"This master’s degree in film will for sure teach all the aspects of filmmaking, but with the profound addition of the Transcendental Meditation technique, taught by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. This will give all those in the program the ability to dive within, to transcend and experience that unbounded ocean of pure consciousness, which is unbounded intelligence, creativity, happiness, love, energy, power and peace."
—David Lynch

Hollywood producer to work with MUM film students on TV series
by Maharishi University of Management, Fairfield, Iowa, USA, The Review
15 May 2015

Hollywood veteran Bill Borden, who has produced 35 movies, will work with students in the David Lynch MA in Film this coming year to produce a TV series, with each student writing and directing one or more episodes.

His movie credits include Mission: Impossible III, La Bamba, End of Days, Meet the Robinsons, and Get on the Bus, as well as creating and producing Disney's series of TV films titled High School Musical.

As executive producer, Mr. Borden will meet with the students via Skype and will come to campus several times for a few days each time. Depending on how the series takes shape, Mr. Borden and the students will develop an exhibition plan, with potential commercial options including a web series, cable TV, Amazon, Netflix, or network TV.

The students who work on the TV series will be enrolled in a new track in the Lynch MA that is launching this fall. The two-semester TV Series Track will accept 5–7 of the most qualified applicants, who will then spend the coming academic year creating episodes for the series.

In the Film Track, which will now be a three-semester track, the students will write and direct their own film projects, as in the past. The department will accept 20 students for this track, which will begin in spring semester.

The Lynch MA will then continue to have these two tracks, with the TV Series Track students enrolling for two semesters each fall and the Film Track students entering in the spring and enrolling for three semesters.

Faculty member Gurdy Leete said that the idea for the TV Series Track came from Mr. Borden himself.

"Bill spoke to the students last year," Mr. Leete said.
"He's an example of the many people in the film industry who have been practicing the Transcendental Meditation technique for years and who feel they have benefited from the creativity that results from the practice. The number of these people wanting to contribute to our film program is growing."

Students accepted into both tracks must already be skilled filmmakers, Mr. Leete said. "This is an advanced program. It's not for those wanting to learn the basics."

In both tracks the students begin by studying advanced narrative and advanced screenwriting. During those courses, the students in the TV Track begin working on a concept and a premise, pitch story ideas, and then start writing first drafts.

Each student will be the primary writer for a particular episode, though all of the students will collaborate on each episode.

In the spring semester the students will produce the episodes, with each directing one or more of the episodes. They will all play a variety of roles, in addition to bringing in crew members from outside. They'll then work on distribution.

© Copyright 2015 Maharishi University of Management