Course Title: Refine writing and editing techniques - Screenwriting
Part B: Course Detail
Teaching Period: Term2 2011
Course Code: COMM5411
Course Title: Refine writing and editing techniques - Screenwriting
School: 345T Media and Communication
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
Teacher: Roz Williams
Phone: 9925 4974
Email: roz.willims@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 |
Element: |
1. Inform work through experimentation with writing techniques and media |
Performance Criteria: |
. |
Element: |
2. Develop and refine conceptual vision for writings |
Performance Criteria: |
. |
Element: |
3. Determine and organise resource requirements for work |
Performance Criteria: |
. |
Element: |
4. Plan the writing |
Performance Criteria: |
. |
Element: |
5. Realise writings |
Performance Criteria: |
. |
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
In this course, you will learn through -
in class activities:
• lectures
• guest lecturers
• peer teaching and class presentations
• group discussion
• workshopping
• independent project based work
• teacher directed group activities/projects
• class exercises to review discussions/lectures
• workshopping of students’ own projects
• analysis/critique of screenplays
out-of-class activities:
• online research
• reading of scripts to provide examples of writing elements
• viewing films, television, on-line drama.
Teaching Schedule
| Week Starting |
Class
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Assessment Due |
<meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" />Competency and Elements <meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /> |
| Feb 7 Week 1 |
Introduction to adaptation, material sources, general techniques. Adapting novels, identifying methods. |
CUSADM03A: 2 VBP553: 3 CUVDES05A: 1 CUVCOR04A: 1 CUECOR01B: 1 CUSRAD02A: 2 |
|
| Feb 14 Week 2 |
Adapting short stories, plays and musicals. Identifying methods. |
Assignment 1 delivered throughout 1st semester | CUVCOR04A: 2 VBP553: 4 CUSRAD02A: 2 |
| Feb 21 Week3 |
Progress reports on work/workshop Non-fiction – different sources, methods |
CUVCOR13A: 1 CUSADM03A: 3 VBP553: 4 CUSRAD02A: 3 |
|
| Feb 28 Week 4 |
Completion of non-fiction. How to create marketing synopsis, adaptation notes . |
VBP553: 3 |
|
| Mar 7 Week 5 |
Cartoon characters, franchises, fairy tales, songs and poetry Legal aspects involved with adaptation |
VBP553: 3 |
|
| Mar 14 Week 6 |
Acquiring rights/options, public domain, legal aspects continued. | CUSRAD02A: 4 | |
| Mar 21 Week 7 |
Workshop synopsis, character notes and adaptation notes | VBP553: 5 CUSADM03A: 4 CUECOR01B: 3 CUVDES05A: 3 CUVCOR04A: 3 |
|
| Mar 28 Week 8 |
Creating scene breakdowns Guest speaker |
VBP553: 2 |
|
| Apr 4 Week 9 |
Tutorials. Discuss progress with treatments | VBP553: 2 | |
| Apr 11 Week 10 |
Scene transitions, manipulating screen time, discuss progress on treatments | SUBMIT Assignment 3 | VBP553: 1 |
| Apr 18 Week 11 |
Discuss treatments Character needs |
VBP553: 4 CUSADM03A: 4 CUECOR01B: 2 CUVDES05A: 4 |
|
| Mid Semester Break | |||
| May 2 Week 12 |
2nd Act Story | VBP553: 1 |
|
| May 9 Week 13 |
Workshop treatments |
VBP553: 5 CUVCOR04A: 4 CUSADM03A: 4 CUECOR01B: 3 |
|
| May 16 Week 14 |
Workshop treatments | VBP553: 5 CUVCOR04A: 4 CUSADM03A: 4 CUECOR01B: 3 |
|
| May 23 Week 15 |
Workshop treatments. | VBP553: 5 CUVCOR04A: 4 CUSADM03A: 4 CUECOR01B: 3 |
|
| May 30 Week 16 |
Different ways to begin screen stories |
SUBMIT Assignment 4 |
VBP553: 1 CUVDES05A: 5 |
| Jun 6 Week 17 |
Assessment and review | ||
| 2ND SEMESTER | |||
| Jul 4 Week 1 |
Review 3-act structure, action points (major ones & everyday ones). Their use in film/tv | VBP553: 4 |
|
| Jul 11 Week 2 |
Screen stories which have no obvious 3-act structure, character-centred screen story |
VBP553: 2 |
|
| Jul 18 Week 3 |
Screen stories which have no obvious 3-act structure, character-centred screen story | VBP553: 2 | |
| Jul 25 Week 4 |
Writing for television – series and serials | VBP553: 3 CUVDES05A: 4 |
|
| Aug 1 Week 5 |
Workshop script material – 10 pages Guest speaker | SUBMIT Assignment 5 for photocopying | VBP553: 5 CUECOR01B: 3 CUSADM03A: 4 |
| Aug 8 Week 6 |
Workshop script material | VBP553: 5 CUVCOR04A: 3 CUSADM03A: 4 CUECOR01B: 3 |
|
| Aug 15 Week 7 |
Workshop script material | VBP553: 5 CUVCOR04A: 4 CUSADM03A: 4 CUECOR01B: 3 |
|
| Aug 22 Week 8 |
Myths and symbols in screenwriting | VPB553: 1 CUSRAD02A: 3 |
|
| Aug 29 Week 9 |
Myths and symbols in screenwriting Genre – in-depth look at motifs |
VPB553: 1 CUSRAD02A: 3 |
|
| Sep 5 Week 10 |
Myths and symbols in screenwriting Genre – in-depth look at motifs |
VPB553: 1 CUSRAD02A: 3 |
|
| Sep 12 Week 11 |
Genre | VBP553: 1 | |
| Sep 19 Week 12 |
Genre | VBP553: 1 | |
| Mid Semester Break | |||
| Oct 10 Week 13 |
Script editing and script assessment | VBP553: 5 CUSADM03A: 3 CUVDES05A: 3 |
|
| Oct 17 Week 14 |
Workshop 30 pages screenplay | WORKSHOP Assignment 6 | <style type="text/css">@font-face {
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| Oct 24 Week 15 |
Workshop 30 pages screenplay | VBP553: 5 CUVCOR13A: 3 CUSADM03A: 4 CUECOR01B: 3 |
|
| Oct 31 Week 16 |
Student choice of favourite scenes – either adaptation or original creations | SUBMIT Assignment 6 for marking | CUSRAD02A: 4 |
| Nov 7 Week 17 |
Assessment and review |
Learning Resources
Prescribed Texts
Students will be expected to make full use of the Carlton library in accessing scripts and are also expected to view films and tv programs in their own time. |
References
You are advised to look at the course Blackboard site for ongoing updated information. |
Other Resources
You require access to the internet for this course
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
To demonstrate competency in this course, you will need to complete the following pieces of assessment to a satisfactory standard. You will receive feedback on all assessment.
For further information on the grading system and criteria used, please refer to the course blackboard site.
ASSESSMENT TASKS
1.Film or tv review/presentation (5%)
Class presentation of approximately 20 minutes (including screening a few scenes) of your favourite screen adaptation Comparisons with source material.
Due date: Throughout 1st semester
2.Film or tv review/presentation (5%)
Class presentation approximately 20 minutes (including screening a few scenes) of a film or tv program similar to your own script.
Due date: Throughout 2nd semester
3.Write story and marketing synopses, character notes and adaptation notes (10%)
1-page story synopsis (single-line spacing, 12 point),
marketing synopsis,
character notes of 250 words each for 2 main characters in your adaptation, taking into account psychological profile, needs, etc.
1-2 pages of notes on your adaptation, including notes on why you have chosen this story and what methods of adaptation you will use,
Workshopping.
Due date: Week 7, 1st sem. (workshop), Week 10, 1st sem. (to teacher for marking)
4.Write 10 – 15 page treatment (entire story) in 1.5 or double-line spacing of adaptation (25%)
Workshop
Due date: Week 13, 1st sem. (workshop), Week16, 1st sem. (to teacher for marking)
5.10 pages of screenplay for workshop (20%)
This can be 1st 30 pages of your adaptation from 1st semester or 30 new pages from script written in Produce Writings – Screenwriting, or the 1st 30 pages of an entirely new screenplay commenced in 2nd semester
Due date: Week 5, 2nd sem.
6.30 pages of screenplay (35%)
This can include 1st 30 pages of your adaptation from 1st semester or 30 new pages from script written in Produce Writings – Screenwriting, or the 1st 30 pages of an entirely new screenplay commenced in 2nd semester
Workshop in small groups
Due date: Week 14, 2nd sem. (workshop), Week 16, 2nd sem. (to teacher for marking)
Grades used in this unit are as follows:
Grades which apply to curriculum-based courses:
80 – 100% HD High Distinction
70 – 79% DI Distinction
60 – 69% CR Credit
50 – 59% PA Pass
Under 50% NN Fail
Assessment Matrix
The assessment matrix demonstrates alignment of assessment tasks with the relevant Unit of Competency. These are
available through the course contact in Program administration
Other Information
Submission of assessments
Submit all assessment tasks in hard copy with a completed School of Media and Communication cover sheet. You are expected to keep a copy of all assignments submitted.
Feedback:
You will receive spoken and/or written feedback from teacher on your work. Where appropriate, this feedback also includes suggestions on how you can proceed to the next stage of developing your projects.
Plagiarism
RMIT has a strict policy on plagiarism. Please refer to the website for more information on this policy.
Special consideration Policy (Late Submission)
All assessment tasks are required to be completed to a satisfactory level. If you are unable to complete any piece
of assessment by the due date, you will need to apply for an extension.
Please refer to the following URL for extensions and special consideration:
http://www.rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=qkssnx1c5r0y;STATUS=A;PAGE_AUTHOR=Andrea%20Syers;SECTION=1;
Course Overview: Access Course Overview