DEBORAH BAXTROM
Studio City, CA
DBaxtrom@gmail.com
IMDB link: https://pro.imdb.com/name/nm1154660?ref_=hm_prof_name
EDUCATION
MFA, Columbia University, New York, NY — Film (Screenwriting/Directing).
BA, Southern Adventist University, Chattanooga, TN — Communication (double emphasis in Journalism and Radio/TV/Film, English minor).
EXPERIENCE:
Curriculum Developer, West Virginia University — 2022-Present
Developed two master’s level courses: Screenwriting for Games and Acting for Animation and Games. I will teach these courses as well.
Adjunct Faculty, Media Arts, Los Angeles Valley College — 2021-Present
Teach cinema and media arts courses at LAVC.
Training Specialist Content Writer, Corteva (Contract) — 2021
Wrote scripts for employee training modules.
Adobe Creative Cloud Instructional Designer, KnowledgeCity (Remote) — 2020
Create and teach Adobe Creative Cloud software training courses.
Please see examples of software training classes at this unlisted YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnneYR23R_809JyW6Z7okoN_gGlQRfgis
Writer/Story Analyst (Games), Novy Unlimited (Remote) — 2020
Read game story proposals and write in-depth analysis of story structure, character development, and interactive elements. (Contract, as needed.)
Professor/Instructional Designer, Art Institute Online (Remote) — 2007-2019
Worked independently as part of a remote team on the design and development of online courses and instructional materials (syllabus, lectures, assignments, video/media scripts, quizzes) for numerous courses for the Media Arts and Animation Program and the Game Art and Design Program. Course development involved setting learning objectives, addressing core competencies, designing assessments to measure student accuracy, and developing grade book criteria.
Taught courses in communication, graphic design, writing, digital video production, storyboarding, art, screenwriting, and interactive storytelling for the Media Arts and Animation Program and the Game Art and Design Program.
Experience with Articulate 360 Rise/Articulate Storyline 3, Adobe Captivate, Camtasia, Adobe Creative Cloud (all programs), Office 365, and WordPress software programs.
Experience with LMS programs such as Canvas, Blackboard, Moodle, Sakai and Brightspace.
Extensive experience with adult education and e-learning and traditional learning principles, blended learning, and training and development, and online teaching and training experience.
Worked as SME and reviewed other SMEs’ work, managed projects and participated in development of a streamlined curriculum for the Media Arts program and Digital Video Production program. Reported to the Program Director of the Media Arts Program, and collaborated with the development team to design and manage program curriculum.
Produced videos for incoming students. Produced instructional videos, wrote materials, and created faculty development trainings.
Mentored/managed up to 20 adjunct instructors per semester. Monitored adjunct classrooms to ensure consistent adjunct attendance and performance, and prepared information for annual reviews.
Freelance Writer, Los Angeles, CA, Ongoing
Published articles in magazines and on websites (examples of published articles can be found on the “Published Articles” page in the menu). Also a screenwriter and filmmaker. Author of the Kindle eBook, “You Can Make a Short Film.” (Please see the “Kindle” page in the menu for more information.)
FILM INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE
Screenwriter, Los Angeles, CA, Ongoing
My original screenplay, MARY’S MONSTER, has been optioned by Rose Pictures (Kill Your Darlings, The Chaperone, Poms), with Farren Blackburn attached to direct. MARY’S MONSTER won the following awards:
ScriptPipeline, first place, for MARY’S MONSTER (then called THE LIFE OF MARY SHELLEY).
Scriptapalooza, winner for MARY’S MONSTER (then called THE LIFE OF MARY SHELLEY).
Nicholl Fellowships, quarter-finalist for Mary Shelley’s Monster (then called THE LIFE OF MARY SHELLEY).
Filmmaker, Los Angeles, CA, Ongoing
Wrote and directed LIVING WITH FRANKENSTEIN, an award-winning dark comedy webseries, that was distributed through FlipsideTV and was featured on BlipTV. Also, edited the series and did much of the camera work. LIVING WITH FRANKENSTEIN won the Jury Prize for best series in the 2012 FlipsideTV Film Festival. It can be viewed on the page titled “Videos” through the menu above.
Wrote and directed the award-winning short 35mm film comedy, ETHEL’S SOFA, that won two awards, was accepted into 33 film festivals worldwide, was licensed to Japanese television for a two-year run, and was shown in cinemas through Big Film Shorts and featured on New York metro TV. The short was distributed by Atom Films. ETHEL’S SOFA can be viewed on the page titled “Videos” through the menu above.
Directed the short THE RISING OF THE MOON, winner of the Telly Award (Biography category).
Story Analyst (Film), Los Angeles, CA
I have also worked as a story analyst and script doctor for several production companies and agencies. I am the founder and owner of Screenplay Search, a screenwriting competition and script coverage service.