# How a Television Series Is Made: teacher guide

## Delivery

Students complete the shared Production Readiness orientation first. Use the modules as a sequence of concepts, guided builds, crew sprints, checkpoints, and reflection. The final portfolio is assessed with the 100-point rubric; module checks are formative.

## Preparation

- Complete Production Readiness orientation.
- Teacher-approved topic, contributors, locations, and publication boundary.
- Use fictional or rights-cleared source material unless the school has approved otherwise.
- Tier A: phone/tablet, headphones, basic editor, classroom space.
- Tier B: two cameras, tripod, portable audio, lights, editing computers.
- Tier C: studio, multi-camera tools, graphics, shared storage, and production support.

## Access and safety

Use the school-approved safeguarding, consent, privacy, copyright, risk, publication, and retention processes. The course supports private or local delivery by default. Give students equivalent off-camera, non-speaking, technical, editorial, research, access, and archive roles.

## Pacing

### Module 1: Understand television as a repeatable promise

**Workload:** 2.5 hours

**Checkpoint:** Retain a comparison of three formats and a chosen audience promise.

**Teacher note:** Run the exercise with a low-risk fictional or rights-cleared scenario before students use their own stories or contributors.

### Module 2: Develop and test the idea

**Workload:** 3.5 hours

**Checkpoint:** Retain pitch, research log, source notes, representation questions, and feasibility decision.

**Teacher note:** Run the exercise with a low-risk fictional or rights-cleared scenario before students use their own stories or contributors.

### Module 3: Build the series bible

**Workload:** 4 hours

**Checkpoint:** Retain a six-to-ten-page bible that lets another team understand the show without a spoken explanation.

**Teacher note:** Run the exercise with a low-risk fictional or rights-cleared scenario before students use their own stories or contributors.

### Module 4: Run a writers or story room

**Workload:** 4 hours

**Checkpoint:** Retain outline, script or treatment, table-read notes, source log, and change log.

**Teacher note:** Run the exercise with a low-risk fictional or rights-cleared scenario before students use their own stories or contributors.

### Module 5: Prepare the pilot

**Workload:** 4 hours

**Checkpoint:** Retain production book, schedule, role plan, location/contributor decisions, and greenlight presentation.

**Teacher note:** Run the exercise with a low-risk fictional or rights-cleared scenario before students use their own stories or contributors.

### Module 6: Produce the proof of concept

**Workload:** 6 hours

**Checkpoint:** Retain rushes, media reports, continuity log, backup evidence, role record, and daily review.

**Teacher note:** Run the exercise with a low-risk fictional or rights-cleared scenario before students use their own stories or contributors.

### Module 7: Edit and finish the episode sample

**Workload:** 5 hours

**Checkpoint:** Retain rough cut, notes response, final accessible master, captions/transcript, and export report.

**Teacher note:** Run the exercise with a low-risk fictional or rights-cleared scenario before students use their own stories or contributors.

### Module 8: Package, present, and evaluate the series

**Workload:** 3 hours

**Checkpoint:** Retain pilot package, audience feedback, QC, credits, archive, career reflection, and next-episode decision.

**Teacher note:** Run the exercise with a low-risk fictional or rights-cleared scenario before students use their own stories or contributors.

## Completion gate

The final package must be reviewable by a second student or teacher, accessible through the appropriate alternative, rights-aware, safe to retain, and explainable in a short walkthrough.