Specialization in Writing for Television and New Media
The writing for television and new media specialization is an organized program of courses for students interested in exploring specific writing techniques, practices, and creation concepts for television and new media. The specialization focuses on dramatic and non-dramatic/music library writing for a variety of television genres, formats, moods, and situations using a wide range of electronic and acoustic ensembles. As part of their coursework, students will analyze and deconstruct the music of various genres of media and apply these analyses to writing stylistically appropriate music. Through various projects, students focus on writing music in different moods, styles, and lengths.
Discussions of business aspects will include collaborating with producers and directors, taking directions, and selling ideas, as well as understanding general legal and contractual obligations and their impact on the creative process. Students will develop a thorough understanding of the work process—the interaction between composer, music production companies, and media producers—as well as industry practices involved in television scoring. Through the preparation of a web-based portfolio of their work, students will gain hands-on experience editing video and creating websites that visually complement their sonic work.
Students do not need a specific software bundle but the following items are required: a DAW (Digital Performer, Pro Tools, or Logic), Kontakt or Komplete, Reason, an audio interface, and a condenser microphone.
This specialization is open to contemporary writing and production majors, film scoring majors, electronic production and design majors, and songwriting majors only. Please follow the regular declaration of minor/specialization procedure as outlined in the Registration Guide. This specialization is housed in the Contemporary Writing and Production Department.
Upon completion of a writing for television and new media specialization, students will:
- analyze media in order to make appropriate stylistic decisions;
- deconstruct the music of various genres of media to inform composition;
- write music in different moods, styles, and lengths;
- develop a thorough understanding of the collaboration necessary to succeed in television and new media; and
- prepare a web-based portfolio of their work.
Required Courses (four courses; 8 credits):
- CW-218 Jingle Writing (2 credits) or FILM-200: Introduction to Film and Media Scoring (2 credits)
- CW-450 Scoring for Advertising (2 credits)
- CW-470 Writing and Producing for Music/Media Libraries (2 credits)
- PW-361 Multimedia for the Writer (2 credits)
Elective Courses (choose one from the following; 2 credits):
- CW-370 Video Game Scoring Fundamentals (2 credits)
- CW-435 Contemporary Orchestration for Digital Audio Workstations (2 credits)
- CW-465 Contemporary Writing for Immersive Experiences (2 credits)
- FILM-433 Stylistic Adaptation in Film Scoring (2 credits) Note: this course is electable by film scoring majors only.
- GAIM-265 Composing Music for VR/AR/XR (2 credits)
- GAIM-371 Scoring for Interactive Media (2 credits)
- SCRN-321 Film and Media Scoring for Composers (2 credits)
- PW-241 Remote Production for Writers (2 credits)