SPRING 2024

We developed the CMA WORKSHOP PROGRAM to give our members an opportunity to learn from and interact with industry experts. The WORKSHOPS focus on kids and family media industry skills in order to create new opportunities and support the advancement of our member’s careers … or, in some cases, provide some creative inspiration!

CMA / GLOBAL

2024 SCHEDULE COME SOON!

CMA / NEW YORK

Calling all NYC members! Do you have an imaginative children’s television series stuck in your head, just waiting to be realized? Are you struggling to create engaging pitch materials, or could use a hand in perfecting your idea? Do you get flustered when you talk about your project?

If so, our NYC Chapter PITH ME! WORKSHOP IS FOR YOU!

Throughout four, in-person sessions, Emmy award-winning creative producer Emerald Wright-Collie will lead you in honing your series concept, creating pitch decks and one-sheets, and, most importantly, practicing your pitch! The goal of NYC Pitch Me! is to prepare you for real-world pitching and connect you with like-minded creatives in your area.

NYC Chapter Pitch Me! is an exclusive in-person workshop where we help bring your series idea to life. In four sessions, hosted at Nomadworks Times Square, you’ll go from idea to one-sheet to deck for a fully fleshed-out pitch. This is a workshop grounded in collaboration and feedback. Other members will help you hone your creative idea while working on their own. Special guest industry experts will also give you some fine-tuning advice to solidify your pitch before you head out into the production world. NYC Pitch Me! is a safe and supportive environment that will make your show idea the best it can be.

Because this will be a highly interactive environment, space is limited to 15 creators.

Costs – $200. This workshop is for members only.

CMA / LOS ANGELES

Looking to take the next steps on that big idea? The Children’s Media Association’s Los Angeles Chapter’s Introduction to Screenwriting Workshop offers you a space to create, expert guidance to make progress, and a community to hold you accountable. Over the course of 4 sessions led by Morgan Dameron, you will generate cinematic story ideas and discover essential tools in the craft of screenwriting including story structure, screenplay format, character development, and theme. With a focus on screenwriting for youth-centric stories, this workshop will feature plenty of examples from popular children’s media. You will be empowered to turn your big idea into a screenplay.

SUNDAYS 1:30 pm – 4:00 pm PT | 02/24, 03/02, 03/09, 03/16

Costs – $200. This workshop is for members only.

Morgan Dameron is an award-winning writer, director, producer based in Los Angeles. Her debut feature film, Different Flowers, starring Emmy-Award-Winner Shelley Long, won Best Feature Film at the Kansas City Film Festival International, was acquired by Showtime, and is now streaming worldwide. She has developed feature projects with Paul Feig’s Powderkeg, Olive Bridge Entertainment, and Very Big World Entertainment. Recently, she was named a “Rising Director,” by the Alliance of Women Directors. She is an alumni of Ryan Murphy’s HALF Initiative, and a recipient of a prestigious Producer’s Caucus grant. She is a professor of producing and screenwriting at New York Film Academy. Dameron holds a BA in Film and Television Production from the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts, where she received a Trustee Scholarship and graduated Summa Cum Laude. She is represented by Lit Entertainment Group.

CMA WORKSHOP FAQ

Are CMA Workshops for everyone?

Yes! CMA Workshops are for all members. They will be virtual and accessible by members, no matter where they live.

How much do CMA Workshops Cost?

Because of the multi-session, curriculum-heavy aspects of CMA Workshops, this premium benefit will have a cost. Fees will vary depending on the number of sessions and other considerations. The fee for the Podcast Workshop: is $150 for members.

Can CMA members sign up for a single session?

No. What makes CMA Workshops different from regular CMA events is that they are multi-session and cumulative, with a curriculum and goals that continue over the course of the Workshop.

Can I get a refund?

Unfortunately due to the limited availability in our Workshop we are not able to offer refunds once you sign up for the Workshop.

If I can’t make a session, can I send someone in my place?

Unfortunately, no we cannot allow substitutions. Workshops will be recorded and will be made available for participants that need to miss a session.

The workshop is sold out! Is there a waitlist?

Yes, please email workshops@childrensmediaassociation.org

PREVIOUS WORKSHOPS

FALL 2023

Do you remember the first book you ever loved? It was probably a picture book, right? The world of picture books is rich with possibilities for creative storytellers. If you have ever wanted to learn the nuts and bolts of children’s publishing, this workshop is for you. Whether you are a writer, an illustrator, or both—this workshop will cover both the art and the business of picture books and connect you with colleagues as you work on your own projects. You’ll hear from industry experts and gain a clear understanding of each step along the process to publication. Come prepared to capture the magic of storytelling through picture books!

Because this will be a highly interactive, sharing environment, space is limited to 20 creators.

Carter Higgins is the author of many books for young readers, including Everything You Need for a Treehouse, Some of These Are Snails, and the chapter book series, Audrey L & Audrey W. Her first book as both author and illustrator, Circle Under Berry, was named a Best Book of the Year by Publisher’s Weekly, Smithsonian Magazine, and the Wall Street Journal. She is also an Emmy-winning visual effects and motion graphics artist and spent a decade as an elementary school librarian. You can find her on Twitter and Instagram @carterhiggins. She lives in Las Vegas.

How Picture Books Work consists of FOUR, weekly, two-hour ONLINE sessions where attendees dive deep into picture books and children’s publishing. Sessions include lectures, breakout discussions, and Q&As with special guest industry experts! Attendees will have access to the virtual classroom with (optional) assignments to deepen your learning.

Session 1 – November 27, 2023 – 7 to 9 pm ET

How Picture Books Work (and How They Don’t) – this workshop will cover the specifics of the picture book anatomy and form, the expanse of genres and categories, beginning to think about the structure of your picture book project, and what to expect from both your creative process and path to publication.

Session 2 – December 4, 2023 – 7 to 9 pm ET

Writing Picture Books (While Thinking Like an Illustrator) – this workshop will cover the craft elements that make picture books so special, how to implement them into your storytelling, and a special guest speaker who will talk about their experiences as both author and illustrator.

Session 3 – December 11, 2023 – 7 to 9 pm ET

Continuing Your Craft and Finding an Agent – this workshop will expand on the craft of picture book writing and then look at what happens when you are ready for what’s next: do you need an agent? How do you find one? What are they looking for? We will have a special guest speaker who will help demystify this process.

Session 4 – December 18, 2023 – 7 to 9 pm ET

Continuing Your Craft and Collaborating with an Editor – this workshop will continue to expand on the craft of picture book writing and then look at the current landscape of children’s publishing and what you can expect. We will have a special guest speaker who will shed insight on bringing a picture book to market.

SPRING 2023

CMA Podcast Workshop

Have you been thinking about the podcasting space in Children’s Media? Want to learn more about the basics of the medium, or perhaps meet other podcast makers? This Workshop takes you behind the mic so you can get familiar with the podcasting process from concept to distribution, touching upon tips for all types of creators. Whether you are looking to make a podcast on your own, work with production partners, or are just interested in learning more – regardless of budget, skill, or level this is a great chance to exchange creative ideas with others, hear from experts, and build up your community.

Because this will be a highly interactive, sharing environment, space is limited to 30 creators.

Session #1: May 17, 2023 – 7 to 9 pm ET

Let’s Talk: Creative – this workshop will cover the joys of podcasting, the current children’s podcast ecosystem, and will have special guest speakers who will talk about their experiences in producing/writing podcasts.

Session #2: May 24, 2023 – 7 to 9 pm ET

Let’s Talk: Pre-Production – this workshop will cover the nuts and bolts of pre-production, equipment needed, what happens once you get in the booth and will have special guest speakers who will talk about their experiences getting the podcast made.

Session #3: May 31, 2023 – 7 to 9 pm ET

Let’s Talk: Post-Production – this workshop will cover the audio editing process from prep to program, the details to think about to get a podcast made and will have special guest speakers who will talk about their experiences in sound design.

Session #4: June 7, 2023 – 7 to 9 pm ET

Let’s Talk: Getting Your Content Out to the World – this workshop will cover branding, distribution, discoverability, monetization (what you can do after your podcast has been made). Special Guest speakers will discuss their unique models and what they think is the future of podcasting.

Ash Beecher is the Senior Production Manager for Pinna, where she has facilitated the making of over 40 podcasts, including the recent seasons of Grimm, Grimmer, Grimmest. She is also the co-creator/writer/producer of Pinna Original comedy podcast Food Crimes. Prior to entering the world of podcasting, she worked in production management at the children’s television network Sprout (and through its transition into Universal Kids) where she coordinated the live, daily production of the Emmy-nominated Sunny Side Up, and additionally played a significant role in in-person events, short form content, and assisting operations at the network level. Ash is thrilled to be hosting this workshop, as she is passionate about content creation and growing the children’s media community.

WINTER 2023

CMA Pitch Me! Workshop

Do you have a great idea for a children’s property rattling around in your head? Do you need help wrapping up your dream project, could you use a hand perfecting your idea, or do you get flustered when you have to talk about it?

If so, our PITCH ME! WORKSHOP IS FOR YOU!

Over the course of 4 sessions, led by Danny Friedman, you will hone your concept, learn how to create pitch decks and one-sheets, and, most importantly, you will practice your pitch! The goal of Pitch Workshop is to get you ready to pitch your wonderful children’s IPs in the real world.

Pitch Me! is a virtual workshop where we help bring your children’s media dreams to the next level. In four sessions, you’ll go from idea to one-sheet to deck for a a fully fleshed out pitch. This is a workshop, built on trust, with the other members to help you hone your creative idea while working on their own. Special guest industry experts will be in attendance on the last day to give you some fine-tuning advice to make your pitch even more solid before you head out into the children’s media world! Pitch Me! Workshop is headed by Danny Friedman and filled with like-minded creative types in a safe environment that will make your show idea the best it can be!

Because this will be a highly interactive, sharing environment, space is limited to 20 creators.

INSTRUCTOR: Creative Developer, Writer, Producer, Brainstormer

Danny Friedman loves cartoons. Professionally, Danny has worked in development for Sunbow Entertainment, 4Kids!, Sesame Workshop, Common Sense Media, BabyFirst, TonieBox, Outfit7 and consulted for many other great brands. He loves nothing better than meeting with other creative people and developing characters, stories, and worlds. Danny was the Director of Creative Development and Lead Producer for Elemental Path, creator of the Cognitoy Dino, an interactive toy that won IBM’s Watson Challenge and was a Time Magazine Invention of the Year. For years, Danny’s job was to tell a dinosaur what to do, which, you have to admit, is pretty cool… Today, Danny is busy at work, creating his own cartoon ideas, head-writing for an animated series he co-created, and taking care of his son, who he also co-created…