Comprehensive curriculum covering the full lifecycle of an advertising campaign: creative review, talent and SAG-AFTRA considerations, production contracts, post, music, clearance and rights management.

Classes taught by people who have lived it: Hailstorm Business Affairs pros, with guest speakers including producers, creatives, and industry experts.

Certificate of completion provided along with course materials for reference as you dive into your BA career.

Nobody teaches BA. You just kind of learn as you go.

"For too long, BA has been something you either stumble into or figure out on your own. Nobody really teaches it. I wanted to build Hailstorm Academy because AI isn't going to take a BA job, and we need the next generation of BA folks trained well." — Michelle McKinney, Founder & CEO, Hailstorm

What to expect.

Interactive learning, not just lectures. Discussion first. Every session starts with what you already know (or wonder), then moves into direct instruction. Guest speakers. Producers, account leads, creatives, bidding producers, entertainment attorneys and music experts join to tell you what great BA collaboration looks like from their side. Quizzes and homework that matter. Short open-book module quizzes, practical assignments, a final exam and presentation. A capstone you'll be proud of. Pair up, research a real BA problem, and present it to the cohort in the final two weeks. Everything in one place. The morning after each session, a lesson summary, leave-behind PDFs, homework and quizzes are posted right here in the Academy portal.

By the end, you'll be able to:

 

Navigate the BA landscape

Know who's in the room, what every department owns, and where BA plugs into a project from concept to wrap.

Review creative like a pro

Spot IP, trademark, copyright, AI and regulatory watchouts before they become expensive problems.

Handle talent with confidence

Union vs. non-union, SAG-AFTRA basics, casting specs, session and use estimating, contracts and payments.

Own production, start to finish

Bids, AICP guidelines, production agreements, wrap insurance, estimates and POs, then post agreements, final casts, rough-cut and final network clearance, Ad-IDs, completion reports and talent payments.

Speak music, keep rights straight

Music lingo and licensing, public domain and stock, musicologists, AFM and SAG singers, plus use payments, third-party licenses, trackers and renewals so nothing quietly expires.

Show up like a partner

Presentation skills, negotiation, and the empathic, effective communication that makes people want BA in the room.

If you've ever been in a room where a BA question came up and wished you knew the answer, this is for you.

Recent grads stepping into advertising, media, film or entertainment business for the first time. Junior BA pros ready to fill the gaps and accelerate. Managers who want structured training for their team instead of on-the-job osmosis. (Ask us about group enrollment.) Brand, production and creative people who'd like to stop guessing what BA is going to say. Career changers who've been eyeing BA and just need the on-ramp. No prior BA experience required. Curiosity and a working webcam are.

Course Content

13 Chapters · 45 Lessons

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Welcome to Hailstorm Academy: BA 101

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      M1.W1 — Session Guide: What is BA & the Project Life Cycle (Tue Jan 5)

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      M1.W1 — Live Session: What is BA & the Project Life Cycle (Tue Jan 5, 6–8 PM ET)

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      M1.W1 — Homework: Identify 5 BA Touchpoints (due before Jan 12)

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      M1.W2 — Session Guide: BA Vocabulary & the Media Landscape (Tue Jan 12)

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      M1.W2 — Reference: BA Watchouts by Media Type

    6. (Included in full purchase)

      M1.W2 — Live Session: BA Vocabulary & the Media Landscape (Tue Jan 12, 6–8 PM ET)

    7. (Included in full purchase)

      M1 — Module 1 Quiz (open book, taken in class Jan 12)

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      M2.W1 — Session Guide: Reviewing Creative Concepts (Tue Jan 19)

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      M2.W1 — Live Session: Reviewing Creative Concepts (Tue Jan 19, 6–8 PM ET)

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      M2.W2 — Session Guide: IP, Copyright, Public Domain, AI & Trademark (Tue Jan 26)

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      M2.W2 — Live Session: IP, Copyright, Public Domain, AI & Trademark (Tue Jan 26, 6–8 PM ET)

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      M2 — Module 2 Quiz [PLACEHOLDER — questions coming from Autumn/Michelle]

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      M3.W1 — Session Guide: Types of Talent & Union vs. Non-Union (Tue Feb 2)

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      M3.W1 — Reference: Types of Talent in Advertising

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      M3.W1 — Live Session: Types of Talent & Union vs. Non-Union (Tue Feb 2, 6–8 PM ET)

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      M3.W2 — Session Guide: SAG-AFTRA Continued & Session Estimating (Tue Feb 9)

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      M3.W2 — Homework: Build a Session Estimate (due before Mar 2)

    6. (Included in full purchase)

      M3.W2 — Live Session: SAG-AFTRA Continued & Session Estimating (Tue Feb 9, 6–8 PM ET)

    7. (Included in full purchase)

      M3 — Module 3 Quiz [PLACEHOLDER — questions coming from Autumn/Michelle]

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      M4.W1 — Session Guide: Bids, Agreements & AICP (Tue Feb 16)

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      M4.W1 — Live Session: Production 101, Bids & AICP (Tue Feb 16, 6–8 PM ET)

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      M4.W1 — Homework: Mark Up the AICP Guidelines & Production Agreement T&Cs (due before Feb 23)

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      M4.W2 — Session Guide: Agreements, Insurance, Finance & Misc. (Tue Feb 23)

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      M4.W2 — Live Session: Production Agreements, Insurance, Estimates & POs (Tue Feb 23, 6–8 PM ET)

    6. (Included in full purchase)

      M4 — Module 4 Take-Home Quiz [PLACEHOLDER — questions coming from Autumn/Michelle]

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      M5 — Module Overview: Production (Tue Mar 2 & 9)

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      M5.W1 — Live Session: Talent Contract Prep — Union & Non-Union (Tue Mar 2, 6–8 PM ET)

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      M5.W2 — Live Session: Extras, Real People, Celebrity & Influencer 101 (Tue Mar 9, 6–8 PM ET)

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      M6 — Module Overview: Post Production (Tue Mar 16 & 23)

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      M6.W1 — Live Session: Talent Session Processing, VO & Final Cast (Tue Mar 16, 6–8 PM ET)

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      M6.W2 — Live Session: Post Agreements, Rough-Cut Clearance & Edit Review (Tue Mar 23, 6–8 PM ET)

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      M7 — Module Overview: Music (Tue Mar 30 & Apr 6)

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      M7.W1 — Live Session: Music Types, Lingo, Rights Holders & Samples (Tue Mar 30, 6–8 PM ET)

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      M7.W2 — Live Session: Public Domain, Stock, Musicologists, MFN, AFM & SAG Singers (Tue Apr 6, 6–8 PM ET)

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      M8 — Module Overview: Rights Management & Tracking (Tue Apr 13 & 20)

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      M8.W1 — Live Session: Final Network Clearance, Ad-IDs & Completion Reports (Tue Apr 13, 6–8 PM ET)

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      M8.W2 — Live Session: Residual Estimating, Use Payments & Trackers (Tue Apr 20, 6–8 PM ET)

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      M9 — Capstone Brief: Final Presentation (assigned Apr 27, presented May 18 & 25)

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      M9 — Live Session: Course Review, Final Exam Prep & Capstone Kickoff (Tue Apr 27, 6–8 PM ET)

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      M10 — Final Exam: How It Works (Tue May 4)

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      M11 — Presentation Prep: Independent Work Week (May 11)

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      M12 — Final Presentations: How the Last Two Weeks Work (Tue May 18 & 25)

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      M12.W1 — Live Session: Final Presentations, Part 1 (Tue May 18, 6–8 PM ET)

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      M12.W2 — Live Session: Final Presentations, Part 2 & Graduation (Tue May 25, 6–8 PM ET)

The details.

Program: BA 101 Certificate Dates: January 5 – May 25, 2027 (19 sessions over 21 weeks) When: Tuesdays, 6–8 PM ET, live online Registration: Opens October 6, 2026 · Closes December 29, 2026 Early bird: $2,025 (10% off) for registrations October 6 – November 6, 2026 Tuition: $2,250 Payment plans: Pay over time with Klarna or Affirm at checkout Included: Lesson summaries and leave-behind PDFs; BA glossary and media cheat sheet; certificate of completion; a Hailstorm Academy sweatshirt and patch. Refund policy: Full refund within 30 days of purchase. After 30 days, tuition converts to a credit toward any other Hailstorm Academy course, valid for one year. Questions? Email [email protected]

Questions people ask us.

Do I need BA experience to enroll? Nope. The program is built for people starting from zero, and it's just as useful if you've been doing bits of BA without ever getting the full picture. Is it live or self-paced? Live. We meet every Tuesday evening on Zoom for two hours. The breakouts, guest speakers and discussion are the point, so plan to show up. What if I miss a session? Life happens. Read the lesson summary and leave-behinds, do the homework, and reach out to your instructors, who are available the week after each session to answer questions. How much work is it outside of class? Expect an hour or two a week: short pre-reads, a homework assignment some weeks, an open-book quiz at the end of each module, and a capstone presentation you'll prepare with a partner near the end. Is there a certificate? Yes. Complete the sessions, quizzes, final exam and capstone presentation and you'll receive a Hailstorm Academy BA 101 certificate of completion. Can my company enroll a group? Absolutely. Email [email protected] for group enrollment and custom team training. What do I need to participate? A reliable internet connection, a computer with webcam and mic (we use breakout rooms and the whiteboard), and access to Google Docs. What if I change my mind? Full refund within 30 days of purchase, no questions asked. After that, your tuition becomes a credit toward any other Hailstorm Academy course for a year. What if I already have BA experience? Is this course right for me? Every BA's experience is shaped by where they've worked. While you'll know some things, you'll definitely learn new things.

Every campaign needs BA. Be the one who knows how.

Seats are limited for the January 5 cohort. Early bird: $2,025 (10% off) through November 6 with code EARLYBIRD at checkout.

$2,250.00

Register now