Course Title: Feature Screenwriting
Part B: Course Detail
Teaching Period: Term1 2007
Course Code: COMM5123
Course Title: Feature Screenwriting
School: 345T Creative Media
Campus: City Campus
Program: C6045 - Advanced Diploma of Arts Professional Screenwriting (Film,Television and Digital Media)
Course Contact : Professional Screenwriting Administration
Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 4368
Course Contact Email:brendan.lee@rmit.edu.au
Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff
Ian Pringle
Nominal Hours: 136
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
Storytelling
Introduction to Screenwriting
Writing for Film
NOTE: Students are expected to begin this course with a first draft of a screenplay already written.
Course Description
The purpose of this module is to develop the skills and techniques to create a fictional film narrative.
National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria
National Element Code & Title: |
VBB502 Feature Screenwriting |
Learning Outcomes
1. Create novel/new concepts that are suitable for development as a feature length film.
2. Construct and develop a story from a theme or concept presented at a story conference.
3. Demonstrate the techniques for storyline midway turning point, conflict scenes, themes and sub-plot for a feature film screenplay.
4. Identify emotional journeys of characters and ‘opening plan’ for a screenplay.
5. Create a feature length screenplay draft which demonstrates an understanding of the elements of film narrative.
6. Produce a screenplay to industry specifications.
Details of Learning Activities
In order to participate in the course students must submit a completed first or early draft screenplay in the first week of semester 1. The development of this screenplay will form the basis of the work undertaken throughout the year.
Classes may involve a combination of lectures, discussions, reading, exercises and presentations, however the focus of the work will be the development of the students’ screenplays.
Students will be required to participate in discussions and provide written and verbal feedback about their own and others screenplays. The principles and processes of development will be discussed and writing exercises will be presented and analysed. The focus of the work will be practical rather than theoretical and students will be expected to analyse and discuss each other’s work.
In the first semester students will develop their screenplays through a series of graded exercises, culminating in the completion of a 25 - 30 page treatment.
In the second semester students will submit both a strategy for the next draft, (based on feedback of the treatment) and a revised treatment which will be the basis of the second draft. Throughout the second semester students will be developing the second draft of their own screenplay which must be submitted by the end of the semester.
Students will be expected to undertake work outside class time. This work will include:
• Reading screenplays and comparing various drafts
• Viewing films and preparing an analysis of the selected films
• Comparing films with screenplays
• Writing exercises
• Continuing the development of their own screenplays.
Teaching Schedule
SEMESTER 1
Weeks 1 - 5
Analysis of current draft of own script
Weeks 5 - 9
Workshopping
Weeks 10 - 18
Development of synopsis and treatment of own script
SEMESTER 2
Weeks 1 - 5
Analysis of other treatments
Weeks 5 - 9
Analysis of own treatment, and development of redrafting strategy
Weeks 10 - 18
Revision
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
Semester 1:
1. Written assignment analysing the narrative development of the student’s own screenplay, accompanied by a one page synopsis of the screenplay.
2. Analysis of two other screenplays accompanied by synopsis.
3. Extended synopsis of the students developing screenplay ( approx. 10 pages)
4. Extended treatment for the second draft of the screenplay 25 – 30 pages
Semester 2:
5. Written analysis of 3 treatments other than their own.
6. Written revision of the student’s own treatment and strategy towards the next draft.
7. First 40 pages of second draft screenplay.
8. Completed second draft of screenplay
Assessment Tasks
Semester 1:
1. Written assignment analysing the narrative development of the student’s own screenplay, accompanied by a one page synopsis of the screenplay.
Mark: 20 %
2. Analysis of two other screenplays accompanied by synopsis.
Mark 20 %
3. Extended synopsis of the students developing screenplay ( approx. 10 pages)
Mark20%
4. Extended treatment for the second draft of the screenplay 25 – 30 pages
Mark 40 %
Semester 2:
5. Written analysis of 3 treatments other than their own.
Mark 20 %
6. Written revision of the student’s own treatment and strategy towards the next draft.
Mark 20 %
7. First 40 pages of second draft screenplay.
Mark 20 %
8. Completed second draft of screenplay
Mark 40 %
Assessment Matrix
Reserved
Course Overview: Access Course Overview