Course Title: Documentary Screenwriting

Part A: Course Overview

Program: C6045

Course Title: Documentary Screenwriting

Portfolio: DSC

Nominal Hours: 136.0

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.

Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

COMM5124

City Campus

TAFE

345T Media and Communication

Face-to-Face

 Term1 2007

Course Contact: Professional Screenwriting Administration

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 4368

Course Contact Email: brendan.lee@rmit.edu.au


Course Description

 This course develops the skills necessary to write across a range of genres within the documentary film tradition. It also develops the skills needed to produce documentary narratives and funding submissions. 


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

 Pre-requisites: Introduction to Storytelling, Storytelling, Writing for Film and/or Writing for Television



National Competency Codes and Titles

National Element Code & Title:

VBB503 Documentary Screenwriting

Learning Outcomes

 1. Identify and analyse current types, genres and trends in non-fiction documentary screenwriting in developing a specific project
2. Generate polished concept, synopsis, and treatment documents for documentary film
3. Produce first draft of a documentary screenplay
4. Produce second draft of a documentary script using scene breakdown, mapping and workshop feedback in the development process
5. Produce a documentary proposal for funding.


Overview of Assessment

 Assessment for this course includes:
- Major Essay (1500 – 2000 words)                            
- Synopsis
- Conception and Presentation of a format series         
- Interview: Transcript & Edit
- Ongoing written proposal for a documentary
- Class participation and presentation