Online & Social Media Productions
This course navigates the rapidly evolving landscape of digital content creation. Moving beyond casual posting, students will learn the professional strategies behind successful YouTube channels, TikTok accounts, and influencer brands. The curriculum covers the technical requirements of vertical vs. horizontal video, algorithmic optimization, community management, and the monetization models that drive the creator economy.
§ 01 By the end you can
- Master production workflows for short-form (TikTok/Reels) and long-form (YouTube) content
- Analyze social media algorithms to optimize reach and engagement
- Develop on-camera presence and personal branding skills
- Utilize mobile journalism (MoJo) tools and lightweight production gear effectively
- Understand monetization strategies (AdSense, Sponsorships, Affiliate Marketing)
§ 02 Sixteen sessions
The whole semester.
- 01The Creator Economy: Platforms & Trends
- 02Visual Strategy: Vertical (9:16) vs. Horizontal (16:9)
- 03The Algorithm: SEO, Tags, and Discoverability
- 04Pre-Production: Scripting & Content Calendars
- 05Mobile Cinematography & Lighting
- 06Audio for Mobile: Mics & Sound Design
- 07Thumbnails & Click-Through Rates (CTR)
- 08 · MidtermMidterm Examination
- 09Advanced Editing for Social Retention
- 10Live Streaming Production (Twitch/YouTube)
- 11Community Management & Engagement
- 12Influencer Marketing & Brand Deals
- 13Podcasting & Audio-First Content
- 14Analytics: Reading the Dashboard
- 15Legal: Copyright, Fair Use & Disclosure
- 16Final Project: The Multi-Platform Campaign
Midterm around session 8. Final project briefed at session 8 or 9 and developed in stages until the juries.
§ 03 Final project
Final Project: The Multi-Platform Campaign
Recommended reading
- YouTube Secrets: The Ultimate Guide to Growing Your Following by Sean Cannell and Benji Travis
- Hook Point: How to Stand Out in a 3-Second World by Brendan Kane
- Crushing It! by Gary Vaynerchuk
- One Million Followers by Brendan Kane
- The Influencer Code by Amanda Russell
More in Content Creation
| Audience Engagement and Experience Design | Content is king, but engagement is the queen. This course merges User Experience (UX) design with community psychology. |
| Changing Political Attitude through Social Media | This course intersects political science, psychology, and media studies. It examines how social media platforms engineer public opinion, mobilize activism, and deepen polarization. |
| Content Moderation and Safety | This course addresses the "essential workers" of the internet: content moderators. It examines the policies, tools, and human labor required to keep digital platforms safe. |
| Content Monetization and Revenue Streams | "Views are vanity; revenue is sanity." This course explores the complex economics of the modern media landscape. |
| Crafting Social Media Contagious Content | Why do some ideas spread like wildfire while others die? This course explores the science of virality. Drawing on behavioral psychology and network theory, students will deconstruct the anatomy of "Contagious" content. |
| Cross-Platform Content Repurposing | "Create Once, Publish Everywhere" (COPE). This efficiency-focused course teaches the workflow of taking a single piece of "Pillar Content" (like a podcast or long-form video) and fracturing it into dozens of micro-assets for TikTok, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. |