Course Title: Produce Writings - Screenwriting
Part B: Course Detail
Teaching Period: Term1 2008
Course Code: COMM5404
Course Title: Produce Writings - Screenwriting
School: 345T Creative Media
Campus: City Campus
Program: C4171 - Certificate IV in Professional Writing and Editing
Course Contact : Brendan Lee
Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 4368
Course Contact Email:Brendan.lee@rmit.edu.au
Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff
Teacher: Roz Berrystone
Contact Phone: 9925 4974
Contact Email: roz.berrystone@rmit.edu.au
Nominal Hours: 105
Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.
Pre-requisites and Co-requisites
None
Course Description
This course covers the knowledge and skills required to complete a writing task and introduces students to the craft of Screenwriting. It explores the various components of film and television writing.
National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria
National Element Code & Title: |
VBP552 Produce Writings - Screenwriting |
Learning Outcomes
Not applicable
Details of Learning Activities
Students learn through classroom-based lectures, workshopping and group exercises. Students are expected to do their own research and writing off-campus.
Teaching Schedule
Semester 1
| Week | Topic |
| 1 | Orientation |
| 2 | Differences between screenwriting and other forms of writing Visual medium Sparse use of dialogue Getting ideas. Understand differences between writing for visual media and other forms of writing How to recognise ideas which can be used to tell a visual story |
| 3 | The basic/main story Plot and subplot – differences in film and tv Synopses – story and marketing Be able to construct the story spine of a screen story Recognise the difference between plot and subplots – differences in film and tv Know how to write the different types of synopses |
| 4 | The classic (or 3-act) narrative structure Leaning how to create a screen story using the 3-act structure |
| 5 | WORKSHOP Workshop draft synopses |
| 6 | SUBMIT ASSIGNMENT Exposition Narrative techniques of foreshadowing and planting Understand how to convey backstory and on-screen information to an audience How to create dramatic tension through foreshadowing Setting up and paying off of plot and characterisation elements |
| 7 | One-on-one tutorials with teacher Feedback on marked synopses |
| 8 | Characters – creating screen characters, working out motivation, character arcs The treatment (aka story outline) Creating effective screen characters Elements required in writing the treatment |
| 9 | Character functions – exploring the 5 different groups Creating character biographies and character notes – the differences Eliminating characters who have no function in screen story, thereby creating stronger dramatic pacing Difference between character information required in film and tv |
| 10 | Character biogs of 2 main characters, 250-300 words each Workshopping and feedback from teacher and students |
| 11 | SUBMIT ASSIGNMENT Guest speaker |
| 12 | Revise work on treatments Class workshopping on progress Preliminary work on students’ own projects |
| 13 | Basic genre Point of view Themes Treatments – more work if needed Understand the basic principles of genre – an overview How to use point of view in screen stories Use of themes to create stronger stories – differences between film and tv |
| 14 | WORKSHOP Workshop treatments – in groups Feedback from teacher and students |
| 15 | WORKSHOP Workshop treatments – class as a whole Feedback from teacher & students |
| 16 | SUBMIT ASSIGNMENT Non-fiction screenwriting Creating an awareness of the different forms of non-fiction writing |
| 17 | LAST FORMAL CLASS 1ST SEMESTER One-on-one tutorials with teacher Feedback on marked treatments |
| 18 | Semester review |
Semester 2
| Week | Topic |
| 1 | Introduction to screen dialogue Group exercises – construct characters from photos and create/workshop dialogue Creating individual voices/dialogue |
| 2 | More on dialogue Class exercise – saunter up Lygon Street and eavesdrop Group exercise: write screen dialogue from real dialogue Learning how to condense screen dialogue from real dialogue |
| 3 | Subtext Group exercise: write scene/s with and without subtext Use of non-sync. dialogue: voice-over narration, post synching How to use subtext for effect Learn about non-sync. dialogue |
| 4 | Screen language |
| 5 | Writing stage directions Group exercise: reducing and re-writing stage directions. Writing dialogue Differences between film and tv dialogue. Group exercise: reducing dialogue to create cinematic dialogue Learning how to write stage directions and screen dialogue |
| 6 | Creating scenes – scene breakdown Scene structure and pacing Class exercise: students create scene breakdown of first 2 pages of their treatments Understand difference between a shot (or setup), a scene, a scene sequences Starting the script process from treatment stage. |
| 7 | Guest speaker |
| 8 | WORKSHOP First 10 pages of script to teacher for copying for workshopping. TV scripts – writing to commercial breaks Difference between tv and film scripts/commercial breaks/layout |
| 9 | Class workshop of first 10 pages scripts Workshopping and feedback from teachers and students Each writer gets a change to hear own dialogue |
| 10 | Class workshop of first 10 pages scripts Workshopping and feedback from teachers and students Each writer gets a change to hear own dialogue |
| 11 | Class workshop of first 10 pages scripts Workshopping and feedback from teachers and students Each writer gets a change to hear own dialogue |
| 12 | Scene functions Learn how to multi-layer scenes and to eliminate useless scenes |
| 13 | Excursion |
| 14 | WORKSHOP Scene functions Learn how to multi-layer scenes and to eliminate useless scenes |
| 15 | Workshop scripts in small groups (3 maximum) Peer feedback |
| 16 | SUBMIT ASSIGNMENT Theme Use of themes to create stronger screen story |
| 17 | Working in the industry |
| 18 | Semester review |
Learning Resources
Prescribed Texts
Students will be expected to make full use of the Carlton Street library in accessing scripts, and will also be expected to view films and tv programs in their own time. |
References
Other Resources
- Internet access through RMIT Library
- Final Draft program on several computers in RMIT Carlton Library and Main Library
- Publications and dvds/videos through RMIT Library, community libraries, video libraries and other sources
Overview of Assessment
Assessment includes a story synopsis, character biographies, a treatment and part of a script.
Assessment Tasks
Story synopsis
Write 1-page story synopsis incorporating 3-act structure for drama of 20 mins or longer. Work must be in single-line spacing. Assessment includes workshopping.
Due date: Workshop – 13 March; Task – 27 March
Percentage weighting: 10%
Character biographies
Write character biographies, 250 words each, of 2 major characters from above synopsis story. Assessment includes workshopping.
Due date: Workshop – 1 May; Task – 8 May
Percentage weighting: 5%
Treatment/story outline
Write a treatment/story outline from above story synopsis. Length: up to 10 pages double-line or 1.5 line spacing. Assessment includes workshopping.
Due date: Workshop – 22 May; Task – 5 June
Percentage wighting: 25%
First draft screenplay
Write the first 10 pages of a screenplay from your treatment, set out in industry-accepted format, for class workshopping.
Due date: 28 August
Percentage weighting: 20%
Revised draft screenplay
Write the first 20 pages of your screenplay. This includes the revised first 10 pages plus next 10 pages. Assessment includes workshopping.
Due date: Workshop – 16 October; Task – 30 October
Percentage weighting: 25%
Film review
Present a review to the class of a film currently in release or re-release at cinema. Students should prepare a minimum 250 words to be read out in class and handed to teacher for marking.
Due date: Semester 1, at a time negotiated with your teacher
Percentage weighting: 5%
TV review
Present a review of a tv program either on tv or on dvd/vcr. The presentation comprises showing the first 10 minutes of the program followed by a 5–10 minutes review by the student.
Due date: Semester 2, at a time negotiated with your teacher
Percentage weighting: 5%
Script reading and class exercises
Due date: Throughout the year
Percentage weighting: 5%
Assessment Matrix
Not applicable
Other Information
Handouts provided in class by teacher
Course Overview: Access Course Overview