1 UCLA School of Film, Television and Digital Media FTV 183a. Producing 1: Film and Television Development Instructor: Alex Franklin Title: Lecturer in Film and Television Email: alexfranklin@ucla.edu Daytime Office Number: 310-458-7800 Teaching Assistant: Tim Lewis Email: tdlewis@ucla.edu Course Website: https://intranet.tft.ucla.edu/faculty/filmtv/class_mgmt/141/classes/ftv183a/ Class Meetings: Mondays & Wednesdays 7:30pm-9:50pm Location: Public Affairs Room 2333 Updated: 06/07/14 COURSE DESCRIPTION This course is designed to enhance students understanding of the feature film and television industry. Students will be acquainted with common industry business practices involved in the development and production of films and television programs. Particular attention will be paid to how corporate mandates in film and television influence creative processes. 1. Course Requirements: Course work consists of attending and participating in weekly class meetings, completing assigned readings and homework assignments, completing a midterm paper, and a final paper. Assignments and papers are due at the date and time specified below or in class. All written assignments should be submitted via Turnitin. Late submission of assignments will impact your grade negatively. Attendance is required of all students in all class sessions. Unexcused absences and more than one excused absence will impact your grade negatively. 2. Homework Assignments and Class Discussions: Homework Assignments include: reading feature film and television pilot scripts, writing standard studio script coverage, viewing trailers for upcoming films, reading the MPAA
2 2013 Market Statistics Report, reading assigned articles, and analyzing the Fall 2014 Broadcast Network Television schedule. Homework Assignments will be discussed at the beginning of each class. Students are expected to participate in class discussions. 3. Midterm Paper: For the midterm, students will write a research paper on a topic to be discussed. The midterm paper should be a minimum of four single spaced pages and is due by 11:59 pm via Turnitin on Sunday, July 20th. 4. Final Paper: For the final paper, students are assigned to choose a TV program premiering on network television this Fall (it must be a brand new scripted program on one of the major broadcast networks (ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, The CW). The final paper will be an analysis of the major creative and marketing choices made by producers and network executives on your show and how those choices might impact/have impacted the show s success or failure. The final paper should be a minimum of four single spaced pages and is due by 11:59 pm via Turnitin on Sunday, August 3rd. 5. Class Participation: The ability to express an opinion intelligently and efficiently is the most important currency that young people in this industry have. Students are thus expected to participate in class discussions about the homework assignments and important industry topics. The goal is for everyone to come out of the class with an improved ability to express opinions in an adversarial environment. 6. Additional Reading: Students are encouraged to read Deadline, The Wrap, Variety, Hollywood Reporter, and Indiewire Playlist on a weekly basis. Industry topics will be discussed in each class. 7. Grading: 20%--Attendance 20%--Participation in Class 30%--Midterm Paper 30%--Final Paper
3 UCLA School of Film, Television and Digital Media FTV 183a. Producing 1: Film and Television Development Introduction Policies s and Grading Career Questions Overview of the Course Internship Preparedness Industry Information Sources Script Coverage The Importance of Opinions The Real Business of Studios The Major Movie Studios The Mini Studios and Genre Labels The Studio Mandate Genres Audience Demographics LECTURE AND DISCUSSION TOPICS Introduction and Overview June 23, 2014 Standard studio script coverage on a script that will be distributed after class. The coverage must be turned in via email before class on Wednesday. Overview of Studio Development New Material and the Spec Market The Studio Development Process Studio Rewrites Script Notes Replacing Writers Studio Development June 25, 2014
4 Scripts will be distributed for everyone to read over the weekend. The discussions will take place in Monday s class in a simulated Weekend Read format. Weekend Read June 30, 2014 Students will be divided into groups and we will hold a simulated Weekend Read meeting where everyone will discuss their opinions on the assigned scripts. Students will be evaluated on their ability to express opinions intelligently and efficiently in an adversarial environment. Students will be assigned to view trailers for upcoming films and consider reasons why the films were greenlit. Studio Structure and The Greenlight Process July 2, 2014 Overview of The Greenlight Process The Greenlight Committee Physical Production Marketing Domestic Distribution Distribution and the One Finite Quantity Foreign Sales Home Entertainment The Final Decision Scripts will be distributed for everyone to read over the weekend. The discussions will take place in Monday s class in a simulated Weekend Read format. Weekend Read July 7, 2014 Students will be divided into groups and we will hold a simulated Weekend Read meeting where everyone will discuss their opinions on the assigned scripts.
5 Students will be evaluated on their ability to express opinions intelligently and efficiently in an adversarial environment. MPAA 2013 Market Statistics Report and related articles The Globalization Of Hollywood July 9, 2014 Overview of Globalization Top Foreign Markets Basic Statistics and Comparisons Hollywood and Foreign Audiences Hollywood and Foreign Film Industries Hollywood and Foreign Governments How Globalization Is Changing Our Business Practices The One Thing That Doesn t Change Industry Outlook Hollywood s Changing Role In The World Midterm Paper Midterm Paper which will be discussed in class and will be due by July 20th. Overview of Franchise Filmmaking Sequels Prequels Reboots Remakes Horror Movies Franchise Filmmaking July 14, 2014 Students will be assigned to view trailers for upcoming films and consider reasons why the films were acquired. The trailers will be discussed in the following class.
6 Prologue to Independent Cinema Overview of Independent Cinema The Challenges of Independent Cinema How Independent Films Get Made Crowdfunding How Independent Films Get Distributed Film Markets and Film Festivals Digital Distribution Film Festival Advice Independent Cinema July 16, 2014 Assignment for Class Nine: Scripts for Television Pilots will be distributed after class. The Business of Television July 21, 2014 The Growing Business of Television Broadcast Network Television Basic Cable Television Premium Cable Television How They Make Money Target Demographics How Their Business Goals Impact The Development Mandate Timeslots Impact of DVR, VOD and Streaming Growing International Business Look at 2014 Fall TV Season and consider which shows are likely to survive and which ones are likely to be canceled. Producing Network Television July 23, 2014
7 Final Paper Discussion Overview of Network Television The Network Development Process Pilot Season The Aftermath of Network Announcement Fall TV Season The Future of TV Development Assignment for Class Eleven: Final Paper which will be due by August 3rd. Producing Cable & Unscripted Television July 28, 2014 Final Paper Discussion Cable Television and Subgenres Different Kinds of Cable Channels Repurposed Programming Different Genres of Cable Programming Scripted Programming Unscripted Programming Hybrid Programs Your Hollywood Career July 30, 2014 Internship Summary Discussion Career Questions Non-Career Questions Summation of the Ideas and Themes of the Course