Sitcom Writing 1: Writing the 'Spec' Script
Schools of Public Engagement: Communication
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: Communication (NCOM)
Campus: New York City (GV)
Course Format: Seminar (R)
Modality: Online - Asynchronous
Max Enrollment: 15
Add/Drop Deadline: September 11, 2023 (Monday)
Online Withdrawal Deadline: November 19, 2023 (Sunday)
Seats Available: Yes
Status: Open*
* 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: 2:04pm EDT 3/30/2023
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: Communication (NCOM)
Campus: New York City (GV)
Course Format: Seminar (R)
Modality: Online - Asynchronous
Max Enrollment: 17
Add/Drop Deadline: June 13, 2023 (Tuesday)
Online Withdrawal Deadline: July 21, 2023 (Friday)
Seats Available: Yes
* Seats available but reserved for a specific population.
Status: Open*
* 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: 2:04pm EDT 3/30/2023
CRN: 2473
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: Communication (NCOM)
Campus: New York City (GV)
Course Format: Seminar (R)
Modality: In-Person
Max Enrollment: 13
Add/Drop Deadline: February 5, 2023 (Sunday)
Online Withdrawal Deadline: April 16, 2023 (Sunday)
Seats Available: No
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: 2:04pm EDT 3/30/2023