DO IT YOURSELF: THE WEB SERIES FROM CONCEPT TO PILOT
Ages 16-29
Fall 2019, Johns Hopkins Homewood
This workshop will offer a crash course in web series production. Student fellows should come to the first meeting with preliminary ideas in hand. Each will have opportunity to refine their concept and build a solid framework called a “story bible,” including character descriptions, plot summary for a pilot episode, and ideas for additional episodes. Plans for individual projects in place, fellows will decide on a single, collaborative project, and work together with instructors as a team to develop, write, and shoot a short pilot. The workshop will explore the creative choices that go into story design; character development; location scouting; casting; directing; visual composition, including camera work and lighting; sound design; and post-production, including editing. Fellows will fill a range of roles that mirror those found on a professional, low-budget film set, and they’ll gain an understanding of how to overcome and even thrive amid the technical challenges of "indie" production. The collaborative pilot will be shown at a public screening and on the program website. Limited to 9 student fellows.
Marc Unger is a nationally known actor/writer/comedian. His work has been featured on network television and in theaters and film festivals in both New York and Los Angeles. He has shared the stage and screen with artists Stephen Adly Guirgis, John Hawkes, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus. He is co-creator of and stars in the Amazon Prime series Thespian.
Maria Unger is a graduate of Johns Hopkins School of Education. As the producer and co-creator of the Amazon Prime series Thespian, she performs various roles both on set and behind the scenes, including video editing, project planning, script supervision, pre- and post-production operations, and contract management.
Katherine Paul is a Johns Hopkins University Film and Media Studies senior. With a background in fine arts and digital media, she aspires to further pursue her creativities and broaden and deepen her established expertise.
Michelle Mokaya is a Johns Hopkins University undergraduate in the School of Engineering. Although her concentration is still undecided, she is passionate about using her degree to work on sustainable projects that could help improve the lives of those in marginalized communities. She is a program assistant for Baltimore Youth Film Arts.