Academics
Film & Video - Creative Producing MFA
PRE-SEMESTER
Summer – first three weeks of August (6 credits)
Introduction
To Creative Producing
This course is designed to ensure students entering the MFA in Creative
Producing degree have broad, basic knowledge about what creative producing is
and how they will develop as creative producers as they proceed through the
degree program. It is delivered as a three-week full time workshop that covers
the key foundational principles and requisite technical information and
analytical skills using lectures and hands on demonstrations. The course is led
by a team of two Film & Video faculty members and includes case studies and
guest presentations. (6 credits) 24-6601
SEMESTER
ONE
Fall (12 credits)
Cinema
Studies I
This is the first of three courses designed to investigate
key historical moments of cinema and media through close critical
analysis. The goal is to develop a sophisticated approach to the
aesthetics of cinema and media as the basis of a professional vocabulary and
methodology for creative producing. Particular attention will be paid to
dramatic structure, meaning, subtext and authorship within specified film
movements or niche markets. (1 credit) 24-6605A
Acquisition,
Development & Presentation
This course explores the development and execution of
creative producing in media, including: finding, analyzing, and acquiring
intellectual property, collaborating with writers/directors, pitching,
packaging material, pre-visualization, casting, financing, and working with a
line producer to execute the vision. In addition it will prepare students
to take their creative ideas into the “real world” by tracking current changes
in media relating to studios, financiers, web content, television and cable
programming, and distributors. (3 credits) 24-6612
Business
& Legal
This course introduces basic legal and financial concepts
for media producers including production financing, international
co-productions, standard business practices in the entertainment industry, and
essential components of entrepreneurial producing. Additionally it will
explore contracts and negotiations associated with delivery items –
intellectual property ownership, copyright, rights agreements, licensing, and
chain-of-title. (3 credits) 24-6610
Writing for Producers
This course examines all forms of writing associated with professional
producing ranging from business writing, creative writing (development),
screenwriting, and writing associated with distribution, movie-marketing and
exhibition. (3 credits) 24-6721
Line
Producing IA
The Line Producer is the day-to-day producer on
the front line during production. This intermediate-level course focuses on
all aspects of physical production and immerses the students into 10 weeks of
learning how to supervise advanced short film productions. The line producer’s
role is covered, including decision-making and crisis management; team
building and collaboration with other essential production personnel.
Additionally, the course explores budgeting and accounting principles in
relation to ongoing production changes and adaptations within the Graduate Program. (2 credits) 24-6604A
SEMESTER
TWO
Spring (11 credits)
This intermediate-level course immerses the students into 5 week of learning how to line produce a feature film through case study preproduction. This class is crucial for students to further develop the skills they will implement on their own project(s) in Long-Form Package. (1 credit) 24-6604B
Cinema
Studies II
This is the second of three courses designed to investigate
key historical moments of cinema and media through close critical
analysis. The goal is to develop a sophisticated approach to the
aesthetics of cinema and media as the basis of a professional vocabulary and
methodology for creative producing. Particular attention will be paid to
dramatic structure, meaning, subtext and authorship within specified film
movements or niche markets. (1 credit) 24-6605B
Story
Development
This intensive, semester long workshop explores and develops
a variety of ideation strategies subject to group critique resulting in script
notes. Participants practice different pitching approaches. Developed ideas are
drafted as short scripts and features. Emphasis is on rigorous research. (3
credits) 24-6607
Critical Analysis of Contemporary Film & Media
This seminar critically examines contemporary trends in domestic and
international film, television and media ideas, production and distribution and
its symbiotic relationship with culture. Select indigenous industries and the
role of the Internet in the globalization of entertainment are examined. (3
credits) 24-6609
Post
Production
This workshop gives producers a fundamental overview and practice of the post
production phase from workflow development through finishing strategies and
across multiple platforms. The role of the post production supervisor is
explored. (3 credits) 24-6606
SEMESTER THREE
Fall (9 credits)
Cinema Studies III
This is the third of three courses designed to investigate key historical moments
of cinema and media through close critical analysis. The goal is to
develop a sophisticated approach to the aesthetics of cinema and media as the
basis of a professional vocabulary and methodology for creative
producing. Particular attention will be paid to dramatic structure,
meaning, subtext and authorship within specified film movements or niche
markets. (1 credit) 24-6605C
Marketing, Distribution and Exhibition
The Marketing, Distribution and Exhibition seminar is a Los Angeles-based
course that explores the roles and professional practices of a producer during
the Marketing, Distribution and Exhibition phase of the process.
Participants conduct qualitative and quantitative analyses based on the type of
project and expected audience. (3 credits) 24-6613
Building upon their experiences and preliminary work in Acquisitions, Development & Presentation, students will continue to develop a slate of potential projects, specifically finding, developing, and acquiring the rights to material to be developed into a long-form narrative property (such as feature length film or serialized storytelling such as a TV series, extended web series or transmedia project) and work with an accomplished screenwriter to produce a first draft from which a production package can evolve in Long-Form Narrative Packaging. (3 credits) 24-6614
Thesis F&V
Producers will work with the film’s director and key crew in pre-production to
prepare for a professionally executed short film using collaborative filmmaking
techniques. (2 credit) 24-6071
J-TERM
January (1 credit)
Thesis F&V
Producers will work with the film’s director and key crew in pre-production to
prepare for a professionally executed short film using collaborative filmmaking
techniques. (1 credit) 24-6071
SEMESTER
FOUR
Spring (11 credits)
Applied Postproduction and Delivery
This course focuses on the guiding role of the creative producer during post-production under the leadership of the director and editor. Coursework will include managing various “cuts” during editing, the role of testing films/ market analysis, and working with related post processes such as post-sound, titles and visual effects. Students will further investigate the full range of “deliverables” and associated exhibition strategies for their thesis projects. (3 credits) 24-6618
LOS ANGELES Weeks 8-15
Long-Form Narrative Package
This course is a hands-on approach based on the principles learned and materials developed in Acquisition, Development & Presentation and Long-Form Narrative Development, concentrating on a final pitch and oral presentation with a thesis binder consisting of multiple projects and corresponding selling strategies. Coursework will include professionally-modeled research that identifies project-specific buyers, talent, and financing tactics. Students will package at least one project from their slate developed in Long-Form Narrative Development. (2 credits) 24-6619
Business
Affairs
Business Affairs is a Los Angeles-based seminar that introduces students to
market trends in financing ranging from entrepreneurial business plan driven
investment scenarios to more conventional distributor-driven opportunities that
include fundamentals in the roles of agents and managers. Students
develop negotiating skills and examine the art of effective negotiations. (3
credits) 24-6611
The Entrepreneurial Producer
This Los Angeles-based advanced workshop will provide a detailed examination
of the producer’s role of “packaging” with a practical emphasis on attaching
talent, calibrating trends in international co-productions, soft monies &
tax incentives, international sales & pre-sales, and film markets. (3
credits) 24-6616
Total Credits: 50
