The Television Academy Foundation hosted its 27th annual Faculty Seminar November 10-14, 2015 at the Academy campus in North Hollywood. The annual event brings together television and film professors from across the country and immerses them into a week-long seminar with key industry leaders. The esteemed program aims to inspire and educate the next generation of television leaders by exposing college educators to the industry's most current expertise.
Attendees had the opportunity to meet with directors and editors of top-rated network shows, as well as programming executives from the major broadcast networks including ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, and The CW.
The Faculty Seminar was established in 1987 in response to the industry's desires to help shape the future of the television industry through educational programs for both students and educators. By providing college professors with exposure to the best and brightest professionals, the seminar cultivates an experience that enriches students, educators, and the industry alike. The Foundation is proud to influence tomorrow's television pioneers by bringing extensive knowledge of industry practices and cutting-edge expertise to classrooms nationwide.
2014 Seminar Highlights Included:
Twelve Interactive Panel and Workshop Sessions:
TV Business and the Development Process provided an overview of the functional aspects of the television business from concept to series, with particular focus on the development process (led by Foundation alumnus Rob Swartz, REELZ).
Series Showrunners addressed the most complex job in the television business. Showrunners are responsible for everything from story pitch to production, set design to music, casting to editing. They must push creativity to the limit while managing the economic realities of budget and schedule (with Executive Producers Claudia Lonow, Jeff Melvoin, Gabrielle Stanton, and John Wirth; moderated by Deb Curtis, SVP, Current Programming, eOne Television).
Movie Magic Scheduling and Budgeting demonstrated how proficiency with specialized software can help bridge the academic and professional worlds (with Michael Sable, Product Representative, Entertainment Partners).
Physical Production 101 revealed elements of physical production from the development stage to the completed series for a network television show (with Keven Wehrenberg, Executive Producer).
Securing Rights discussed the legal and business aspects of student production, emphasizing clearing rights for additional use (with David Pierce, Esq., Managing Member of the Pierce Law Group LLP).
Directing for Television Workshop demonstrated how to communicate a simple message using no words in an improv-style workshop (with Michael Lange, Director/Executive Producer).
Below the Line revealed various "behind the scene" crafts involved in television production (with Denny Dugally, Production Designer; Jeff Jur, Cinematographer; and Philip Carr Neel, Editor; moderated by Maury McIntyre, President and COO, Television Academy).
Television Academy Foundation Programs provided an overview of the Foundation's education programs available to students, as well as a glimpse into the Foundation's Archive of American Television, a collection of videotaped oral history interviews with hundreds of television's most iconic legends (led by Adrienne Faillace, Producer, Archive; Jenni Matz, Senior Producer, Digital Projects, Archive; and Nancy Robinson, Director, Education Programs).
Elements of Reality Television focused on phases of production in competition and non-competition reality shows as well as job opportunities available in this genre (with Jonathan Murray, Chairman, Bunim/Murray Productions, and Allison Grodner, Executive Producer, Big Brother; moderated by Dan Birman, Executive Producer/Professor USC Annenberg).
Nielsen: Cross-Platform Audience Measurement looked at how Nielsen provides ratings measurement as the media landscape evolves and the opportunity to view content multiplies (with Elaine Hauber, VP, Client Solutions).
Producing in the Digital Age provided tools to navigate the entrepreneurial ways of the web (with Ram Calley, Executive Producer, Ludomade, Inc.; Josh Feldman, VP, Microsoft Entertainment; and Danielle Giserman, Social Media Coordinator, Disney; moderated by Steve Gordon, Assistant Professor, Ithaca College and former EVP, Viacom Productions,).
Programming the Network Channels provided discussions about network scheduling, programming practices, and philosophies (with Dan Harrison, EVP, Strategic Program Planning, FOX; Noriko Kelley, Senior VP, Program Planning and Scheduling, CBS; Andy Kubitz, EVP, Program Planning and Scheduling, The CW; Jay Potashnick, VP, Program Planning and Scheduling, NBC; moderated by Steve Gordon, Assistant Professor, Ithaca College and former EVP Viacom Productions).
Informative Tours:
Dreamworks Animation
Warner Bros. Studios tour with John Shaffner, Production Designer and former Television Academy Chairman
Industry Professionals and Alumni Mixer at Beso
Live taping of Dancing with the Stars
Faculty departed the five-day retreat with the insight and tools necessary to develop meaningful curriculum and inspire those who will shape the film and television industry of tomorrow. The countless and far-reaching benefits of the Faculty Seminar are made possible through the continued commitment of Television Academy Foundation supporters.
