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Welcome from Executive Director Magdalene Brandeis

magdalene brandeis

When you become a part of our MFA Programs in Film and Television Writing, you join a community of world-class filmmakers: directors, television writers, screenwriters, and producers who gather together in a cutting edge/urban arts incubator.  Led by legendary producer and Artistic Director Christine Vachon of Killer Films and our stellar faculty, our mission is to train students in all forms of visual storytelling.

Stony Brook's MFA Program in Film grows out of Southampton Summer Writers Conference's 47-year legacy, paired with Killer Films’ 30-year record of making more than 100 independent films and television series. We offer dedicated tracks in screenwriting, directing, producing, and our independent track. Each track has its own immersive training and rigorous degree requirements. 

Stony Brook’s MFA in Television Writing, helmed by Alan Kingsberg,  is one of the most extensive in the world. Designed to prepare students to thrive in professional writers room as well as to become content creators, its early and immediate successes speak volumes about its effectiveness. 

A core course — Acting for Writers and Directors — links the two MFAs and brings all the students together. 

No other programs allow you the opportunity to study digital filmmaking and television writing at the core of the indie world — New York City — at Stony Brook University state school prices!

We are very pleased to welcome applications from filmmakers and television writers from around the world into our MFAs in Film and Television Writing.

Magdalene Brandeis
Executive Director
Programs in Film and Television


To inquire about matriculating, please contact Magdalene Brandeis at magdalene.brandeis@stonybrook.edu.