Show Business; the Practice of Producing Commercial Entertainment
University of Texas at Austin College of Fine Arts Show Business; The Practice of Producing Commercial Entertainment
Fall Semester 2018 FA 371 & FA 381 - Unique # 19624 Mondays 5pm-8pm Location: The Liberals Arts Building RLP (Patton Hall) 0.112
Instructor: Natasha Davison Email:[email protected] Office: Winship Basement B104J Office Hours: by appointment Office phone: 512-471-3468 Cell : 512-716-9938 (Urgent only)
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course will focus on the world of commercial entertainment. We will explore all aspects involved in producing live stage and on screen commercial productions. Inspiration (the search for creative content; self-generated or existing), to Organization (Executive, Administrative, Financial, Creative, Legal), Capitalization (Institutional, Independent, Theatrical, Key elements of “The Pitch”), Negotiation of Agreements & Contracts (Owner of Creative Content, Book/Script Writer, Composer, Lyricist, Director, Choreographer, Designers, Actors, Agents, Musicians, Unions, Theatre Owner, Merchandise, Investors, Insurance), and Execution (Rehearsal, Press, Marketing, Tickets Sales Structure). Students will engage with entertainment industry guest artists, examine case studies, and execute an independent group project/presentation for industry professionals as the final exam.
INDEPENDENT INQUIRY:
This course carries the Independent Inquiry flag. Independent Inquiry courses are designed to engage you in the process of inquiry over the course of a semester, providing you with the opportunity for independent investigation of a question, problem, or project related to your major. You should therefore expect a substantial portion of your grade to come from the independent investigation and presentation of your own work.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
• Class Attendance is mandatory.
• Every class will require specific research and written preparation for each guest artist/topic.
• Every class will require prepared and relevant discussion with the guest artist.
• There will be a major end of term collaborative project & Industry presentation as the final exam.
• You will be required to attend two commercial performances with written assignment attached. This will require the purchase of tickets.
IMPORTANT DATES: SUBJECT TO CHANGE
September 10th: First Class Meeting Guest Speaker; Marisa Sechrest Live Theatrical Rep. for Paramount Pictures & Ridley Scott Productions, Broadway Producer of Tina Fey’s Mean Girls and Sara Bareilles’s Waitress
September 17th: Screening of Award winning Documentary by Tony & Emmy winning Director/Producer Dori Berinstein “Show Business; The Road to Broadway”
September 24th: “The Role of Critics and Criticism”, discussion of commercial creative content and the role of criticism in commercial entertainment with Austin Chronicle Arts Critic Robert Faires , Austin American Statesman critic Michael Barnes and Arts Critic Chicago Sun Times-Chris Jones “The Role of Social Media in Entertainment”-Zoom Conference with Felicia Fitzpatrick-Head of Social Media for Playbill Magazine & Websites
October 1st: Guest Speakers: Jordan Lowery Founder CEO of Royalties Hip Hop Production Company Entertainment Attorney Steve Ravel- Discuss legal foundations for producing, LLC formation, plus Intellectual and Creative properties protection
October 8th: Guest Speaker- Ramon Parkins-Senior Producer of Entertainment for CBS News & CBS This Morning Caren Kelleher-Founder/President of Gold Rush Vinyl Record Company
October 15th: Guest speakers: Lauren Reid-COO of Major Global Producer of Live Theatre- The John Gore Group as well as Broadway Across America & Broadwayworld.com Alecia Parker-Senior Executive Producer of NAMCO (National Artists Management Company based in NYC) Major Broadway producer including the musical Chicago
October 22nd: Guest Speakers Kathy Panoff and Texas Performing Arts team (class will meet at Bass Concert Hall)
October 29th: (Speaker TBA) Guest Speaker Brian Becker CEO of BASE Entertainment (Global producer of Live entertainment including Magic Mike and Phantom of the Opera Las Vegas and Maria Callas Hologram concert at Lincoln Center) Rick Pappas Executive Producer Les Miserables starring Hugh Jackman & Russell Crowe and many other productions
November 5th Louis Messina (Music Promoter- Taylor Swift,George Strait, Ed Sheeren, Lorde), Will Shirey -Talent Buyer for Texas Performing Arts
November 12th: Guest Speakers Jenn Freeman Senior Executive Vice President Publicis to discuss Entertainment Branding Rebecca Feferman Founder CEO of The Fefco (Consulting & Strategic Management of the intersection of Sports, Entertainment and Culture)
November 19th: Guest Speakers Elisbeth Challener and The Zach Theatre Team (Successful Regional Model)
November 26th: Guest Speaker Charlotte St. Martin President of The Broadway League
December 3rd: Rehearsal for Final Project Presentations
December 10th: Final Project Presentation for Industry Professionals/Industry Panel includes: Marc & Carolyn Seriff-Seriff Productions (Broadway Co-Producers Anastasia, Tootsie,& Investors in Fire & Air, Angels in America, Once on This Island ) Linda and Cliff Mountain- Broadway Investors in The Prom and Half Time Laura Lund-Broadway Investor in Half Time, New Musical Development Liz Armstrong-Co-Producer on Broadway-Fun Home, An American in Paris, Indecent Hunter Regian- Assistant to Executive Producer for King Kong, Moulin Rouge Jaime and Gary Rubenstein- 42nd Club-Broadway Investment Syndicate-numerous Productions Marisa Sechrest-Live Theatrical Representative for Paramount Pictures and Ridley Scott Films, Co-Producer Waitress, Mean Girls, The Wedding Singer Dayna Steele-Investor in Broadway syndicate from Dallas
USE OF CANVAS/EMAIL IN CLASS I will use Canvas and Email to distribute course materials, to communicate, and to schedule events. You can find support in using Canvas at the ITS Help Desk at 512-475-9400, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., so plan accordingly. Check your email and Canvas regularly for important information pertaining to our class. This syllabus is subject to revision, and all changes will be announced in class or posted on Canvas. It is your responsibility to remain informed of any changes that may occur.
GRADING: • Written Assignment following each Guest Artist 20%
• Attendance 25%
• Preparation & Participation (This includes research content and materials for each guest artist) 20%
• Independent Project: Identify Creative Content or Entity, Create Executive Summary with Profitable Financial Structure, Create Budget for a Commercial Production, Create and Execute Pitch Presentation for potential investors 20%
• Written Assignment on Commercial Productions viewed 15%
A+ 98-99 C+ 78-79 A 93-97 C 73-77
A- 90-92 C- 70-72
B+ 88-89 D+ 68-69 B 83-87 D 63-67 B- 80-82 D- 60-62 F 0-59
Incomplete Grade Policy
There are no incomplete grades granted for this course. A grade of “X” will only be assigned for work unavoidably missed at the semester’s end. An “X” must be resolved within the subsequent long semester. If the required work to complete the course and to remove the incomplete grade is not submitted by the specified deadline, the incomplete grade is changed automatically to a grade of F.
Note
“The University of Austin provides upon request appropriate academic accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. For more information, contact the Office of the Dean of Students at 471-6259, 471-6441 TTY.”
Academic Integrity The faculty expects from its students a high level of responsibility and academic honesty. Because the value of an academic degree depends upon the absolute integrity of the work done by the student for that degree, it is imperative that a student demonstrate a high standard of individual honor in his or her scholastic work.
Scholastic Dishonesty
Scholastic dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent. You are expected to have read and understood the current issue of the General Information Catalogue: published by the Registrar’s Office for information about procedures and about what constitutes scholastic dishonesty.
Scholastic Dishonesty, any student who commits an act of scholastic dishonesty is subject to discipline. Scholastic dishonesty includes but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, collusion, the submission for credit of any work or materials that are attributable in whole or in part to another person, taking an examination for another person, any act designed to give unfair advantage to a student or the attempt to commit such acts.
Plagiarism, especially from the web, from portions of papers for other classes, and from any other source is unacceptable and will be dealt with under the university’s policy on plagiarism (see general catalog for details).
Copyright Notice
Copying, displaying and distributing copyrighted works, may infringe the owner's copyright. The University of Texas System's policy statement on Fair Use of Copyrighted Materials can help you determine whether your use of a copyrighted work is a fair use or requires permission. Any use of computer or duplicating facilities by students, faculty or staff for infringing use of copyrighted works is subject to appropriate disciplinary action as well as those civil remedies and criminal penalties provided by federal law. http://www.utsystem.edu/OGC/IntellectualProperty/copypol.htm
Religious Holy Days
Section 51.911 of the Texas Education Code states that a student who misses an examination, work assignment, or other project due to the observance of a religious holy day must be given an opportunity to complete the work missed within a reasonable time after the absence, provided that he or she has properly notified each instructor.
It is the policy of the University of Texas at Austin that the student must notify each instructor at least fourteen days prior to the classes scheduled on dates he or she will be absent to observe a religious holy day. For religious holidays that fall within the first two weeks of the semester, the notice should be given on the first day of the semester. The student may not penalized for these excused absences but the instructor may appropriately respond if the student fails to complete satisfactorily the missed assignment or examination within a reasonable time after the excused absence
Email Use
The University of Texas at Austin has determined that e-mail can be used to deliver official information. Read the University Electronic Mail Student Notification Policy (Use of E-mail for Official Correspondence to Students), and supporting information. http://www.utexas.edu/its/policies/emailnotify.php
Technical Support
ITS Help Desk
Provides the university with a centralized point of contact for technical support services by calling 512-475-9400.
Disability Services
Services for Students with Disabilities works to ensure that all students have equal access to the University's programs and services. Eligibility and specific accommodations are based on appropriate documentation and individual student needs.
The contact information for Services for Students with Disabilities is:
For students and employees: Linda Millstone, Deputy to the Vice President for Diversity and Community Engagement and Director of Equal Opportunity Services, NOA 4.302 (101 East 27th Street), (512) 471-1849
Emergency Evacuation Procedures
• Occupants of buildings on The University of Texas at Austin campus are required to evacuate buildings when a fire alarm is activated. Alarm activation or announcement requires exiting and assembling outside.
• Familiarize yourself with all exit doors of each classroom and building you may occupy. Remember that the nearest exit door may not be the one you used when entering the building.
• Students requiring assistance in evacuation shall inform their instructor in writing during the first week of class.
• In the event of an evacuation, follow the instruction of faculty or class instructors.
• Do not re-enter a building unless given instructions by the following: Austin Fire Department, The University of Texas at Austin Police Department, or Fire Prevention Services office.
• Behavior Concerns Advice Line (BCAL): 512-232-5050