Creative Producing
Study the role of the creative producer or executive while engaging in entertainment industry internships.
Program Overview
The Creative Producing track lets college students study the role of the creative producer or executive while participating in entertainment industry internships. In class, students study the history of the Hollywood studio system and gain a critical perspective of the contemporary industry. In their internships, students apply those skills “on the ground” and build important relationships with industry professionals. In this way, the Creative Producing track is the perfect combination of theory and practice and contributes to a well-rounded liberal arts education that will benefit a wide range of majors from the humanities.
Symposium
In the exclusive Summer Institute Symposium, students from all tracks meet and listen to some of Hollywood’s most accomplished professionals. High-wattage guests have included Eric Heisserer (writer, Arrival); Steven Canals (creator and EP of Pose on FX); Jeff King (Executive Producer of The Umbrella Academy on Netflix); Agents from CAA, ICM, Paradigm, and UTA; Simon Kinberg (Writer/Producer, Deadpool, X-Men: Apocalypse, The Martian); Zak Penn (Writer, Ready Player One); and many others.
Guest speakers will also visit the FTV 183A classroom, Past guests have included executives, coordinators, and more from companies like Sony, Paramount and Paramount TV, ABC Studios, and Netflix; agents and managers from top companies, and the professionals behind such shows as Modern Family, Marvel’s The Runaways, and more.
Hollywood & the Industry
As part of the Summer Institute, students tour a major Hollywood movie studio. A networking mixer for students and alumni takes place on the last night of the program and the film projects from the film production and animation tracks are shown.
Students will also participate in a Professional Development workshop on Pitching and the Industry:
In the Professional Development Workshop Pitching and the Industry, students will get the inside scoop from a seasoned industry professional on how projects are pitched and sold in Hollywood.
Internships
Creative Producing students pursue internships in entertainment companies during the day. Once students are enrolled in the Creative Producing Summer Institute, they will receive an introductory email from the Summer Institute Internship Coordinator. The coordinator will work closely with each student, helping them to prepare their cover letter, resume, and interview techniques as well as guide them in the internship search process. While our coordinator may have leads for certain internship opportunities, the onus is ultimately on the student to secure an internship. Students may instead complete a research paper to fulfill the curriculum. Internships are six weeks, for the duration of the program.
In the past, Summer Institute students have interned at companies such as NBCUniversal, United Talent Agency (UTA), MGM, Sony Pictures Studios, Mandalay Entertainment, Nickelodeon Animation Studios, Wonderland Sound & Vision (Lethal Weapon TV Series, Supernatural), Comedy Central, Chernin Entertainment (Hidden Figures), DeLine Pictures (Ready Player One) and many others. Students are responsible for applying for their internships, and our internship coordinator advises and assists students throughout the process. However, because summer is a very competitive season for internships, early registration is required to ensure sufficient lead-time for the application process.
The UCLA (Film and Television) Summer Institute has given me the confidence and invaluable knowledge to successfully navigate the entertainment industry.Because of their outstanding curriculum, I have successfully worked for major studios in the industry and will be joining the writing team for an upcoming Netflix series.
Program Details
On-Campus + Virtual
Housing is available in the UCLA Residence Halls. To apply for summer accommodations, once accepted into the program, please select from the following housing options and rates and submit an application directly to UCLA Housing. It is highly recommended that you apply for housing early, as applications are approved on a first-come-first served basis.
Schedule
Session A (on-campus) (June 25 – August 4, 2023).
Session C (virtual) (August 7 – September 15, 2023)
NOTE: All course meeting times are in Pacific Daylight Time (PDT). The program schedule is subject to change.
Grades and Transcripts
Program participants will earn units of credit on a letter-grading basis and will be recorded on an official University of California transcript. Please note that official transcripts are not automatically sent to students. To request a transcript, please contact the UCLA Registrar’s Office.
Requirements
Eligible applicants who successfully submit all requirements will be reviewed and notified via email of an admission decision within two weeks. Early application is strongly encouraged.
Applicants are required to provide the following during the online registration process:
A personal statement explaining what qualifications you have that makes you a good candidate for a film/TV internship (200 words or less).
The Creative Producing track is by instructor consent only. To participate, you must apply and receive acceptance into the program. Students will be notified within two weeks of an acceptance decision.
Program Eligibility
- Current undergraduate student enrolled at a U.S. college or university
- Rising junior or senior in Fall 2024 (Note: junior standing for UCLA is equal to 90 quarter units or above)
Grading Basis
Students will receive separate grades upon completion of each course in this program. Grading types are as follows:
- FILM TV 104 and 183A: Letter Grading
- FILM TV 195: Pass/No Pass (or Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory if you have a Bachelor’s degree)
- FILM TV 182: Letter Grading – However, if you want to change your grade type to Pass/No Pass (or Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory if you have a Bachelor’s degree), please get in touch with your instructor.
See University Credit, Grades, and Transcripts for more information about academic credit.
Important Dates and Deadlines
June 1, 2023
Application deadline
June 15, 2023
Enrollment Deadline
Sessions
Creative Producing
Session A (On-Campus):
June 25 – August 4, 2023
Creative Producing
Session C (Virtual)
August 7 – September 15, 2023