^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
The MACP Spring Term is coming to a close shortly; so here is a brief rundown of the schedule this year.
The Spring Term includes
• Unit Four – ‘The Producer and People’, and
• Unit Five – ‘The Producer and Research’.
Both these Units run throughout the whole term, which lasts eleven weeks.
Unit Four – ‘The Producer and People’
The emphasis shifts this term to focus more on each student’s possible personal interests and projects, following on from the work of the Unit Three Assessment and the GfA application they write for that assessment, and encouraging thinking about personal creative ideas.
The work of Unit Four covers a wide range of relevant areas, breaking down broadly into ‘artists and creative teams’ and ‘communities and audiences’. Classes cover aspects of both these areas over the term.
This term Unit Four is taught on Wednesday and Thursday afternoons and some Wednesday evenings.
Unit Five – ‘The Producer and Research’
Unit Five consists of an individually chosen MA Option from a list offered annually (it changes every year). Each Unit Five Option is taught and run by a different member of BBK staff. This year, for example, MACP students have taken options in playwriting, screenwriting and Shakespearian Production.
For Unit Five, students attend a class on one weekday evening, depending on their choice of subject.
Spring Term Programme of Classes and Events for Unit Four
The Spring Term began with classes and discussions led by Andrew McKinnon, concentrating on the Unit Three assessment, which consists of the preparation of a complete ‘Grants for the Arts’ application by each student. These assessed applications were presented by students on 01 February.
This term also we looked in further detail at the work and structures of the Theatre Royal, Stratford East; members of the senior staff who came to talk to us and discuss key issues were
Alix Hearn (Head of Marketing);
Mary Caws (Executive Director); and
Shawab Iqbal (Associate Producer).
Later in the term
Andrew McKinnon gave several classes on significant marketing and audience relationship issues within the ACE framework.
Julius Green returned this term to give three further classes; and enabled the group to see a matinee of BLOOD BROTHERS and tour backstage afterwards.
Experienced guest practitioners who took interactive sessions included
•
Jonathan Kennedy (Executive Director of 'TARA Arts')
•
Tara Wilkinson (Executive Producer of 'Paines Plough')
•
Jeremy Goldstein (Producer of Penny Arcade’s upcoming BITCH! DYKE! FAGHAG! WHORE!)
Specialist tutors included
•
Jackie Elliman, Legal Officer, ITC (‘Company Formation’ and ‘Intellectual Property’)
•
Neil Laidlaw, commercial producer (‘Marketing on no Money’ and VAT)
•
Paschale Straiton, Red Herring Productions (‘Street Theatre’)
•
Simon Pittman, Forced Entertainment and Rough Fiction (‘Devised Theatre’)
•
Chris Mellor, producer and arts strategist ('Social Media in Marketing')
In addition .....
•
Lyn Gardner led a session on writing a high-profile review for The Guardian (based on THE TRIAL OF UBU at Hampstead Theatre);
•
Rob Swain gave an interactive class on ‘Verse and Classic Text’; and
•
Rachael Stevens and
Natalie Macaluso launched a series of classes to assist students to form and work on individual producing goals.
Some classes this term were held jointly with the MFA Theatre Directing students.
This term MACP students also attended – and greatly appreciated - the DEVOTED & DISGRUNTLED conference.
The first full session of the summer term will take place on Wednesday 25 April.
