FST 330-001 – NARRATIVE PRODUCING
COURSE SYLLABUS
SPRING 2016 - Monday, 12:30-3:15, KE 1114, 1122 (Lab)
INSTRUCTOR: TERRY LINEHAN
INSTRUCTOR OFFICE HOURS: I am available before and after class, by
appointment, and during office hours: Wed 10:00-12:00, 106B King Hall. Phone:
962.2231. linehant@uncw.edu
Required text: “Producer To Producer” by Maureen A. Ryan. Available at:
www.producertoproducer.com You must create a profile and register. Or buy
directly from Amazon.com or UNCW Bookstore.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
The Producing course will cover the process of narrative film production from the initial selection
of the story or script through the complete production process until delivery of the finished film.
We will also examine the procedures and legal requirements necessary for the formation of a
company, financing options, film festival strategies, marketing, and the sale or licensing of the
film in domestic and foreign film markets.
Practical development of scheduling and budgeting skills will involve learning Movie Magic
software in and outside of class. Real world examples will be used during the semester through an
examination of the production of “Don’t Know Yet,” a 90-minute feature film produced by your
instructor in 2012 and distributed worldwide in 2014.
STUDENT LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1) Understand the duties and responsibilities of the producer in each stage of the production
process.
2) Develop basic skills used in scheduling and budgeting a film.
3) Understand the process, legalities, and strategies used to market a finished film.
ASSIGNMENTS:
1) Students select the first 50 pages of a feature length script and submit a “Look Book” for their
film.
2) Using EP Movie Magic Scheduling software, students schedule a 10-15 day shoot based on
their selected script.
3) Using EP Movie Magic Budgeting software, students budget their script at the $500,000 level.
QUIZZES: 10 quizzes will cover reading assignments and material covered in class. Quizzes will
take place during the first 10 minutes of class and will feature mainly fill-in-the-blank and T/F
questions. Missed quizzes can only be made up in the case of documented illnesses or
emergencies. Students who arrive late to class will have only the first ten minutes of the class
period to take the quiz.
ALL ASSIGNMENTS MUST BE TURNED IN ON ASSIGNED DATE.
No late assignments will be accepted. Incomplete assignments will be graded as is. No
incompletes will be given for this course.
ATTENDANCE POLICY:
Follow the attendance policy or risk not passing the course. Attendance is mandatory. If you're late
twice, the two add up to one absence. After that, if you miss attendance, you're counted absent. In
this class, late means you have arrived after the start of class. If you arrive 15 minutes after the
start of class it is considered an absence. On a professional set you will be fired for being late.
One absence = excused
Two absences = -10 on final grade
Three absences = failure of the course
GRADING:
Look Book
Shooting Schedule:
Project Budget
Quizzes:
Attendance and Participation:
20%
20%
20%
20%
20%
(A=100-93, A-=92-90, B+=89-87, B=86-83, B-=82-80, C+=79-77, C=76-73, C-=72-70, D+=6967, D=66-63, D-=62-60, F=59 and below)
NO CELL PHONES OR COMPUTERS OR ELECTRONIC DEVICES
ALLOWED IN CLASS. IF I SEE YOU ON YOUR PHONE, YOU WILL BE
ASKED TO LEAVE. IF YOU HAVE AN EMERGENCY AND MUST CHECK
YOUR PHONE DURING CLASS, PLEASE TELL ME BEFORE CLASS AND I
WILL ALLOW IT.
WEEKLY CLASS SCHEDULE: Please allow for flexibility
Class 1: January 11
Topic: Class introductions, syllabus and overview. Producing “Don’t Know Yet”
Homework: Week Two readings, Choose your 50-page script. Due Class 3: February 1
Class 2: January 25
Quiz #1 on Week Two readings
Topic: Forming a company, development, proposals
Homework: Week Three readings
Class 3: February 1
Due: 50 page script selection
Quiz #2 on Week Three readings
In class practical: Look Book preparation.
Due Class 6: February 22
Homework: Watch “Don’t Know Yet” and trailer. View EP Scheduling Tutorials: Will email
tutorial links to the class.
Class 4: February 8 – MEET IN EDITING LAB
Topic: Movie Magic Scheduling
In class practical: Scheduling software demo
Homework: Week Five readings, Begin scheduling your 50-page script. Due Class 8: March
14
Homework: Week Five readings
Class 5: February 15 – MEET IN EDITING LAB
Quiz #3 on Week Five readings
In class practical: Begin scheduling your script
Homework: Week Six readings
Class 6: February 22
Due: Look Book
Quiz #4 on Week Six readings
Topic: Funding, Casting
In class practical: PPM, Executive Summary, Crowdsourcing, SAG contracts, DKY casting
Homework: Week Seven readings
Class 7: February 29
Quiz #5 on Week Seven readings
Topic: Budgeting
In class practical: DKY examples
Homework: View EP Budgeting Tutorials: Back-to-Basics: 1-4, 6:
https://www.youtube.com/user/BroadcastEP/playlists
Plus 2, 25, 27-31, 33, 36: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL386ECE3EDE9C87EA
Class 8: March 14 – MEET IN EDITING LAB
Due: Shooting Schedule
In class practical: Movie Magic Budgeting demo
Homework: More EP Budgeting Tutorials, Week Nine readings, Begin Budgeting with
Movie Magic Due Class 12: April 11
Class 9: March 21 – MEET IN EDITING LAB
Quiz #6 on Week Nine readings
In class practical: Begin budgeting your script
Homework: Week Ten readings
Class 10: March 28 – MEET IN EDITING LAB
Quiz #7 on Week Ten readings
In class practical: Continue budgeting your script
Homework: Week Eleven readings
Class 11: April 4
Quiz #8 on Week Eleven readings
Topic: Music licensing
In class practical: DKY examples
Homework: Week Twelve Readings
Class 12: April 11
DUE: BUDGET
Quiz #9 on Week Twelve readings
Topic: Marketing/Publicity
In class practical: DKY examples
Homework: Week Thirteen readings
Class 13: April 18
Quiz #10 on Week Thirteen readings
Topic: Film Festivals/ Distribution
In class practical: DKY examples
Homework: NOT A THING!
Class 14: April 25
Return budgets and discuss
FINAL EXAM – Wednesday, May 4, 3-6 PM, KE 1114
WEEKLY READINGS:
WEEK ONE: NONE. Screenplay synopses will be emailed to you so you can choose your script.
Email me your choice and I will send you the Final Draft 9 screenplay file.
WEEK TWO:
P2P Chapter 1, Development 1-24, 48-56
WEEK THREE:
P2P Chapter 2, Script Breakdown 57-60, 76-81, Chapter 10, Scheduling 239-240, 251-265
WEEK FOUR: NONE
WEEK FIVE:
P2P Chapter 5, Casting 139-149, EP Scheduling tutorials:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLE2EC01DA7ACE985F#top 1, 2, 3, 5, 11, 12, 13, 17,
20, 21, 28
WEEK SIX:
P2P Chapter 4, Funding 127-138, Chapter 6, Preproduction 150-157, 176, 186-188, 198-199.
View Sag Indie contract for Modified Low Budget: http://www.sagindie.org/resources/
WEEK SEVEN:
P2P Chapter 3, Budgeting 82-84, 93-99, 108-110, 123-126
WEEK EIGHT: NONE
WEEK NINE:
P2P Chapters 7-9, Locations, Legal, Insurance 200-238
WEEK TEN:
P2P Chapters 11-12, Production and Wrap 266-282, 291-293
WEEK ELEVEN:
P2P Chapters 13-14, Postproduction/Audio 294-329
WEEK TWELVE:
P2P Chapter 15, Music 330-343
WEEK THIRTEEN:
P2P Chapter 17-19, Marketing/Publicity, Film Festivals, Distribution/Sales 351-383
Quick Guide to Assignment Due Dates:
FEBRUARY 1 – choose your 50-page script
FEBRUARY 22 – Look Book
MARCH 14 – Shooting Schedule
APRIL 11 – Budget