Course Title: Adapt fiction and nonfiction work for the screen

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term1 2019

Course Code: COMM7358C

Course Title: Adapt fiction and nonfiction work for the screen

Important Information:

This course will be delivered through face-to-face classes, interaction with industry mentors, and the learning support material and resources in Canvas.

School: 345T Media and Communication

Campus: City Campus

Program: C6160 - Advanced Diploma of Professional Screenwriting

Course Contact: Program administrator

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 4815

Course Contact Email: mcvet@rmit.edu.au

Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Alan Woodruff

alan.woodruff@rmit.edu.au

Nominal Hours: 70

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

Enrolment in this elective course at RMIT requires you to have completed all first year courses.

 

Course Description

In this course you learn the skills and knowledge required to write an adaptation of a fiction or nonfiction work as a screenplay either as a commissioned script or as a speculative venture.

National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:	PSWSAD607 Adapt fiction and nonfiction work for the screen
Element:	1. Evaluate fiction or nonfiction work for screen adaptation
Performance Criteria:	1.1 Review original work based on established purpose and required outcomes for the screen adaptation with relevant people 1.2 Assess the strengths and weaknesses of story, characters and overall narrative structure in the source material for potential suitability as a screen story 1.3 Compare translations or editions together with any previous screen versions 1.4 Consider audience appeal of the work based on other translations or screen versions 1.5 Identify any ethical and copyright obligations and impacts in relation to adapting the source material and strategies to incorporate them
Element:	2. Develop film story
Performance Criteria:	2.1 Identify main storyline and characters for the adaptation 2.2 Develop the premise and themes in the film story 2.3 Define essential character arcs in the film story 2.4 Propose elements to be cut, altered or combined in the film story 2.5 Establish key turnings points in the main plot and map out any required additional story development 2.6 Identify any story and character problems and develop ways to resolve them 2.7 Write a story outline that identifies the essential story concept for adaptation to industry standards
Element:	3. Finalise story outline for adaptation
Performance Criteria:	3.1 Confirm story outline for adaptation is appropriate for the purpose, outcomes and intended audience 3.2 Ensure adaptation meets ethical and copyright requirements 3.3 Discuss and confirm any modifications to refine the adaptation with relevant people 3.4 Complete necessary amendments as required

Learning Outcomes

By taking this course, you'll acquire the skills and knowledge to evaluate works for screen adaptation, and to develop and finalise the adapted story in industry-appropriate documents.

Details of Learning Activities

In this course, you learn through:

1. In-class activities:

• lectures 
• teacher directed group activities/projects 
• class exercises to review discussions/lectures 
• peer teaching and class presentations 
• group discussion 
• class exercises to review discussions/lectures 
• analysis/critique of students’ writings

2. Out-of-class activities:

• independent project based work 
• writing and reading assignments 
• online and other research 
• independent study

Teaching Schedule

Note: While your teacher will cover all the material in this schedule, the order is subject to change depending on class needs and availability of resources.  

Week beginning	Class content	Assessments
Week 1 11 Feb	Introduction to the course. Principles and problems in adaptation. Reconciling other story forms (and actuality) with screen stories. i.e. the suitability of material from theatre, prose, history, etc. for adaptation. Discuss Assessment Task 1: Choosing your source material to adapt. Exercise: Investigate the potential of the short story Cooper's Creek for adaptation into a short film.
Week 2 18 Feb	Adapting prose. Exercise: Using the short story A Taste of Spring, map out a strategy that deals with the interior life of the narrator/protagonist, the dual time zones, backstories and metaphors.
Week 3 25 Feb	Workshopping: Students will present their adaptation proposal (Assessment Task 1) to the class for feedback.	Assessment Task 1 due
Week 4 4 Mar	Workshopping (cont.): Students will present their adaptation proposal (Assessment Task 1) to the class for feedback.
Week 5 11 Mar	Show don’t tell. The primacy of image in screen stories. Tools and tricks - narration, flashbacks, etc. Adjusting stories and characters to suit screen story structure.
Week 6 18 Mar	Finding your script in the story. (Structure and characters.)
Week 7 25 Mar	Embracing the form. (Visual story telling, dialogue, screen conventions.)
Week 8 1 Apr	Case study: From The Grandmothers to Adoration
Week 9 8 Apr	Case study: From The Grandmothers to Adoration (cont.)
Week 10 15 Apr	Workshopping: Students will present their 2-page treatment (Assessment Task 2) to the class for feedback.	Assessment Task 2 due
	Semester break: Friday 19 – Friday 26 April inclusive
Week 11 29 Apr	Workshopping (cont.): Students will present their 2-page treatment (Assessment Task 2) to the class for feedback.
Week 12 6 May	Individual feedback sessions: One-on-one feedback with your teacher.
Week 13 13 May	Individual feedback sessions: One-on-one feedback with your teacher.
Week 14 20 May	Individual feedback sessions: One-on-one feedback with your teacher.	Assessment Task 3 due
Week 15 27 May	Non-teaching week.

 

Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts

References

Other Resources

Short Stories

Cooper's Creek (supplied)

A Taste of Spring by Richard Hall (supplied)

 

Overview of Assessment

Assessment is ongoing throughout the course. Your knowledge and understanding of course content is assessed through participation in class exercises, oral presentation, evaluation of source texts and the application of learned skills and insights into your writing tasks.

Assessment Tasks

To demonstrate competency in this course you will need to complete all the following assessment tasks to a satisfactory standard. You will receive feedback on all tasks.

If you have not completed an assessment task to a satisfactory standard you will be given an opportunity to resubmit that task within one week of receiving feedback. You will have one opportunity to resubmit your work.

The objective of this course is to provide you with the ability to identify original texts suitable for film adaptation, and with the skills necessary to formulate a conceptual approach to the adaptation. To this end, your assessment for this course will focus on an original text that you will choose to adapt. The progress of the adaptation will be assessed in three stages.

Assessment Task 1: Evaluating the source text – due Week 4, Sunday 3 March

Write a 300-word description of the story in the source material you are choosing to adapt and a 300-word description of the issues you expect to confront in writing the adaptation and how you might deal with them. See Canvas for full details.

Assessment Task 2: Two-page outline– due Week 10, Sunday 21 April

Write a two-page outline of the proposed adaptation with all of the main structural issues resolved. See Canvas for full details.

Assessment Task 3: Beat sheet/outline – due Week 14, Sunday 26 May

Deliver a five- to seven-page beat sheet of your proposed adaptation. All issues identified in the developmental stages should be resolved so that the project is ready for the commencement of writing the first draft. See Canvas for full details.

______

Once you have achieved competency for the unit, you will receive an overall grade for the course (refer to Canvas for the graded rubric with specified criteria). This rubric will relate to all assessments and your overall performance in the course.

This course is 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

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.

Attendance 
Your learning experience will involve class-based teaching, discussion, demonstration and practical exercises. It is strongly advised that you attend all timetabled sessions. This will allow you to engage in the required learning activities, ensuring you the maximum opportunity to complete this course successfully.

Assessment Feedback
You will receive spoken and written feedback on all your work. Where relevant, this feedback will also include suggestions on how you can proceed to the next stage of developing your projects.

Student Progress
Monitoring academic progress is an important enabling and proactive strategy designed to assist you in achieving your learning potential.

Adjustments to Assessment (eg. applying for an extension of time): 
If you are unable to complete any piece of assessment satisfactorily by the due date, you can choose to apply for an adjustment to your assessment. RMIT University offers a range of adjustments designed to support you in your studies, including an extension of time to complete the assessment.

Academic Integrity and Plagiarism
RMIT University has a strict policy on plagiarism and academic integrity. Please refer to the website for more information on this policy.

Credit Transfer and Recognition of Prior Learning
Credit transfer is the recognition of previously completed formal learning (an officially accredited qualification).

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is an assessment process that allows you to demonstrate competence using the skills you have gained through experience in the workplace, voluntary work, informal or formal training or other life experiences

Course Overview: Access Course Overview