# Chapman MFA Screenwriter Procrastinating on Turning in their Feature AMA



## church31 (May 20, 2020)

This is my last day, of my first year in the program. Ask me anything you want, even if it's not school related. I promise not to use the word unprecedented.


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## jwel98 (May 20, 2020)

Hey thanks for doing this! I got accepted into the program for the fall and have seriously been considering what I should do, since classes will most likely be online, or at least very different than usual. I know you’ve only been online for a few months but how is it? Do you think it’s still worth it?


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## church31 (May 20, 2020)

jwel98 said:


> Hey thanks for doing this! I got accepted into the program for the fall and have seriously been considering what I should do, since classes will most likely be online, or at least very different than usual. I know you’ve only been online for a few months but how is it? Do you think it’s still worth it?



This is tough. There is talk of us being back on campus for the fall, but I imagine any form of it will be a bastardized version of what it was before. It has to be. Someone asked me the other day how I felt about my decision and I told them that was an easy answer until two months ago. 

I won't pretend like online classes are a thrill. They are not. The conversation is more stilted and the energy of the room isn't there. It's really tough to gauge how your work is being received because you can't get a feel for the room. Was that actually funny? Did that scare people or fall flat? 

BUT, at least by next year it should (hopefully) be closer to what you (and I) expect. I think a potential semester of online classes is just on the edge of being acceptable in a two year program. Any longer and I would have to think hard. 

I don't know what program you're in, but I will say, screenwriters have it the "easiest" in that our day-to-day was the least affected. If you're cinematography, editing, or directing, that decision gets even more difficult. I've talked to people in all those programs and there's really not a consensus outside of, "This sucks." Everyone is dealing with it in different ways and it's an even harder situation for the international students. 

I certainly don't want to discourage you from the program. I've lucked into a bunch of great professors and have learned how difficult it is to write truly great material. I feel like I'm a far better writer than I ever would have been without the program. That's definitely worth a lot to me. And while this is hard right now, I've met so many people that even if we're online forever, I at least have a bunch of talented and great new friends in my life. 

I don't know the details of your personal life, and even if I did, that decision comes down to you. I can only say, that right now, while I'm full of regret for eating too many chicken wings for lunch, I don't regret going to Chapman.


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## jwel98 (May 20, 2020)

church31 said:


> This is tough. There is talk of us being back on campus for the fall, but I imagine any form of it will be a bastardized version of what it was before. It has to be. Someone asked me the other day how I felt about my decision and I told them that was an easy answer until two months ago.
> 
> I won't pretend like online classes are a thrill. They are not. The conversation is more stilted and the energy of the room isn't there. It's really tough to gauge how your work is being received because you can't get a feel for the room. Was that actually funny? Did that scare people or fall flat?
> 
> ...


Thanks for the answer! I got accepted into the Screenwriting program so I will be in the same position as you. I would love to wait a year and get the full experience but I have no idea how that would work. I’m sure they are probably getting tons of deferral requests and aren’t thrilled about it. From what you said though, being online for a semester doesn’t seem like the worst thing in the world.


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