And work! Newhouse Students Get a Taste of What It’s Like to Develop a Hollywood Movie Script – Syracuse University News
Students at the SI Newhouse School of Public Communications learn about the experience of writing a screenplay for a Hollywood film from development to the big screen.
Students from Newhouse Assistant Professor J. Christopher Hamilton, virtually with senior executives from Lionsgate Motion Picture Group. (Photo by Lina Owusu)
A new immersive learning opportunity allows Television, Radio and Film (TRF) students to pitch their ideas about actors, directors and producers to senior executives at Lionsgate Motion Picture Group. The executives are also getting feedback on their scripts through virtual conversations with students. This learning experience is part of a course this fall for TRF students interested in careers as executives in media, entertainment, or the arts.
The collaboration is led by Erin Westerman ’04, president of production at Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, and J. Christopher Hamilton, assistant professor at TRF. Conversations about the idea began when Westerman returned to her alma mater in May to deliver the keynote address at Newhouse’s reception for the 2023 graduates.
“We wanted to give Syracuse students real feedback on the projects they develop and the workshops,” Westerman said. “Access can lead to opportunities, and this course provided real insight from executives working in this field.”
Erin Westerman (left) and J. Christopher Hamilton during Newhouse’s 2023 graduation weekend in May. (Photo by Lynn Vanderhook)
It is the latest example of the experiential learning opportunities Newhouse has developed for Syracuse University students on TRF’s executive track. Other experiences this semester included a class trip to the Toronto Film Festival to screen films, learn from industry experts, and network with filmmakers, as well as Newhouse visits from Robert Halme (b. 1979), founder and president of Great Point Studios, and Joseph Cohen, president of American Entertainment Investors and author of “Investing in Film: Strategies for Investors and Producers.”
Lionsgate Motion Picture executives Brady Fujikawa and Chelsea Kujawa, as well as division coordinator Alex Tannebaum, were also instrumental in executing the studio’s collaboration on the TRF Executive Track course.
“All of these experiences culminate in students interacting with Lionsgate executives to pitch scripts they have in active development,” Hamilton said.
“Students must identify actors, directors, and producers who they believe would be the most compelling talent choices to turn their project or literary property into a greenlit success story and provide a compelling business and creative analysis of their project,” he added.
While pitching an idea to studio executives may seem intimidating, Samantha Meir, chief executive officer, said the process was conversational, though preparation was key. The TRF major hopes to put the experience to good use as she heads toward a career working at a talent agency to represent television writers.
A new immersive learning opportunity this fall allows Television, Radio, and Film (TRF) students to pitch their ideas about actors, directors, and producers to senior executives at Lionsgate Motion Picture Group. (Photo by Lina Owusu)
“The partnership has been really helpful for us to have a more present vision (of the entertainment space) from the current executives,” Meir said. “They were able to provide us with a lot of valuable information about where the industry is headed.”
Mia Rodriguez, a high school theater major at TRF, said she appreciated the feedback students received about creating the actors’ performances realistically on budget. The Lionsgate interaction, along with the trip to Toronto, also helped the students focus on the business side of the industry and practice their communication skills, which will be important to hone as they enter the entertainment field.
“It was really nice to be able to take this type of class, especially as someone who wants to get into the business side of the industry,” she said. Rodriguez, who wants to enter the music industry, is considering specializing in copyright law.
This learning experience helps students focus on the business side of the industry and practice their communication skills, which will be important to hone as they enter the entertainment field. (Photo by Lina Owusu)
Entering motion picture development with a major Hollywood studio follows Newhouse’s offering students another immersive opportunity in acting talent. United Talent Agency (UTA) and Newhouse have launched a powerful partnership for the Hamilton Artist Representation Course in 2022, which includes in-person instruction from the company’s agents.
Students spent a day at UTA’s New York City headquarters in the fall 2023 semester, learning from seasoned agents and executives who represent clients in music, television and radio news. The students also spent part of the day pitching the agency to the talent they have pursued and who they believe the company should represent, as well as networking with Newhouse alumni working at UTA.
In 2022, Newhouse also launched a partnership with Halmi’s Great Point Studios to offer training courses to TRF students enrolled in the Newhouse NYC program. Lionsgate has also partnered with Great Point Studios on three production facilities in cities including Yonkers, Atlanta and Newark.
