Writing Scripts for Online Video

How to write digital shorts for the Web, podcasts, and mobile phones

Course is closed.
Writing Scripts for Online Video

WHEN 4 weeks, April 22 - May 13
Online chats Tuesdays, 9-10 pm ET

WHERE Online. Click here for more information.

LEVEL Intro

PRICE
$350 ($325 for )
more info

Course Details

The iPhone has arrived. Consumer created content is here. Short-form programming is being produced for all platforms, whether it be original programming or edits and mash-ups of existing content. This new arena of online video projects open up a number of programming options.

Writers and producers are no longer restricted to certain lengths and time blocks. Writing for the web, podcasts, and mobile phones presents its own scenario, unique to these applications. This course examines the elements that are essential for writing online video projects. We'll discuss how to think in terms of short attention spans, target markets that span all demographics, and find the right topics to explore to create a perfect online video.

From researching the brief history of online videos to studying the current marketplace to predicting the all-out potential of the future of web writing and producing, this course provides you with the tools you'll need to write your own online video projects.

In this course, you will learn:

  • The history and success of online videos and current marketplace
  • Basic elements of storytelling: act breakdowns, character development, structure and dialogue for short projects
  • Who typically consumes online videos and how they access content
  • What sites and platforms are hot and why, and where you should post
  • One-time postings versus serials
  • How writing online video projects will propel you to the next step of your career

By the end of this class, you will have:
An online video script of at least 3 minutes and no longer than 10 minutes

To Apply
Please submit a letter of interest (including a brief work history).

The online classroom has several interactive components:
  • Instructors post lectures once a week. You can read them online, print them, or download them at your convenience.
  • Students post completed assignments for feedback and discussion by the instructor and class.
  • Weekly chats allow your class to get together via instant message. Transcripts are available for review if you can't attend.
  • Technical support is available from mediabistro staff.

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Instructor Bio

Laurie Scheer's Courses

Brand Yourself – (Class starts September 10)
Developing Online Videos – Los Angeles (Seminar on September 25)
How to Write for (and Pitch to) Women's TV Networks – Los Angeles (Seminar on September 23)
TV Writing: Spec Script – (Class starts September 8)
Writing Scripts for Online Video – (Class starts July 15)

Laurie Scheer
Laurie Scheer is a former vice president of programming for WE: Women's Entertainment and is currently teaching at Yale University. She has worked as an assistant, d-girl, and producer for some of the most powerful media conglomerates in the world, including ABC, Viacom, Showtime, and AMC-Cablevision. She has been a professor at numerous universities across the US and considers herself a media goddess, helping creative professionals realize their goals of working and improving 21st century media. Her book Creative Careers In Hollywood: From Extra Girls to Errand Boys (Allworth Press, 2002) chronicles and celebrates all of the movies ever made that feature women working in Hollywood. She also has a DVD, How to Pitch and Sell Your Screenplay.


Testimonials


Laurie Scheer has boundless enthusiasm and offers nothing less than the opportunity to succeed in arenas where you have previously only dreamt of succeeding. I never realized that such friendship, such encouragement, such genuine goodwill and such human connection could be capable between people who have only met through a computer until I took this wonderful class. --Paul Hagen

"Laurie's seminar was by far the best class I have ever taken in my entire life! Not only was she enjoyable, clear, and relevant, she's the most knowledgeable instructor I've ever had. She is excellent on every level, and I can't say enough how much I got out of attending. Honestly, this is why I've gone to mediabistro events since 1999. You're better than anyone else out here!" -- Jamila Bey

"Laurie's seminar was the best money I've ever spent! I learned more about how television programming works in 3 hours than I picked up in a lifetime as a television news reporter. I look forward to spreading the word about Laurie's vast knowledge, practical teaching style, and terrific personality." -- Brigette Polmar

"Laurie's class provided invaluable tips on how to break into and master the murky world of television writing and production. She's also one of the coolest instructors I've ever had, which gave her class the breeziness of summer camp. I would heartily recommend her classes to anyone interested in learning more about writing for film and television and anyone who wants to have fun doing it." -- Imani Dawson

"Laurie Scheer's generous advice about television writing helped give me the confidence I needed to negotiate the contract process. Because of her seasoned knowledge and her willingness to share it, I'll always remember that "if you are a professional, you're worth it," even when you're just starting out." -- Gina Laurie

"Laurie Scheer's classes are musts for anyone wanting to progress in the television industry. After bumping around TV jobs for a few years, I took Laurie's class, and it gave me the flashlight I needed to see the whole landscape of opportunities available. It is quite unusual to have someone offer to share their experiences, and even more unusual for them to truly want you to succeed. If you need to be convinced that you are capable of writing or creating a show, take Laurie's class." -- Tamara Federici, writer & former associate producer, Chappelle's Show

"Laurie Scheer is a professional who generously shares with her students her love and first-hand knowledge of the complex TV industry. She has a wonderful knack of encouraging writers, instilling confidence and still showing them where they have taken a wrong turn." -- Nancy West

"Ms. Scheer was informative, funny, and extremely knowledgeable about the business. I found myself riveted and wanting to know more after sitting still for 3 hours at the end of a long work day! If anyone is thinking of a career in television writing, this course and the instructor is your starting point." -Inger Slade

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