As part of the FAMU mentoring program, American lecturer Michele Palermo was welcomed from October 13 to November 7, 2025. Ms. Palermo led a course entitled Writing for Television: Pilot, which was suitable for screenwriters, but also for students with no previous experience in screenwriting who wanted to deepen their knowledge of series development. The course familiarized students with the requirements of writing for television and provided them with the tools to develop a half-hour or hour-long television pilot episode with sufficient depth and complexity to serve as the basis for an entire series.

Emphasis was placed on presentation, creating compelling characters with irresolvable conflicts, building strong story, act, and scene structures; and establishing a clearly defined story world and tone. The course consisted of lectures, screenings, readings, and in-class writing exercises. By the end of the course, each student has a draft outline for their pilot and a solid understanding of television writing structure.

The project was implemented thanks to the support of the J. W. Fulbright Commission.

Michele Palermo Bio

Michele Palermo has built a dynamic and multifaceted career as a writer, director, and producer. A published and award-winning creator, she has developed network television projects alongside industry luminaries such as Peter Horton and David E. Kelley. Her television work includes The Mansion for Lifetime, an upstairs/downstairs dramedy set in a Governor’s mansion and the classic teen favorite Boy Meets World on ABC. Michele has also written, produced, and directed two acclaimed independent feature films: Ladies in Waiting (based on her play) and the mockumentary Unreel: A True Hollywood Story. In addition, she created the award-winning web series Chapin Circle. Currently, Michele is the creator, writer, director, producer of Middlehood, an award-winning half-hour television comedy-drama that captures the comedic yet poignant experiences of middle age. The first 8-episode season is now available worldwide distribution. Michele’s international background spans her upbringing in both Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Rome, Italy. Fluent in Italian and French, she holds an M.A. in International Communication from American University and was once recruited by the CIA (she respectfully declined). Michele’s diverse professional journey includes four years as Chief of Staff and Speechwriter for Virginia First Lady Lisa Collis and a unique stint in research for Martha Stewart. She is currently an adjunct professor at Columbia University's School of the Arts, where she teaches television writing.