SHORT COURSES AND SEMINARS

Financing and Packaging the Independent Feature
Dates: January 7, 2010 - March 11, 2010 (Thursdays 7-10pm)
Duration: 10 weeks, one meeting per week
Location: UCLA campus, Room TBA
Instructor: Todd Williams

This 10-week seminar-style course will provide an overview of film producing, with an emphasis on producing the independent feature. Lectures and discussion will cover all major steps of producing a feature, from finding material to the release of the film. Topics will include: structures for obtaining financing, budgeting and packaging a low-budget feature, production and post-production, and an overview of sales and buyers. A different subject will be covered each week, and select guest speakers will participate along the way.

Instructor Todd Williams has taught in both the UCLA Professional Program in Producing and the UCLA MFA Producers Program. He is a co-founder and partner of Upload Films LLC, a production company committed to producing and financing filmmaker-based projects that establish fresh voices and challenge the norms of independent films. Upcoming films produced by Todd Williams include TICKING CLOCK, starring Cuba Gooding, Jr. (Sony Pictures) and MIRRORS 2 (20th Century Fox). Todd was an executive producer on SHOTGUN STORIES, which played to great acclaim at the 2007 Berlin Film Festival, and THE BABYSITTERS, starring John Leguizamo, which premiered at the 2007 Toronto Film Festival.

Previously, Todd was the Vice President of Creative Affairs for the Yari Film Group, where he was responsible for all aspects of development and production on 12 feature projects. While with Yari, Todd was Co-Producer on THE CHUMSCRUBBER starring Ralph Fiennes and Glenn Close, GRAY MATTERS starring Heather Graham, and FIRST SNOW starring Guy Pierce and written/directed by Oscar-nominated screenwriter Mark Fergus. Todd has also held executive positions at 20th Century Fox and Miramax Films.


Mail or fax the completed Enrollment Form along with payment to the UCLA Professional Programs. The fax number is 310-206-7099.


Start Date: January 7, 2010
Cost: $850 (A $100 discount is available to Professional Programs students and alumni, as well as UCLA students and alumni)