Develop an original TV series concept that showcases your unique voice
Navigate the contemporary entertainment marketplace under the guidance of a TV industry professional
The Film and Television Summer Institute – Writing for TV: Big Ideas for the Small Screen introduces motivated high school students enrolled in 9th – 12th grade in Spring 2022 to writing for television in Hollywood. This track mirrors the practice of professional writers in the world of episodic television and digital media by teaching students how to develop original series concepts and how to navigate the contemporary marketplace. In the process, students learn how to identify and capture the tone, characters, dialogue, and themes that make their story unique while collaborating in a workshop environment with their peers.
Students will write a beat sheet and outline for the first act of their original pilot episode, a series treatment, and the teaser of the pilot script over the course of the class, while getting the feedback and tools they will need to further write their pilot episodes and develop future TV show ideas after the program. The program culminates in a table reading of a section of their script by professional actors. Previous experience in screenwriting is not required, just a passion for storytelling!
Students meet three times a week in a small workshop environment to discuss ideas, break stories, and give feedback and notes on each other’s work. This program carries four units of UCLA credit. Please note that this is an intensive course and students are expected to spend a minimum of 25 hours-per-week writing outside of class meetings.
Film and Television Summer Institute – Writing for TV: Big Ideas for the Small Screen Program Overview
Students may enroll in one of the following versions for the Film and Television Summer Institute – Writing for TV: Big Ideas for the Small Screen:
Session A or B (In Person): Students will participate in person at UCLA, experiencing all that our campus has to offer during their summer program.
Session B (Virtual): Students will participate online in an entirely virtual format, with the flexibility to attend from anywhere with internet access.
NOTE: All course meeting times are in Pacific Daylight Time (PDT). If completing the program virtually in a different time zone, please make sure to account for the time difference. The program schedule is subject to change.
For participants in the Film and Television Summer Institute – Writing for TV: Big Ideas for the Small Screen in-person versions, living in on-campus housing is optional. Students who wish to live in UCLA residence halls alongside other program participants may sign up for housing at the time of registration. The total cost for housing, which includes room, board (two meals per day), student supervision, and evening and weekend activities, is $2,223 for Session A and $2,340 for Session B. (Please note the duration of each session is slightly different, resulting in housing price variation.)
For more information on UCLA housing precollege programs, please see the Housing for Minors page.
All participants will receive UCLA credit for the following course:
- Film and Television 37 – Introduction to Writing for Television: Big Ideas for the Small Screen (4 units)
Intensive introduction to television pilot form, covering style and content, as well as covering how to analyze TV shows and the industry process of TV development. Students develop a beat sheet and outline for the first act of their original pilot episode, write the tease of the original pilot episode, and create a series treatment.
HOLLYWOOD AND THE INDUSTRY
Professional Development
Students will explore the career of the screenwriter in the professional development workshop Writer as Entrepreneur. This workshop prepares students for a future in the industry by bringing in working screenwriters/TV writers to talk about their career paths and the experiences of being a writer in Hollywood.
Table Reading
Both on campus and online offerings of the Writing for Television finish with a table reading of a section of each student’s script by professional actors, a closing ceremony, and a networking mixer for students of our program. Friends and family are welcome!
On-campus students will also tour a major Hollywood Studio and have opportunities to connect with other Summer Institute precollege students.
Eligibility
To apply for the Film and Television Summer Institute – Writing for TV: Big Ideas for the Small Screen, you must meet the following qualifications:
- Open to students enrolled in grades 9th – 12th in Spring 2022 and Spring 2022 High School Graduates
Students who do not meet the minimum program requirements should not apply and should consider other summer opportunities.
Admission
The program has application requirements for admission. Eligible applicants who successfully submit all requirements will be reviewed and notified via email of an admission decision within 3 weeks. See Application Requirements below for more details. Early application is strongly encouraged.
To participate in the Film and Television Summer Institute – Writing for TV: Big Ideas for the Small Screen, students must apply and receive acceptance into the program.
As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete the following:
- Responses to the following essay prompts:
- Three log lines for three original story ideas.
- Personal Statement: Why would you like to participate in the program, and what do you expect to gain from the experience? 150-200 words.
- What prior experience, if any, do you have in screenwriting? Include both academic coursework and extracurricular activities. Previous experience in screenwriting is not a requirement. 150-200 words.
- Submit a creative writing piece written in English that features a character from a TV show that you admire. Please specify the show name and character name at the top.150-200 words.
- In a writing workshop, you are expected to give and receive feedback on your work and the work of your peers. What qualities do you possess that would make you a good collaborator in a writing workshop? 150-200 words.
- An unofficial transcript or progress report confirming a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.
- Optional: One letter of recommendation from a high school instructor verifying your ability to successfully participate in a disciplined and rigorous program. Please either upload the letter after submitting your registration form OR have your recommender email the letter to info@summer.ucla.edu (PDF format with your 5-digit registration number).
Virtual Section
Access to a laptop/computer with reliable wi-fi is mandatory. You will be given access to Zoom and the course site on Canvas through your UCLA Bruin ID (instructions will be sent with orientation information). You will also need access to screenwriting software such as Final Draft or Celtx. (Check in with your instructor if you wish to use another program to make sure it adheres to proper screenplay format).
On-Campus Sections
Students may bring their own laptop or use UCLA campus computers to complete their writing assignments and access the course website.
Students are required to use screenwriting software such as Final Draft (recommended) or a free web-based program such as Celtx to complete their assignments in proper screenplay format.
If opting to use campus resources, the student is responsible for making their own arrangements to access these resources. Students should be mindful of summer hours for campus libraries and computer labs and allow ample time for any laptop lending requests. Students must also obtain a UCLA ID in order to access campus resources. For additional information on campus resources, please use the links below:
Applying for the Film and Television Summer Institute – Writing for TV: Big Ideas for the Small Screen can be done conveniently online with the following steps:
- Prepare all “Application Requirements” prior to starting the registration process.
- Access the Summer Institute Online Registration Form starting February 15 at 8am Pacific Standard Time (PST). Read all terms and conditions, then scroll to the bottom and select “Yes, Continue to Registration.”
- Provide responses to all required questions on both pages of the registration form and then “Submit”.
- Once your form is submitted, you will be directed to the Retrieve Registration page. Select “File Uploads” to upload application materials (see Application Requirements above for more information).
- Allow up to two weeks for the program instructor(s) to review your application after submission. An email will be sent to you with the official decision.
- If accepted to the program, follow the steps in your acceptance email to make payment of the $350 non-refundable registration fee* to reserve your space in the program.
A space in the program is not reserved until a valid payment of the $350 non-refundable registration fee* is made. If you are not prepared to pay after submitting the registration form, you may retrieve your registration at another time to make payment; however, this risks losing a space in the program if it reaches capacity prior to payment being submitted. An email with instructions to retrieve registration with your five-digit registration number will be sent within an hour after submitting your registration.
*The registration fee is required for each program and is not refundable under any circumstances including, but not limited to, drop for non-payment and withdrawal, even if you withdraw from the program before it begins.
If the program is full, you will not be prompted to make payment. If the program offers a waitlist and your application is accepted from the waitlist, you will be notified by email with instructions for how to submit payment. Please note if the payment is not submitted within 24 hours of receiving the email, you will be moved to the end of the waitlist.
If registering after May 1, full payment of the program fee and non-refundable registration fee will be required to reserve your space in the program. Additional fees, such as the document fee and IEI fees, will be assessed after enrollment.
For questions and assistance, please contact us at info@summer.ucla.edu.
UCLA Summer Sessions Summer Scholars Support
Qualified students attending grades 8th – 11th in Spring 2022 in the state of California may be eligible for Summer Scholars Support, a need- and merit-based scholarship offered by the UCLA Summer Sessions Office. A limited number of full and partial scholarships are available to support enrollment in SCIP/eSCIP, one Summer Course, or a Precollege Summer Institute.
Summer 2022 deadline to apply: April 1.
The Nicholas Endowment Scholarship
The Nicholas Endowment TFT Summer Institute Scholarship for Film & Television is a need and merit-based scholarship opportunity for underserved/ underrepresented high school students enrolled in grades 9-12 in Spring 2022 who would benefit significantly from a UCLA Film and Television Summer Institute experience.
Both partial and full scholarships are available for high school students enrolled in UCLA Film and Television Summer Institutes including Digital Filmmaking, Writing for TV: Big Ideas for the Small Screen, Cinematography, Traditional Animation, and Media Parks: The Cinematic and Televisual History of Theme Parks.
For deadlines, eligibility requirements, and application information, please visit the Nicholas Endowment TFT Summer Institute Scholarship page.
Nicholas Endowment TFT Summer Institute Scholarship Application Online Form will be available February 15, 2022. Deadlines and acceptances are on a rolling basis.
Session A (In-Person):
June 21, 2022 – July 9, 2022
Session B (In-Person):
July 11, 2022 – July 30, 2022
Session B (Virtual):
July 11, 2022 – July 29, 2022
The schedule and syllabus are subject to change. Enrolled students will be given updated materials closer to the program start date.
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.
**OPTIONAL HOUSING FEES**
Session A = $2,223
Session B = $2,340
Students living in on-campus housing will be charged an additional housing fee.
VIRTUAL PROGRAM FEES:
The program fee listed in the selection are for the In-Person version only. The following are the program fees for the Virtual version.
- High School Student = $2,590
- Incoming UCLA Student = $2,266
- Incoming UC Student = $2,266
All other fees listed will remain the same for the Virtual version.
| Program Fee | $2,975 |
| Registration Fee | $350 |
| IEI Fee | $61 |
| Document Fee (for first-time Summer Sessions students) | $50 |
Meet your instructors
Daniel Rogers
Instructor, FILM TV 37 – Introduction to Writing for Television: Big Ideas for the Small Screen (In-Person Sections)Daniel Christopher “D.C.” Rogers was born and raised in Lompoc, CA, the son of a rocket engineer and brother to three over-achieving sisters. Daniel was most recently a story editor on the Netflix series PARTNER TRACK. He was previously a staff writer on the CW drama IN THE DARK. His development slate includes a series with Will Graham’s Field Trip Productions, and an adaptation of Karol Hoeffner’s novel KNEE DEEP with John Strauss and Josephson Entertainment. Daniel holds an MFA from the Peter Stark Producing Program at USC and a BA in English from Harvard College. A classically trained baritone, SAG Award-winning actor, and reformed pre-law student, Daniel resides in Los Feliz, CA.
Joey Siara
Instructor, FILM TV 37 – Introduction to Writing for Television: Big Ideas for the Small Screen (Virtual Section)Joey Siara is a New York based screenwriter. He spent his twenties performing in a noisy indie-rock band and has seen nearly every state in the country through the cracked window of a Ford Econoline. His music has been featured in several TV shows – from SONS OF ANARCHY to PARENTHOOD to GOSSIP GIRL. He has a Master’s from Harvard and an MFA from UCLA. He was staffed on EMERGENCE for ABC, co-wrote a comedy feature for Limelight Pictures, and published a short-story — The Last of the Goggled Barskys for Slate. He currently has a project in development at Hulu with his brother Andy (screenwriter of PALM SPRINGS) and is staffed on a new series — THE RESORT for Peacock.
Film and Television Summer Institute – Writing for TV: Big Ideas for the Small Screen FAQ
Students will receive a letter grade upon completion. See University Credit, Grades and Transcripts for more information about academic credit.
Still have questions? Check out the general Summer Institutes FAQ.