76-228 Special Topics in Creative Writing
4.5 units, Carnegie Mellon University
In this course, students will learn how to write a television pilot the way actual working television writers do, from conception to execution. Every week, the class will watch a different pilot from a famous TV show ranging anywhere from the Mary Tyler Moore Show to Lost to Breaking Bad. The class will analyze the structure of these pilots to understand what makes them great, and how to shape your own idea into a first episode that can hook an audience for an entire season. Then, students will put what theyve learned into practice, coming up with an idea for their own original show and pitching the concept to the class learning the valuable art of selling your ideas. From there, the class will give and receive feedback on their projects and then they will practice being in an actual television writers room, brainstorming ideas together to make every project better and getting practice running the writers room as the lead writer on their own concept. When each show has benefited from getting time in the room, the students will write the beginning of their pilot again, getting feedback from their peers and understanding how to take notes while retaining their authentic voice as a writer and developing a final product they can be proud of. Television is all about working together, and this class will focus on that unique process, giving students experience in how actual television writers rooms are run. And well watch some great TV along the way
Prerequisites: 76-101 or 76-102 or (76-106 and 76-107) or (76-106 and 76-108) or (76-107 and 76-108)
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