PRODUCING 1: ROLE OF THE PRODUCER
Syllabus

Fall  2004,  Thurs. 6:00pm – 9:00pm, Room 511 Dodge Hall
Prof. Steven Bach, Richard Brick, Ira Deutchman, Richard Guay
office hours: (appts. available before or after class by arrangement, inquire in Producing Office)

Course Requirements:

Project 1: Each student will be expected to do a breakdown and a schedule of a 20 page script that will be handed out in class. This will be based on material covered in class on 10/14 and 10/21 and will be due on 11/18.

Project 2: Each student will be required to participate in a group project over the course of the semester, culminating in an oral presentation on 11/11, 11/18 or 12/2.

The first stage is for each student to come up with 3-5 feature film ideas, and to turn them in at the end of class on 9/23. The ideas can be original, from an item clipped out of a newspaper or magazine, an adaptation of a book, play, etc. Each student in the class will be assigned to a group with a 2^nd or 3^rd year producing student acting as facilitator.

From 8-9pm for the next 6 weeks, the project groups will meet after the lecture portion of the class. The film ideas will be discussed in terms of their viability as potential films in the current marketplace. By the end of the first session, based on the discussions, each group will choose the idea they are most enthusiastic about.

The balance of the small group sessions will be spent preparing for presentations that will be given in class. On the presentation days, each groups will come up in front of the class and present its plan for the film they want to get made. Each member of the group should participate in a portion of the presentation, which should include a short pitch of the concept of the film, an analysis of the type of film you would like it to be, your priorities from a creative perspective, and how that affects your strategy. Cover packaging issues, and the type of ballpark budget necessary, and the likely sources that you would expect to go to for financing. Also, deal with the difficulties you expect to encounter due to the material, and how you would attempt to overcome them. If the project is based on an underlying source, explain how you would try to secure the rights.

Presentations should be around 10-15 minutes. They will be judged mainly on comprehension of the material covered in class, but as it relates to the particular film you are talking about, NOT A REHASH OF YOUR CLASS NOTES!  

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: