The School of Drama Video & Media Design Option is a conceptually rigorous, hands-on and innovative program, which teaches advanced technical skills in a critical context.
The School of Drama Video & Media Design Option is an intensive three-year course of study providing a solid theoretical grounding in the history and contemporary issues surrounding media technologies and extensive practical experience through class-work and productions.
Graduates have a wide range of skills and the proven ability to work across many performance and entertainment disciplines, including theater, film, television, dance, opera and events.
The curriculum is designed to allow time for students to take advantage of the wide variety of resources at Carnegie Mellon University for in-depth study. From animation to robotics, 3D image capture to creative coding, students work with Faculty advisers to create their ideal schedule of courses.
The core classes Decoding Media and Staging Media challenge students to conceive of fresh media-based theatrical experiences and the skills to realize them at a variety of scales. Future Stages (the flagship collaborative class), is where students from the Design and Directing programs work with Senior Actors to devise new works exploring the rich potential of technologically savvy performance.
Video & Media Design students are encouraged to take advantage of the diverse range of expertise in the Carnegie Mellon University community to create a course of study and production experiences that suit their interests and goals.
Through professional internships with local and national theater and media production companies, students gain valuable experience in real world situations.
School of Drama alumni and visiting artists share their expertise with students through project work, visiting lectures, workshops and professional development seminars. As students ready themselves for graduation, alumni introduce them to the profession during Showcases in New York City and Los Angeles.
All School of Drama students have to opportunities to participate in the following:
DANCE/LIGHT
Dance/Light is a performance opportunity for students across all disciplines to collaborate in the creation of original dance and movement pieces.
PLAYGROUND
A Festival of Independent Student Work: Playground is the annual School of Drama three-day performance festival showcasing independent, student-produced work across multiple disciplines.
VISITING ARTISTS PROGRAM
The Visiting Artists Program brings distinguished national and international guests on to campus to work with students across all disciplines.
SHOWCASE
The School of Drama Showcase presentations in Pittsburgh, New York, and Los Angeles are designed to give all graduating students from all disciplines the opportunity to meet with and present work to leading arts and entertainment professionals.
Undergraduate Video & Media Design Curriculum
Video & Media Design is a rapidly growing and exciting area at the intersection of science, art, culture, technology and society.
Graduates from the program will be leaders in the growing number of fields that need their expertise, from media art, entertainment and advertising to media-based start-ups and media-industry research. The range of experiences and skills acquired at Carnegie Mellon University, as well as its well-established Alumni network, ensure graduates will be placed at the forefront of this exciting field.