/College of Arts and Sciences
Creative Writing, Film and Television

Welcome from Associate Chair of CrFT/Executive Director Magdalene Brandeis

magdalene brandeis

The Killer Advantage

Our program is led by Artistic Director Christine Vachon, co-founder of Killer Films, alongside fellow Killer Films co-founder Pamela Koffler (*Boys Don't Cry, Carol, Past Lives*). With a 30-plus-year track record producing over 100 independent films and series — and Killer Films recently honored with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' 2026 Irving G. Thalberg Award — Vachon leads a faculty comprised entirely of working professionals. We mentor students through the real-world ecosystem of independent film. You won't just learn to write a script; you'll learn to budget, cast, direct actors, light scenes, shoot, edit, market, and distribute.

Your Creative Hub in Manhattan

Located at the Stony Brook Manhattan Center (535 Eighth Avenue), you're an easy commute from the heart of the industry. Our facility operates as a production office and studio, featuring:

  • Cameras: RED Epic-W Helium, Canon C80, Canon C200, and Cinema Prime lenses
  • Lighting & Grip: Aputure LED/ARRI Fresnel systems and 1-Ton grip packages
  • Post-Production: A top-tier suite with Adobe Creative Cloud and DaVinci Resolve

We welcome filmmakers and writers from around the globe to apply.

Choose Your Track

  • Directing
  • Screenwriting
  • Producing

IP: You own what you make.  If you create it here, the intellectual property belongs to you.

Students

Fourteen indie feature films have been produced within the Stony Brook MFA, including public/private partnerships with production companies, international co-productions, and distributed and streaming films. Students have been nominated for DGA awards and received top-notch industry scholarships and awards, including the Rolling Stone’s Top Filipino Filmmakers to Watch, National Board of Review Sundance Institute / Sloan Commissioning Grant, New York Women in Film & Television Scholarship, The Turner Research Grant, and NYWIFT's "From Script to Pre-production" internships. Their work has also screened at festivals worldwide, including Tribeca Film Festival, the Atlanta Film Festival, DOC NYC, Loft Film Fest, Miami International Film Festival, New York Short Film Festival, NewFilmmakers New York, Cannes Market, Nottingham International Film Festival, the Zero Film Festival, and the Jeonju International Film Festival in Korea.

Faculty

Every one of our faculty is an active working professional in the field, with firsthand understanding of what it takes to make a living in film. Check out our faculty page.

Interested students should request information from the department and find application information here. Students are encouraged to apply as early as possible, especially if they plan to apply for financial aid. The MFA in Film program accepts applications on a semi-rolling basis.

Magdalene Brandeis
Associate Chair, CrFT, Executive Director
Programs in Film and Television

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