Double MFA?

[rgkelle]

Hi!

I am about half way through my undergrad with a Design/Production degree with a focus in Lighting Design & Stage Management, looking to get sone feedback about getting MFA's in both areas - worth it? make you very marketableboth professionally and to the education world? can they be completed simultaneously?

Thanks!

 

[gafftaper]

Can you do it without going massively into debt? It's hard enough to pay off one Masters degree loan in this industry. I can't imagine trying to pay off two masters degrees.

Will it help you find a job? Yes and no. You have more skills so you can apply for more fields of work, it should be easier in theory to find work. But it's hard to do more than one at a time. I would be concerned that employers would see you as someone good at multiple fields but not a master of one... which could hurt you.

If you've read these forums much you'll know Gaff's Rule about the critical roles that real world experience and dumb luck play in your getting work. Unlike every other career out there, more education can't guarantee you more work. You can have three MFA's and some guy with a BFA and 5 years of experience (who once worked a summer stock gig for the person doing the hiring) will get the job over you. It is very important that you get a good education and know what you are doing, but it's equally important that you demonstrate on the job that you know what you are doing I have the current job that I have because my boss called a friend of mine asking for help and my friend said, "Give Gaff a call he can do that." Initially the degree will be a huge help getting work. But 10 years into your career no one will care where you went to school or what degree you had. All they will want to know is where have you worked and who did you impress while you were working. Meanwhile you'll be trying to still pay off that student loan.

SO, if you can afford it AND you are doing lots of theater outside of school to build up a good resume. I say go for it. But DO NOT go into it thinking you'll be making $70k in three years and be able to pay it all off or you'll be eating Top Ramen and sleeping in your car for the next 20 years.

 

[rgkelle]

That did help - thanks! I totally agree, and plan on using it as something to get me started and have that heads start over the competition. Would you suggest getting a VARIETY while in college, as I have a somewhat affiliate position with American Blues Theatre in Chicago, and ASM'd for them this summer while they performed at Victory Gardens, or staying with that company throughout my college experience. I would guess the varied, allowing me to further my connections and a more diverse resume.

 

[gafftaper]

That's an interesting question. The more places you work, the more people you have the opportunity to meet and impress. On the other hand, working a lot of places it's hard to build up any solid references that can say, "Oh yeah, I yeah Dave, he's a great guy. I would hire him if I had a position open." Working one place for a long period of time also shows you are reliable. So I suggest a little balance if that is possible. For example you could do year around work for one place while trying to pick up a mix of some summer stock or festival work. Do your best to finish college with one or two really solid references who know you by name and will be happy to recommend you and your work. If you are good enough they might even hire you! Also don't forget internships. You can create some really good references and industry connections that way too.

 

[dbthetd]

It's unlikely you will find a quality MFA program that will be able to get you all the requisite classroom and production experiences for two disciplines without lengthening the calendar footprint (or shorting one of the experiences).

I'd say pick one and do the other as electives, but really what this might be saying is that you are no place near ready for grad school. Work will probably be a better option.

After a while when you know the specific things you want to get out of going to an MFA program maybe it will be clearer.

 

[Footer]

When you get your MFA you are essentially saying "This is what I want to do and I am extremely qualified and specialized in this field." You don't get your MFA to be a generalist. You get your MFA to be a specialist. If you don't think you can hack it as an LD and want to pick up other disciplines to have a fall back, you probably should not be going to grad school at all. Go big or go home. No one wants to higher an OK LD and an OK SM. They want the best SM they can get and the best LD they can get.

 

[Grog12]

dbthetd makes probably the most useful point in this thread. Most (good) MFA programs are 3 years long and quite the commitment. Any that will offer you a double MFA will lengthen your time there too at least 4 years. Mrs.Grog looked into double MFA'ing and decided it wasn't the way to go. gafftaper does make a solid point about loans, but remember that most programs offer an Assistanship. If you're looking for a graduate school that isn't Ivy League and they don't offer an assistanship it probably isn't worth your time to attend.