Cal State LA offering first-of-its-kind course all about game shows

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Cal State LA is getting into the game show world in an educational new way.

"There has never been a class on game shows taught at any university anywhere in the world, so Cal State LA is the very first and I'm so proud, nervous, excited to be the first person to teach it," said new faculty member Stuart Krasnow.

He is currently the show runner on "The Weakest Link" but he's now moonlighting as a faculty member at Cal State LA, teaching the inaugural class of "Get In The Game." It takes students into the world of game shows. The first class was Wednesday evening.

"They're going to learn everything, from casting to hosting to lighting, game concept, game development," said Krasnow. "We're going to teach them just about, you know, there's so many elements that go into a good game show."

Bob Boden and Harry Friedman created the curriculum. Boden is the co-founder of the National Archives of Game Show History. Friedman spent years as the executive producer of both "Wheel of Fortune" and "Jeopardy!" Together, they knew one class wasn't going to cut it!

"The second class will be a tour through development," Boden said. "And at the end of that class, they will settle on one idea. And in the third class, they will produce a pilot of that idea. And that pilot actually will be good enough to pitch to professional networks."

Dr. Kristiina Hackel, the chair of the department of TV, film and media studies, is excited for what's about to happen. Hackel said their students love production and post-production.

"This is an amazing opportunity for them. And certainly to learn from the best and people work in the field right now, it's an incredible, incredible thing," said Hackel.

Friedman agrees.

"There's so much that goes on behind-the-scenes and some of the jobs, yes, are not necessarily the marquee jobs that people know about but they're no less important. So we know these students are going to be making decisions about their careers," he said.

For students who've chose to take on this adventure, it's an exciting prospect.

"I'd want to expand my horizons as much as possible and if this class leads me to working in game shows, then it's definitely something that I'd be interested in," said Cal State LA student Mark Virgen.

"I want to be the person behind the curtain so I think it will be beneficial for my career going on so I'm excited for it," said fellow student, Cailyn Rogers.

Boden is happy to know what he helped create is happening: "We've dedicated our lives to game shows and to be able to pass that forward to the new generations and allow them to gain the wisdom that we have picked up over the years, there's nothing more rewarding than that."