IMFTV 1295 LA2 PRODUCING FOR FILM AND TV Los Angeles, Spring 2021
Instructor Information Dr. Anita M. Cal, Lecturer 145 S. Fairfax STE. 405 Los Angeles, CA 90036 [email protected]
Phone: 323.424.7375. Office hrs: Instructor is available one hour (1) before class by request and via appointment Class Meets: Wednesdays, 7:15 p.m.- 9:45 p.m. Pacific Time ZOOM link: https://nyu.zoom.us/j/99731612609
Credits: 3
Required Texts: None
Course Description:
This class is primarily a creative producing class—and it will focus on the Los Angeles entertainment industry. Throughout the course, we will examine various aspects of creative feature film, TV, and streaming development, as well as provide an brief overview of film/TV production.
This class will provide students a roadmap of how the Los Angeles film and television industry works from where to start your career to pitching projects to development executives. It will also help students decide what kinds of original projects to develop or projects to acquire, how to assemble the necessary elements, such as director, writer, cast, etc., and to construct a realistic overall producing plan. Today’s producer must be an entrepreneur, a brand, navigating and setting his/her own course in a dynamically changing world, as well as someone who can find, create and produce content.
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Course Specifics
The course is designed to describe and explain the roles, function and skills required to develop and produce a feature film or television project, from initial conception through production and into marketing and distribution. The emphasis will be on the realities of creative producing in our current market, economy and cultural landscape; what elements makes a project marketable and successful in an ever-changing world.
The course will explore the qualities and skills a producer must know to be successful, including the creative development of ideas into scripts, a command of market trends as they relate to dynamically changing production and distribution modalities.
The course will cover the important process of developing your personal pitch, your film/TV series pitch, an overview of production, from the initial concept of the story through script development, funding avenues, post-production, and marketing/distribution. We will cover an overview of script scheduling, timetable development through pre-production calendars, team building, talent selection, technology, and other relevant core competencies that creative producing requires.
Course Learning Objectives:
• To build a body of knowledge and information through lectures, case studies, discussions with visiting professionals, readings, and video clips– about the opportunities and challenges facing the contemporary producer in film and television. The rapidly changing nature of the industry has effectively brought about a convergence of the two, in which a decision of how to best explore a project —as a film, limited series or open-ended series—is more often a function of how best to tell a story.
• To learn the basic concepts, terms, skills, and principles which apply to the expansive role of producer in the entertainment and media industries.
• To analyze the different job functions of the producer, required to effectively and efficiently complete all phases of production, from development through marketing and distribution.
• To understand the various disciplines in which the producer must effectively function as a key member – and in most cases, the leader – of the both the creative and business team assembled to complete a project.
The syllabus is subject to change, at the instructor’s discretion.
Instructional Methods: This course leads students through the three stages of filmmaking: pre-production, production, and post-production. The main objective is to show how to take a script idea
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from concept to completion. case studies industry standard examples are shown and discussed with emphasis on how to apply these examples to individual student projects.
Course requirements: • Active participation in class discussions and exercises. • Participation in the final PowerPoint or Google Slides presentation of your Film or TV series pitch • Completion of all written assignments.
Class Preparation:
Topics for each class are identified in the syllabus. Although there are no required readings, there are required movies that must be watched in advance. It is critical that you watch all assigned movies and complete any homework assignments in advance of the next week’s class, since that session will build on the homework and viewings. Some of these movies will directly relate to our guests and must be viewed in advance of our class session. All homework is due before the start of the following class. Please review your schedule before the following week. You are welcome to watch any of the movies in advance of the syllabus schedule.
Please review the required movies for the below:
Required Movies: The Godfather Wizard of Oz Rocky Silence of the Lambs Jaws Kramer Vs. Kramer LBJ Nobody Walks in L.A. Middle of Nowhere
Recommended Movies: Inside Out (Pixar) Moonlight Lady Bird The Graduate Goodwill Hunting Ordinary People Tootsie Casablanca
Guest Speakers:
A specific and strategic advantage of taking this course in Los Angeles is the access we have to people in the entertainment industry, and we will have guest speakers from all
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parts of the professional world. Industry guests bring the real world into our classroom, to share their experience and insight into the business. There is also an understanding that the guests are speaking in a “cone of silence” and their frank and open discussion is not intended for use or publication elsewhere.
When a guest speaker is announced, students will be expected to research their work and be prepared to ask questions. Guest speakers are an important component of the semester. You will be given the name of the guest at least two days before class. Be prepared; familiarize yourself with the speakers and their topics. Come to class with two questions based on the topic or guest. The more you know going in, the more you will get out of the session.
Recommended Reading: This will be a semester of consumption. Some class sessions will involve reading and discussing sections from the following reading list below. You will not be asked to purchase these books. You will not be asked to read these books outside of class.
I will periodically integrate examples from the books in lecture. Sometimes we will read excerpts together in class and have brief discussions on what you’ve learned from the excerpts.
The Mailroom—David Rensin Dealmaking in the Film and Television Industry – Mark Litwak Hello, He Lied – Lynda Obst Producer To Producer – Maureen Ryan Shooting To Kill – Christine Vachon A Pound of Flesh – Art Linson Musts, Maybes, And Nevers – David V. Picker Memo From David O. Selznick – David O. Selznick, ed. by Rudy Behlmer So You Want To Be A Producer – Lawrence Turman When I Stop Talking, You'll Know I'm Dead – Jerry Weintraub & Rich Cohen What a Producer Does—Buck Houghton
The recommended books are the classics and although they are older, many of the basic principles and skills for working in and navigating the industry can be applied today. It is a good way to absorb considerable and important information.
Course Outline:
Date Topic Assignment Class 1 Class 1: Introductions /Course overview Assignment 1 Please write a 01/27/2021 • Introduction of Instuctor’s background. thoughtful 1-1.5 page, single- spaced paper on the following • 30 second student introductions questions: Based on the • Syllabus Review viewings, do you think inclusion Overview of Producing and diversity in front and behind-
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• Understanding the nature of the rapidly changing the-camera are important for landscape in feature films and television. Producers to consider? Explain • What is the job description of a TV Executive why or why not, as well as your thoughts on ways to move the Producer, Film Executive Producer, Producer vs needle on this issue. In light of Line Producer the inclusion argument, do you H.W. Read: “Inclusion and Representation Stagnant since think the LA Times behind the 2007” by Sonaiya Kelley, Los Angeles Times (2018) scenes mini documentary makes https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-usc- salient arguments for women? inclusion-study-hollywood-20180731-story.html Conversely, do you think it’s problematic or not that the piece Watch: Project Greenlight “Matt Damon Explains Diversity” presents argument through a https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njFBkJSpUrY white female only lens? What do you think about Matt Damon’s Watch: “Female filmmakers talk about low representation views on representation in of women behind the scenes” (LA Times, February 22, Project Greenlight? (10 pts) 2019) https://www.latimes.com/112937337-132.html Due Class 2: 02/03/21
Watch: “Silence of the Lambs”
(1991) Dir: Jonathan Demme
Class 2 Finding creative material: 02/03/2021 books, articles, events and, yes, original ideas; Assignment 2: Come up with determining if there is actually a market for a project two original ideas you are interested in developing for this • What is an IP? course. (5 pts) -Read: World Intellectual Property Organization https://www.wipo.int/pressroom/en/stories/ip_a Due Class 3: 02/10/2021 nd_film.html Watch: “Jaws” Dir: Steven
• What is Copyright Law? Spielberg (1975) • Can I take someone else’s life story and Write: What are your two fictionalize it? favorite scenes and why? Be -What is the difference between inspired by and specific (No more than 2 plagiarism or stealing IP? paragraphs) -You must get permission • Can I take an existing podcast or youtube skit and create a TV series or Movie out of it? In Class Read: “What’s in the Public Domain?” by Mark Litwak (15 minutes) • Breakout Rooms (WTK, NTK) (10 min)
Class 3 The General Meeting and Pitch Meeting Assignment 3: Write a one 02/10/2021 • The introduction paragraph story about yourself.
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• So, tell me about yourself. The importance of Include what kinds of stories you crafting your 30 second or less introduction like (i.e. I’m drawn to character- driven horror stories that • Some tools for crafting your story explore existential ideas). Keep • Make yourself memorable your paragraph to five sentences In-Class Breakout Rooms or less. (5 pts) • Practice Your Pitch with a partner Due Class 4. 2/17/2021
Watch: “The Godfather” Dir: Francis Ford Coppola
Email: Explain four themes in the movie. Give examples.
Class 4 Developing Your Film/TV Series: Assignment 4: 02/17/2021 - What is a logline? Write a one-three sentence - Crafting the logline from your ideas logline for a potential film or - Is it exciting? Is it marketable? TV series you’d like to - How to Write a Better Logline develop for your final pitch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtNg Power Point presentation. (5 9a19Luo pts) Due Class 5: 2/24/20
What’s it like in the Writer’s Room? -Who’s who on staff? -Where do we start? Required: Watch Kramer v. -How can I become a professional TV writer? Kramer. Email your thoughts: What do the main characters Guest: Tawny Battacharya, Co-Executive Producer want? What do they think (Ginny & Georgia, Netflix; A Million Little Things, CBS) they want? (A half a page or less.) Class 5 Developing the Script: Assignment 5: Write a 02/24/2021 • What is a synopsis? rough draft of your synopsis -Writing a synopsis before the script? for a potential film or TV -Anatomy of a good synopsis series you’d like to develop • Research stories similar to your idea for your final pitch Power • Describe your protagonists and his/her Point presentation. (Your objectives idea may change later and • Describe who/what is preventing protagonists that’s perfectly okay. This from obtaining goal objective exercise will help you hone • Story Structure your logline and synopsis • Outline your script writing skills.) (10 pts) *Synopsis Samples Due Class 6: 3/03/21 Guest: Billy Ray (The Comey Rule, Hunger Games)
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Class 6 The Pitch Assignment 6: Email your 03/03/2021 • Anatomy of a Good Pitch film/TV series logline for your -Remember your logline, it’s a roadmap Final Presentations. -Additional tools to hit your film/TV series pitch out of the park. Due Class 7: 03/17/20 • Pitch your project in 30-40 seconds. (5 pts) -How can you grab the listener’s attention? -The importance of confidence and enthusiasm • Work with a partner: critique and refine.
Class 7 Where does the money come from? H.W. Watch “LBJ” Director: 03/10/21 • While studios still exist, even they are rarely Rob Reiner. Producer: Michael fully fund a project, and the nature of co- R. Williams financing and co-production has redefined both features and television Create a FREE Thinkcrew Independent and the rise of Low budget Cable TV Movie Scheduling account: series and Movies www.thinkcrew.com • The growing need for content has created a new opportunity for Writers, Producers, and Directors in the low budget streaming and Cable TV series and movies arena (Lifetime, BET, Sci- Fi Network, etc.) • How to put the team together -Producer, Director, Writer, Crew • Overview of a Producing & Directing Strategy • Creating the Creative Vision
Guest: Director Tamika Miller (Showtime, BET) Class 8 Producing Plan: Producing/Line Producing No homework. 3/17/21 The Producing Team Creating a Prepoduction Calendar Building a below-the-line staff; Breaking Down Script (Movie Magic/Think Crew) Scheduling
Guest: Producer Michael R. Williams (LBJ) Creator and founder of ThinkCrew Scheduling
Class 9 Selling a Film or TV series Work on your Final Visual 03/24/2021 • Introduce Yourself with a Story Treatment Pitch. Create a • What is a Visual Treatment? dynamic Visual Treatment with poster page, logline, synopsis,
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Poster Page location photos, your why now, Logline character photos with an Synopsis interesting&detailed descriptions, Acts 1-5. Read Why now and follow the Visual Genre Treatment Pitch directions. Additional key elements Acts One-Five
Visual Treatment Assignment handout and samples
Class 10 Post production: Work on your Final Visual 03/31/2021 • Hiring and working with Editors, Treatment Presentation. Composers, Sound Editors, Sound Mixers • Saving a project, making it great • Editing for film and television • Music and SFX
Guest: Music Composer, The Angel (CBS, Universal Pictures)
Class 11 Film festivals and sales marketplaces: Work on your Visual 04/07/2021 • The major and minor festivals in film and Treatment Presentations television • Which festivals really matter? • Where do deals really get made?
Class 12 Using New Media platforms. Work on your Visual 04/14/2021 • How to break out of the clutter with Web Treatment Presentations Series, Apps, and emerging social media platforms. • How do projects get noticed?
In Class Breakouts: Most powerful, relevant social media apps and platforms for brand building, marketing, promoting, and monetizing content • How do you generate consistent daily content? • How can Producers monetize content across platforms?
Guest: TBD
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Class 13 Starting out: Work on Final Pitch 04/21/2021 • Going into the system: -Studios, Production Companies, Streaming Services, Television -Production Assistants -Fellowship Programs • What jobs lead to what? • How to stay on track and how might your own career evolve?
Class 14 Micro-budget films, podcasts, and webseries: 04/28/2021 • Can a webseries turn into a TV deal? Watch: “Middle of Nowhere” • Can a $250K-300K film win audience awards Dir: Ava DuVernay (2012) and find distribution? • The lessons of NOBODY WALKS IN LA and Watch: “Nobody Walks in MIDDLE OF NOWHERE L.A.” Dir: Jesse Shapiro (2016) Guest: TBD
Class 15 Producer PowerPoint Presentations 05/05/2021 • TBD – Students will present according to sign-up sheet order
Finals Week Producer PowerPoint Presentations 05/12/2021 • TBD – If necessary
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES: Synchronous learning. Lectures, written assignments, in-class group exercises (breakout rooms).
REQUIRED TECHNOLOGY: Students must have a computer with Wi-Fi and a working camera.
STUDENT ATTIRE: Dress in the same manner you would dress on campus for in-person meetings. Students should be professional, attend class sitting upright, and prepared to learn.
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GRADING:
Class participation will constitute 30 percent of your final grade. Homework assignments will constitute 40 percent of the final grade. Your final PowerPoint Pitch presentation for your TV series or feature film will constitute 30 percent of your final grade.
Late assignments will result in one (1) point deductions for each day past the deadline.
Two (2) unexcused absences will lower your final grade by one full letter grade. Three unexcused absences will result in failure of the course.
Grading Tables
Grade Value A 93-100 A- 90-92 B+ 87-89 B 83-86 B- 80-82 C+ 77-79 C 73-76 C- 70-72 D 61-69 F 60 or Below
Participation Grade Rubric: (30% of final grade) A – You contribute thoughtfully to class discussions every week and raise the overall quality of the class experience B – You contribute intermittently to class discussions; your participation can reasonably be described as “just above average” C- You contribute infrequently to class discussions and/or occasionally disrupt the class experience through inappropriate chatting, texting, computer usage, and/or have more than two tardies; your participation can reasonably be described as “average” D – You contribute very infrequently to class discussions and/or frequently disrupt the class experience through inappropriate chatting, texting, computer usage, and/or frequent tardiness. Three tardies will result in the automatic reduction of your overall final participation grade by two points.
10 Point Scale Excellent 10
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Good 8-9 Average 7 Poor 6 Fail 5-below
5 Point Scale Excellent 5 Good 4 Average 3 Poor 2 Fail 0-1
Assignments:
The seven (7) assignments are graded using the point scale above. You are assessed on how well you demonstrate your understanding of the concepts, thoroughness, neatness, and detail. Along with lecture, each assigned reading, graded assignment or activity builds on the work done on the previous assignment so it’s necessary to do each one before the next. Late assignments will be reduced by one point for each day the assignment is late.
Assignment #1 (5) points - Please write a thoughtful 1 page, single-spaced paper on the following questions: Based on the readings, do you think as a filmmaker, inclusion and diversity in front and behind-the-scenes are important in media and entertainment companies? Explain why or why not, as well as your thoughts on ways to move the needle on this issue. In light of the inclusion argument, do you think the LA Times behind the scenes mini documentary makes salient arguments for women? Conversely, do you think it’s problematic or not that the piece presents argument through a white female only lens? (10 pts)
Assignment #2 (2.5) points: Come up with two original ideas you are interested in developing for this course.
Assignment #3 (5) points: Write a one paragraph story about yourself. Include what kinds of stories you like (i.e. I’m drawn to character-driven horror stories that explore existential ideas). Keep your paragraph to five sentences or less.
Assignment #4 (2.5) points: Write a one-three sentence logline for a potential film or TV series you’d like to develop for your final pitch Power Point presentation.
Assignment #5 (10) points: Write a rough draft of your synopsis for a potential film or TV series you’d like to develop for your final pitch Power Point presentation. (Your idea may change later and that’s perfectly okay. This exercise will help you hone your logline and synopsis writing skills.) (10 pts)
Assignment #6 (5) points: Email your Pitch Logline for your Final Presentations.
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Assignment #7 (20) points: Sell Your Show. Present a 15 minute pitch presentation of your film, TV show.
*Syllabus lectures, assignments and guests are subject to change at the instructor’s discretion.
Class Syllabus Statement – Recording
In this class, software will be used to record live class discussions. As a student in this class, your participation in live class discussions will be recorded to assist those who cannot attend the live session, or to serve as a resource for those who would like to review content that was presented. These recordings will be made available only to students who are enrolled in the class, and only during the period in which the course is offered. All recordings will become unavailable to students in the class shortly after the course ends. Students will not be granted permission to participate via audio only unless they are in a time zone where class ends at midnight or after. Students who must have their cameras on and will not be allowed to disable their video camera so only audio will be captured, unless they discuss with their instructor ahead of time and present a good reason. Otherwise, students must remain engaged and visible on camera unless on instructor approved group breaks.
Course Format Notification:
Course format may be subject to change with little to no notice, depending upon state, local, and University guidelines. If this course shifts to on-campus instruction, students who are unable to attend in-person due to the shift will be allowed to Zoom into the course and continue to attend online.
Resources • Access your course materials: NYU Classes (nyu.edu/its/classes) • Databases, journal articles, and more: Bobst HYPERLINK "http://library.nyu.edu/" Library (library.nyu.edu) • Assistance with strengthening your writing: NYU Writing Center (nyu.mywconline.com) • Obtain 24/7 technology assistance: IT Help Desk (nyu.edu/it/servicedesk)
Course Policies
Attendance and Tardiness Study abroad at Global Academic Centers is an academically intensive and immersive experience, in which students from a wide range of backgrounds exchange ideas in discussion-based seminars. Learning in such an environment depends on the active participation of all students. And since classes typically meet once or twice a week, even a single absence can cause a student to miss a
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significant portion of a course. To ensure the integrity of this academic experience, class attendance at the centres is mandatory, and unexcused absences will affect students' semester grades. The class roster will be marked at the beginning of class and anyone who arrives after this time will be considered absent. Students are responsible for making up any work missed due to absence.
For courses that meet once a week, one unexcused absence will be penalised by a two percent deduction from the student’s final course grade. For courses that meet two or more times a week, the same penalty will apply to two unexcused absences. Repeated absences in a course may result in failure.
Late Assignment Written work due in class must be submitted before the class time via email to the instructor.
Late work should be emailed to the faculty as soon as it is completed.
Late work will be reduced by 1 point (e.g.,: 5 to 4, 4 to 3, etc.) for every day it is late, including weekends.
Written work during the semester that is submitted 5 days after the submission date (including weekends) without an agreed extension fails and is given a zero.
Students who miss the final presentation without previously arranged permission will receive a zero.
Assignments due during finals week that are submitted more than 3 days without previously arranged extensions will not be accepted and will receive a zero. Any exceptions or extensions for work during finals week must be discussed with the Program Director.
Academic Honesty/Plagiarism The academic standards of New York University apply to all coursework at NYU LA. NYU LA policies are in accordance with New York University’s plagiarism policy. The presentation of another person’s words, ideas, judgment, images or data as though they were your own, whether intentionally or unintentionally, constitutes an act of plagiarism. It is a serious academic offense to use the work of others (written, printed or in any other form) without acknowledgement. Cases of plagiarism are not dealt with by your instructor. They are referred to the Director, who will determine the appropriate penalty (up to and including failure in the course as a whole) taking into account the codes of conduct and academic standards for NYU’s various schools and colleges.
Religious Observance
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Students observing a religious holiday during regularly scheduled class time are entitled to miss class without any penalty to their grade. This is for the holiday only and does not include the days of travel that may come before and/or after the holiday. Students must notify their professor and the Academic Programs Coordinator in writing via email one week in advance before being absent for this purpose.
Inclusion, Diversity, Belonging and Equity
NYU is committed to building a culture that respects and embraces diversity, inclusion, and equity, believing that these values – in all their facets – are, as President Andrew Hamilton has said, “...not only important to cherish for their own sake, but because they are also vital for advancing knowledge, sparking innovation, and creating sustainable communities.” At NYU LA we are committed to creating a learning environment that: • fosters intellectual inquiry, research, and artistic practices that respectfully and rigorously take account of a wide range of opinions, perspectives, and experiences; and
• promotes an inclusive community in which diversity is valued and every member feels they have a rightful place, is welcome and respected, and is supported in their endeavours.
Provisions to Students with Disabilities Students with disabilities who believe that they may need accommodations in a class are encouraged to contact the Moses Centre for Students with Disabilities at (212) 998-4980 or [email protected] as soon as possible to better ensure that such accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion.
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