UCLA Professional Programs at TFT

Join Emmy-nominated UCLA Professional Programs instructor Holly Wortell as she examines the successful writing elements of late night TV talk shows and sketch comedy shows in our spring 2025 Writing for Late Night Comedy online workshop.

Learn joke and sketch writing format and structure, satire, content creation, how to identify trends in current shows, and how to create the POV or edge to make a writer stand out.
Master the ability to create new material daily, to take headlines or news stories and turn them into marketable material, and to pull from personal life and observations.

By the end of this workshop, writers will have created a complete talk show packet and sketch portfolio with elements specific to each writer’s goal, and leave with a plan to move forward with that material.

Writing for Late Night Comedy - UCLA TFT Professional Programs   IN THIS SECTION APPLY NOW WRITING FOR LATE NIGHT COMEDY ONLINE Applications are now being accepted for the Spring 2025 workshop. Do you want to write for shows like SNL, Colbert, Black Lady Sketch Show, Alternatino, Mr. Show, I Think You Should Leave, Key and Peele, Amber Ruffin,The Daily Show, F...

Professional Program in Producing alums Josh Koopman and Sammie Astenah have a cool new documentary out at Slamdance. Sunday is sold out already, but there are still spots for Monday. Check out the Wrap trailer and Forbes link below. And spread the word!

Wrap: https://www.thewrap.com/stolen-kingdom-walt-disney-world-theft-trailer/

Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/simonthompson/2025/02/14/disney-debauchery-doc-stolen-kingdom-is-theme-park-subculture-gold/

Disney Debauchery Doc ‘Stolen Kingdom’ Is Theme Park Subculture Gold Director Joshua Bailey discusses the hotly anticipated documentary about a clandestine world of Disney collectors, renegade explorers, and the missing Buzzy animatronic.

We’re incredibly excited to announce that UCLA’s beloved film professor for over 50 years, Howard Suber, is doing his final UCLA seminar—and enrollment will be open to the public through UCLA’s Professional Programs! On April 5 and 6, Howard will be diving into all six episodes of his Turner Classic Movies/HBO MAX series The Power of Film.

This seminar will take place online (Pacific Time), and is available to anyone from all over the world. But spots are limited, so you’ll want to enroll quickly before it fills up. Here’s the link to enroll: https://professionalprograms.tft.ucla.edu/weekend-seminars/

Per Howard’s request, it’s only $99 for the whole weekend.

Don’t miss your chance! See you there!

Power of Film - UCLA TFT Professional Programs One weekend only! April 5 and 6, 2025. Students, alumni and fans from all over the world will have the chance to join UCLA's beloved Howard Suber online for a live Q&A and lecture weekend as he expands on all six episodes of his Turner Classic Movies/HBO MAX series The Power of Film

Earn your certificate in PRODUCING for film and TV from UCLA.
Apply by March 3-- Classes begin online on March 31

Learn how to finance, develop, pitch, market and distribute your projects. Get insider information on emerging technologies, and career strategies from leading industry experts.
https://professionalprograms.tft.ucla.edu/producing/

Over 30 guest lecturers cover their topic of expertise, including: Production Preparation, Career Planning, Low Budget Filmmaking, Line Producing, Post Production Supervision, Financing, Story Structure, Pitching, ContractsNegotiations, Clearance/ Copyright, Legal Issues for Independent Projects, Representation, Television. Development, Feature Film Marketing, Television Marketing, Theatrical Distribution (Domestic and International), Budgeting, The Television Executive, Alternative Distribution, Producing the Animated Feature, Post-Production Editing, Post-Production Sound, Producing for Immersive Media, Multiplatform Storytelling, Film and Television Case Studies and more.�

Space is limited for this ten-week intensive Professional Program.

Apply today!
https://professionalprograms.tft.ucla.edu/producing/

UCLA TFT Professional Programs UCLA TFT Professional Programs. Screenwriting. Producing. Writing for Television. Acting for the Camera. Directing.

Massive congrats to alum Charmaine Colina who just won the 2024 Nicholl Fellowship with a script she developed in class!

Movie Academy Names Winners Of 2024 Nicholl Screenwriting Fellowships The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences named four individuals and a writing team as recipients of the 2024 Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting

Are you going to write 2 screenplays, or 1 TV spec and 2 original pilots, between October and June? You will if you're accepted into one of our graduate-level certificate programs in Screenwriting or Writing for Television.

APPLY BY AUG. 19 at https://professionalprograms.tft.ucla.edu

UCLA TFT Professional Programs UCLA TFT Professional Programs. Screenwriting. Producing. Writing for Television. Acting for the Camera. Directing.

Check out Acting for the Camera and Producing alum Rafaella Biscayn in The Strangers Chapter 1 in theaters this weekend. She’s an actor and co-producer on this one.

Professional Program in Screenwriting alum Dan Mazeau wrote a new movie, Damsel, that's coming out on Netflix this weekend. Looks great! Spread the word!