Scenography (N0212A310014)

Programme objectives

The teaching of the field is based on the intersection of the arts, mainly performing and visual arts, humanities, and technology. It develops students' individual qualities and their orientation towards a specific area of scenographic/spatial creation. The MFA is a crucial stage in the formation of the artistic personality and is decisive for further professional development. An important quality is an ability to think, interpret, and create authoritatively in a space beyond professional stereotypes.

Pedagogical guidance is based on the student's ideas, initial ideas, and own solutions, helping them to develop and find further artistic possibilities for the project. We understand the pedagogical leadership of the master‘s degree program as a creative process. The pedagogue is above all an inspiring personality with an unquestionable artistic reputation, his/her creativity, and a capacity for theoretical reflection.

Candidates must have completed an undergraduate degree in scenography or another university of fine or performing arts.

Teaching takes place in two specializations:

• theatre scenography
• production design

Profile of a programme graduate

Profile of Theatre Scenography

The graduate is a distinctive independent creator within the creative interpretive and authorial activity in the field of scenography in a broader context. He/she also works in the field of conceptual design, installation, gallery installation, and curating.

The graduate works in a production team - he is a full member of it.

The graduate’s abilities and qualities are:

• creating a conceptually conceived, distinctive, complex scenographic concept and a follow-up project with a distinctive artistic quality.
• Presenting and defending the author's scenographic project, solving the material and technological concept of the work, creating a light design concept, and inspiring the creative team,
• to lead the realization of the artwork artistically.
• To create a model and appropriate documentation of the work and to co-create the public presentation of the work, not only in drama, with their artistic solution.
• To commission the production of specific artistic and scenic installations, objects, props, and furniture.
• to reflect theoretically on their artistic work
• to lead the realization of work artistically and organisationally

Graduates are employed in theatres of all types and can create art projects in both free and non-theatrical / site-specific spaces

Other abilities and skills result from the individual project of study.

Profile of Production Design

A graduate can:

-be a full member of the creative team of an audiovisual work

• use the acquired knowledge to create a design of the audiovisual work of different scales- use the acquired knowledge in the realization of the scenic design in the physical set.
• bring technical and economic solutions to the problems of the production design.
• hold all positions in the art department of a film crew, from set designer, illustrator, and production manager to the main production designer of the audiovisual work

Rules and requirements for creating study plans

The basic framework for the conception of study programmes at AMU is created by the AMU Rules of Quality Assurance System, specifying the basic principles of accreditation processes. The current practice is further formally anchored by the AMU Accreditation Rules. These set the parameters common to all study programmes taught at AMU and also transfer part of the responsibility for subject specifications (theatre, music, dance, film/television) to the faculties.

The curricula are drawn up in accordance with the AMU Attendance and Examination Regulations. On the basis of the specificities of higher artistic education, this document defines within the typology of subjects the required main subject (PH): this is a key artistic (or talent-based) core course, for which the assessment is always carried out on a commission basis and which does not allow for re-attestation. Another specificity of the curricula is the flexibility allowed in the distribution of credits (60 ECTS per academic year) between the winter and summer semesters, based on the greater workload associated with the completion of artistic outputs in the summer semester in some disciplines

The theoretical and historical background of the field is a compulsory part of all study programmes; these are compulsory core courses co-determining the profile of the graduate and forming part of the state final examination. Each study plan also includes compulsory completion of discipline-specific English language instruction, with a minimum of 6 ECTS per study cycle.

Courses completed by examination are graded on a scale from A to E (F = fail), while „pass/fail“ grades are used for other courses; a combination of the two types of assessment is not possible.

The standard length of a lesson is 45 minutes. The basic organizational forms of teaching are lectures, seminars, exercises, and workshops, the last three forms of teaching involve the creation of artistic outputs to varying degrees. Teaching takes place either on a weekly basis or in the form of intensive blocks or workshops.

The curriculum automatically assumes prerequisites in the form of sequences of courses, indicated by an ascending number after the course title. This type of prerequisite is not specifically mentioned in Part BIII for individual courses. If a course has a non-sequential prerequisite, it is explicitly listed in Part BIII for the course. In the same sense, we do not list prerequisites; these are determined by the mandatory inclusion of the course in a particular year and semester along with other courses.

The theoretical and historical background of the field is a compulsory part of all study programmes; these are compulsory core courses co-determining the profile of the graduate and forming part of the state final examination.

General information about admission process

Graduation from a bachelor's degree in scenography, architecture, or a related discipline, presentation of the applicant's original works, successful passing of the talent test, and the entrance interview.

Applicability to other types of academic programmes

Doctoral studies at DAMU, FAMU, FF UK, FA ČVUT etc.

Parts of the state final examination and their contents

Theatre Scenography

a/ A theoretical written thesis of at least 60 pages. Within the theoretical thesis, the student explores the issues and relationships within not only the theatre space. The theoretical work is closely related to the student's current and future practical and theoretical direction. The theoretical work is intended to reflect and name the issues, themes, topics, and resources that are part of the cultural and social heritage on which the student's creativity is based and from which it draws.

At the same time, the student submits a 15-page reflection on the academic assignment. This reflection includes a definition and description of the issues of the assignment, a reflection and defense of their interpretive practices and methods, an outline and reflection of sources of inspiration, and their own graphic conception in the context of performance traditions.

b/ Presentation and defense of a complex scenographic solution of the given theme (theatrical subject: play, libretto, literary text...). The solution of the academic task formally includes a model in scale (1:25), a situational storyboard, colored proposals for the solution of individual situations and scenes (DIN A 3 -25 pcs), technical documentation (floor plans, side drawings in scale 1:25), 3D visualization for individual scenes and inspirational free creation (8 pcs - DIN A 1), or other necessary documents

c/ Oral defense of the diploma thesis, which includes a theoretical reflection on the diploma project.

d/ The theory examination includes an examination of the subject History of Scenography 1. - 4.

Production Design

a/ A theoretical part of the thesis is divided into two parts. At the minimum 40 of pages, the student is describing the specific film genre which is close to his/her practical part of the thesis. The second part of the written thesis is dedicated to the description of the practical part of the thesis. This part includes a breakdown of the entered script/text. This description of the practical part of the thesis could be done on a minimum of 20 pages.

b/ A presentation and defense of the artistic concept of the chosen text. The presentation includes mood boards, a selection of key reference pictures, and between 20 to 40 color renderings of the key sets of the project.

As a part of this defense, the student is also presenting basic layouts (scale 1:50) and other technical drawings showing the way how the visual concept could be technically created.

c/ An defense of the thesis, which includes a theoretical reflection on the diploma project.

d/ A theory examination includes an examination of the subjects History of Scenography 1. - 4.

Other academic duties

Internal practice takes place in DISK theatre and FAMU studio. We have an agreement for external practice within the specialization of Theatre Scenography and we are preparing a contract with the National Theatre and with the Acting Studio (Činoherní studio) Ústí n. L., Divadlo na Zábradlí (Theatre on the Ballustrade, Prague), Divadlo Petra Bezruče (Ostrava). During the Summer semester of 2023, the agreements with other future partners will be in process. At the beginning of the MA course, future students will be informed about possible partnerships for external practice. The Department of Scenography will make all important arrangements for students‘ external practice. In the case of the specialization Production Design, these are individual arrangements when working on a specific film, usually with the student's supervising teacher. We are preparing an agreement with FAMU international, which has to be every academic year adjusted as per the number of students of this specialization and equally students of FAMU international program. The schedule will be always set as per individual arrangements between departments. When working on a specific film, students will be supervised by their head teacher.

Characterisation of professional practice

Internal practice takes place in DISK theatre and FAMU studio. We have an agreement for external practice within the specialization of Theatre Scenography and we are preparing a contract with the National Theatre and with the Acting Studio (Činoherní studio) Ústí n. L., Divadlo na Zábradlí (Theatre on the Ballustrade, Prague), Divadlo Petra Bezruče (Ostrava). During the Summer semester of 2023, the agreements with other future partners will be in process. At the beginning of the MA course, future students will be informed about possible partnerships for external practice. The Department of Scenography will make all important arrangements for students‘ external practice. In the case of the specialization Production Design, these are individual arrangements when working on a specific film, usually with the student's supervising teacher. We are preparing an agreement with FAMU international, which has to be every academic year adjusted as per the number of students of this specialization and equally students of FAMU international program. The schedule will be always set as per individual arrangements between departments. When working on a specific film, students will be supervised by their head teacher.

Anticipated job placement for graduates (typical employment)

Theatre Scenography

Scenic and costume designer for all types of theatres, including non-traditional spaces and site-specific, conceptual artist in the field of spatial design with a wide range of applications, set manager, author of exhibitions and museum installations, architect consultant in designing specifically demanding interior environments, in the reconstruction of theatre buildings, operational architect, stage manager.

Production Design

A graduate of this specialization can work on a cinematographic piece in a variety of positions in the art department of a film crew. The graduate can thus hold positions ranging from set designer to illustrator and set supervisor to the main production designer of the film. Graduates can also participate in video commercials, music videos, and in the computer game industry.