Course Title: Refine writing and editing techniques - Screenwriting
Part B: Course Detail
Teaching Period: Term1 2008
Course Code: COMM5411
Course Title: Refine writing and editing techniques - Screenwriting
School: 345T Creative Media
Campus: City Campus
Program: C5181 - Diploma of 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
Contact name: Roz Berrystone
Location: Building 94, level 2, room 6, 23-27 Cardigan Street, South Carlton
Phone: 9925 4974
Fax: 9925 4362
Email: roz.berrystone@rmit.edu.au
Nominal Hours: 85
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
Enrolment into this course at RMIT requires the completion of Produce Writing - Screenwriting
At RMIT Refine Writing and Editing – Screenwriting is delivered and assessed along with the following competencies.
CUVCOR04A - Originate concept for own work and conduct critical discourse
CUVCOR13A - Research and critically analyse history and theory to inform artistic practice
CUECOR01B - Manage own work and learning
CUSADM03A - Manage a project
CUVDES05A - Interpret and respond to a brief
CUSRAD02A - Conduct Research
Through the development of these competencies, you gain the skills needed to manage your work and learning while responding to a project brief. You research the work of other writers and apply your findings to your own projects through the development of a concept into a written work.
Course Description
This unit covers the knowledge and skills required to research and experiment with writing and editing techniques to write for the screen. It develops the skills used in film and television writing and examines storytelling methods and techniques used to engage audience emotions.
National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria
National Element Code & Title: |
VBP553 Refine writing and editing techniques - Screenwriting |
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this course, you will be be able to use storytelling methods and techniques to develop a concept into a piece of writing suitable for the screen.
Details of Learning Activities
Screenwriting 2 is a continuation of Introduction to Screenwriting (Screenwriting). The course examines storytelling methods and craft techniques used to engage audience emotions. Adaptation will be examined. Characterisation and its impact on structure to create a multi-layered story will be explored.
Classes will include planned lectures, weekly class exercises to review what has been learnt in class, workshopping of students’ own projects, screening of video/dvd excerpts to provide examples of screenwriting elements, analysis/critique of scripts, films and television programs of students’ choices, and film & tv review presentations.
Teaching Schedule
| Week | Content - 1ST SEMESTER | Outcomes |
| 1 | Orientation | |
| 2 | Character needs | Identifying character needs (Maslow) and how they impact on screen story |
| 3 | Writing for the Australian market How the industry works Pitching your script |
Understanding the industry and the screenwriter’s position in it Learning most effective ways of pitching script |
| 4 | Writing for the Australian market How the industry works Pitching your script |
Understanding the industry and the screenwriter’s position in it Learning most effective ways of pitching script |
| 5 | Screen stories that don’t have obvious 3-act structure Character-centred screenplays |
Understanding how non 3-act structured screen stories are constructed |
| 6 | 2nd Act Story | Understanding how to multi-layer that long 2nd act to create more universal story |
| 7 | Refining screenwriting processes | Refining screenwriting processes |
| 8 | Script assessment | Learning how to assess a script/reader’s reports |
| 9 | Refining screenwriting processes | Refining screenwriting processes |
| 10 | 10 script pages to teacher for photocopying GUEST SPEAKER |
10 script pages to teacher for photocopying GUEST SPEAKER |
| 11 | Workshop 10 pages script | Refine/edit script |
| 12 | Workshop 10 pages script | Refine/edit script |
| 13 | Workshop 10 pages script Refining screenwriting processes |
Refine/edit script |
| 14 | Workshop 30 pages script in small groups | Refine/edit script |
| 15 | Workshop 30 pages script in small groups | Refine/edit script |
| 16 | Submit assignment to teacher for marking Heroes & villains The anti hero |
Learn how to match right protagonist with right antagonist Identifying the anti-hero |
| 17 | Tutorials with teacher | Feedback on marked material |
| 18 | Review | Feedback on marked material |
| Week | Content - 2nd Semester | Outcomes |
| 1 | Introduction to adaptation Material sources General techniques Adapting novels Identifying methods |
How to find sources for adaptation Generic methods used by screenwriters Learn how to condense, identify cinematic structure, characterisation in novels |
| 2 | Adapting short stories Plays & musicals Identifying methods |
Learn how to expand/invent from source material into screenplay |
| 3 | Progress reports Non-fiction – different sources |
Touching base with students’ progress on projects Identifying different methods needed to source material in non-fiction (current affairs, historical events, biography, magazine articles, etc.) |
| 4 | Completion of non-fiction How to create marketing synopsis, adaptation notes |
Identifying different methods needed to source material in non-fiction Learn difference between story synopsis and marketing synopsis |
| 5 | Cartoon characters Franchises Fairy tales Songs & poetry Legal aspects |
Identifying methods used when adapting from cartoon scripts & franchises Legal aspects in adaptation |
| 6 | Acquiring rights/options Public domain Legal aspects cont. |
Acquiring rights Options Searching public domain Copyright, etc |
| 7 | Workshop synopsis, character notes & adaptation notes | Refine/edit writing |
| 8 | More workshopping if needed | Refine/edit writing |
| 9 | Submission of assignment for marking Guest speaker |
SUBMIT ASSIGNMENT Guest speaker |
| 10 | Tutorials with teacher Discuss progress on treatment |
Feedback on marked assignments |
| 11 | Discuss progress on treatment Transitions Manipulating screen time |
Learning how to move between scenes & how to expand/condense time to create best dramatic effect |
| 12 | Hand in treatment copies for photocopying Hero’s journey & symbolism in film |
Understanding the importance and universality of using mythology & symbolism in screen storytelling |
| 13 | Workshop treatments | Refine/edit writing |
| 14 | Workshop treatments | Refine/edit writing |
| 15 | Genre | Universality & differences in genres Identifying motifs writers need to know in order to create stronger screen stories |
| 16 | Submit assignment More on genre |
SUBMIT ASSIGNMENT Pushing genre boundaries, & mixing and matching genres in order to create less formulaic and more interesting screen story |
| 17 | Analysis/screening of scenes from screen adaptations (students’ choices) | Review of knowledge learnt this semester |
| 18 | Review | Feedback on marked work if required (with teacher) |
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
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.
Overview of Assessment
Assessment for this course is ongoing throughout the semester. Your knowledge and understanding of course content is assessed through participation in class exercises and workshopping and through class presentations and written assignments.
Assessment Tasks
1. Film review
15 minute class presentation with partner (David & Margaret style) of film currently in release or re-release at cinema
Due date
tba (first semester)
Percentage weight
5%
2. TV review
20 minute class presentation with partner of tv program (current or non-current).
Presentation to comprise 10 mins screening of material in class followed by 10 min presentation & discussion
Due date
tba (second semester)
Percentage weight
5%
3. 10 pages of script for class workshopping (taken from 1st 30 script pages of new original project or 2nd 30 script pages of project commenced in Screenwriting 1)
Due date
23 April (workshopping will commence 30 April for several weeks)
Percentage weight
20%
4. 1st 30 script pages of new project or 2nd 30 script pages of project commenced in Screenwriting1
Due date
21 May for workshopping
4 June submitted to teacher
Percentage weight
20%
5. Creating 1-page marketing synopsis & 1-page story synopsis of adaptation from another source.
Notes on why student has chosen this story for adaptation and what methods of adaptation will be used.
Character biogs & notes
Due date
20 August for workshopping
10 September submitted to teacher
Percentage weight
25%
6. Treatment/story outline of adaptation
Due date
8 October for workshopping
29 October submitted to teacher
Percentage weight
25%
Assessment Matrix
Other Information
All relevant education/administration fees with this course are to be met by student (as outlined in RMIT invoice/s), plus any film/tv viewing and texts.
Course Overview: Access Course Overview