Los Angeles Program Courses

Students may count up to eight credits of internship toward the major requirements. Only juniors and seniors with a current 2.7 GPA are eligible. A 4-credit internship requires 16 hours a week over a 12 week period and a 8-credit internship requires 32 hours a week over a 12 week period. No more than eight credits of internship and no more than 12 credits of any combination of internship, directed project and directed study may be applied to the total graduation requirements. Students must participate in the Internship Experience Workshop offered through Career Services, the semester before the internship, and should consult the Academic Calendar for registration deadlines. Students who wish to participate in an internship in the Los Angeles, CA Area must be enrolled in the Emerson Los Angeles Program.

Students may only apply four internship credits toward the journalism major. Internships, typically at a radio station, TV station, newspaper, magazine or online news site, must be journalistic in nature and must be cleared in advance by the department's internship coordinator. Students are supervised by an approved full-time employee of the organization at which they work and by the internship coordinator. Students are required to keep a journal of their activities, to meet with the internship coordinator and other interns at least three times a semester, and to complete other tasks assigned by the department. Prerequisite: Junior or senior standing, a grade point average of 2.7 or above, a recommendation from a journalism instructor and completion of JR304 or JR305. A 4-credit internship requires 16 hours a week over a 12 week period and a 8-credit internship requires 32 hours a week over a 12 week period. No more than eight credits of internship and no more than 12 credits of any combination of internship, directed project and directed study may be applied to the total graduation requirements. Students must participate in the Internship Experience Workshop offered through Career Services, prior to the start of the internship, and should consult the Academic Calendar for registration deadlines. Students who wish to participate in an internship in the Los Angeles, CA area must be enrolled in the Emerson Los Angeles Program.

Los Angeles has inspired writers and communicators like few other cities. This course will explore a variety of narrative representations of Los Angeles across different media and genres and will offer students a chance to create and workshop their own L.A. stories - be it in fiction, the essay, literary journalism, or their video equivalents. By reading or viewing and then discussing the works of Nathaniel West, Joan Didion, Roman Polanski, and many others, students will develop not only a deeper knowledge of the city in which they now find themselves, but will also learn about the creative processes and the themes and theses through which L.A. has come to be most widely understood.

Students complete field work in the area of marketing communication. Students maintain regular contact with the internship coordinator during the semester, and submit reflective papers as assigned. Prerequisite: junior or senior standing, a grade point average of 2.7 or above, and permission of instructor. A 4-credit internship requires 16 hours a week over a 12 week period and an 8-credit internship requires 32 hours a week over a 12 week period. No more than eight credits of internship and no more than 12 credits of any combination of internship, directed project and directed study may be applied to the total graduation requirements. Students must participate in the Internship Experience Workshop offered through Career Services, prior to the start of the internship, and should consult the Academic Calendar for registration deadlines. Students who wish to particpate in an internship in the Los Angeles, CA Area must be enrolled in the Emerson Los Angeles Program.

This course is an in-depth study of the entertainment cross-promotions marketing discipline. Promotions are a significant component in the entertainment marketing mix, as companies seek ways to extend their marketing dollars and to cut through growing clutter in the marketplace. Today's successful entertainment cross-promotions integrate advertising, public relations, and sales promotion strategies to produce results that are greater then the sum of the individual parts. The relationship between these disciplines, as part of the entertainment cross-promotion, will be studied in this course. Students will examine various promotional objectives, strategies and tactics as they serve different segments of the entertainment business: motion picture, television (broadcast, cable and direct), legitimate theatre (Broadway, touring, residence), theme park, concerts, sports, and home entertainment (video, music, interactive). A special emphasis will be placed on current case studies and industry guest lecturers. Students will also have an opportunity to explore career opportunities in the cross-promotions field. Prerequisites: 300-level marketing course or permission of instructor.

This course is an examination, exploration and study of entertainment public relations and the tools that exist -- like the internet -- that enhance the options for achieving successful PR campaigns. Through class discussions, assigned readings and case studies, students will learn how to incorporate the best of what we have learned from the past combined with the exciting technological advances and opportunities now available for the dissemination of entertainment-related information. In a seminar format, guests representing all aspects of publicity including those involved in cutting-edge technology companies join the course. Prerequisites: 300-level Marketing course or permission of instructor.

Students work in professional theatrical or educational settings under the direct supervision of an approved, full time employee at the site and the designated faculty Internship Coordinator assigned by the Performing Arts Department. Prerequisite: junior or senior standing, a grade point average of 2.7 or above, and permission by petition of Chair of Performing Arts Department & Internship Coordinator. Professional experiences on site may have specific prerequisites, most of which pertain to completion of the appropriate level theory and/or production course at the College; students should obtain details from the Internship Coordinator. A 4-credit internship requires 16 hours a week over a 12-week period and an 8-credit internship requires 32 hours a week over a 12-week period. Performing Arts majors may enroll in a maximum of 8 credits of Internship with Boston area, Los Angeles, or national/ international companies. Students must attend a department orientation during the semester prior to undertaking the internship, and should plan to attend pre-determined class meetings during the semester. Students must participate in the Internship Experience Workshop offered through Career Services, the semester before the internship, and should consult the Academic Calendar for registration deadlines.

Internships involve work in publishing and other related areas. Students should plan to attend class meetings during the internship semester. Only juniors and seniors with a current 2.7 GPA are eligible. A 4-credit internship requires 16 hours a week over a 12 week period and a 8-credit internship requires 32 hours a week over a 12 week period. No more than eight credits of internship and no more than 12 credits of any combination of internship, directed project and directed study may be applied to the total graduation requirements. Students must participate in the Internship Experience Workshop offered through Career Services, prior to the start of the internship. Students who wish to participate in an internship in the Los Angeles, CA area must be enrolled in the Emerson Los Angeles Program. This course cannot be added after the regular registration period. Please consult the academic calendar for registration deadlines.

Internships involve work in publishing and other related areas. Students should plan to attend class meetings during the internship semester. Only juniors and seniors with a current 2.7 GPA are eligible. A 4-credit internship requires 16 hours a week over a 12 week period and a 8-credit internship requires 32 hours a week over a 12 week period. No more than eight credits of internship and no more than 12 credits of any combination of internship, directed project and directed study may be applied to the total graduation requirements. Students must participate in the Internship Experience Workshop offered through Career Services, prior to the start of the internship. Students who wish to participate in an internship in the Los Angeles, CA area must be enrolled in the Emerson Los Angeles Program. This course cannot be added after the regular registration period. Please consult the academic calendar for registration deadlines.

Internships involve work in writing and publishing. Internships in other areas should be undertaken through the appropriate department. Students are expected to attend class meetings during the internship semester and may not register for another course whose meeting time coincides with that of the internship course. A 4-credit internship requires 16 hours a week over a 12-week period and an 8-credit internship requires 32 hours a week over a 12-week period. No more than eight credits of internship and no more than 12 credits of any combination of internship, directed project, and directed study may be applied to the total graduation requirements. Please consult the Academic Calendar for registration deadlines.

This course is a workshop that provides a unique opportunity to study technique for film, television and stage performance. The course will focus on making the transition from stage performance to single camera, frame performance. The course will integrate an intensive study of various approaches to acting for the camera with the development of a character that the student performs in various sessions throughout the semester. Students will also develop techniques in cold readings, advanced scene work, and auditions. Prerequisite: TH221 or permission of instructor.

There is a difference between talent and skill. This intensive course will teach actors the non-performance skills they will need to build the careers they desire. This course will teach you how to be pro-active and empowered in the business of your career as an actor - or in a related field dealing with actors, as a manager, agent or casting director. There are academic, interactive and experiential components of this course, including in-class meetings with high level industry professionals, workshops that explore the changing landscape that is the business of acting, and the production of an entertainment industry showcase as a final project. Note that there will be additional time required outside of class meetings for rehearsals for the showcase beginning week 7. Among the goals of this section are: to understand how the business of acting works from the inside; to develop individual strategies for marketing and promoting yourself as an actor; and to prepare students of the performing arts for their transitions to careers as working, professional actors (or in complimentary careers) following graduation. Prerequisite: TH221 or permission of instructor.

Working from detailed outlines developed in VM 221 Writing the Feature Film, this course will take students through to the completion of a first draft, feature-length screenplay. In addition to writing their own scripts, students will read the material written by each member of the class, write a detailed critical analysis of each segment, and engage in discussion of aesthetics, craft and form. Prerequisite: VM 221 or WP 439. (This course may count toward the Media Arts major or the WLP major.)

Students develop skills in directing actors in dramatic performances for video and film. Building on a foundation of fundamental video and film skills, students will learn how to plan and direct narrative sequences. Students will be taken step by step through the directing process with a particular emphasis on research and visualization. Prerequisite: VM 230 or VM 240 or VM 241.

This course will examine the factors that resulted in one of the most significant decades in American cinema. Through screenings and close analysis, we will explore the changing relationship between studios and directors; audience and markets; and, narrative and style. We will also consider the historical emergence of a newfound film culture as directors like Coppola, Scorsese, Spielberg, and Bogdanovich came into prominence. Prerequisite: VM200 or MA360 and Senior standing (Junior standing with permission of Chair).

As we enter into the new millennium, we seem to be facing a marked increase of fear and anxiety owing to violent and disturbing events. We experienced this in April, 1999 in the wake of the shootings at Columbine High School and, even more so, in the wake of the terrorist bombings of September 11, 2001. This course will explore how the media has exacerbated the resulting feelings of fear and anxiety that have characterized these and related events and their aftermaths. We will look at a variety of forms of popular culture including fiction films like Independence Day and Black Hawk Down as well as provocative documentaries like Noam Chomsky's Manufacturing Consent, Michael Moore's Bowling For Columbine, and Ross McElwee's Six O'Clock News. The goal of the seminar is to provoke animated discussion on these issues as they relate to film, television, and society and prepare the student for further critical thinking about the media. Prerequisite: VM200 or MA360 and Senior standing (Junior standing with permission of Chair).

Genre plays an important role in the television experience from program development, scheduling, and advertising to the choices we make about which programs to watch. This seminar will draw on recent scholarship to explore how television genres function textually, industrially, and culturally. The beginning of the seminar will be focused on critically examining a number of theoretical approaches to the study of genre. Building on these approaches, the remainder of the course will focus on several case studies, including cartoons, cop shows, reality television, and the soap opera. Throughout the course, we will examine the production and reception of these genres and others in relation to their specific historical, economic and cultural contexts. Prerequisite: VM200 or MA360 and Senior standing (Junior standing with permission of Chair).

This course examines the primetime television drama. Areas of study include the difference between plot-driven dramas and character-driven dramas. Also covered are a history of television drama, writing effective protagonists and antagonists, writing for existing dramas and characters, writing an hour-long drama, and format. Each student will write a script for an existing primetime television drama that will be work-shopped in class. Prerequisite: VM 222.

Students work in organizations such as a broadcast station, film and video production company, sound lab, or in educational or corporate media under the direct supervision of an approved, full-time employee and an assigned faculty member. No more than eight credits of any combination of directed projects (VM 497), directed studies (VM 498), and Internship (VM 499) may be counted toward the major. No more than four credits of internship may be counted toward the major. Prerequisite: junior standing, a grade point average of 2.7 or above, and permission of instructor. The various sections of VM 499 have specific prerequisites, most of which pertain to completion of the appropriate second-level production course; students should obtain details from the internship coordinator. A 4-credit internship requires 16 hours a week over a 12-week period and an 8-credit internship requires 32 hours over a 12-week period. No more than eight credits of Internship and no more than 12 credits of any combination of Internship, Directed Project, and Directed Study may be applied to the total graduation requirements. Students must participate in the Internship Experience Workshop offered through Career Services, prior to the start of the internship, and should consult the Academic Calendar for registration deadlines. Students who wish to participate in an internship in the Los Angeles, CA area must be enrolled in the Emerson Los Angeles Program.

Students work in organizations such as a broadcast station, film and video production company, sound lab, or in educational or corporate media under the direct supervision of an approved, full-time employee and an assigned faculty member. No more than eight credits of any combination of directed projects (VM 497), directed studies (VM 498), and Internship (VM 499) may be counted toward the major. No more than four credits of internship may be counted toward the major. Prerequisite: junior standing, a grade point average of 2.7 or above, and permission of instructor. The various sections of VM 499 have specific prerequisites, most of which pertain to completion of the appropriate second-level production course; students should obtain details from the internship coordinator. A 4-credit internship requires 16 hours a week over a 12-week period and an 8-credit internship requires 32 hours over a 12-week period. No more than eight credits of Internship and no more than 12 credits of any combination of Internship, Directed Project, and Directed Study may be applied to the total graduation requirements. Students must participate in the Internship Experience Workshop offered through Career Services, prior to the start of the internship, and should consult the Academic Calendar for registration deadlines. Students who wish to participate in an internship in the Los Angeles, CA area must be enrolled in the Emerson Los Angeles Program.

Students work in organizations such as a broadcast station, film and video production company, sound lab, or in educational or corporate media under the direct supervision of an approved, full-time employee and an assigned faculty member. No more than eight credits of any combination of directed projects (VM 497), directed studies (VM 498), and Internship (VM 499) may be counted toward the major. No more than four credits of internship may be counted toward the major. Prerequisite: junior standing, a grade point average of 2.7 or above, and permission of instructor. The various sections of VM 499 have specific prerequisites, most of which pertain to completion of the appropriate second-level production course; students should obtain details from the internship coordinator. A 4-credit internship requires 16 hours a week over a 12-week period and an 8-credit internship requires 32 hours over a 12-week period. No more than eight credits of Internship and no more than 12 credits of any combination of Internship, Directed Project, and Directed Study may be applied to the total graduation requirements. Students must participate in the Internship Experience Workshop offered through Career Services, prior to the start of the internship, and should consult the Academic Calendar for registration deadlines. Students who wish to participate in an internship in the Los Angeles, CA area must be enrolled in the Emerson Los Angeles Program.

Students work in organizations such as a broadcast station, film and video production company, sound lab, or in educational or corporate media under the direct supervision of an approved, full-time employee and an assigned faculty member. No more than eight credits of any combination of directed projects (VM 497), directed studies (VM 498), and Internship (VM 499) may be counted toward the major. No more than four credits of internship may be counted toward the major. Prerequisite: junior standing, a grade point average of 2.7 or above, and permission of instructor. The various sections of VM 499 have specific prerequisites, most of which pertain to completion of the appropriate second-level production course; students should obtain details from the internship coordinator. A 4-credit internship requires 16 hours a week over a 12-week period and an 8-credit internship requires 32 hours over a 12-week period. No more than eight credits of Internship and no more than 12 credits of any combination of Internship, Directed Project, and Directed Study may be applied to the total graduation requirements. Students must participate in the Internship Experience Workshop offered through Career Services, prior to the start of the internship, and should consult the Academic Calendar for registration deadlines. Students who wish to participate in an internship in the Los Angeles, CA area must be enrolled in the Emerson Los Angeles Program.

Students work in organizations such as a broadcast station, film and video production company, sound lab, or in educational or corporate media under the direct supervision of an approved, full-time employee and an assigned faculty member. No more than eight credits of any combination of directed projects (VM 497), directed studies (VM 498), and Internship (VM 499) may be counted toward the major. No more than four credits of internship may be counted toward the major. Prerequisite: junior standing, a grade point average of 2.7 or above, and permission of instructor. The various sections of VM 499 have specific prerequisites, most of which pertain to completion of the appropriate second-level production course; students should obtain details from the internship coordinator. A 4-credit internship requires 16 hours a week over a 12-week period and an 8-credit internship requires 32 hours over a 12-week period. No more than eight credits of Internship and no more than 12 credits of any combination of Internship, Directed Project, and Directed Study may be applied to the total graduation requirements. Students must participate in the Internship Experience Workshop offered through Career Services, prior to the start of the internship, and should consult the Academic Calendar for registration deadlines. Students who wish to participate in an internship in the Los Angeles, CA area must be enrolled in the Emerson Los Angeles Program.

This course will explore the practice of genre criticism in film and television through the examination of one or more film and television genres (e.g., the western, science fiction, or domestic melodrama and soap operas). Employing the principles of genre criticism, students will investigate the historical development of a genre in film and television series. Prerequisite: VM 200.

This course will run as an intense workshop in the development process of film and television movie projects with the practical emphasis being on selling in television and cable. It will guide students through shaping an effective, powerful story idea intended for the creation of selling pages. Students will actively discuss their ideas, learning how executives evaluate their ideas among themselves. They will also give notes on chosen screenplays, experiencing how to guide a writer to complete a screenplay in acceptable fashion. Learning how to pitch will be the culmination of evolving a strong story to sell to agents, producers, and network executives. Guest speakers from the industry will join the course to acquaint students with the differing aspects of the marketplace. A basic understanding of screen writing is recommended. Cross-listed with WP416-2.

This course will study the craft and the power of editing within the world of feature films and television. It will dissect the editing in classic films, present and past, and focus on the techniques and structure of effective visual storytelling. It will also present an overview of the postproduction process, centering on the integral role and responsibilities of the editor. Through a series of guests, representing some of the industry's most talented editors and filmmakers, students will have an overview of genres of editing (documentary, commercial, animation, television, and feature film). Also students will be given the raw footage to a scene from a feature film and a commercial to edit, and with the professional guidance of the instructor the scenes will be constructed, revised, and refined. After completion of this course, students will be able to apply the knowledge learned to more effectively tell stories through the power of editing. They will also earn a greater understanding of the terminology and technology used throughout the post-production process. Prerequisites: Basic ability to use either the Avid or Final Cut Pro Editing System and a solid knowledge of technical essentials as taught in Emerson core film and video classes is required.

The Production Management team, led by the Production Manager or UPM (Unit Production Manager), is responsible for the business activities of a film or television project. This course will introduce the student to the Production Management team and their duties and responsibilities throughout the making of a film or TV project. Students will be exposed to issues in budgeting and cash flow projection with the director and producer; hiring and managing of the production crew; contracts and union issues; crews and equipment scheduling and price negotiation; daily time cards and paperwork; invoicing and the business of the production wrapped up in post. Students will be expected to learn all phases of what the UPM's responsibilities are while working in the Los Angeles area and the state of California.

Students will explore the ways sound entertainment and information products are developed, produced, and marketed. In-depth examination of market analysis principles and legal requirements and structure, including licensing agreements, contracts, and copyright, will take place along with the examination of revenue issues such as royalties, record sales, product endorsements, and cost-centered issues such as promotion, advertising, and touring. Prerequisite: VM 101 and VM 120.

Participation in a professional organization such as a broadcast station, advertising agency, production or syndication company, industrial video company, or others. Participation is supervised by both the professional site supervisor and a member of the faculty. In addition to the work at the internship site, graduate students will be required to complete a research project individually designed by the Internship Coordinator. The Graduate Program Director and the Department Internship Coordinator must approve the internship before the student begins. A maximum of 4 credits can be applied toward the 40-credit graduation requirement. All students must participate in a mandatory internship orientation the semester before the internship. This is through the Career Services Office.

Participation in a professional organization such as a broadcast station, advertising agency, production or syndication company, industrial video company, or others. Participation is supervised by both the professional site supervisor and a member of the faculty. In addition to the work at the internship site, graduate students will be required to complete a research project individually designed by the Internship Coordinator. The Graduate Program Director and the Department Internship Coordinator must approve the internship before the student begins. A maximum of 4 credits can be applied toward the 40-credit graduation requirement. All students must participate in a mandatory internship orientation the semester before the internship. This is through the Career Services Office.

Participation in a professional organization such as a broadcast station, advertising agency, production or syndication company, industrial video company, or others. Participation is supervised by both the professional site supervisor and a member of the faculty. In addition to the work at the internship site, graduate students will be required to complete a research project individually designed by the Internship Coordinator. The Graduate Program Director and the Department Internship Coordinator must approve the internship before the student begins. A maximum of 4 credits can be applied toward the 40-credit graduation requirement. All students must participate in a mandatory internship orientation the semester before the internship. This is through the Career Services Office.

Participation in a professional organization such as a broadcast station, advertising agency, production or syndication company, industrial video company, or others. Participation is supervised by both the professional site supervisor and a member of the faculty. In addition to the work at the internship site, graduate students will be required to complete a research project individually designed by the Internship Coordinator. The Graduate Program Director and the Department Internship Coordinator must approve the internship before the student begins. A maximum of 4 credits can be applied toward the 40-credit graduation requirement. All students must participate in a mandatory internship orientation the semester before the internship. This is through the Career Services Office.

This course will run as an intense workshop in the development process of film and television movie projects with the practical emphasis being on selling in television and cable. It will guide students through shaping an effective, powerful story idea intended for the creation of selling pages. Students will actively discuss their ideas, learning how executives evaluate their ideas among themselves. They will also give notes on chosen screenplays, experiencing how to guide a writer to complete a screenplay in acceptable fashion. Learning how to pitch will be the culmination of evolving a strong story to sell to agents, producers, and network executives. Guest speakers from the industry will join the course to acquaint students with the differing aspects of the marketplace. A basic understanding of screen writing is recommended. Prerequisite: MA360 or permission of instructor.

Working from detailed outlines this course will take students through to the completion of a polish of a first draft, feature length screenplay. In addition to writing their own scripts, students will read the material written by each member of the class, write a detailed critical analysis of each segment, and engage in discussion of aesthetics, craft and form.