IMFTV 1295 LA2 PRODUCING FOR FILM AND TV - NYU
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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
AC8399@nyu.edu
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.
Revised by Dr. Anita M. Cal, 2021Course 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
Revised by Dr. Anita M. Cal, 2021from 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
Revised by Dr. Anita M. Cal, 2021parts 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-
Revised by Dr. Anita M. Cal, 2021• 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
two original ideas you are
determining if there is actually a market for a project
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.
Revised by Dr. Anita M. Cal, 2021• 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)
Revised by Dr. Anita M. Cal, 2021Class 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,
Revised by Dr. Anita M. Cal, 2021Poster 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
Revised by Dr. Anita M. Cal, 2021Class 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.
Revised by Dr. Anita M. Cal, 2021GRADING:
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
Revised by Dr. Anita M. Cal, 2021Good 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.
Revised by Dr. Anita M. Cal, 2021Assignment #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
Revised by Dr. Anita M. Cal, 2021significant 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
Revised by Dr. Anita M. Cal, 2021Students 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 mosescsd@nyu.edu as soon as possible to better ensure
that such accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion.
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