Course Title: Refine writing and editing techniques - Screenwriting
Part B: Course Detail
Teaching Period: Term1 2012
Course Code: COMM5411
Course Title: Refine writing and editing techniques - Screenwriting
School: 345T Media and Communication
Campus: City Campus
Program: C5181 - Diploma of Professional Writing and Editing
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
Teacher: Roz Williams
Phone: 9925 4974
Email: roz.willims@rmit.edu.au
Nominal Hours: 85
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 into this course at RMIT requires the completion of Produce Writing - Screenwriting
At RMIT Refine Writing and Editing – Screenwriting is delivered and assessed along with the following competencies.
CUVCOR04A - Originate concept for own work and conduct critical discourse
CUVCOR13A - Research and critically analyse history and theory to inform artistic practice
CUECOR01B - Manage own work and learning
CUSADM03A - Manage a project
CUVDES05A - Interpret and respond to a brief
CUSRAD02A - Conduct Research
Through the development of these competencies, you gain the skills needed to manage your work and learning while responding to a project brief. You research the work of other writers and apply your findings to your own projects through the development of a concept into a written work.
Course Description
This unit covers the knowledge and skills required to research and experiment with writing and editing techniques to write for the screen. It develops the skills used in film and television writing and examines storytelling methods and techniques used to engage audience emotions.
National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria
National Element Code & Title: |
VBP553 Refine writing and editing techniques - Screenwriting |
Element: |
1. Inform work through experimentation with writing techniques and media |
Performance Criteria: |
1.1 The potential for new approaches to writing based on the capabilities of techniques already used are evaluated |
Element: |
2. Develop and refine conceptual vision for writings |
Performance Criteria: |
2.1 A conceptual vision for writings are developed based on a knowledge and understanding of different writing techniques |
Element: |
3. Determine and organise resource requirements for work |
Performance Criteria: |
3.1 The specific resource requirements which arise from the use of techniques and experimental approaches are assessed |
Element: |
4. Plan the writing |
Performance Criteria: |
4.1 The writing task is planned to reflect the media, scope, structure and content of the work and to meet agreed timelines |
Element: |
5. Realise writings |
Performance Criteria: |
5.1 Writings are realised using techniques and media selected from research and experimentation to meet the conceptual vision |
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this course, you will be be able to use storytelling methods and techniques to develop a concept into a piece of writing suitable for the screen.
Details of Learning Activities
In this course, you will learn through -
in class activities:
• lectures
• guest lecturers
• peer teaching and class presentations
• group discussion
• workshopping
• independent project based work
• teacher directed group activities/projects
• class exercises to review discussions/lectures
• workshopping of students’ own projects
• analysis/critique of screenplays
out-of-class activities:
• online research
• reading of scripts to provide examples of writing elements
• viewing films, television, on-line drama.
Teaching Schedule
| Week Starting |
Class
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Assessment Due |
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Week 1 |
Introduction to adaptation, material sources, general techniques. Adapting novels, identifying methods. |
CUSADM03A: 2 VBP553: 3 CUVDES05A: 1 CUVCOR04A: 1 CUECOR01B: 1 CUSRAD02A: 2 |
|
Week 2 |
Adapting short stories, plays and musicals. Identifying methods. |
Assignment 1 delivered throughout 1st semester | CUVCOR04A: 2 VBP553: 4 CUSRAD02A: 2 |
| Week 3 | Progress reports on work/workshop Non-fiction – different sources, methods |
CUVCOR13A: 1 CUSADM03A: 3 VBP553: 4 CUSRAD02A: 3 |
|
| Week 4 | Completion of non-fiction. How to create marketing synopsis, adaptation notes . |
VBP553: 3 |
|
| Week 5 | Cartoon characters, franchises, fairy tales, songs and poetry Legal aspects involved with adaptation |
VBP553: 3 |
|
| Week 6 | Acquiring rights/options, public domain, legal aspects continued. | CUSRAD02A: 4 | |
| Week 7 | Workshop synopsis, character notes and adaptation notes | Workshop Assignment 3 | VBP553: 5 CUSADM03A: 4 CUECOR01B: 3 CUVDES05A: 3 CUVCOR04A: 3 |
| Week 8 | Creating scene breakdowns Guest speaker |
VBP553: 2 |
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Week 9 |
Tutorials. Discuss progress with treatments | VBP553: 2 | |
| Apr 5-11 | MID-SEMESTER/EASTER BREAK | ||
Week 9 |
Scene transitions, manipulating screen time, discuss progress on treatments | SUBMIT Assignment 3 |
VBP553: 1 |
|
Week 10 |
Discuss treatments Character needs |
VBP553: 4 CUSADM03A: 4 CUECOR01B: 2 CUVDES05A: 4 |
|
| Apr 26 |
2nd Act Story | VBP553: 1 |
|
| May 3 |
Workshop treatments |
Workshop Assignment 4 | VBP553: 5 CUVCOR04A: 4 CUSADM03A: 4 CUECOR01B: 3 |
|
Week 13 |
Workshop treatments | Workshop Assignment 4 | VBP553: 5 CUVCOR04A: 4 CUSADM03A: 4 CUECOR01B: 3 |
|
Week 14 |
Workshop treatments. | Workshop Assignment 4 | VBP553: 5 CUVCOR04A: 4 CUSADM03A: 4 CUECOR01B: 3 |
|
Week 15 |
Different ways to begin screen stories |
SUBMIT Assignment 4 |
VBP553: 1 CUVDES05A: 5 |
| Week 16 | Student choice adaptation scenes | VBP553: 1 CUVDES05A: 5 |
|
Week 17 |
Assessment Week - no classes |
||
| 2ND SEMESTER | |||
|
Week 1 |
Review 3-act structure, action points (major ones & everyday ones). Their use in film/tv | Assignment 2 delivered throughout semester 2 | VBP553: 4 |
|
Week 2 |
Screen stories which have no obvious 3-act structure, character-centred screen story |
VBP553: 2 |
|
|
Week 3 |
Screen stories which have no obvious 3-act structure, character-centred screen story | VBP553: 2 | |
|
Week 4 |
Writing for television – series and serials | VBP553: 3 CUVDES05A: 4 |
|
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Week 5 |
Workshop script material – 10 pages Guest speaker | SUBMIT Assignment 5 for photocopying | VBP553: 5 CUECOR01B: 3 CUSADM03A: 4 |
|
Week 6 |
Workshop script material | Workshop Assignment 5 | VBP553: 5 CUVCOR04A: 3 CUSADM03A: 4 CUECOR01B: 3 |
|
Week 7 |
Workshop script material | VBP553: 5 CUVCOR04A: 4 CUSADM03A: 4 CUECOR01B: 3 |
|
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Week 8 |
Myths and symbols in screenwriting | VPB553: 1 CUSRAD02A: 3 |
|
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Week 9 |
Myths and symbols in screenwriting Genre – in-depth look at motifs |
VPB553: 1 CUSRAD02A: 3 |
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|
Week 10 |
Myths and symbols in screenwriting Genre – in-depth look at motifs |
VPB553: 1 CUSRAD02A: 3 |
|
|
Week 11 |
Genre | VBP553: 1 | |
|
Week 12 |
Genre | VBP553: 1 | |
| Sep 24 - Oct 5 | Mid Semester Break | ||
|
Week 13 |
Workshop 30 pages screenplay | WORKSHOP Assignment 6 | VBP553: 5 CUVCOR13A: 3 CUSADM03A: 4 CUECOR01B: 3 |
|
Week 14 |
Workshop 30 pages screenplay | WORKSHOP Assignment 6 | <style type="text/css">
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Week 15 |
Script editing and script assessment | SUBMIT Assignment 6 for marking | VBP553: 5 CUSADM03A: 3 CUVDES05A: 3 |
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Week 16 |
Student choice of favourite scenes – either adaptation or original creations | CUSRAD02A: 4 | |
|
Week 17 |
Assessment Week - no classes |
Learning Resources
Prescribed Texts
Students will be expected to make full use of the Carlton library in accessing scripts and are also expected to view films and tv programs in their own time. |
References
You are advised to look at the course Blackboard site for ongoing updated information. |
Other Resources
You require access to a computer and to the internet for this course
Overview of Assessment
Assessment for this course is ongoing throughout the semester. Your knowledge and understanding of course content is assessed through participation in class exercises and workshopping and through class presentations and written assignments.
Assessment Tasks
To demonstrate competency in this course, you will need to complete the following pieces of assessment to a satisfactory standard. You will receive feedback on all assessment.
For further information on the grading system and criteria used, please refer to the course blackboard site.
ASSESSMENT TASKS
1. Film or tv review/presentation (5%)
Class presentation of approximately 20 minutes (including screening a few scenes) of your favourite screen adaptation Comparisons with source material.
Due date: Throughout 1st semester as agreed with teacher
2. Film or tv review/presentation (5%)
Class presentation approximately 20 minutes (including screening a few scenes) of a film or tv program similar to your own script.
Due date: Throughout 2nd semester as agreed with teacher
3. Write story and marketing synopses, character notes and adaptation notes (10%)
1-page story synopsis (single-line spacing, 12 point),
marketing synopsis,
character notes of 250 words each for 2 main characters in your adaptation, taking into account psychological profile, needs, etc.
1-2 pages of notes on your adaptation, including notes on why you have chosen this story and what methods of adaptation you will use,
Workshopping.
Due dates: Workshop: Week 7 (Mar 22); To teacher for marking: Week 9 (Apr 12), 1st sem.
4. Write 10 – 15 page treatment (entire story) in 1.5 or double-line spacing of adaptation (25%)
Due dates: Workshop: Week 12 (May 3); To teacher for marking: Week15 (May 24).
5. 10 pages of screenplay for workshop (20%)
This can be from the 1st 30 pages of your adaptation from 1st semester, or 30 new pages from existing script written in Produce Writings – Screenwriting, or the 1st 30 pages of an entirely new screenplay. Script pages will be workshopped with class as a whole.
Due dates: Submit for photocopying: Week 5 (Aug 2); Workshopping commences: Week 6 (Aug 9).
6. 30 pages of screenplay (35%)
This can include 1st 30 pages of your adaptation from 1st semester or 30 new pages from existing script written in Produce Writings – Screenwriting, or the 1st 30 pages of an entirely new screenplay. Workshop in small groups
Due dates: Workshop: Week 14 (Oct 18); To teacher for marking: Week 15 (Oct 25)
Grades used in this unit are as follows:
Grades which apply to curriculum-based courses:
80 – 100% HD High Distinction
70 – 79% DI Distinction
60 – 69% CR Credit
50 – 59% PA Pass
Under 50% NN Fail
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
Feedback:
You will receive spoken and/or written feedback on your work
Academic Integrity
Academic Integrity is about the honest presentation of your academic work. Presenting work that fails to acknowledge other people’s work within yours can compromise academic integrity. For further information on academic integrity and plagiarism, please refer to the following URL. http://www.rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=kkc202lwe1yv
Late Submissions
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 course blackboard site for information on late submissions and on applying for an extension.
Special Consideration Policy
Please refer to the following URL for information on applying for special consideration:
http://www.rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=qkssnx1c5r0y;STATUS=A;PAGE_AUTHOR=Andrea%20Syers;SECTION=1;
Course Overview: Access Course Overview