2 minute read
Writing for Law and Order: SVU and the opportunities in between
Micharne Cloughley shares how studying with Charles Sturt gave her the skills and confidence to pursue a career that's taken her to a popular television series in New York City.
Charles Sturt Bachelor of Arts (Television Production) alumna Micharne has forged a successful international career entertaining and inspiring others. She didn't realise that one day she would make stage and screen productions professionally, culminating in a writing role with hit television drama Law and Order: SVU. "From literally the first week of the course, we were in the TV studio on campus, rotating through the different roles, learning how to do different jobs. While I was studying, I think we spent at least half of our workload planning, filming or editing TV productions. That volume of practical time, making content, is unique." The practical nature of the course allowed Micharne to explore her creative voice, and she credits the teaching staff with giving her the ability to test her creative limits. Her first major production, a short film called Lost Weight, was one of the more abstract ideas she pitched, but it was the one she was encouraged to pursue. "With some years behind me now, I very much appreciate their support of my creative voice. I was inspired by all my teachers at Charles Sturt." Micharne's career highlights include writing a play with music entitled The Way They Live with theatre company The Civilians, which was performed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Civilians was the first theatre company to be in residence in the museum. The project also allowed Micharne the opportunity to work with the late Michael Friedman.
In 2016, she was the Creative Arts Fellow at the National Library of Australia where she developed a play, A Dream Panel of Real Women, using the oral histories of Hazel de Berg. In moving from theatre to television, her first writing job was on the hit television show Law and Order: SVU.
When Micharne is not in the writing process of an episode, she is on set at iconic locations in New York, such as Times Square or Central Park. "Law and Order: SVU has an incredible legacy of bringing light to the stories of survivors of sexual assault. To be a part of that legacy is a privilege. Theatre was my first love but the creative possibilities of TV, in my opinion, are currently unmatched by any other medium. The volume of your audience, your potential influence on the culture of the moment and the speed at which what you write is then broadcast is unparalleled." Micharne advises students to be clear on their career goals but be open to other opportunities that present themselves along the way. "Don't forget that working hard is as much about focus and energy as it is about the number of hours you spend on a project. "You career is built with each day of work you do, so do your best every single day. "Choose to be excellent."
