On Screenwriting and Media with Dr. Rosanne Welch
Writing, Film, Television and More!
Listen to the recorded episode using the links below
Host Cyrus Webb welcomes author Rosanne Welch to #ConversationsLIVE to discuss her new book WHY THE MONKEES MATTER: Teenagers, Television and America Pop Culture.
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A Woman’s Voice in the Writers’ Room
Rosanne Welch on writing for female characters, changing the pronoun in a script, and the power of research.
Rosanne Welch is a TV writer, author, professor, and feminist, who’s able to combine her passion in one place thanks to her current position as an adjunct professor at Stephen’s College (the oldest women’s college in the U.S.) for its screenwriting M.F.A. program.
The Stephen’s College screenwriting M.F.A. program is certainly unique: it’s the first low-residency program specifically for TV and screenwriting, and is explicitly designed to increase the number and impact of women working in film and TV. It’s the perfect fit for Welch, who teaches all four of its History of Screenwriting courses, from the Silent Era throughout modern day, as well as a One Hour Spec Script course, and Writing the One-Hour pilot.
Senior Hall, Stephen’s College. Image by HornColumbia (Own work) [CC0], via Wikimedia CommonsSenior Hall, Stephen’s College. Image by HornColumbia, via Wikimedia CommonsThe idea for the program came from Ken LaZebnik, who Welch had met decades earlier when they both wrote for Touched By An Angel.
According to Welch, “Ken LaZebnik came up with the idea for the program, to create a Master’s program for screenwriting, opposed to extension or continuing education screenwriting programs where there is no degree at the end of it, you just have the experience of writing in the program.
“He needed someone to do curriculum, he needed someone who had a PhD on staff, and he also only wanted to hire writers who were part of the Writer’s Guild, because he wanted the students taught by working writers and writers who had experience.”
Fortunately Welch fit the criteria. “I was really excited because a lot of Master’s programs focus on directing or film production or being a master of all trades, and he just wanted to focus on screenwriting.”
Welch’s current life as an academic is a far cry from her days as a secretary at Stephen J. Cannell productions, back when he was the biggest independent TV producer with shows like The A-Team and 21 Jump Street.
Why The Monkees Matter Book Signings
I have arranged for at least 2 book signings here in Los Angeles, but I am looking at other locations where interested fans can gather both here in the US and, if you can believe it, Europe!
If you have any thoughts as to where a collection of Monkees Fans could join me for a reading and signing event, please share it here.
Preparing the first signed copy to go into the mail
Order yours using the link in the sidebar or clicking here
I am looking at the Palm Springs area, since I have family there, but I also have 3 trips planned that could provide for signing opportunities.
In late July I will be in Catania, Sicily.
In Early September, I will be attending and speaking at the SRN (Screenwriters Resource Network) Conference in Leeds, UK.
In November, i will be attending and speaking at the Citizen Jane Film Festival in Columbia, Missouri.
This also gives me the possibility of a signing event in St. Louis or Kansas City, depending on my flight decisions.
I welcome your thoughts and also any assistance in setting up a reading and book signing in your area.
I hope to meet you in person, soon.
During the intermission at TedXCPP last week, I was interviewed by a student reporter for The Poly Post, Cal Poly Pomona’s Student Newspaper. Here are some of my quotes from the article, TEDXCPP explores ripple” that appeared on Tuesday, April 12, 2016.
“The first speaker of the night was Rosanne Welch, who started her professional career as a television writer and producer and now teaches several courses across multiple college campuses including CPP. Her talk, titled “The Importance of Having a Woman’s Voice in the Room,” advocated for the importance of a woman’s perspective in screenwriting.
“I disliked not being able to teach girls girl stories,” said Welch. “I never understood the logic to that; I still don’t.”
Welch’s talk did not just speak to women. She emphasized the importance of allowing young boys to admire females and males in order to give them a well-rounded human experience.
“It’s hard to have two audiences,” said Welch. “But I wanted to remind women they have to learn to speak up, and I wanted to remind grown ups that boys aren’t afraid of that.”
Dr. Rosanne Welch Speaks on “How Star Wars In Influenced Movie Themes, Female Characters, Fandom & Fan Fiction” – Tuesday, April 12 – Noon – Cal Poly Pomona
The University Library celebrates National Library Week with
Star Wars Saga
“How Star Wars In Influenced Movie Themes, Female Characters, Fandom & Fan Fiction”
Tuesday, April 12 – Noon
Cal Poly Pomona University Library
Special Events Room (4th Floor)
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The Cal Poly Pomona Web Site has a feature article today on the two College of Education and Integrative Studies professors (including myself) who will be presenting at this week’s TEDxCPP. — Rosanne
Two professors from the College of Education & Integrative Studies will explore persistent stigmas in society at the second TEDxCPP.
Shayda Kafai and Roseanne Welch will be among eight speakers who will discuss topics ranging from sex to education to gender to religion on Thursday, April 7, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Kellogg West. The theme of this year’s TEDxCPP is “The Ripple Effect.”
As a lecturer in the ethnic and women’s studies department by day and a writer by night, Kafai seeks to spread awareness of the oppression caused by words and phrases used to describe people with mental health disabilities.
Kafai aims to change perspectives on mental health stigmas in her speech titled “The Language of Madness.”
“I am going to be exploring the stigmatic ways we socially frame psychiatric disabilities,” Kafai says. “Through the use of personal narrative, I will share reasons why we must collectively unlearn totalizing language.”
Welch has taken her writing and professional experiences from mainstream television to the classroom by teaching humanities in the interdisciplinary general education department. She holds a doctorate in American social history of the 21st century.
Welch’s speech, titled “The Importance of Having a Female Voice in the Writer’s Room,” will address issues with “othering,” which occurs when one group takes another group’s differences and uses that against them.
“Based on my previous career as a television writer, I’ll be speaking about moments when new perspectives in the writer’s room can help influence thousands of viewers,” Welch says.
Kafai and Welch have a common goal: broadening perspectives on stigmas that persist in society.
To learn more about these speakers and to get tickets, visit the TEDxCPP website.
Come one! Come all – (if you live near Cal Poly Pomona) and see my colleague Peg Lamphier and I perform in this year’s Vagina Monologues tomorrow (Tuesday the 16th) at 7pm on campus. Tickets are $10.
Click below for an article about the event – and our participation – with quotes. Support a student journalist and give it a read! And, yes, some video will be posted after the show is over..
“Auditions were open not only to students, but to staff and faculty as well. After noticing that on a poster, Professor Rosanne Welch, who holds a doctorate degree in American social history of the 21st century, was inspired to audition.
“Peg Lampher and I are really big feminists and we talk a lot about it with our students,” she says. “I went over to her and said, ‘We should put our money where our mouth is.’ ”
After auditioning, the pair was cast in one of the last monologues of the show. Welch says it is perfect for them because the topic is childbirth, and they are both mothers.
Throughout the experience, Welch’s favorite part has been watching the students take control.
“I was proud to watch them, but I was also a little bit sad because a certain number of them have had things happen to them in their past which brought them to work with the Women’s Resource Center,” she says. “The fact that they are able to put on this presentation and take control of the night is a beautiful gesture.””
Read the entire article, Vagina Monologues’ Seeks to Empower Women and Inform Campus
I’m excited to announce that the 4-volume encyclopedia I’ve been working on with my friend and colleague Peg Lamphier for the last two years — Women in American History: A Social, Political, and Cultural Encyclopedia and Document Collection has now appeared in the ABC-CLIO Spring Catalog.
We’d like to thank the many colleagues too numerous to mention who contributed to the research and writing!
Ask your local public or university library to order a set!
Link: Women in American History: A Social, Political, and Cultural Encyclopedia and Document Collection
Amazon.com: Women in American History: A Social, Political, and Cultural Encyclopedia and Document Collection
I have a small cameo in this video about the Cal Poly IGE (Interdisciplinary General Education) Program where I teach. Almost everyone you see here is or has been a student of mine. Check it out!
Dr, Rosanne Welch and her class read Gilgamesh out loud at the “rock circle” on campus
Watch the entire 3.5 min video here
I will be part of this panel discussion at the Redlands Film and Beer festival, October 22-25, 2015 with Daniel Petrie, Jr.. Join us as we use Star Wars to discuss a host of screenwriting concepts and how this movie, and it’s writer, Lawrence Kasdan, changed screenwriting forever.
‘Beverly Hills Cop’ writer will return to Redlands for Film and Beer fest
By Tabetha Wittenmyer, Correspondent
For more information or to sign up for the Redlands Film and Beer festival, email info@slate-inc.org or go to http://slate-inc.org.
REDLANDS >> Redlands nonprofit SLATE Inc. (Supporting Local Artists of Film Through Empowerment), has announced the first panel discussion leader for this year’s Film and Beer festival: the “Beverly Hills Cop” writer.
Daniel Petrie Jr., best known for writing and producing such popular ’80s films as “Beverly Hills Cop,” “Beverly Hills Cop II” and “Turner and Hooch,” will be on hand to answer questions in the first panel discussion.
The 2015 festival will use the theme “Star Wars” to help stimulate film industry discussions among festival attendees.
“The first industry panel we are doing is about how ‘Star Wars’ changed filmmaking and impacted the industry,” said SLATE Inc. founder Lucas Cuny. “Petrie is an industry insider who has served twice as the president of the screenwriters guild. He will be a great addition to the discussion.”
Petrie graduated from the University of Redlands in 1975. Cuny said Petrie’s industry experience and ties to Redlands make him an ideal addition to the festival.
“People can relate to someone who spent time here and has gone on to big things in the film world,” Cuny said. “He is an old friend. We were discussing the first Slate festival while I was very early in the planning stages. He said to me, ‘Everyone has a film festival. What is going to make yours different?’ That’s when I thought let’s get some beer involved, especially being in an area with craft breweries and a great food scene.”
Rosanne Welch, a radio, TV and film department adjunct professor at Cal State Fullerton will also serve on a panel discussion. Welch was a professor of Cuny’s while he was working toward his master’s degree at CSUF over the past few years.
Proceeds from the Redlands Film and Beer Festival will be used for ongoing efforts to benefit local film and media artists.
![Women in American History: A Social, Political, and Cultural Encyclopedia and Document Collection [Book]](https://rosannewelch.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Women-in-History-Cover-Image-201x198.jpg)
