Course Title: Career Management

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term1 2007

Course Code: COMM5122

Course Title: Career Management

School: 345T Creative Media

Campus: City Campus

Program: C6045 - Advanced Diploma of Arts Professional Screenwriting (Film,Television and Digital Media)

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

Nominal Hours: 68

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

Pre-requisites: Industry Overview, Researching the Market, Introduction to Screenwriting
Co-requisites: Writer and Production, Mentorship, One negotiated level 2 elective

Course Description

This course develops the skills and techniques required to plan a career in screenwriting.


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

VBB501 Career Management


Learning Outcomes


1. Identify the stages in a career plan in the film, television, and/or digital media industries
2. Identify ways to present a complete screenplay to key industry stakeholders
3. Pitch for a project using industry standards for a pitching conference
4. Present a marketing proposal for a distributor for a stipulated screenplay
5. Identify process of raising finance to develop a specific project, such as a screenplay, film, digital prototype and television product.


Details of Learning Activities

Delivery of this subject will include lectures, workshops, presentations, guest lecturers and team projects.


Teaching Schedule

WEEK 1     16.2.07
Introduction to course

WEEK 2    23.2.07
Generating career goals
Industry websites

WEEK 3     2.3.07
Sally Brooks: goal setting
Values

WEEK 4    9.03.07
Sally Brooks: strategies for achieving goals
Nominate writers for assignment
Researching methods

WEEK 5    16.03.07
Alex AWG – contractual realities in Australian film, TV and digital TBA
Time management
Structuring a career plan

WEEK 6    23.03.07
Pitching
Budgetting
Accounting

WEEK 7    31.03.07
Conflict resolution
Negotiation skills

MID SEMESTER BREAK (6.4.07)

WEEK 8    13.4.07
Promotion, networking
Financing a project

WEEK 9    20.4.07
Dealing with setbacks
Building a professional writing practice
SWOT analysis

WEEK 10    27.4.07
Sally Brook: applications, resumes
Revisit career plan

WEEK 11    4.5.07
Sally Brook: interview skills
Script development services

WEEK 12    11.5.07
Presentation X 5
121’s

WEEK 13    18.5.07
Presentation X 5
121’s

WEEK 13    25.5.07
Presen4ation X 5
121’s

WEEK 15    1.6.07
Presentation X 5
121’s

WEEK 16    8.6.07
Pitching

WEEK 17    15.6.07
Pitching panel

WEEK 18    22.6.07
Review


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts


References


Other Resources

 Suggested reading material will be provided in class by teacher.
Handouts provided in class by teacher
Internet access through RMIT Library
Final Draft program on several computers in RMIT Carlton Library and Main Library
Publications & dvds/videos through RMIT Library, community libraries, video libraries and other sources


Overview of Assessment

Students are required to:
- Develop a career plan
- Present a writer biography
- Pitch a project 


Assessment Tasks

I. Develop A Career Plan 40%

Write a strategic plan of 1500 – 2000 words identifying your major goals, and steps for achieving them over a 5-10 year period. Include:

-    long term goals
-    shorter term objectives
-    Analysis of the current industrial and professional environment and relevant opportunities and threats in the local and international screen industries
-    Analysis of personal strengths and weaknesses
-    Target organisations or projects for funding, production or employment
-    Include strategies for non-core employment
-    Identify training or resources required to pursue career goals and particular objectives e.g. business and financial plan, training, professional development, networks, teams and collaboration, work environment
-    Strategies for managing your professional life, including developing projects, maintaining focus and dealing with setbacks and rejection
-    Timeline

2.  Present Writer Biography 30%

Analyse the career path of a screenwriter, editor or script producer. Offer an overview of their work and identify their career entry points, pathways, professional practice, significant developments and major partnerships.
 
Deliver your research in the form of a 15 minute presentation to class.

Research must reference:
Work produced
Biographical research other than internet (books, documentaries)

3. Pitch A Project 30%

Through research and workshopping, present a 3 minute pitch for a particular project to industry personnel as if you were seeking to gain their involvement in the project.

You will have 5 minutes to field questions.


Assessment Matrix

Reserved

Course Overview: Access Course Overview