This course prepares you for a lifetime of sustainable creative work in Movies and TV. Movies and TV are made by crews working collaboratively across Writing, the seven production departments (Producing, Production Design, Directing, Directing Photography, Lighting, Camera Operation & Sound) plus Editing. If you want a career in the movies or TV, you need to know these departments, what they do, and how they collaborate. This course starts you on that path through collaboratively producing movies/TV teasers both in-class and out of class. You will work in a team in at least 2 production departments as well as Editing and possibly Writing. Out of class, you will make, with your team, two short Movies/TV teasers. In class, you will also make shorter scenes with lots of hands-on assistance learning how the set works and how everyone’s contribution adds to the project. This experience will teach you how movies and TV are actually made—what the decision processes are; what each department contributes; how the vision of the program is determined and implemented; how to manage the logistics of production, production equipment, and personnel; how to effectively work with actors; and the completion process of the program for the audience. Skills and experience in any one area are valuable, but understanding the collaborative and integrated nature of how an idea makes it to the screen is necessary for success in the realm of TV and Movies. FTVM 400, TV Pilots and 423 take you further—competence and excellence come only with making media, learning from your successes and mistakes, and putting what you have learned to the test in your next, higher level, production.

Course Requirements:

Assessment is based on contribution to each of the two out-of-class productions (roughly 6 min apiece) at 60% of the grade; in-class productions, quizzes, pre-production work, work on set and editing 20%; and peer evaluations 20%.

Intended Audience:

Undergraduates interested in working in, or having a sustainable career in, any aspect of Film and/or Television.

Class Format:

Class meets for two hours twice a week. During this time, there are lectures, equipment and software workshops, the in-class shoots and extensive editing time. Additionally, there are team meetings with the instructor for 30 minutes per week to prepare for the out-of-class productions.