DURATION/TIME 8 weeks Tuesdays, 7-10 p.m. June 20-Aug. 15 (no class on 7/4) LEVEL Intermediate/Advanced LOCATION West Hollywood, Calif. MORE INFO Email learnwest@mediabistro.com, or call (310) 659-5668. PRICE $449 ($475 for ) more info

Course Details

From the red carpet to Cannes, writing about the entertainment business is a sui generis occupation that, when the career is managed effectively, can be quite fulfilling and exciting. This class gives reporters the real-world tools to work and thrive in this competitive, demanding, and often exhilarating part of the journalism media.

This 8-week program is an extensive combination of written assignments and market analysis designed to match each student's interests and skill-set with the various niches of the entertainment journalism business.

The assignments (each under 1,000 words and accompanied by a pitch letter to be read aloud and critiqued in class) are designed to enhance the student's knowledge of the craft of writing, the business of writing, and are designed to be saleable. We'll talk about how to approach the editors who are looking for professionals who can deliver great stories on deadline in such areas as celebrity profiles, behind-the-scenes mover-and-shaker profiles, business trend pieces, true celebrity crime and litigation reportage, and arts and culture reviews.

Boot Camp for Entertainment Journalists is a perfect opportunity to restructure your career and start writing about the things that matter to you. This is a selective, rigorous course that often requires significant time (count on at least three hours outside of class per week, a few times reporting and writing will require up to 10 hours). 

In this class, you can expect to learn:

• Where to find the stories editors want
• How to write a pitch an entertainment editor can't turn down
• How to negotiate access to get the story once its been assigned, i.e., walking the minefield of Hollywood handlers and killer publicists
• Which outlets are easiest to break into and identify which sections are most freelancer-friendly
• Why some entertainment publications pay more for reporters as opposed to writers (translation: sometimes your rolodex is more valuable than your literary skills)
• How to negotiate your contracts and how to recognize leverage opportunities
• How to find publications that will fulfill your emotional and intellectual needs, and how to stay away from the publications that won't
• The economics of entertainment journalism -- which publications pay more, and why
• Designing your exit strategy: entertainment journalism can be a bridge to other business opportunities, and also can be cruel for the last one to leave the party.

By the end of class, students can expect to have:
A complete portfolio of 8 publishable articles that will impress any magazine editor, the ability to work under tight deadlines, and an understanding of how to achieve the entertainment journalism career you started out (or ended up) wanting.

Note:
There will be guest speakers in this class, including assigning editors from major entertainment journalism outlets.

Admission requirements:
To be considered for this class, you must submit a non-fiction writing sample (up to 2,000 words), plus a letter of interest including a work history.

Instructor Bio

Ross Johnson's Courses

A former executive editor at The Hollywood Reporter, Ross Johnson has written for New York magazine, Talk magazine, Forbes SSP, USA Today, and Daily Variety. He is also a frequent contributor to the New York Times and Esquire magazines.
In 1996, Ross originated the L.A. Raw column for Los Angeles magazine. Ross' article, "Tequila Sunset," a study of the legal battle between Barbra Streisand and her neighbors on Point Dume, earned the magazine a 2001 nomination for a L.A. Press Club Award.
You can visit Ross' website to learn more.