Quality TV

Display Schedule

Subject guarantor:

Marta ŠVECOVÁ

Name of lecturer(s):

Marta ŠVECOVÁ

Learning outcomes of the course unit:

Acquiring practical and theory knowledge about Quality TV

Mode of study:

Two-day lecture and practical. Screening of audio-visual material, working in groups, discussion and working with writings.

Prerequisites and co-requisites:

None

Course contents:

Quality TV

Until recently, series have been considered an inferior audiovisual discipline. The endless

repetitive loops were at best viewed by artists and intellectuals as a mere consumer tool for

filling free time of TV audience or, worse, considered responsible for the degradation of the

nation´s intellectual level.

A new wave of series, the majority of which dates from the Sopranos series or OZ (HBO), was

able to inventively redefine a notorious medium and during the last 15 years led to the

so-called second golden age of television and earned a prestigious status both from artists

and critics. Film reviewers now describe a New Age of TV, recognized creators experiment

with the episodes narration techniques and film festivals are beginning to award series and

miniseries.

The Quality TV lectures aim to analyze the so-called second golden age of television in the

perspective as complex as possible. Each of the module´s days will be divided into halves;

the first one being theoretical and aiming to provide a general introduction to different creative

producers topics. Step by step, we will focus to basic introductions to economic and

technological background of contemporary series, analyze new narration techniques and

dramaturgy innovations, contradicting the former television „rules“, or, where appropriate,

compare new forms of distribution that have changed the way audience consumes the

content.

In the practical part of each lecture we will, together with students, try to create one episode

of a series. First we shall watch several introductory episodes of a newly created series.

After analyzing the characters, narration, topics and overall style, students will work in

groups and their task will be to devise, build and substantiate the synopsis of a next episode.

We´ll also focus on the financial, marketing and production side of high end tv drama series.

Quality TV will also include guests with practical experiences from working for HBO and

other networks.

Any questions? Ask at tomas@nutprodukce.cz

Day 1

- From Mitch Buchannon to Rust Colhe ? the history of TV series described through the changing characters of their protagonists

- Showrunner as producer and director ? hierarchy in the creative process, cooperation with TV channels and more.

- Guest: Štěpán Hulík

- Projection of a pilot followed by assignments given to students

- Analysis of a pilot and suggestion of the continuation

Day 2

- New narration and old-fashioned storytelling principles

- New Age: Internet

- Guest: Janek Rubeš and Stream.cz producers

- Students´ concepts analysis

Recommended or required reading:

1.The Revolution Was Televised: The Cops, Crooks, Slingers, and Slayers Who Changed TV Drama Forever by Alan Sepinwall,

2.The TV Writer's Workbook: A Creative Approach To Television Scripts by Ellen Sandler

3.Inside the Room: Writing Television with the Pros at UCLA Extension Writers' Program by Linda Venis

4.The TV Writer's Workbook: A Creative Approach To Television Scripts by Ellen Sandler

5.Nejsme HBO, jsme televize.? Etnografická analýza skupinového psaní seriálu První republika -

https://is.muni.cz/el/1421/jaro2015/FAV281/Pjajcikova_Szczepanik_Nejsme_HBO__jsme_televize_Etnograficka_analyza_skupinoveho_psani_serialu_Prvni_republika.pdf

6.Writing and Producing Television Drama in Denmark From The Kingdom to The Killing Eva Novrup Redvall

Assessment methods and criteria:

The condition for credit is attendance at both modules and completion of assignments

Course web page:

Note:

Curriculum Vitae of the Tutor:

Tomáš Hrubý

In 2009 he co-funded the production company nutprodukce. He produced the Burning Bush (2013), directed by the world-renowned director Agnieszka Holland for HBO, which became the Czech Oscar nominee and has won more than 11 Czech Lions (Czech Film Academy awards). He has also produced Pandy (2013), an animated short movie, which won the third prize in the Cinéfondation Section of the Cannes Film Festival. His works also include documentaries, the award winning Fortress and The Great Night co-produced with HBO. He is currently working on a TV-series for HBO called The Wasteland.

Schedule for winter semester 2015/2016:

The schedule has not yet been prepared

Schedule for summer semester 2015/2016:

Date	Day	Time	Tutor	Location	Notes	No. of paralel
15.04.2016		09:30–16:00	Marta ŠVECOVÁ	Učebna 2 Lažanský palác	Lecturer: Tomáš Hrubý	přednášková par. 1
29.04.2016		09:30–16:00	Marta ŠVECOVÁ	Učebna 2 Lažanský palác		přednášková par. 1

The subject is a part of the following study plans: