MA 528 Production Management
Pre/co-requisite: MA 500 or MA 501 or MA 800
Offered every Fall, 3 credits
This course surveys the nuts and bolts of production management in photography, film, television, and contemporary digital media. Topics include: entertainment and copyright laws, programming, operations, scheduling, hiring, budgeting and media management. Students complete an entire Production Handbook as their semester long assignment.
MA 580 Independent Producer
Pre/co-requisite: MA 500 or MA 501 or MA 800
Offered every Spring, 3 credits
A hands-on approach to the production management tasks of the independent producer of film, video or multimedia. Topics include: script breakdown, scheduling, budgets, writing the business plan, marketing and distribution. Students will complete a production handbook and mock business plan as their final projects.
MA 581 Music Entrepreneurship
Pre/co-requisite: MA 500 or MA 501 or MA 800
Offered annually, 3 credits
An exploration of all aspects involved in digital sound production including from musical conception to arrangement to booking studio talent to the recording session and finally to the edit and final product. Emphasis is discussing financial and aesthetic aspects of the process that are of use to the sound engineer, the musician, studio manager and recording industry personnel.
MA 583 Art and Commerce
Pre/co-requisite: MA 500 or MA 501 or MA 800
Offered on occasion, 3 credits
This class focuses on a wide range of contemporary art and design enterprises in the metropolitan area. By means of on-site visits, students explore the work of individual artists, photographers, designers, curators and art directors. Discussion topics include the interface between creativity and culture, art and commerce, artifact and economics. Students complete a production assignment or article-length paper as their final project.
MA 584 Entrepreneurship
Pre/co-requisite: MA 500 or MA 501 or MA 800
Offered on occasion, 3 credits
Students master the tools and concepts of the Internet in their search for either an audience or a position with a media production firm. Topics include: devising an integrated strategy and selecting appropriate web technologies, understanding the significance of site architecture and user paths, designing an online storefront, building and maintaining an online community, infotainment, podcasting (audio blog) as well as fluency in digital policies for the internet economy. Students learn digital technology to reach and maintain clients as well as electronic publishing tools.
MA 585 Music Marketing
Pre/co-requisite: MA 500 or MA 501 or MA 800
Offered on occasion, 3 credits
Marketing is an essential part of being successful in the music industry. This course explores topics related to current marketing techniques including identifying and connecting with a target audience, effective approaches to promotion and publicity and branding within a focused niche. Creative strategies for successful marketing are explored, including online and non-traditional approaches. Students who are interested in promoting their own music projects will benefit from this course as well as students who are interested in expanding their knowledge of marketing in the entertainment industry as a whole.
MA 586 New Media Management
Pre/co-requisite: MA 500 or MA 501 or MA 800
Offered annually, 3 credits
This class focuses on new and emergent business models and media content that incorporate breakthrough technologies and innovative implementation of existing media. Students examine the new technological shifts in various media industries, unique management models emerging in response to these changes, the use of internet and social technologies for marketing, new distribution and deployment strategies for media such as broadband and mobile, and issues relating to innovative technologies for new media.
MA 587 Managing a Digital Production
Pre/co-requisite: MA 500 or MA 501 or MA 800
Offered on occasion, 3 credits
This class emphasizes aspects and techniques of media management that are specific to digital production.
MA 680 Financing Features
Pre/co-requisite: MA 500 or MA 501 or MA 800
Offered on occasion, 3 credits
This course focuses on the marketing, distribution and management of independent and studio features, and is a primer for filmmakers wishing to raise money for their personal projects. Students learn how independent companies and major Hollywood distributors market their films. Selling ideas to both broadcast and cable networks, and producing with the digital domain are also covered. The course seeks to demystify the role of the producer and focus directly on how to get started. Guest speakers include film professionals from the legal and distribution communities.
MA 681 Developing Documentaries and Shorts
Prerequisite: MA 590
Offered on occasion, 3 credits
This advanced course builds on the news writing and reporting skills gained in Broadcasting I. This course broadens the newsgathering, writing and producing functions to include other aspects of broadcasting including: features; in-depth and investigative reporting, web casting and journalistic blogging; and visual broadcast design. The course broadens the spectrum of reporting to include: business news; fashion and music news and features; and, reporting on global issues. As in the first course in the sequence, the range of skills honed here range from newsgathering techniques, crafting story structure, and broadcast presentation to researching complex social economic issues.
MA 682 High-End Digital Production
Prerequisite: MA 500 or MA 501 or MA 800
Offered on occasion, 3 credits
This course introduces students to all the stages of high-end production such as developing, producing, and delivering product in this contemporary format. Through lectures and workshop exercises, students learn about grant writing, development, selling, deal-making, budgets, preproduction, production, postproduction, and marketing in this format.
MA 683 Producing the Television Series
Prerequisite: MA 500 or MA 501 or MA 800
Offered on occasion, 3 credits
This is an intensive course that will introduce students to all the stages of developing, producing, and delivering a primetime network television series. Through lectures and workshop exercises, students will learn about development, selling, casting, deal-making, budgets, pre-production, production, post-production, and marketing. Students will also gain a full understanding of the collaborative imperative of the network television business.