“The Biz: Idea to Screen”

Spring Course to Teach How to Get Films Produced

January 22, 2008

What does it take to get an idea made into a film and onto TV or into theaters? This spring, communications and radio-TV-film majors will be finding out as they attend “The Biz: Idea to Screen” taught by visiting professor Sheila Hanahan Taylor.

“Many schools do a good job of teaching students to produce films, but not how to get films produced,” said Taylor, who has served as an executive producer, producer and production assistant on a variety of movies and TV shows, including the “American Pie” and “Final Destination” film franchises.

“The Biz,” underwritten by a CSU Entertainment Industry Initiative, “will cover the nuts and bolts of what students really need to know to get projects produced,” said Edward J. Fink, chair and professor of radio-TV-film.

The CSU Entertainment Industry Initiative was established in 2005 as part of focus on four key industries in California: agriculture, engineering, entertainment and tourism. The entertainment initiative funds equipment, internships and visiting fellows, according to Fink.

Taylor, former senior vice president of production and development at Zide/Perry Entertainment, began her career while in college by landing a writing assistant job with writer Lowell Ganz (“Parenthood,” “Splash”) and writer/director Garry Marshall (“Pretty Woman” “Princess Diaries”) for a play at Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre. After graduation, she returned to the production for its second run in Los Angeles, then moved onto a variety of jobs, including script reader, unit production manager, producer’s assistant and development executive. Taylor currently is a partner at Practical Pictures, a feature film and television production company she founded with Zide/Perry Entertainment associate Craig Perry.