Course Title: Work with others to develop a script
Part B: Course Detail
Teaching Period: Term1 2015
Course Code: COMM7318
Course Title: Work with others to develop a script
School: 345T Media and Communication
Campus: City Campus
Program: C6125 - Advanced Diploma of Professional Screenwriting
Course Contact : Program administration
Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 4815
Course Contact Email:mctafe@rmit.edu.au
Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff
Teacher: Noel Maloney
Email: noel.maloney@rmit.edu.au
Phone: 9925 4307
Nominal Hours: 140
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
Required Prior Study
This course at RMIT requires you to have completed all first year courses.
Course Description
The unit Work with Others to Develop a Script will afford you the opportunity to develop skills and strategies to work productively with others in a team environment. This course will offer also you a space to work with others on your individual screen projects, and to take those projects, with the help of your colleagues, to the next level.
National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria
National Element Code & Title: |
ASWWOR605A Work with others to develop a script |
Element: |
3. An approach to rewriting is agreed upon. |
Performance Criteria: |
3.1 An appropriate methodology is negotiated. |
Element: |
4. Creative disagreements are resolved effectively. |
Performance Criteria: |
4.1 Disagreements are aired openly and appropriately and effective cooperation is sought. |
Element: |
5. Re-write is achieved effectively. |
Performance Criteria: |
5.1 Re-write incorporates agreed solutions. |
Element: |
1. Creative team is formed. |
Performance Criteria: |
1.1 A common vision for the project is developed and agreed upon by team. |
Element: |
2. The existing draft script is analysed for areas needing attention. |
Performance Criteria: |
2.1 The script is examined for problems related to premise, story, structure, character and genre. |
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to work as a screenwriter with a creative team in order to develop a film or TV screenplay
Details of Learning Activities
Collaboration
Because of the collaborative nature of this course, an ongoing commitment to group work in a generous and all-embracing way is essential. While you will be introduced to concepts of creative collaboration, most class time will be devoted to the practical business of writing, workshopping, rehearsal and rewriting.
1. In-class activities:
- lectures
- industry speakers
- teacher directed group activities/projects
- peer teaching and class presentations
- group discussion
- class exercises
- workshopping of students’ own projects
- analysis/critique of writings
- collaborative project work
2. Out-of-class activities:
- independent project based work
- discussion and comment via the class website, Blackboard
- online and other research
- independent study
Teaching Schedule
| Week starting | Class content | Assessment due |
| Week 1 |
Introduction to course. Explanation/discussion of course content and assessment. What’s involved in working with others to develop a script? One-on-one meetings with students. |
|
| Week 2 |
Collaboration processes, tools, theories and myths |
|
| Week 3 |
In this week, we will begin workshopping individual pieces of work. The workshop will follow the processes and guidelines agreed to in Week 1. In each workshop, along with your editor, you will introduce the scenes to be considered, contextualise them within the script, identify three creative problems you would like to focus on, and then facilitate discussion. At the end of the workshop, you will nominate five elements to develop further. |
Assessment 1 |
| Week 4 |
Workshop X 4 | Assessment 1 |
| Week 5 |
Workshop X 4 | Assessment 1 |
| Week 6 |
Workshop X 4 | Assessment 1 |
| Week 7 |
Workshop X 4 |
Assessment 1 |
| Week 8 | Workshop X 4 | Assessment 1 |
| Mid-semester break: no classes from Friday 3 April through to Friday 10 April inclusive. | ||
| Week 9 |
Master class X 4 Master classes will be led by a guest director. |
|
| Week 10 |
Master class X 4 | Assessment 2 - Observation |
| Week 11 |
Master class X 4 | Assessment 2 - Observation |
| Week 12 |
Master class X 4 | Assessment 2 - Observation |
| Week 13 |
Master class X 4 | Assessment 2 - Observation |
| Week 14 |
Master class X 4 | Assessment 2 - Observation |
| Week 15 |
Master class X 4 | Assessment 2 - Observation |
| Week 16 |
Debrief. The class will reflect on the workshopping and master class process. | Assessment 2 (Report) Due |
| Week 17 | No class, but those doing the master class in Week 15 can submit their work here. |
Wed 11 June Assessment 2 (Report) Due |
| Semester 2 | **************************************************************************** | |
| Week | Class content | Assessment due |
| Week 1 |
The context for this semester’s’ working with others project’ explained. Key features of scripted radio formats. Groups for project are formed. |
|
| Week 2 |
Exploration of scripted radio formats. |
|
| Week 3 | Groups present concepts X 3 |
Assessment 3: Pitches X 3 groups |
| Week 4 |
Groups present concepts X 2 | Assessment 3: Pitches X 2 groups |
| Week 5 |
Group work. | Assessment 3: Bibles with individually written episode synopsis submitted |
| Week 6 |
Group work. | |
| Week 7 |
Using the same workshop process and format from first semester, you will workshop the script of your radio episode in class. Draft scripts workshopped X 4 |
Assessment 4 |
| Week 8 |
Draft scripts workshopped X 4 | Assessment 4 |
| Week 9 |
Draft scripts workshopped X 4 | Assessment 4 |
| Week 10 |
Draft scripts workshopped X 4 | Assessment 4 |
| Week 11 |
Draft scripts workshopped X 4 | Assessment 4 |
| There will be no classes from Monday 21 September through to Friday 2 October inclusive | ||
| Week 12 |
Rehearsals X 2 groups | |
| Week 13 |
Rehearsals X 2 groups | |
| Week 14 |
Rehearsals X 1 group | |
| Week 15 |
Performances (venue to be confirmed) | Assessment 5 - Observation |
| Week 16 |
Course review | Assessment 5 - |
Learning Resources
Prescribed Texts
Extracts, readings and additional references are provided throughout the course. |
References
In addition to hard copy handouts, some readings are made available on Blackboard, and others can be accessed via the web. Recommended books will be discussed in class. You are advised to visit Blackboard for ongoing updated information. |
Other Resources
Students will require access to a word processing program and the facility to print hard copies of their work. These facilities are also available in the Carlton Library.
Actors will be available for readings of students’ scripts in semester one.
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 through the application of learned skills and insights to your writing tasks. You will be assessed on your ability to work effectively with creative partners, consult and accept feedback, critique draft screenplays and successfully revise your own work. You will also be assessed on your knowledge of screenwriting techniques, terminology and formats and production processes.
.
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 (refer to Blackboard for assessment criteria). Assessment briefs will be provided at the beginning of each semester, which will provide more detail on assessment tasks.
Once you have demonstrated competency in Assessments 2 (semester 1) and Assessment 5 (semester 2), they will be graded. Refer to Blackboard for graded rubrics.
Semester 1:
1. Develop Selected Scenes
In collaboration with a script editor, you will present a series of scenes to be workshopped in class. The scenes will be pivotal moments from a current writing project. Scenes can be up to 1500 words in total, but must be from the one writing project. Scenes are to be emailed to your teacher one week prior to the workshop. Your scenes will be accompanied by a statement outlining three elements you would like to focus on in the workshop.
Due: Week 3 - Week 8 (25 February to 1 April, on a day and time to be negotiated with your teacher)
2. Direct Rehearsals and Prepare A Scene for A Master Class
Working in pairs, you will each choose one of the scenes you workshopped. You will cast this scene and rehearse it with the actors. You will then present this scene for a master class at a date to be set in either April or May. The master class will be conducted by guest director, Denny Lawrence. Your actors must be ‘off book’ for the master class. That is, they must be able to perform the scene without reading from the script.
You will be assessed by pre-production report, teacher observation on your participation and engagement in the master class, and a 2000-word post-production report.
This report is due on Wed 3 June. (Those who did the master class on Wed 27 May, can submit the report on Wed 10 June.)
NB This second assessment will also be graded.
Semester 2:
In groups of five, you will produce a concept for a script radio series. You will present the concept to class, with each group member briefly pitching a potential ten-minute episode.
Each group member will take responsibility for writing and developing their episode. You will then workshop each episode individually in class. Your group will nominate a director, producer and script editor. You will cast, rehearse and eventually perform your series in Week 15, to an invited audience. Performances will be recorded live.
This project will provide a focussed opportunity for you to work in a small group to collaborate on the development of narrative, scripts and performances.
There will be three assessments for this project:
3. Develop a Scripted Radio Concept
In groups of five, you will develop and pitch a concept for a scripted radio series. Your group will agree on the concept, overall premise, format and conventions. You will each take responsibility for one episode in the series, of about 5 minutes. You will be assessed on your pitch to class of your particular episode, together with a written synopsis of the episode, of 1500 words.
Due: Sem 2, Weeks 3-5 (22 July to 5 August, on a day and time to be negotiated with your teacher)
4. Workshop
You will present your episode for workshopping in class. You will be assessed by observation on your participation in the workshop, together with the level of collaboration your group has achieved.
Due: Weeks 7-11 (19 August to 16 September)
5. Report on Development and Performance of Radio Series.
Each group will perform its series of episodes, live, to an invited audience. You will be assessed on a 2000 word report in which you evaluate the development process, identify the strengths and weakness of your collaborative approach and reflect on how collaboration, direction, performers and medium informed and shaped your script.
Due: 4 November.
NB This fifth assessment will also be graded.
Grades used in this course are as follows:
CHD Competent with High Distinction
CDI Competent with Distinction
CC Competent with Credit
CAG Competency Achieved - Graded
NYC Not Yet Competent
DNS Did Not Submit for Assessment
For further details on these assessment tasks and the grading system and criteria used, please refer to the course Blackboard site.
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
Please refer to the RMIT student page for extensive information about study support, assessment, extensions, appeals and a range of other matters: rmit.edu.au/students
Attendance
The major learning experience involves studio based exercises, demonstration and production. It is strongly advised that students attend all sessions in order to engage in the required learning activities, ensuring the maximum opportunity to gain the competency. Non-attendance may seriously jeopardise the chances of success in a course. Clearly, non-attendance at an assessment will result in failure of that assessment. Where visa conditions apply, attendance is compulsory.
Cover Sheet for Submissions
You must complete a submission cover sheet for every piece of submitted work. This signed sheet acknowledges that you are aware of the plagiarism implications.
Credit Transfer and Recognition of Prior Learning (web link)
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is a process through which people can gain entry to, or credit in, recognised courses based on competencies gained. The competencies may have been gained through experience in the workplace, in voluntary work, in social or domestic activities or through informal or formal training or other life experiences. Recognition of Current Competency (RCC) applies if a student has previously successfully completed the requirements of a unit of competency or module and is now required to be reassessed to ensure that the competency has been maintained.
Assessment and Feedback (web link)
You will receive verbal feedback during scheduled class times, and written feedback from teachers on your work . Where appropriate, this feedback will also include suggestions on how you can proceed to the next stage of developing your projects.
Student Progress (web link)
Monitoring academic progress is an important enabling and proactive strategy to assist you to achieve your learning potential.
Special consideration for Late Submission (web link)
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. You can apply in writing for up to a week’s extension from your course teacher. If you need a longer extension, you will need to apply for special consideration.
Academic Integrity and Plagiarism (web link)
RMIT University has a strict policy on plagiarism and academic integrity. Please refer to the website for more information on this policy go to Academic Integrity
Course Overview: Access Course Overview