Take the famed Act One Producing & Entertainment Executive Program online or in-person.
We want to support the budding filmmakers all over the world. So if you want to take our producing program this year, you can do it from anywhere in the world. The only exception is in-person students participate in weekday meetings with industry veterans, weekly Bible Study, and an industry internship at a production company or agency where they gain valuable hands-on experience and build personal relationships with other working professionals.
You won’t find anything like the Act One Producing & Entertainment Executive Program anywhere else in the world. Our program is unique. Our program is deep. Our program is career and life changing.
You can go to film school. You can learn how to shoot, edit and cast a film. You can spend four years learning all that the books have to offer you regarding film. That doesn’t guarantee a career. You still need the nuts and bolts, the business and the ethics, the creative developments and the insights into how to make things happen in the industry.
You will only find that here. During out 8-week summer course, we offer:
- intensive lectures, taught by industry pros (see our faculty page here)
- intimate discussions and Q&A’s with writers, directors, producers, agents and more—and they are available only to you
- a comprehensive overview of everything you will need to know day one on the job
- a fast track to a career in the industry through connections you will make as an intern in a studio, production company, agency and more (we don’t guarantee employment, but has been known to happen)
- a curriculum that includes creative development, financing, pre-production, production, marketing, distribution, and exhibition
Those are the practical things we offer. They will help you get ahead in your career. But the cherry on top, the crem-de-la-creme is the community you will join. As an Act One alum, you become a part of a vibrant, supportive, family of artists in Hollywood and the world. This tribe you will join is filled with Christ-loving, Bible believing people, bent on making a difference in secular entertainment (and Christian entertainment too).
So, to give you a synopsis of everything we just said, we offers a comprehensive overview of the industry, access to established Hollywood professionals and a highly coveted internship where practical industry experience is gained.
Come and learn how to excel at your craft, deepen your faith and connect to an authentic community of Christians pursuing careers in the mainstream entertainment industry
Dive right in, as this summer program is the foundation for launching your career.
COURSE DESCRIPTION.
Over the 12 weeks, producing basics (budgets, script coverage, development, finance, and more) will be taught in-person, on Saturdays, on location in Hollywood. The 12 weeks include:
- 90+ Hours of In-person, Classroom Instruction (12-Weeks/Saturdays, 9-6pm)
- Internship with Hollywood production company, studio, agency, etc.
- A Spiritual Retreat (July 24-26, 2020)
- Bi-monthly meetups and Q&A’s with filmmakers
- PGA’s annual “Produced By” Conference (optional)
- Group outings to industry locations
- Reading assignments
SAMPLE COURSE SCHEDULE
Fri, June 8
We’ll be visiting Zach King’s studios.
Saturday, June 9
9:30am- “Optioning Material” (Sam Curphey)
Entertainment attorney Sam Curphey walks us though how to obtain IP through a process called “optioning”, and what you should know as a producer.
11:15am – “Demystifying the Production Process from IP to Distribution” (Terry Botwick)
Former entertainment executive of CBS, Terry Botwick, will walk through how to take a piece of IP and what it takes to get it through the process of development, production, and marketing/distribution.
12:45pm – LUNCH BREAK
2:00pm – “Giving Notes to Writers” (Barbara Nicolosi)
Screenwriter and our founder of Act One, Barbara Nicolosi, will instruct on how to give good and effective notes to writers.
3:45pm – “Negotiating Entertainment Contracts” (Tom Vidal)
Entertainment attorney, Tom Vidal, will talk about the different kinds of contracts producers should be aware of in entertainment practices, and how to understand them.
Saturday, June 16
9:30am – 7 Major Principles & Practices of the Most Successful Producers (Anne Marie Gillen)
From her book The Producer’s Handbook, Producer Anne Marie Gillen (Fried Green Tomatoes) goes through what overall practices serve the producer best in putting projects together.
11:15am – Loglines & Pitching (Bill Marsilii)
Bill Marsilii (Deja Vu) holds the record of the richest pitch sale of the year to Disney. He will go over what makes for a successful logline and pitch, components as important to the producer as much as to the writer.
12:45pm LUNCH BREAK
2:00pm – Coverage (Donovan Jacobs)
Does the thought of doing coverage scare you? This class will help you break down the most efficient way to do script coverage and what will be most helpful to you and whoever it is you are doing coverage for, whether an executive, producer, or to give back helpful feedback to a writer. You will do a coverage assignment following Donovan’s talk. Look out for a script I will send tonight for you to read ahead of time.
3:45pm – Practical: Coverage Exercise
Don’t forget to bring your computer as we’ll be doing coverage in-class after Donovan’s talk. You’ll have to have read the script that I will send later tonight.
Saturday, June 23
9:30am – Production Coordinating (RJ Hume)
RJ Hume (Pretty Little Liars) breaks down what it takes to be a production coordinator for TV, and to give a few tips about how to keep organized while juggling so much on set!
11:15am – Overview of Production Workflow (Justin Bell)
Independent Producer Justin Bell (Full of Grace, Elsa & Fred, A Leading Man) and former Director of the Producing Program for Act One (!) goes over the ins and outs of what is involved in mouting a whole production.
12:45pm – LUNCH BREAK
2:00pm – Line Producing (Stephen Buchanan)
Independent Producer Stephen Buchanan will talk about what line producing involves, and why it’s important for producers to work closely with line producers on budgets and schedules.
3:45pm – Practical: How to do a breakdown and budget
We’ll go over the first five pages of a short film script I produced for in 2014 called The Birth written by a 2009 alum. We’ll do a breakdown and go over how to translate that to a budget.
Saturday, June 30
9:30am – Agents & Mangers (Mark Finley)
Mark Finley of Metric Entertainment will talk about the role of lit and talent agent and managers, and why it’s important for producers to foster good relationships with them. Mark will touch on packaging, what that is and why it’s important when taking your project around town.
11:15am – Finding and Developing Material (Lauren Tuck)
Lauren Tuck from Harpo Films will walk us through the process of finding and developing material, and what the next steps are to get that material into production.
12:45pm – LUNCH BREAK
2:00pm – Development, a Case Study on Emanuel (John Shepherd)
John Shepherd will walk us through the development process through production through marketing and distribution with his case study of Emanuel, the 2018 documentary about Dylann Roof’s attack on nine African Americans at a Bibly study in 2015.
3:45pm – Producing for TV (Libby Friz, AMC’s Turn)
Libby is a writer/producer and will walk us through what to expect as a producer for TV, a bit different than a feature. (If you have access to it, feel free to watch the episodes she wrote/produced, 305 and 407, but it’s not required.)
Saturday, July 7
9:30am – Film Funds & Producing Silence (Matt Malek)
Film funds are another route to getting your film financed and Matt will go over that model of investing. He will also talk about his experience working with Martin Scorsese on the film Silence.
11:15am – Producing for Commercials and Short Form (Chris North)
Chris will take us through the process of producing for short form content like music videos, commercials, and short films, which can all be translated to bigger projects.
12:45pm – LUNCH BREAK**
We will watch a 30 minute video during lunch that will begin at 12:15pm, so bring your lunch or grab something quickly.
2:00pm – Leading & Navigating the Chaos of TV (Korey Pollard)
Define what leadership and navigating in entertainment may look like. Leadership and navigation in entertainment is not always about strategy, dominance or power play. Korey has been very successful with a servant leadership management style which challenges his ego to no end.
3:45pm – VFX Workflow (Natale Corbett & Luke Avery)
As producers, you should know a little about everything that goes into producing a project. More and more that includes VFX. Natale (Noni) and Luke will go over the workflow for working in VFX in film or TV.
Saturday, July 7
9:30am – Film Funds & Producing Silence (Matt Malek)
Film funds are another route to getting your film financed and Matt will go over that model of investing. He will also talk about his experience working with Martin Scorsese on the film Silence.
11:15am – Producing for Commercials and Short Form (Chris North)
Chris will take us through the process of producing for short form content like music videos, commercials, and short films, which can all be translated to bigger projects.
12:45pm – LUNCH BREAK**
We will watch a 30 minute video during lunch that will begin at 12:15pm, so bring your lunch or grab something quickly.
2:00pm – Leading & Navigating the Chaos of TV (Korey Pollard)
Define what leadership and navigating in entertainment may look like. Leadership and navigation in entertainment is not always about strategy, dominance or power play. Korey has been very successful with a servant leadership management style which challenges his ego to no end.
3:45pm – VFX Workflow (Natale Corbett & Luke Avery)
As producers, you should know a little about everything that goes into producing a project. More and more that includes VFX. Natale (Noni) and Luke will go over the workflow for working in VFX in film or TV.
SAVE THE DATES! Don’t forget about these important weekday events
**Friday, July 13, Screening of “Paul, Apostle of Christ” with producer, TJ Berden @ Act One offices
**Tuesday, July 17, DeVon Franklin @ Fox Studios
**Thursday, August 2, Lori McCreary @ Revelations Entertainment
**Friday, August 3, Lunch with Adam Grandy @ Disney Studios
Saturday, August 11, 9:00am-5:30pm
9:30am-11:00am – The Working Actor
Tony Hale (Arrested Development, VEEP) talks about his journey as an actor in Hollywood, and what a producer needs to know when working with actors.
11:15am-12:45pm – Post-Production Workflow (Megan Mascena Gaspar)
A TV Producer (Speechless, New Girl, Fresh Off the Boat) talks about the post process.
2:00pm-3:30pm – The Writer and Development Executive Relationship (Bob and Alison Mo Massey)
What does development relationship look like between writer and executive? Bob and Alison share their experience working, not just with one another, but with other writers and executives, and what every producer should know about the development process.
3:45pm – Domestic Distribution and Foreign Sales (Tony Piantedosi)
Once a film is completed, where does it go? Tony Piantedosi from Gravitas Ventures goes through the ins and outs of distribution and foreign sales.
DATES.
-
- 12-Week Program: June 6-August 29, 2020
APPLICATION DEADLINES.
- Really Early Bird Special: January 20, 2020 ($100 off price)
- Early Bird Deadline: February 28, 2020 ($50 off price)
- Regular Deadline: April 15, 2020
- Class begins: June 6, 2020
COSTS.
APPLICATION FEE: $50.00
COURSE FEE: $2,500.00 (cost increases to $3,300.00 to attend PGA’s “Produced By” conference)
***Deposit of 50% tuition cost is required upon acceptance into the program to hold your spot. The remainder of tuition balance MUST be paid by the first day of classes on June 6, 2020.
REQUIREMENT
1. RESUME: A current professional resume.
2. PERSONAL STATEMENT: No more than 3 pages detailing the following:
Briefly describe your spiritual journey and your belief in Jesus Christ.
Why do you, as a Christian, want to work in the entertainment business? In what capacity do you see yourself most effective and passionate, and why?
Cite examples of movies or TV shows that are most like what you aspire to help create, and tell us why.
What do you hope to learn from the Producing Program and what are your plans upon completion of the Producing Program?
3. REFERENCE LETTERS: please upload two professional reference letters. Any questions about your application can be directed to lara@actoneprogram.com
APPLY FOR PRODUCING PROGRAM.
FAQ’S
Q: How do I contact Act One?
A: Act One can be reached via email at information@actoneprogram.com. We are more than happy to schedule phone calls to go into more details about our various programs and services.
Q: What is the application fee?
A: $50
Q: How soon will I hear back from you?
A: We accept applications on a rolling basis. Once your application is received, we will notify you of your status within 30 days. The sooner you apply, the sooner you’ll hear back on whether you’ve been accepted and the sooner you can begin to prepare for the program.
Q: What kind of applicants are you looking for?
A: We’re looking for students who are interested in becoming producers, creative executives, entertainment lawyers, etc. Often, our strongest candidates are those with, or currently getting an MBA, or other advanced degrees and those who have worked in finance, marketing or advertising. As well, we tend to look for candidates who have had some experience with production, but this is not a requirement. Ultimately, we are looking for applicants who love film and TV and are serious about their Christian faith.
Q: What can I expect to accomplish in the Summer Producing Program?
A: The Summer Program is designed to offer a comprehensive overview of everything a Hollywood producer or executive needs to know to fast-track their career. The Summer Program is also coupled with the opportunity to participate in a coveted, industry internship – often at a production company, network or studio. Internships are tailored to your goals and most companies who know Act One’s reputation offer larger projects and more hands-on experience than the typical college internship.
Q: If I elect to do an Internship during the Summer Producing Program, what will be expected of me?
A: We expect our students to intern a minimum of 2-3 days/wk for 8 weeks at their internship. Interning one day a week is possible, but not recommended. Some students elect to intern 5 days/wk, but that makes for a very challenging schedule. Interning 2-3 days/wk is ideal because it leaves room for students to have part-time jobs, work on their own projects, attend classes and special events, complete homework, and take full advantage of the Act One alumni network. All internships are unpaid.
Q: How is my Internship placement determined?
A: After a student is accepted, he/she has an in-depth internship consultation with the Producing & Entertainment Executive Program Director. In that meeting, the student has the opportunity to further express his/her goals for the Summer Internship, articulate interest in specific companies or areas of the industry, and hear about the companies connected to the Act One community. Three top companies are identified, and the director works to set up interviews. We work hard to secure one of the top three choices for you, but all internships are subject to seasonal availability, so sometimes students are placed in their fourth or fifth internship choice.
Q: Will my Internship provider hire me at the end of the summer?
A: This does happen on occasion, but it typically takes 2-3 internship experiences to be considered for an entry-level position in the entertainment industry. Usually it is a company connected to your internship provider that affords you your first paid opportunity, or second internship, or temp position. Six months from the start of the Summer Program is a good estimate to find paid work directly related to the entertainment industry. Getting established in Hollywood takes some time, so be conservative in your financial planning as you prepare to transition.
Q: How much producing or executive experience do Act One students typically have?
A: Our students range from beginners with no experience to working professionals. According to the surveys we conduct at the completion of each program, students of all experience levels find the program challenging and valuable.
Q: How old are most Act One students?
A: Act One students are typically between 22 and 45. At minimum, applicants must have completed their junior year of college.
Q: What is the structure/schedule for the Summer Program?
A: Classes and workshops are held every Saturday from 9AM to 6PM, from June through the end of August. There’s also the occasional special event during the week, at night. But the program is designed for working people, whether that be an internship, part-time or full-time position. Students can work up to 40 hours a week and still participate in all the Act One Summer Program.
Q: Do I need to live in Los Angeles to go through the Producing Program?
A: No. Our producing program is available to attend either in-person or online from anywhere in the world. In-person students do receive the extra benefits of being in town for extra weekday meetings at studios with executives around town.
Q: Does Act One help students find housing?
A: No. Students are responsible for their own housing. Act One does not officially facilitate or find housing for students. That said, we often hear about available housing, and pass along that info to students. We also have an alumni Facebook page, where alums often post housing notices. Church classifieds and other students are usually your best bet for finding housing.
Q: Why do you need my resume/future plans/etc.?
A: Act One’s primary focus is training students who are seeking careers in the mainstream entertainment industry and/or the production of independent films targeted at mainstream audiences. Because classes are limited in size, knowing your career journey and future plans helps us to choose applicants who will most benefit from our focus. (Please note that Act One does not discriminate based on Christian denomination, gender, race/ethnicity, marital status, age, or disability.)
Q: Does Act One provide financial aid or scholarships?
A: Act One does NOT offer traditional financial aid.
Q: When is tuition due?
A: A deposit is required upon acceptance into the program to hold your spot.
Q: What kind of professional recommendation are you looking for?
A: We prefer professional letters of recommendation from people of influence or high standing who know you well and can speak to your character as an employee or leader.
Q: How much homework is assigned during the Producing Program?
A: All students are assigned extensive reading and viewing assignments prior to the start of the Summer Program. During the Summer Program, the focus is more on your internship experience than homework.
APPLY FOR PRODUCING PROGRAM.