THE BUSINESS OF MOTION PICTURES
Syllabus

Fall  2004,  Tuesdays 6-9 pm
Prof. Ira Deutchman  id3@columbia.edu
office hours: (available before class or at other times by appointment)

Course Requirements:

You must complete both the final project and exam in order get credit for the course.

Exam: Final Exam will be given in class on 12/14 at 6:00 pm. Exam includes both multiple choice and essay questions, based on class material. The exam will NOT be given at any other time! It is NOT an open book exam.

Project: We will screen, during class time (there will be NO additional screenings), a yet-to-be released film well in advance of its theatrical release. Based on information from the course, you will create a marketing strategy for the domestic theatrical release of the film. Include local and national release patterns, specific ideas for who the audience is, how to sell the film, publicity and promotion angles, etc. Include information about foreign or ancillary rights only to the extent to which they impact on the domestic theatrical release. You should work in groups of 5 or 6 people to create a single project, where each person contributes part of the plan for one of the departments of a distribution company (publicity, promotion, sales, advertising, media buying), and where there is an introductory section setting forth the general strategy for the entire group (this can be written by the 6^th person). Department strategies should reinforce the general strategy, meaning that groups have to be coordinated, and strategies discussed out. You should put your name on your particular section of the project. You MUST work in a group. No individual projects will be accepted and no groups of less than 5 people.

Projects should be at least 10 pages in length, and as long as necessary to complete your ideas. They will be judged mainly on comprehension of the material covered in class, but as it relates to the particular film you are writing about, NOT A REHASH OF YOUR CLASS NOTES! This is a process of selecting among available options, NOT A LIST OF EVERYTHING WE”VE DISCUSSED. Final project is due in class on 11/30.

Grading: Grades will be Pass or Fail for Arts students and letter grades for those from other schools. Incompletes and CPs will not be given except under dire circumstances. 

Required Reading:

Other Recommended Reading:

Periodicals: