1. Web TV Series Distribution and Marketing
At a Glance
• Real life lessons from the world of low-budget
producing and directing
• Gain a working knowledge of all facets of the
post-production process
• Employ guerrilla marketing strategies to build
an audience
In the next five to ten years, TV and the Internet will
merge in our homes. The web is going to be connected
to your big-screen HDTV instead of a cable box, and
web TV series will be listed right alongside regular
cable TV shows in TV Guide.
With the advent of low-cost production tools and new distribution platforms, writers now have an
extraordinary opportunity to create, market, and monetize their stories on the web and become key
players in the new digital entertainment landscape. Producing and sharing a low-budget web TV
series is one of the best ways to showcase your talent to the world market for the first time, build
word-of-mouth buzz, and ultimately sell your project to a movie studio or TV network.
This class will introduce students to the creative, technological, and business aspects of producing a
web series. It gives students a basic understanding of web series distribution and marketing,
focusing on practical concepts, processes and strategic approaches used by today’s top creators.
You will learn how to:
• Rent the right video, audio, lighting, and grip equipment
• Locate and secure great locations for free
• Stage the scene properly and get sufficient shot coverage to make editing easier
• Edit your video with non-linear editing software
• Add music, sound effects, and voiceover to your videos
• Create visual effects shots using inexpensive software
• Upload and promote your videos on YouTube and other video hosting sites
• Generate over one hundred thousand page views for each episode.
• Earn money from your web series
• Employ clever, low-cost marketing strategies
• Reach out to social media influencers
• Avoid the common mistakes made by amateurs
Using real world case studies and proven techniques you can implement right away with your own
projects, the instructor will show you everything you need to know to promote your web series and
build an audience. In addition, a high level industry pro will be brought in as a guest speaker for the
last 30 minutes of class to answer your questions.

2. Most of this insider information is NOT available in how-to books or online.
Teacher Bio: Martin Shapiro
Martin Shapiro created the horror comic book series Chopper, and sold the movie rights to it. As
part of an ambitious transmedia launch, the prequel to Chopper was produced as a web TV series
starring Tyler Mane (Halloween, X-Men). Mr. Shapiro’s action-thriller screenplay Lair of the Fox
was optioned by Ilya Salkind (Producer of Superman). Mr. Shapiro has written and developed
projects for MGM, HBO and numerous production companies including an adaptation of
Dragonlance, the New York Times bestselling series of fantasy novels with sales of 22 million
copies. He received a Master’s Degree in Screenwriting from UCLA.