Course Title: Create a drama series or serial
Part B: Course Detail
Teaching Period: Term1 2013
Course Code: COMM7320
Course Title: Create a drama series or serial
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: John Reeves
Phone: 03 9925 4895
Email: john.reeves@rmit.edu.au
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
Enrolment into this course at RMIT this year requires the completion of Assess TV scripts and Write an episode of a TV series.
Course Description
This course aims to develop and enhance the practical skills you need in order to work as a freelance writer on series and serial television, and assist you in the development of a concept, a series bible and a pilot script of your own to take to the marketplace.
National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria
National Element Code & Title: |
ASWSER607A Create a drama series or serial |
Element: |
1. Analyse current market |
Performance Criteria: |
1.1 Market demographics are delineated |
Element: |
2. Produce series bible |
Performance Criteria: |
2.1 Audience for proposed series or serial is identified |
Element: |
3. Create pilot episode |
Performance Criteria: |
3.1 Scene sequences are outlined showing story and character arcs |
Element: |
4. Promote series to key industry persons |
Performance Criteria: |
4.1 Key producers appropriate to project are identified |
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this course, you will be able to analyze trends in serials and series, develop and write scripts appropriate to TV genres, and identify and approach suitable markets for a series or serial concept, series bible and pilot episode you have created and developed.
Details of Learning Activities
In this course, you will learn through:
1. In-class activities:
• lectures
• industry speakers
• teacher-directed group activities/projects
• peer teaching and class presentations
• group discussion
• reading of script excerpts to provide examples of writing elements
• workshopping of students’ own projects
2. Out-of-class activities:
• independent project based work
• online and other research
• independent study
Teaching Schedule
Please note: While your teacher will cover all the material in this schedule, the weekly order is subject to change depending on class needs and availability of speakers and resources.
| Semester 1. Week | Content | Assessment Due | Elements |
| 1 |
Overview of course content and assessment requirements Discuss: a series bible and a pilot script for your own series. |
1, 2, 3 | |
| 2 | The language, approaches and methods employed in the screenwriting process | Formative assessment 1. | 2,3 |
| 3 |
Industry guest #3 Developing an awareness of the market. Market demographics and beyond |
1 | |
| 4 |
Creating a market analysis. Group presentations |
Formative assessment 2. | |
| 5 | No class: Labour Day | ||
| 6 |
What makes a successful TV series. Analysis of the elements - Group presentation |
Formative assessment 3. |
1, 2 |
| 7 | Group presentations (cont.) | Formative assessment 3 (cont.) |
1, 2 |
| Mid-semester Break - April to April 5 inclusive | |||
| 8 | Character: use personal sourcing and original research to develop a key character | 2,3 | |
| 9 | Premise: define a simple compelling idea and a place to set it | 2,3 | |
| 10 | Story arcs: develop involving stories for key and secondary characters | 2,3 | |
| 11 | Listening to your script: Workshopping with 16th Street and key guest | 2,3, 4 | |
| 12 | Drafting: Industry feedback | 1, 2, 3, 4 | |
| 13 | Drafting | 1, 2, 3, 4 | |
| 14 | Series bible presentations | Summative Assessment 1 due | 2, 3, 4 |
| 15 | Series bible presentations (cont.) | Summative Assessment 1 due | 2, 3, 4 |
| 16 | Series bible presentations (cont.) | Summative Assessment 1 due | 2, 3, 4 |
| Semester break- June 10 to July 6 (inclusive) | |||
| Semester 2. Week | Content | Assessment | Elements |
| 1 | Industry guest #2 How to plot your pilot | 3 | |
| 2 | Your pilot: group plotting |
3 | |
| 3 | Group plotting (cont.) Input and feedback from Industry guest. | 3 | |
| 4 | Pitch your key character and climactic scenes | Formative assessment 4 | 3 |
| 5 | The drafting process | 3 | |
| 6 | The drafting process (cont.) | 3 | |
| 7 | Table readings of first draft | Formative assessment 5 | 3,4 |
| 8 | Table readings of first draft (cont.) | Formative assessment 5 (cont.) | 3,4 |
| 9 | Table readings of first draft (cont.) | Formative assessment 5 (cont.) | 3,4 |
| 10 | Workshopping with 16th Street and key guests | 2,3,4 | |
| 11 | Is your project ready for the market? Planning for success. | Formative assessment 6 | 1,2,3,4 |
| Mid-Semester Break - September 23 to October 4 (inclusive) | |||
| 12 | Putting together a successful pitch. Pitching to peers | 4 | |
| 13 | Pitching your series to key industry guests. | 4 | |
| 14 | Final revision of pilot script | 2,3,4 | |
| 15 | Final Class: Review and discussion of the next stage of your project. |
Summative assessment 2 | 2,3,4 |
| 16 | Cup Eve - No class |
Learning Resources
Prescribed Texts
References
You are strongly advised to make use of the listings of recommended reading and viewing posted on Blackboard, which will be updated on an ongoing basis. |
Other Resources
You will require access to a computer, Final Draft software and the internet for this course. RMIT will provide you with further resources and tools for learning through our online systems and access to specialized facilities and relevant software. You will also have full access to the extensive RMIT library resources.
Overview of Assessment
Assessment for this course is ongoing throughout the year. Assessment will incorporate a range of methods to assess performance and the application of knowledge and skills and will include: participation in class exercises, oral presentations and practical writing tasks.
Assessment Tasks
Assessment tasks in this course are either formative or summative. Formative tasks provide the basis for ongoing feedback and can be considered essential building blocks for the more substantial summative assessment tasks. Summative assessment tasks in this unit are graded.
To demonstrate competency in this course you need to complete each one of the following pieces of assessment to a satisfactory standard.
Formative Assessment
Assessment 1. Skills review: the language, approaches and methods employed in the screenwriting process. Assessment conducted: Sem 1 - Week 2, Feb 18
Assessment 2. Market analysis: group presentation. Assessment conducted: Sem 1 - Week 4, March 4
Assessment 3. Samples of success/possible models exercise: group presentation. Assessment conducted: Sem 1 - Weeks 6 and 7, March 18 and 25
Assessment 4. Pitch your key character and climactic scenes. Assessment conducted: Sem. 2 - Week 4, July 29
Assessment 5. First draft presentation: table readings. Assessment conducted: Sem 2 - Weeks 7, 8 and 9, Aug 19, 26 and Sep 2
Assessment 6. Market-ready planning exercise. Assessment conducted: Sem 2 - Week 11, Sep 16
Summative Assessment
Assessment 1. Delivery of series bible draft (including market awareness) Assessment due: Sem 1 - Week 14, May 20
Assessment 2. Delivery of revised series bible & pilot script. Assessment due: Sem 2 - Week 15, Oct 28
Grades used in this unit are as follows:
HD 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 information on the assessment and grading criteria, 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 from the course contact person (see above).
Other Information
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.
Cover Sheet for Submissions
All students must complete a submission cover sheet for each piece of submitted work.
Plagiarism - RMIT has a strict policy on plagiarism. For more information on this policy go to Academic Integrity
Copyright
All students have access to the myRMIT copyright shell. The myRMIT copyright shell contains information on copyright, plus also examples on how to use copyright works as part of your projects and assignments.
Special consideration Policy (Late Submission)
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. Please refer to the following URL for extensions and special consideration:
www.rmit.edu.au/students/specialconsideration/online
Student Progress Committee
This committee promotes the early identification of students who are not achieving acceptable academic performance. The committee provides identified students with assistance and seeks to ensure such students are aware of the range of support services available to them at the University. Student Progress Committee (SPC)
Student Feedback
Students are offered opportunities to provide feedback through a variety of mechanisms including online surveys conducted at the end of each course or semester, student complaints and Student Staff Consultative Committees
Course Overview: Access Course Overview