ADVANCED DEVELOPMENT &
FINANCE
SEMINAR FOR PRODUCERS
Syllabus
Spring, 2004, Thurs. 6:00-9:00pm, Room 504 (conference
room), Dodge Hall
Prof. Ira Deutchman, id3@columbia.edu
Office hours: appointments available before class or through phone #s
above
|
Class # |
Date |
Subject of Lecture (6-8pm) |
Workshop (8-9 pm) |
| 1 |
1/29 |
Introduction- The Development Process |
Sample Pitches |
| 2 |
2/5 |
Fundamentals of Pitching |
Sample Pitches |
| 3 |
2/12 |
Option Deals, Copyrights and Chain of Title |
Pitching Sessions |
| 4 |
2/19 |
Attaching Elements, Packaging, Dealing With the Agencies |
Pitching Sessions |
| 5 |
2/26 |
Rights Pre-Sales, Distribution Deals |
Pitching Sessions |
| 6 |
3/4 |
Studio Deals, Net Profits |
Pitching Sessions |
| 7 |
3/11 |
Equity Investment |
Repeat Pitching Sessions |
| * |
3/18 |
NO CLASS – Spring
Break |
| 8 |
3/25 |
The Selling Process - Presales |
Repeat Pitching Sessions |
| 9 |
4/1 |
Finished Film Sales |
Repeat Pitching Sessions |
| 10 |
4/8 |
Foreign Financing, Co-Productions |
Strategy Sessions |
| 11 |
4/15 |
Sponsorship and Grant Writing |
Strategy Sessions |
| 12 |
4/22 |
Working in Television |
Strategy Sessions |
| 13 |
4/29 |
Possible make-up session/ Wrap up |
Strategy Sessions |
Course Requirements:
You must complete both the pitching project and
strategy project in order get credit for the course.
Project: Each student will pick a project
(either real or speculative) to base their semester-long project on.
Starting in the 3rd session, each student will pitch their
project to the class, as if we were potential financiers, co-producers or
other potential participants. Feedback and class discussion will follow
each pitch. Based on the feedback, the students should refine their pitch
and be prepared to re-pitch it to the class starting in the 7th
session.
Finally, starting in the 10th session, each
student will give a oral presentation of their business strategy for the
film they’ve been pitching. You should include an analysis of the type of
film you would like it to be, your priorities from a creative perspective,
packaging issues, the type of budget necessary, and therefore why you
believe the film will get made! Also, try to anticipate any difficulties
you expect to encounter due to the material, and your answers to those
issues. This is an individual project!
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
 | Weekly Variety available
every Sunday on most newsstands or by home delivery |
| Clearance & Copyright : Everything the Independent
Filmmaker Needs to Know by Michael C.
Donaldson |
| The Independent Film Producer’s Survival Guide by
Gunnar Erickson, Harris Tulchin and Mark Halloran |
|
|
