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Steve Cuden, M.F.A.

Associate Professor of Screenwriting

Steve CudenContact Information

Education

  • M.F.A., Screenwriting, University of California Los Angeles
  • Certificate, Professional Program in Screenwriting, University of California Los Angeles
  • B.A., Theatre, University of Southern California Los Angeles

Courses Taught

  • Introduction to Screenwriting
  • Introduction to Screenwriting for Non-Majors
  • Narrative Structure
  • Intermediate Screenwriting
  • Production III
  • Acting and Directing for Writers
  • Story Analysis
  • Advanced Screenwriting
  • TV Animation Writing
  • Senior Thesis

Background

Steve Cuden, a proud native of Pittsburgh, is a writer-director-producer. Together with renowned composer, Frank Wildhorn, he co-conceived and contributed various lyrics to the Broadway and international musical sensation, Jekyll & Hyde, The Musical, which ran for four years on Broadway and has been performed on stages the world over. Along with Wildhorn, he also co-conceived and contributed various lyrics to the international hit musical, Rudolf, Affaire Mayerling.

He has written nearly ninety teleplays for many popular TV series such as: X-Men, The Batman, Iron Man, Xiaolin Showdown, Loonatics Unleashed, World of Quest, The Mask, Goof Troop, Bonkers, Quack Pack, Gargoyles, Beetlejuice, Savage Dragon, Pink Panther, RoboCop, Extreme Ghostbusters, Stargate Infinity, ExoSquad, Mummies Alive, and numerous others.

He directed and co-produced the cult-favorite horror-comedy feature, Lucky, winning the award for Best Director at the Nodance Film Festival. Lucky also won awards for Best Feature at the New York City Horror Film Festival, Shriekfest in Los Angeles, MicroCineFest in Baltimore, and the Weekend of Fear in Nuremberg, Germany.

He is proud to be currently teaching screenwriting to the many talented cinema arts students at Point Park University.

Curriculum Vitae

Professional Affiliations

  • Writers Guild of America
  • Writers Guild of Canada
  • Dramatists Guild
  • Animation Guild
  • The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers
  • The Denis Theatre Foundation, Advisory Board of Directors
  • Pittsburgh Irish and Classical Theatre, Board of Directors

Selected Artistic Works

  • StoryBeat: Storytellers on Storytelling, Podcast Producer/Host
  • Jekyll & Hyde, The Musical, Concept and Additional Lyrics
  • Lucky, Director, Producer
  • A Rat's Tale, Writer
  • The Sweetest Christmas, Writer (In Development)

Selected Publications

  • Beating Hollywood: Tips for Creating Unforgettable Screenplays
  • Beating Broadway: How to Create Stories for Musicals That Get Standing Ovations

Research Interests

  • The narrative structure of musicals for the stage and screen
  • The deconstruction of motion picture and television screenplays, specifically in terms of narrative structure and narrative beats

Selected Lectures

  • Lecturer, The 3 C's: Character, Conflict and Catharsis, Black Bottom Film Festival, 2017
  • Lecturer: Creating Stories for Musicals, Producer's Perspective Super Conference, 2017
  • Lecturer, Creating Memorable Scenes, Women in Film and Television International Summit, 2014
  • Lecturer, How to Succeed in Hollywood, Carnegie Mellon University, 2012-14
  • Lecturer, Screenwriting Fundamentals, Women in Film Screenwriting Symposium, 2012
  • Lecturer, Master Class on Plot and Character, Academy for New Musical Theatre, 2010

Selected Awards and Honors

  • Award of Excellence for Feature Film Screenplay, The Memory Tour, UCLA Screenwriters Showcase, 2009
  • Best Director, Lucky, Nodance Film Festival, 2002

Point Park Features

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