Course Details

Despite the rise in video iPods and cellphone movies, films on the big screen remain one of the most significant entertainment forms in America, and literally hundreds of newspapers, magazines, and websites publish film-related articles, reviews and essays daily. How can you turn your love of movies into snappy, informed, and salable writing? This class offers an overview of the five basic forms of film journalism, from the short-form capsule review, to the extended review, the genre piece, the profile, and the tech-oriented article. We'll start by discussing visual design, sound design, screenplay, and performance, with tips on the specialized language of cinematography and post-production. Then we'll focus on how to structure and write a standard film review, from the kickass lede to the final recommendation. There will be in-class screenings of two short films for discussion and writing exercises to get you going, and we'll end the class by discussing the various markets for film writing, how to get into screenings in L.A., and the best resources in for doing film-related research. If you're new to film-related writing, or want to hone your skills and get paid for you work, this seminar is for you!

• Watch a movie with a critic's eye
• Use appropriate technical jargon when necessary
• Structure and write a short capsule film review
• Structure and write a longer film review
• Begin to develop your own critical voice and stance
• Contact publicists for screening invites
• Pitch your work to editors
• Locate the best resources for research

Instructor Bio

Holly Willis's Courses

Holly Willis is the editor of New Digital Cinema: Reinventing the Moving Image and was the co-founder and west coast editor of Filmmaker: The Magazine of Independent Film and served as editor of RES Magazine, a publication devoted to digital media and art for five years. She has written for numerous publications on a freelance basis, including Variety and The Hollywood Reporter, and she currently writes the Signal to Noise column in the film section of the LA Weekly. Holly has also edited for online sites such as IFILM and Really Good Films, and currently teaches at the University of Southern California.

Understanding the Web, From Wikis to RSS is a great introduction not only to web techniques, but to the whole concept of open and cooperative publishing. Holly Willis is an outstanding teacher with a unique perspective and background, and is funny, thought-provoking, and thoroughly entertaining. -- David Isaak

"Understanding the Web introduced me to new Web 2.0 interactive technologies useful for writers and marketing consultants such as myself. The interactive nature of the class made it even more valuable. I will definitely begin exploring and using these technologies in my work." -- Audrey Philpot, transformarketing.com

"This was the best MB class I have taken, and I hope you offer more in this category. It was a perfect intro to the world of social networking to those new to the term, and the tools used for that goal. The instructor did a great job in making wikis, blogs, etc feel easy to learn to use. I plan to send my spouse to the next time this class is offered." -- Laurie Lande