Course Title: Genre Writing
Part A: Course Overview
Course ID: 035757
Course Title: Genre Writing
Credit Points: 12
Course Code |
Campus |
Career |
School |
Learning Mode |
Teaching Period(s) |
COMM2171 |
City Campus |
Postgraduate |
345H Creative Media |
Face-to-Face |
Sem 2 2006 |
Course Coordinator: Dr Lisa Dethridge
Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925
Course Coordinator Email: lisa.dethridge@rmit.edu.au
Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities
Within the program model, there will be five courses which directly link capabilities to Genre Writing. Within the Screenwriting stream, Genre Writing will develop both technical and communication capabilities in the following five courses –
1) Storytelling
2) Screenwriting Theory and Analysis
3) Screenwriting Workshop
4) And further developed in:
5) M.A. Exegesis
6) M.A.Research Project
Course Description
This course is designed to contribute essential understanding of the technical and creative parameters of Genre as it influences the screenwriting process. Genre describes the relationship between audience and screenwriter, providing a set of conventions and rules that govern the screenwriting process. A knowledge of these conventions and rules informs the approach of the screenwriter by providing a set of guidelines for story development.
Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development
Within the program model, there will be five courses which directly link capabilities to Genre Writing. Within the Screenwriting stream, Genre Writing will develop both technical and communication capabilities in the following five courses –
1) Storytelling
2) Screenwriting Theory and Analysis
3) Screenwriting Workshop
4) And further developed in:
5) M.A. Exegesis
6) M.A.Research Project
Genre Writing may provide common groundwork for students across various streams of the Master of Creative Media program.. In addition, Genre Writing may also form a nexus for two other Master of Creative Media streams including
1) Novel Writing
2) Screen (Film and TV Production.)
By the end of the Genre Writing course, students should be able to achieve the following aims and outcomes:
• learn major theories of Genre with a focus on key authors in the field.
• develop skills in the utilization of such theory for the practical tasks related to Screenwriting.
• identify the specific and unique features of the central Genres that inform Screenwriting and other literary practice.
• observe; describe; analyse and discuss the ways in which various genres can represent distinctive approaches to the creation of the screenplay document.
• include a knowledge of Genre as part of both their exegesis and project courses.
Overview of Learning Activities
Learning activities will include seminars and lectures that outline the theory relating to Genre. Students will be encouraged to conduct their own research into Genre and present findings to fellows and instructor via written work and workshops.
Learning activities that will foster the development of capabilities to be developed in this course include:
1) Research of and comparison between contemporary and classic models of Genre
2) Lectures in the general theory that inform the field of Genre as an industrial set of conventions that guide screenwriting practice
Overview of Learning Resources
Students will describe; critically interpret and create film script components according to the requirements of the various Genres used to classify screenplay or literary material.
Students will identify and apply structural criteria related to Genre in the creation of screenplay/print material
Students will study the generic requirements of the film/publishing industry that inform the best presentation of script materials to both audience and potential producers.
Overview of Assessment
Students will complete research that they will present to their group as well as submit a formal paper. see section B.