Center).

[jlane]

Thanks for the speedy reply.

For sketch writing students, do you want to know about non-sketch comedy writing? Non-comedy writing? The writers' group at my local library?

Sorry if I'm being dense. A large part of my interest in training with the UCB came from the fact that I want to write sketch but lack an obvious way to actually make sketch, being not an actor, not experienced in filmmaking, etc. Having a sketch show or a team to make videos with is my goal and not my starting point.

I'm comfortable being judged by the quality of my writing, but if lacking pre-professional sketch writing experience is very likely to keep me from advancing beyond 201, the UCB may not be the best fit for me.

Would you advise a student not to apply if they lack this kind of experience?

[tanouye]

I'd advise you to apply -- all you have to lose is the time you spend on the application.

However, if you've taken sketch 101 and sketch 201 and are applying for Advanced Study, but have never written any sketches outside of UCB class assignments, the advanced study program probably isn't a good fit for you at this time.

You can write sketches regularly outside of class, regardless of whether you're in a group that is performing those sketches. If you've taken Sketch 101 and 201, hopefully you are still in touch with some of your classmates and can try to form a sketch comedy writing group with them.

If you're bringing sketches (or other comedy pieces) to your local library group, then we'd be interested in that. If not, it's less relevant. Any comedy writing experience would be relevant and worth mentioning.

Ian Roberts is fond of the piano lesson analogy: if you don't practice playing piano outside of your lessons once a week, you'll never be great at the piano. That applies to improv and sketch-writing too.

[jlane]

Okay, that's much clearer to me.
I do write sketches outside of class (continuously, borderline compulsively) and workshop sketches in a group, but was concerned you were chiefly looking for stuff that's been produced in some form. Glad that's not the case. Thank you for easing my neurotic mind.