Throughout this academic year, The Rider will explore the programs of study at UTRGV. This is the sixth in a series. The Rider interviewed David Carren, Theater interim department chair, for information.
Major: Theater
School: College of Fine Arts
Department Chair: David Carren
Prerequisites: None
Total credit hours needed to graduate: 120
What is theater? “Well, we’re kind of unique, actually. Most theater, television, film programs at other universities work separately. They do not talk or work together. They don’t even like each other very much. There’s a divide between film and theater, and we have a unified program because all film is, is photograph theater. So, if you want to get into film, you have to know how to create a character and work with actors at the level you do in theater with rehearsal and character intention and theme and all the great stuff that theater does. If you want to have a career as an actor, or anywhere in theater, you most likely at some point have to work in TV or film because that’s where most of the employment is. So, we cover this pretty well from both ends. We are going to soon approach some things differently in a sense of concentrating the major on theater and film, but right now we are theater, television, film. We are the largest community theater in the Valley, and we produce seven or eight shows a year, which is a pretty busy schedule. Every six to eight weeks we produce a show. There are a variety of shows. It goes from Shakespeare to light comedies and some children’s theater to some studio theater where we do some experimental stuff. We do original plays, and students get to act in all of this stuff. We also produce films, mostly short films. We are also the only program in the country that gets to produce a feature every couple of years. The feature is, depending on the circumstances, is written, produced and/or directed by students depending on how we approach it.”
Which classes can students expect to take? “A lot of production classes such as location and field production. Editing, which is very important because whatever you want to produce in film or television, you need to have editing. Theater, we have acting, directing, lighting for stage and screen, scene design, costume design, it pretty much covers it all. You will have the basic things you need to work in theater or film.”
What skills will students learn by the time they graduate? “Editing, cinematography, sound, costume design, art direction, how to act beyond just making stuff up as you go along, improvisation, writing, not only in film, but also in theater. So, pretty much anything you can think of that involves film, television or theater, we offer it to our students.”
What are some possible careers? “The critical thinking you take from our department will apply to anything you want to do. Any form of media production, whether it’s music videos, PSAs, independent production, studio production, film production, any aspect, it’s all covered. Our students, because of today’s light equipment, can produce their own project and work in various entities either local or across the country and at the same time, pursue their national goals such as producing features or their own series. Some of our students, especially at the design end, are all working. We’ve been very successful in that. A fair number of our students have gone on to Los Angeles. One of our students won an Emmy for editing ‘Amazing Race.’”
Who are some possible employers? “Since we’re the largest community theater in the Valley, we’re at the top of the heap here for community theater. As far as narrative film and television production, you have to leave the Valley. The big production centers right now are in Atlanta, Ga.; Louisiana; and California. All of these states have incentives now, and they’re trying to compete to bring production to the states. When I worked in the business in the mid-2000s, it was largely centered in Los Angeles. Students don’t necessarily need to go to California for production jobs and, actually, that might not be a good idea because production is leaving California pretty quickly. So, they can go to another state. There isn’t a lot of production in Texas because its incentives aren’t strong enough, but maybe they’ll change it.”
What salary can a student expect to earn after graduation? “A gig on a crew in production can be pretty amazing. Not long ago, it was in the $50-, $60-, $70,000 range to be working on a crew. If you were on a television crew, you would make enormous money because they work nine to 10 months a year. Most employment is in television. Probably 70 to 80 percent of employment for production is in television. That includes writing, producing and directing. Television is booming now, so there is a lot of opportunity. If you want to get into the film business to just work in movies, that’s not very practical.”
Are there any student clubs? “Kappa Sigma Psi is a theater fraternity we have. If you want more information about that, please contact [theater Assistant Professor Brian Warren at brian.warren@utrgv.edu or 665-7474]. He can give you all you need to know about it.”
For more information: contact Carren at david.carren@utrgv.edu or call 665-2634.
—Compiled by Sarah Carvajal
