Three new faculty members have joined the new MFA in Screenwriting program.
Richard Wenk, David Simkins, and David Golden, writers and producers for television and film, will join the program when classes begin in January 2015.
Fritz Kiersch, chairman of the Moving Image Arts Department, said the mentors are highly respected in the industry and will bring a diverse range of professional experiences to the program in a press release.
“These mentors have worked in a large variety of agencies, from small independent studios to large production companies, and from television to major motion pictures,” Kiersch said.
Richard Wenk is best known for his work on “The Expendables 2,” which featured Sylvester Stallone, “16 Blocks” with Bruce Willis and Mos Def, and “The Mechanic” with Donald Sutherland. He is also the screenwriter of “The Equalizer” with Denzel Washington. He is very well known in the action film industry, where he has directed over six films and produced three.
Simkins attended the University of Iowa, where he studied film and theater, before moving to Los Angeles and beginning to work for New World Pictures. He sold his first major motion picture screenplay, “Adventures in Babysitting,” to Disney. He then switched to television, where he has sold pilots to CBS and Fox. Simkins has written and produced for “Dark Angel,” “Roswell,” and “Charmed.” His latest projects include “Warehouse 13” for SyFy and a season of “Human Target.”
David Golden’s credits include “Mrs. Miracle,” “Absence of the Good,” and the war action film “Tactical Assault.” He has worked primarily on independent films, of which he has written 12, produced six and directed three.
Golden’s writing credits include the winter holiday drama “Mrs. Miracle” starring James Van Der Beek and Doris Roberts, the thriller “Absence of the Good” starring Stephen Baldwin, and the war action film “Tactical Assualt” starring Rutger Hauer and Robert Patrick.
The new MFA program is low-residency, and will focus on theory and application of screen narrative writing. It will include five residencies, four of which will occur on the OCU campus, and one in Los Angeles, over the course of the four semesters.
The program is designed for those who need a flexible class schedule, Kiersch said.
“Students will be able to continue working while completing the program, with just two required intensive residency sessions per year,” Kiersch said. “We want to ensure that our students receive a high-caliber education preparing them for a successful career, so we have included some innovative ideas in the curriculum. This is the only program of its kind in the state, and one of a very few in the country.”
For more information about the Screenwriting MFA program, contact graduate admissions Director Michael Harrington at 405- 208-5094 or maharrington@okcu.edu or visit okcu.edu/screenwriting-mfa.
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