Famous Writer Adds to Allure of MA in Screenwriting

Jul 04 2008 Posted: 00:00 IST
Writer Allegra Huston, daughter of legendary filmmaker John Huston, has confirmed that she will teach at NUI Galway in November as part of the Huston School of Film & Digital Media Writers in Residence Programme. Allegra Huston will work specifically with the School's MA in Screenwriting students, who will get a taste of the famous 'Writing Salon' she runs in New Mexico. The MA in Screenwriting was the inaugural programme of the Huston School of Film & Digital Media at NUI Galway. The one-year, full-time programme offers training in screenplay writing, integrated with courses in film history and analysis, supported by regular film screenings and workshops. Allegra Huston will take students of the MA in Screenwriting off-campus to the home of Tim and Máiréad Robinson in Roundstone, Co. Galway, for an intensive three-day creative workshop. According to James Finlan, coordinator of the MA in Screenwriting, "Screenwriting has been in the headlines recently with the Writers Guild of America strike showing the vital role of the writer in bringing entertainment to our screens. In Ireland, the Huston school has established itself as the foremost centre for screenwriting education. We have a very high calibre of students, including mature students, joining our MA course to progress their writing to the next stage. The Writers in Residence Programme adds an extra element to the course, allowing our students to learn from writers such as Allegra Huston, and more recently, Hollywood scriptwriter Evan Goldberg (Superbad and Knocked Up),." One of those students currently undertaking the MA in Screenwriting is Grace Jolliffe, who returned to college as a mature student. According to Grace, a published novelist and short-film director, "My first love has always been writing screenplays. Knowing that there is always something more to learn, I enrolled in the Huston School of Film & Digital Media in Galway. It has been a wonderful opportunity to improve my writing skills and be among fellow writers." Allegra's father John Huston had a long relationship with the Galway area, his other daughter Angelica, went to school in Loughrea. Five years ago, the Huston family came together to support the creation of the Huston School of Film & Digital Media and continue to be its patrons. As part of this support, there are generous scholarships every year on offer to NUI Galway graduates from the film school at UCLA. The MA in Screenwriting is particularly suited to incoming students with previous work experience in writing, film or related media fields. Applications for entry in September are now being taken, for further information visit www.filmschool.ie or email: info@filmschool.ie.
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