Sitcom Writing 1: Writing the 'Spec' Script
Schools of Public Engagement: Media
CRN: 3829
Credits: 3
The sitcom is no joke. It is a specialized, highly competitive form of screenwriting that has its own sets of rules, expectations and required skills. And, for those wishing to break into TV writing, the front door is the “spec” script. A spec script is a sample episode for a current popular TV series and it is an indispensable tool for selling you talents in the television marketplace. This course investigates the half-hour episodic TV comedy form and gives students the fundamental tools necessary to conceive and execute a sitcom teleplay. Over the course of the semester, students research a popular half-hour comedy, learn its secrets and develop techniques for developing premises, story generation, outlining, structuring, scene writing, and editing - all in collaboration with other student writers. Students write in the voice, tone and style of an established show completing a beat sheet, episode diagram, and draft of a complete spec script for a current half-hour comedy show and progress as far as they can towards polishing it. Finally, an overview of the business of the sitcom, the current comedy series marketplace, and breaking in as a writer.
College: Schools of Public Engagement (NS)
Department: Media (MED)
Campus: New York City (GV)
Course Format: Seminar (R)
Modality: Online - Asynchronous
Max Enrollment: 15
Add/Drop Deadline: September 9, 2024 (Monday)
Online Withdrawal Deadline: November 17, 2024 (Sunday)
Seats Available: Yes
Status: Closed*
* Status information is updated every few minutes. The status of this course may have changed since the last update. Open seats may have restrictions that will prevent some students from registering. Updated: 7:34am EST 12/13/2024
CRN: 1140
Credits: 3
The sitcom is no joke. It is a specialized, highly competitive form of screenwriting that has its own sets of rules, expectations and required skills. And, for those wishing to break into TV writing, the front door is the “spec” script. A spec script is a sample episode for a current popular TV series and it is an indispensable tool for selling you talents in the television marketplace. This course investigates the half-hour episodic TV comedy form and gives students the fundamental tools necessary to conceive and execute a sitcom teleplay. Over the course of the semester, students research a popular half-hour comedy, learn its secrets and develop techniques for developing premises, story generation, outlining, structuring, scene writing, and editing - all in collaboration with other student writers. Students write in the voice, tone and style of an established show completing a beat sheet, episode diagram, and draft of a complete spec script for a current half-hour comedy show and progress as far as they can towards polishing it. Finally, an overview of the business of the sitcom, the current comedy series marketplace, and breaking in as a writer.
College: Schools of Public Engagement (NS)
Department: Media (MED)
Campus: New York City (GV)
Course Format: Seminar (R)
Modality: Online - Synchronous
Max Enrollment: 16
Add/Drop Deadline: June 17, 2024 (Monday)
Online Withdrawal Deadline: July 25, 2024 (Thursday)
Seats Available: Yes
Status: Closed*
* Status information is updated every few minutes. The status of this course may have changed since the last update. Open seats may have restrictions that will prevent some students from registering. Updated: 7:34am EST 12/13/2024