TV PILOT: COMEDY & DRAMA
With the pilot as a focal point, this course explores the opportunities and challenges of telling and sustaining a serialized story over a protracted period of time with an emphasis on the creation, borne out of character, of the quintessential premise and the ongoing conflict, be it thematic or literal, behind a successful series.
Early in the semester, students may be required to present/pitch their series idea. During the subsequent weeks, students will learn the process of pitching, outlining, and writing a television pilot, that may include story breaking, beat-sheets or story outline, full outlines, and the execution of either a thirty-minute or hour-long teleplay. This seminar may include reading pages and giving notes based on the instructor but may also solely focus on the individual process of the writer.
Students may only enroll in one TV Writing workshop per semester.
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Instructor:
David Klass
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Instructor:
Blair Singer
Info - 3 points
TV PILOT: COMEDY & DRAMA
With the pilot as a focal point, this course explores the opportunities and challenges of telling and sustaining a serialized story over a protracted period of time with an emphasis on the creation, borne out of character, of the quintessential premise and the ongoing conflict, be it thematic or literal, behind a successful series.
Early in the semester, students may be required to present/pitch their series idea. During the subsequent weeks, students will learn the process of pitching, outlining, and writing a television pilot, that may include story breaking, beat-sheets or story outline, full outlines, and the execution of either a thirty-minute or hour-long teleplay. This seminar may include reading pages and giving notes based on the instructor but may also solely focus on the individual process of the writer.
Students may only enroll in one TV Writing workshop per semester.
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Instructor:
Blair Singer
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Instructor:
Alice O'Neill
Info - 3 points
VISUAL EXPERIENCES
The course seeks to bridge two intimately related studies that currently exist within the Film Program: 1. intensive academic analysis of filmmaking practices/principles and, 2. the practitioner’s creative/pragmatic application of those practices/principles in their own work. Students will study, through screenings, lectures and personal research, an overview of various directing forms/methodologies (conventional coverage, expressive directing, comedy directing, subjective directing, objective directing, multiple-protagonist narrative, etc.) with a primary focus on the Western classic narrative tradition. The visual grammar, axiomatic principles, structural necessities of a variety of directing forms/genres will be analyzed and compared with works of art from other disciplines (poetry, painting, sculpture, etc.) and cultures. The ultimate goal is student implementation of these principles in their own work, exposure to and examination of some works of the established canon, as well as a greater understanding of the context in which creation occurs.
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Instructor:
Eric Mendelsohn
Wikipedia Info - 3 points
PODCAST DEVELOPMENT AND PRODUCTION
PODCAST DEVELOP AND PRODU
Podcasts are an opportunity for writers and creative producers to showcase their talents in new ways and in an easily producible format. This course is a hands-on workshop in which students will learn the basics of every aspect of narrative podcasting (fiction and non-fiction) including topic research, market research, pitch writing, script writing, audio interviewing techniques, workflow and organization. By analyzing a case study podcast, the students will study story structure and pitch decks for scripted and non-scripted podcasts. After learning how to construct episodes, each student will record, edit and mix their episode. Students will leave this class understanding the mechanics of audio storytelling and with one proof-of-concept episode in their desired form.
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Instructor:
Julia L Thompson
Info - 1.5 points
Adapting IP for New Media
Narrative storytelling is no longer confined to traditional media. For writers, directors, and producers, some of the most exciting opportunities now exist in emerging and newly established media formats—from audio storytelling and video games to interactive film, virtual reality, and live participatory experiences. As the entertainment landscape continues to expand, so too must our understanding of how to adapt, reimagine, and translate stories across media.
In this workshop-driven course, students will explore the art and craft of adaptation, learning to distill a story’s core essence, independent of its format. We will analyze how original creators communicate this essence through their chosen media and engage in hands-on exercises to reimagine well-known stories in new media formats—examining how each format’s unique strengths and limitations shape adaptation choices.
Through real world case studies, we will dissect successful (and failed) adaptations of popular intellectual properties (IP) across different formats, gaining insight into the narrative techniques, audience engagement strategies, and creative challenges that arise when translating stories beyond conventional mediums. Additionally, we will explore the fundamentals of pitch presentation, including structure, performance, and visual design—essential skills for articulating and selling adaptation concepts. By the end of the course, each student will develop and present a final pitch for a new media adaptation of a classic work, selected from a curated list or approved by the instructor. This project will synthesize the analytical and creative skills built throughout the course, preparing students to navigate and contribute to the evolving world of multi-platform storytelling.
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Instructor:
Nick Braccia III
Info - 1.5 points
BUSINESS OF TELEVISION
Explores the different types of television and the ways in which producing is defined differently from theatrical narratives. Covers series television (both scripted and unscripted), made-for-TV movies, mini-series and other forms of television; the roles of the writer/producer, the show runner, and the director in different forms of television; how television is developed; and the implications of changing business models. Open to all SoA students.
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Instructor:
Richard Perello
Info - 1.5 points
DIGITAL STORY TELLING II
BUILDING STORYWORLDS
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Instructor:
Lance Weiler
CULPA: 1 Wikipedia Info - 3 points
World-Building and Unbuilding
What happens when we reject the classic hero’s journey in favor of new myths? From folktales to franchises, this course from the Digital Storytelling Lab will explore transportive worlds and the methods used to create them. Collectively, we will deconstruct the idea that World-Building is a private practice and instead, uplift the notion that it is a creative tool to strengthen stories and expand ideas. As Author and activist Clarice Lispector writes: “Creating isn't imagination, it's taking the great risk of grasping reality,” but what happens when we use World-Building to shift the systems that govern our reality?
Leveraging storytelling techniques of Alternate Reality Games (ARGs) and Role Playing Games (RPGs), we will collectively build a world that transcends the classroom and moves into the outside world, ultimately bringing participants together to tackle complex issues and redefine solo authorship as a collaborative space. This course culminates in the collective experience of each other’s worlds and the Alternate Reality experiences therein. There are no prerequisites for this course.
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Instructor:
Char Simpson
Info - 3 points
FILM FESTIVALS:THEORY&PRACTICE
FILM FESTIVALS: THEORY & PRACT
An overview of the history, organization, management, and purposes of film festivals, and their roles in launching films and filmmakers, facilitating industry dealmaking and networking, and nurturing cinema culture. The course is centered around a series of guest speakers, including festival directors and programmers, filmmakers, distributors, publicists, and more. Students are required to research and complete two individual presentations: (1) Festival Presentation, examining a lesser-known film festival, and (2) Film Presentation, tracking the trajectory of a recent film that utilized festivals as a key part of its sales or release plan.
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Instructor:
Barbara R Twist
Info - 3 points
Tech Arts: Advanced Post Production
Tech Arts: Adv Post Produ
Tech Arts: Advanced Post Production covers advanced techniques for picture and sound editing and the post production workflow process. The goal of the course is to give you the capabilities to excel in the field of post production. We will focus extra attention to concepts and workflows related to long-form projects that can contain a team of technical artists across the post production pipeline. We will cover preparing for a long-form edit, digital script integration, color management and continuity, advanced trimming, and advanced finishing. The hands-on lessons and exercises will be conducted using the industry-standard Non-Linear Editing Systems, Avid Media Composer, and Davinci Resolve.
Each week’s class will consist of hands-on demonstrations and self-paced practice using content created by the students and provided by the program.
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Instructor:
Michael J Cacioppo Belantara
Info - 1.5 points
INDEPENDENT PROJECTS
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Instructor:
Jack Lechner
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Instructor:
Nico Baumbach
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Instructor:
Benjamin Robbins
Info - 1-3 points
SCREENWRITING THESIS WORKSHOP
Screenwriting concentrates who are focusing on Screenwriting MUST take Screenwriting Thesis Workshop with their advisor at least once during Research Arts matriculation in order to graduate. Students may take this class with their advisor whenever it is offered. They should consult with their advisor if they are considering taking Thesis Workshop at the same time as Script Revision or TV Revision.
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Instructor:
Andrew S Bienen
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Instructor:
Trey Ellis
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Instructor:
Jamal Joseph
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Instructor:
Christina Lazaridi
Info - 0 points
WORKSHOP IN SCRIPT REVISION
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Instructor:
Ed Decter
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Instructor:
Keith Bunin
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Instructor:
David B Schwab
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First Features Lab
This seven-week course is designed to assist Screen/TV Writing and Directing concentrates approaching graduation to take a cool critical eye on their material and
revise it with an eye to concerns that are both creative and pragmatic. Is the screenplay in the strongest possible shape in terms of core story aims,
fundamental structure, a compelling path in? How do you attract financiers to a script? How about actors? Is there a scene, or scenes, that an actor with some visibility who can boost funding chances would just die to play? If not, why not? How about questions of producibility – screenplay length, number of locations,
complexity of scenes to be shot, probable budget? How can writer-directors and creative producers (without whom no movie could be made) forge stronger collaborative relationships, ones respectful of the unique offerings all parties bring to the table?
These are just some of the points of focus in First Features Lab, a course modeled somewhat on the famed Sundance Institute Labs, which so many Columbia Film
Program faculty have attended and been shaped by, including the instructor and creator of this class. First Features Lab allows for an intensive focus on one project per week. Everyone in class will read that screenplay, deliver 2 pages of written notes on the script, and come to each session ready to discuss the material in depth. Ideally screenplay material has already gone through at least one Script Revision class and also been workshopped in a student’s thesis workshop, to gain individual advisors’ input. Creative Producers attached to the project under discussion are a key part of these sessions and can benefit from hearing both the instructor’s notes and those from classmates.
The goal is to create a rigorous space for examining the first feature screenplay with an eye toward production, collaboration, and leaving Columbia with the strongest
piece of material possible upon graduation. For the final class, each creative team must present a 1-2 page document outlining next steps for a revision of the screenplay, with clear, actionable ideas about how to push the material closer to being competitive in the marketplace. A class plan follows.
All students must commit to attending every session of this class and show up for everyone in the lab with passion and dedication to thematerial under discussion. Another goal is to form a strong collective that can continue to provide support and feedback beyond the duration of the
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Instructor:
Katherine Dieckmann
Info - 0 points
First Features Lab
This seven-week course is designed to assist Screen/TV Writing and Directing concentrates approaching graduation to take a cool critical eye on their material and
revise it with an eye to concerns that are both creative and pragmatic. Is the screenplay in the strongest possible shape in terms of core story aims,
fundamental structure, a compelling path in? How do you attract financiers to a script? How about actors? Is there a scene, or scenes, that an actor with some visibility who can boost funding chances would just die to play? If not, why not? How about questions of producibility – screenplay length, number of locations,
complexity of scenes to be shot, probable budget? How can writer-directors and creative producers (without whom no movie could be made) forge stronger collaborative relationships, ones respectful of the unique offerings all parties bring to the table?
These are just some of the points of focus in First Features Lab, a course modeled somewhat on the famed Sundance Institute Labs, which so many Columbia Film
Program faculty have attended and been shaped by, including the instructor and creator of this class. First Features Lab allows for an intensive focus on one project per week. Everyone in class will read that screenplay, deliver 2 pages of written notes on the script, and come to each session ready to discuss the material in depth. Ideally screenplay material has already gone through at least one Script Revision class and also been workshopped in a student’s thesis workshop, to gain individual advisors’ input. Creative Producers attached to the project under discussion are a key part of these sessions and can benefit from hearing both the instructor’s notes and those from classmates.
The goal is to create a rigorous space for examining the first feature screenplay with an eye toward production, collaboration, and leaving Columbia with the strongest
piece of material possible upon graduation. For the final class, each creative team must present a 1-2 page document outlining next steps for a revision of the screenplay, with clear, actionable ideas about how to push the material closer to being competitive in the marketplace. A class plan follows.
All students must commit to attending every session of this class and show up for everyone in the lab with passion and dedication to thematerial under discussion. Another goal is to form a strong collective that can continue to provide support and feedback beyond the duration of the
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Instructor:
Katherine Dieckmann
Info - 0 points
TV REVISION
FILM AF 9120 TV Revision
The goal of TV Revision is to bring in a completed pilot and then completely revise it in one semester. Students will initially present their full scripts for feedback in class discussion, then map a plan for rewriting with their instructor. Deadlines throughout the semester will focus on delivery of revised pages.
The work can range from an intensive page 1 rewrite to focus on selected areas in a script. Reading of all scripts in the workshop and participation in class discussion is required.
There is an application process to select students for the class.
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Instructor:
Benjamin Robbins
Info - 0 points
DIRECTING THESIS ADVISEMENT
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Instructor:
Ramin Bahrani
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Instructor:
Bette Gordon
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Instructor:
Hilary Brougher
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Instructor:
Eric Mendelsohn
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Instructor:
Bogdan G Apetri
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Instructor:
Tom Kalin
Wikipedia Info - 0 points
PRODUCING THESIS ADVISEMENT
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Instructor:
Jack Lechner
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Instructor:
Mynette Louie
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Instructor:
Maureen A Ryan
Info - 0 points
Writing for the Screen
The Pilot
Section 001: A great TV series starts with a great pilot episode. You have one chance to intrigue an audience and stand out from hundreds of other series—599 were released in 2022, and that only includes the English language releases! This course will share the building blocks needed to write the next compelling series, starting with the pilot. Not all buyers want to read a finished pilot, but as the creator, you’ll need to know your pilot inside out and become an expert in your series’ genre if you want to sell it. This course will be a combination of pilot outlining and scene writing with an exploration of character and theme. All this through the lens of the marketplace and your authentic, lived experience—the magic combination for a winning series. We will workshop your outlines and scenes in class. Any assigned readings, screenings, and exercises will be focused as much as possible on inspiring material that relates to your pilot/series idea.
This course will support you if you want to write a full pilot script. However, the main objective is to finish the course having written a pilot outline and key scenes, as well as other material that's vital to a successful pilot and series such as character and season one breakdowns. You should come to the first class with at least two original logline/elevator pitches for series ideas to which you have a strong personal connection.
Existing ideas that you feel would benefit from this coursework are also welcome.
Section 002
Writing For the Screen is a screenwriting workshop for second/ Reserach Arts year creative producing students. Each student will write and present a feature screenplay. Students will submit their work for critique, while critiquing the work of fellow students. The class is about process rather than product; the aim is to further each students understanding of writing visual narrative. Students will also pitch ideas to the class, and work collaboratively to determine which format those ideas are best suited to feature films.
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Instructor:
Kate Cortesi
Info - 0 points
FILM RESEARCH ARTS INTERNSHIP
Internship for Film Research Arts Students Only
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Instructor:
Hanna Seifu
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Instructor:
Jack Lechner
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Instructor:
Maureen A Ryan
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Instructor:
Mynette Louie
Wikipedia Info - 1-6 points