Producing Independent Film, TV, and Video: A Real-World Guide, Part II

Building on course work and experiences associated with Part I of this course, students continue to explore the role of the producer in the filmmaking, television, and video process from the moment of creative inspiration through project development and proposal writing, financing, physical production (indeed, down to the nuts-and-bolts aspects of script breakdown, budgeting, scheduling, and delivering a film, TV or video project), marketing, and navigating the film festival gauntlet, as well as drilling down into the distribution process and strategies. Students apply knowledge and skills from Part l and focus on developing their individual projects (narrative, documentary, television, short film, etc.), breaking them down into production elements, crafting and sharing schedules and budgets, as well as honing pitching skills and packaging strategies. Course work includes proposal and treatment writing, in-class peer critique, script breakdown, scheduling and budgeting, pitching, and final project presentation. Conference projects may include the producing of a film or media project by a student in another filmmaking production class at Sarah Lawrence College, a case study of several films from the producer perspective, or the development and pre-production of a proposed future “virtual” film or video project. Students will complete the packaging of individual projects and gain a practical skill set for seeking work in the filmmaking and media-making world after Sarah Lawrence College.