COURSES BY SESSION OFFERED IN SEMESTER
IN LA
Each session has courses related to it and are listed by session.Students
enrolled for a particular session are required to register for all
classes associated with the session.
Producing
Writing the Situational Comedy
Writing the One-hour Dramatic Pilot
Screenwriting
Directing
Adaptation
Entertainment Public Relations & Marketing
Costume Design and Management for TV, Film and Entertainment
Scoring for Film
Production Design for Film & Television
Music Production and Supervision
PRODUCING
-
24-4630 Producing: Advanced Topics: Concept, Pitch, Sales – (3
credit hours) This class examines how films are sold to major
studios, producers and distributors. Films, of course, start
as ideas. In this class, the student learns how to shape the
idea for delivery in a pitch session; how to find the appropriate
executives to pitch to and how to negotiate a deal. This class
will emphasize not only the theory of the pitch but its practice
as well.
-
24-4631 Producing: Advanced Topics:
Studio Producing
– (3 credit hours) Students learn the function and culture
of the studio system as it is currently structured and practiced.
Topics include development, reading for coverage, complex financing,
and distribution. Class also explores the various roles of executives
in the film and television industries and their relationships with
agents, legal entities and intellectual property.
-
24-4632 The Line Producer – (3 credit
hours) Students examine elements of preproduction, production
and post production in the film and television industries from
the perspective of the role of the line-producer. Topics include
scheduling, budgeting and line-producing in the context of large
budgets and complex projects. Below-the-Line jobs and relationships
with crew and guilds are covered.
-
24-4633 Research & Analysis of the Film & Television
Industries
– (3 credit hours) Students learn to perform sophisticated
research and analysis of selected production & distribution
companies in the film & television industries. Use of specific
industry databases and trade journals is covered as well as the
use of primary and secondary source research. Students will learn
how to use research to prepare analysis and professional reports.
This course is partially conducted online and begins prior to students
arriving in LA.
WRITING THE SITUATIONAL COMEDY
-
40-3820 Writer’s Roundtable in LA – (3
credit hours) This course builds and emphasizes the students'
skills for the development of an oppropriate storyline for the
one-hour format. Students will explore a variety of television
genres, and ultimately write a finished television script utilizing
the current computer software programs for professional screenwriting.
Prerequisite: 40-2202 Writing For Television, 40-2201 The Television
Producer
-
40-3821 Pitching Series Concepts in LA – (3
credit hours) Students participating in the L.A. program
will have the opportunity to learn and practice the fine art
of "the pitch," first in the classroom environment,
and finally to prominent television writers, agents, and producers.
Prerequisite: 40-2202 Writing For Television, 40-2201 The Television
Producer
-
40-3824 Analyzing Sitcom Structure in LA – (3
credit hours) Students will analyze a variety of situation
comedies currently in production. A variety of speakers from
the industry will illuminate the shows, describing how they were
developed, written, and produced.
Prerequisite: 40-2201 The Television Producer, 40-2202 Writing
For Television
-
40-3825 Conceiving and Writing the Situation Comedy Show
Bible in LA – (3 credit hours)
Students will develop and write a rudimentary show bible for a
situation comedy. Focus will be paid to the process of positioning
a show for current market situation.
Prerequisite: 40-2201 Television Producer and 40-2202 Writing for
Television and upon acceptance in the LA semester program
WRITING THE ONE-HOUR DRAMATIC PILOT
-
40-3821-01 Pitcing Series Concept in LA Students
participating in the L.A. program will have the opportunity to
learn and practice the fine art of "the pitch," first
in the classroom environment, and finally to prominent television
writers, agents, and producers.
Prerequisites: Permission of the department. Writing for Television
(40-2202);The Television Producer (40-2201).
-
24-3823-01 Analyzing Dramatic Structure in LA Students
will analyze a variety of one-hour episodic dramas currently in
production. A variety of speakers from the industry will illuminate
the shows, describing how they were developed, written, and produced.
Prerequisite: 24-2710 Screenwriting II (B or better), permission
of Screenwriting Curriculum Coordinator, and completed application
SCREENWRITING
-
24-3711-01 Screenwriting III: Senior Thesis in LA Course
emphasizes the definition of a suitable story, the exploration
of genre, and the writing of a feature film script utilizing story
development and writing tools such as computer software programs.
-
24-3731-01 Topics in Screenwriting: Hollywood Business
in LA Students participating in the Los Angeles program
will take part in a lecture series analyzing the business of
screenwriting in Hollywood. Some of the lectures will be prominent
screenwriters, agents, and producers.
-
24-2791-01 Independent Project: Screenwriting Semester
in LA
Independent project allows the "Semester in LA" Program
student, in individual consultation with a prearranged faculty
advisor and guest speakers, to learn and practice methods of Pitching
and marketing film ideas, primarily using the student's script
from Screenwriting III (24-3711, taken concurrently).
Prerequisite: 24-2710 Screenwriting II (B or better), permission
of Screenwriting Curriculum Coordinator, and completed application
DIRECTING
-
24-4301 Directing within the Studio System This
Los Angeles-based course, explores the role of the director within
the studio system. The course examines relationships with producers,
writers and studio executives. Students learn the importance of
budgets and schedules and their effect on the creative process.
Leadership skills and team building are addressed. Students will
explore the role of an agent and employment possibilities. Prerequisites: Directing
II and Acceptance into the program
-
24-4302 The Professional Director This Los Angeles-based
looks at the director at work. A variety of professional film and
television directors will rotate through the course showing how
directors analyze and breakdown text, prepare for shooting, rehearse
actors and block action for camera. Students will critique and
analyze dailies with professional directors.
Prerequisites: Directing II and Acceptance into the program
-
24-7003 Casting, Blocking and Directing
Actors This Los Angeles-based course teaches students
how to cast for film and television, rehearse these actors and
block action for the camera and shoot the scene. Appropriate
coverage for editing is explored. This course takes place in
a sound stage on a studio lot using professional crews and actors.
Prerequisites: Directing II and Acceptance into the program
ADAPTATION - SCREENWRITING
-
24-2716-01 Adaptation II in LA Students
develop a previously completed work of prose (non-scripted material
such as a short story, novel, etc.) into an expanded Step Outline
and then a Visual Treatment. The Outlining process will involve
breaking down the prose, streamlining it into visuals and essential
dialogue and registering the Step Outline with the WGA. Based on
feedback from a Story Editor, the students will revise their Outline
and write a Visual Treatment to be pitched to Development Executives
at the end of the program. Before attending the program, students
must demonstrate that they have the rights to the prose material,
either because they are the originators of the prose or because
they have documented permission to adapt another person's material. Prerequisites: Permission
of the department (ideally, Script Analysis, SWII and Adaptation
as a minimum)
-
24-2718-01 Acquiring Intellectual Properties for Adaptation
in LA This course is designed to help students better
understand the process of optioning copyrighted work by other
writers. During the first week, students will research and choose
three (3) works of prose by other writers for optioning. Taking
their first choice, students will attempt to locate the rights
through publishers, lawyers, agents, etc. There will be weekly
individual meetings to check on student progress. If a student's
first choice falls through (due to already being optioned or
too many legalities), student will try to option their second
choice (and so on). Prerequisites: Permission
of the department (ideally, Screen Treatment & Presentation)
-
24-2732-01 Screenwriting Workshops: Coverage of Adapted
Screenplays in LA Students will read and analyze a variety
of source stories, scripts based on those source stories and
films made from those scripts as a way to learn adapting techniques.
Students will learn and prepare Prose Coverage and Script Coverage
as a method of analyzing adaptation approaches and as practice
for entry-level positions in screenwriting or preparing for jobs
in Hollywood development offices.
-
24-3732-01 Topics in Screenwriting: Techniques and Business
of Adaptation in LA Students participating in the Los
Angeles program will take part in a lecture series of prominent
screenwriters and producers who have adapted material as well
as lawyers, agents and producers who will discuss the legal and
business side of optioning and adapting pre-existing material.
Students must be accepted into the Adaptation
"Semester in LA" Program.
ENTERTAINMENT PUBLIC RELATIONS AND
MARKETING
-
54-3710 Survey Entertainment Business (4
credit hours)
This course meets in Los Angeles. It introduces students to the
trade communication vehicles central to the marketing and public
relations activities associated with the film and entertainment
industries. Course provides an introduction to trade media as a
form of research. Course discusses select themes reflecting areas
of student interest for workshop projects. Student may elect to
focus on individual film productions or trends in entertainment
publicity.
-
54-3711 Entertainment Marketing Communication (4
credit hours)
This course meets in Los Angeles. It covers all forms of entertainment
marketing and publicity, including how to prepare a marketing and
publicity campaign for industry events and products. Course offers
an overview of employment opportunities in entertainment marketing
communication and provides regular interaction with industry leaders
through guest lectures and field trips.
- 54-3712 Entertainment Marketing Communication Workshop (4
credit hours)
This course meets in Los Angeles. It challenges students to conduct
appropriate research, planning, development and creation of a marketing/publicity
campaign for a select "product" in the film/entertainment
field.
COSTUME DESIGN & MANAGEMENT
FOR TV, FILM, & ENTERTAINMENT
- 28-3964 Costume for TV/Film/Entertainment This
course provides a comprehensive study of the components of costume
design and costume supervision for TV, film, and entertainment. This
course involves learning how to manage a project for designing and
supervising costume needs for TV, film, video, commercials, and live
entertainment.
Scoring for Film
- 32-3241 Composing for Film introduces students
to the aesthetics and technology of basic film and video scoring.
Topics covered include timings, playing the drama, underscoring,
orchestration, and enhancing the story through music. Assignments
include the scoring of short clips and of a complete sequence as
final assignment.
- 32-3920 Record Production Lab
- 32-3998 Independent Project
- 32-3988 Internship: Music
- See Music
Department for more information
PRODUCTION DESIGN FOR FILM & TELEVISION
- 24-3625 Production Design: Concept & Design for Film & Television
Production Students examine production design approaches
and methods from existing and historical films and television shows
and apply the conceptual framework to new projects
- 24-3626 Script Analysis for Production Designers Students
learn how to “cover” a script as a production designer.
Topics include preparing an analysis for communicating with the production’s
producer, director and cinematographer; how to anticipate problems
and provide alternative solutions
- 24-3627 Production Design Planning: Scheduling & Budgeting Students
learn how to breakdown, schedule and budget a script for production.
Topics include the logistics of various productions; materials estimating
and purchasing; dealing with vendors including set and prop houses;
working with production managers and coordinators; how to alter a
budget and/or schedule in mid-production.
- 24-3628 The Art Director and the Art Department Team Students
learn the various roles of the Art Department team with particular
emphasis on the Art Director. This course will examine how the Art
Department fits into the larger organization of a production and
what determines budget and time parameters.
MUSIC PRODUCTION AND SUPERVISION
- This is an on-site music production/management course. Students
will be exposed to the basic concepts of managing the application
of recorded music in the Entertainment Industry. To facilitate the
understanding of these concepts, students will be provided information
through instructors who are current industry professional working
on commercial productions in the Entertainment Industry in Los Angeles
California. Class will include music production instructors working
in the field of: music supervision; production in film and TV, music
production for commercial CD releases and music production for games.
- 28-4426 - Music Supervisor (3 credits
- 28-4475 - Producing recorded Music V (4 credits)
- 28-3198 - Independent Project (5 credits)
Semester
in Los Angeles info page |
