College students study the role of the creative producer or executive while engaging in entertainment industry internships
Study the contemporary film industry while building relationships with industry professionals
Creative Producing 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.
Film and Television Summer Institute – Creative Producing
Symposium
In the exclusive Summer Institute Symposium, students from Creative Producing 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 virtual 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.
Internships
Creative Producing students pursue internships at 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. Our 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.
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.
Hollywood and the Industry
A networking mixer for students and alumni takes place on the last night of the program and the film projects from the film production tracks are shown.
Students will also participate in a Professional Development workshop on Pitching and the Industry, receiving an inside scoop from a seasoned industry professional on how projects are pitched and sold in Hollywood.
Application deadline: June 1, 2023
Enrollment deadline: June 15, 2023
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.
- 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 would like to change your grade type to Pass/No Pass (or Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory if you have a Bachelor’s degree), please contact your instructor.
See University Credit, Grades and Transcripts for more information about academic credit.
As of 6/15/2023, the Film and Television Summer Institute – Creative Producing (Session A) enrollment is closed.
Session A:
June 26 – August 4, 2023
Admission based / In-person
Program Eligibility: Current undergraduate student enrolled at a U.S. college or university & Rising junior or senior in Fall 2023 (Note: Junior standing for UCLA is equal to 90 quarter units or above.)
UCLA Coursework: Film TV 104, Film TV 183A, Film TV 182, Film TV 195; 11 units
Application deadline: June 1, 2023 (Session A)
Enrollment deadline: June 15, 2023 (Session A)
Program schedule and syllabus are subject to change.
Fees and Payment Info
The program fee includes the unit fees for the UCLA coursework offered as part of the program and thus varies by UC student status. In addition to the program fee, students are assessed other campus and administrative fees during the summer. This is a summary of fees that commonly apply to the selected student type.
Actual tuition and fees are subject to change by the University of California. Visit the fees, payment, and financial aid section for important disclaimer, as well as more details on fees, payment instructions, and information on delinquency, refunds, and financial aid.
Meet your instructors
Instructors for the UCLA Film and Television Summer Institutes are UCLA Department of Film, Television and Digital Media faculty.
Bobbie Lucas
(Session A)Bobbie Lucas specializes in film and television development, producing and distribution. She has interned and worked across the industry at both independent production companies such as Made Up Stories, Color Force, Is Or Isn’t Entertainment, Whitaker Entertainment, and Blumhouse and larger studios including Lionsgate, Warner Bros., and ABC Signature. She holds an M.F.A. in Film, Television and Digital Media Producing from UCLA and a B.A. from Vassar College where she double majored in Economics and Film Studies. Her Vassar College thesis focused on tracing all of film history and analyzing how the changing economics of the film industry led to disparities for women filmmakers.
Film and Television Summer Institute – Creative Producing FAQ
Qualified students may sign up for more than one Film and Television program as long as the dates do not overlap.
Applicants from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply. The Creative Producing program is intended for beginning and intermediate levels.
Students will need to check with their academic counselor to see if the coursework included in the program will count towards their graduation requirements or if credit will transfer to their home institution. For UCLA students, courses may fulfill a major or minor requirement, or count as upper-division course credit.
For information on how to find a compatible internship for the Creative Producing Summer Institute, please view the Applying for an Internship Guide.
No, students from all different majors are welcome.
Still have questions? Check out the general Summer Institutes FAQ.