| Creating & Directing Branded Content

Guided by a career director, learn to conceptualize and produce effective commercial and branded content in this advanced week-long creative lab.

In this week-long creative lab, you’ll be guided by a career director in conceptualizing and producing commercial content.

This hands-on workshop is for directors, producers, agency executives, and all creatives who want to gain practical experience in creating compelling and effective promotional material. The class will begin by screening a variety of commercials and branded content, analyzing trends and visual styles, and discussing concepts, technology, and visual storytelling. The relationships among the director, production company, cinematographer, ad agency, and client are explored.

The focus of the class will be on combining narrative storytelling with brand placement. Students will conceptualize ideas, write scripts, create storyboards, scout locations, and pre-visualize their concepts before shooting. We will discuss directing techniques, lighting, camera placement, and movement. The week’s focus will then be on the production and creation of branded content shorts. Students will collaborate to direct and shoot each chosen concept.

Once shooting has commenced, students will work in conjunction with MMW Staff Editors to cut their pieces together for the Friday showcase of student work. Throughout the week, dailies and rough cuts will be critiqued and discussed. The instructor will be available to discuss career pathways and share their experience finding success.

Course requirements

Students should be prepared to submit a sample commercial or brand content treatment when applying for this workshop. These concepts will be pitched during class. As we will move quickly during production, knowledge of basic filmmaking techniques and basic set etiquette are required prerequisites for this course.

Please note: An hour-long training session on Set Etiquette and Safety will be required of anyone registered for a workshop that involves production. Students only need to participate in this session once during their time on campus.