- Academics
How Do I Earn a Minor in TV Writing?
Your entryway to the 21-credit minor consists of three required courses: FLM 101,
Introduction to Filmmaking and Television, FLM 102, Introduction to Film and Television
Composi5on, and FLM 215, Scriptwriting for Film and TV. These three courses, open
to everyone, invite you to participate hands-on in the experience of visual literacy
and introduce you the nuts and bolts of visual storytelling.
The heart of the television writing experience is two advanced seminars, chosen from
TVW 220, TVW 221, FLM 302 or FLM 303. In TVW 220, Advanced Television Writing, students
can delve deep into writing, choosing from topics such as Comedy Writing, Writing
the Web Series, or Writing the Drama Script. In TVW 221, The Writers Room, students
engage in a collaborate writing workshop designed to mimic a professional writers
room. Students work together to develop and write a TV show or web series.
Students can choose to enroll in FLM 302, Producing Practices for Film and TV, with
topics such as Directing Actors for Film and Television and Understanding the Business
of TV, or FLM 303, Podcasting, which explores audio podcasting as the essence of storytelling:
listening to and communicating via the spoken word, person-to-person, and visualized
exclusively through the imagery conjured via methods and choices specific to the oral
tradi5on.
Minors also take one upper-level advanced theory course, FLM 310 Topics in Film and
TV or FLM 320, Story Analysis for Film and TV writers, or an equivalent course from
another department. Our FLM and TVW courses are taught by working writers who approach
visual storytelling from the ground up, as fellow practitioners.
Our minor offers a cohesive approach to fulfilling Stony Brook's general education
requirements, including SPK, ARTS, HUM, HFA+, and EXP. Even a single course in the
art of television writing presents a rich complex of learning opportunities, not only
for those in the arts and humanities, but those in any field: hands-on immersion in
the narrative, analytical and technical skills required for cinematic expression will
enable students to create visual stories about the issues at the core of their own
studies, whatever they may be. At the conclusion of their studies, students will have
the opportunity to choose a final course that best serves their interest. Students
can enroll in the Capstone Project, offering an intensive pilot revision workshop,
or complete an Internship, or can or enroll in an addi5onal advanced TV Writing workshop.
Students should declare the Minor in TV Writing sometime during their sophomore year,
at which time they should consult with advisors of both their major and minor to plan
their course of study. The objective is to fulfill the TV writing minor's requirements
in a way that is coherent and complementary to the major. The minor can be declared
online from within SOLAR. Please refer to the Academic Calendar regarding the deadline
for submission of the Minor Declaration form.
For questions about the minor, or to set up an appointment to meet with an advisor,
please contact us at tvw_undergrad@stonybrook.
The director of the TV writing minor is Karen Offitzer: Karen.offitzer@stonybrook.edu
| - Courses
Sample Course Offerings
FLM 101: INTRODUCTION TO FILMMAKING AND TELEVISION: VISUAL STORYELLING TOPIC: Exploring Visual Storytelling: A hands-on introduction to the art of narrative
filmmaking and cinematic storytelling. Using smartphones or comparable devices, students
will become familiar with the ideas, materials and technical skills needed for creative
expression in this medium. Participants will learn how to use images in conjunction
with sound, text and narrative structure as a basis for communicaitng ideas visually.
Specific visual communication skills include: clarifying a subject, defining a goal,
defining an audience, exploring the tools and resources available.
FLM 102: INTRODUCTION FILM AND TELEVISION COMPOSITION: HOW FILMS AND TV SHOWS SAY
WHAT THEY MEAN TOPIC: Film and Television Across the World: During this semester, we will take a
close look--and listen--to a survey of films and television shows from across the world and throughout history.
Screenings will include short films, animated films, documentaries, TV shows, music videos, etc. We will attempt
to break apart the different components of these selected works to better understand how they operate
and how they combine with one another to impact us as viewers--to excite us, to move
us, to frighten us, etc. – and how they inform us as practitioners.
TVW220 : ADVANCED TV WRITING Topic: Introduction to Late Night, Sketch, and Joke Writing. This course covers the
fundamentals of joke writing, late night comedy writing and sketch comedy writing
in the style of SNL, Amber Ruffin, Full Frontal, and The Daily Show. Structured like
a comedy writers' room, students learn to pitch jokes and sketches live in front of
their peers.
FLM 215: SCRIPTWRITING FOR FILM AND TV Topic: Writing the Television Pilot: Over the semester, students will work in a supportive,
collaborative environment, learning how to analyze past and current television in a variety of genres,
to hone their skills on the principles of story and the medium of television writing. Using this foundation,
students will then pitch their own TV series ideas and develop stories for a pilot episode resul5ng in written
outlines, beat sheets and scenes with dialogue to be read aloud in class. The goal
of the class is to establish a foundation for television writing, emulate the professional
writers room experience and teach students how to both give and receive constructive
feedback on work presented. Students will finish the class with a completed outline,
teaser and first act of their own half-hour or hour-long pilot.
FLM 301 Story Analysis or Film and TV Writers TOPIC: This Show Sucks: A Study Of The Worst TV Shows In The World. While some series,
The Simpsons or Law and Order for example, seem endlessly iterable others are canceled swilly -- their fans relegated
to the swampy comment sections of b-tier, industry listicles. Take, for example, Cop Rock. The world's first -- and only? -- musical procedural. Think CSI meets Hannah Montana. WHO GREENLIT THAT?? Was
he a genius or completely bananas? Both, maybe, because the show won several Emmys before landing
on the butcher block after only 11 episodes. In this class, we’ll survey and read the pilot scripts
of narrative shows which were canceled in one season or less, and discuss why they failed. We will take into
account economics, cultural context, and story development. At the end of the semester, each student
will pitch their own awful TV show, and justify why it could never succeed.
FLM 303: Podcasting Topic: Audio Storytelling Skills: In this introductory course, students will learn
how to conceptualize and craft their own podcasts—visualizing stories through audio only. Students will gain experience
in developing and pitching ideas, writing specifically for sound, best practices in interviewing styles
and techniques, recording and editing basics, marketing, branding, distribution and
more. The focus is on learning and developing storytelling and entrepreneurial skills
specific to audio, and strengthening oral communication and presentation skills by
researching, writing and proposal presentations as well as participating in the evaluation
of oral peer presentations and pitches.
| - Topics
- CREATE Series
CREATE Series - Student Showcases
CREATE Wednesdays 1-2:20 p.m., N3045 Melville Library
Create Wednesdays is a series of talks and presentations by industry professionals,
faculty and guests hosted by Stony Brook Filmmaking and TV Writing; providing insight
and opportunity as you begin your creative path.
Event Archive
Capstone Festival
Student filmmakers, screenwriters and TV writers celebrate the culmination of their
minor coursework by presenting a special project at the Wang Center for their peers
and the SBU community.
Event Archive
Student Showcase
Student filmmakers and screenwriters from the inception of the program in FLM 101,
102, 215 and 301 were nominated and presented work at the Wang Center Theatre for
their peers and SBU community.
Event Archive
| - Learn More
- Minor Declaration
Minor Declaration
The minor can be declared online from within SOLAR. Please refer to the Academic Calendar regarding the deadline for submission of the Minor Declaration Form.
For questions about the minor, or to set up an appointment to meet with an advisor,
please contact us at tvw_undergrad@stonybrook.edu.
| - Contact Us
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