Cal State LA has recently unveiled the nation’s first-ever academic curriculum focused solely on the study and production of game shows.
The game show curriculum, set to be launched in fall 2024, aims to prepare students for careers in the production and development of game shows in the entertainment industry.
Bob Boden, game show executive producer and co-founder of the National Archives of Game Show History, and Harry Friedman, Emmy-winning executive producer of Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy!, have created a series of classes to teach Cal State LA students the inner workings of creating, developing and producing game shows.
“We are so pleased to be able to offer this unique, one-of-a-kind program to our students. Working with Harry and Bob to establish career pathways into game shows has been a dream come true for us,” said Kristiina Hackel, chair of the Department of TV, Film and Media Studies in the College of Arts and Letters at Cal State LA.
The three classes will focus on the overview of game show history and job-related opportunities, development of game show ideas, and game show production where students will produce an original game show. Game show producers Joey Ortega and Stuart Krasnow will team-teach the first class this fall semester 2024.
These classes will be offered as electives for the bachelor’s degree program in TV, Film and Media Studies. The classes are also open to Cal State LA students in other academic majors.
The announcement of the new program took place Thursday, April 25, during the Game Show Panel at the 25th anniversary celebration of the university’s Golden Eagle Film Festival.
The panel featured industry leaders Harry Friedman and Bob Boden, along with Rane Laymance, executive director of programming at the Game Show Network, and actress and game show host Brooke Burns. Michael Burger, a game, reality and talk show host, moderated the discussion.
The Golden Eagle Film Festival offered attendees a rich tapestry of cinematic excellence, with film screenings, panel discussions, and networking opportunities throughout the three-day event. Spearheaded by Professor Shaunelle Curry, the annual festival serves as a platform to celebrate the creativity and talent within the Cal State LA filmmaking community.
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California State University, Los Angeles is the premier comprehensive public university in the heart of Los Angeles. Cal State LA is ranked number one in the United States for the upward mobility of its students. Cal State LA is dedicated to engagement, service, and the public good, offering nationally recognized programs in science, the arts, business, criminal justice, engineering, nursing, education, and the humanities. Founded in 1947, the University serves more than 26,000 students and has more than 250,000 distinguished alumni.
Cal State LA is home to the critically-acclaimed Luckman Fine Arts Complex, Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs, Hertzberg-Davis Forensic Science Center, Hydrogen Research and Fueling Facility, Billie Jean King Sports Complex and the TV, Film and Media Center. For more information, visit www.CalStateLA.edu.
