Course syllabus

 

SCREEN 301: Screenplay Writing

SEMESTER 2, 2019

15 points

Class: Thursday, 1-4 PM Arts-1: Building 206 Room 408

Course Convenor: Dr. Shuchi Kothari                Office: 519 HSB (201E)

Phone  373 759 x 87324                                     Office Hours: TBC

                                                                            Please make an appointment via email so you don't have to wait

Email: s.kothari@auckland.ac.nz (best way to contact me) 

Course Objectives:

1. To introduce you to the fundamentals and principles of dramatic writing for screen.
2. To demonstrate effective modes of storytelling within fictional shorts.
3. To expose you to the ‘industry-standard’ formats essential for a screenplay writer.
4. To familiarise you with various professional aspects of screenplay writing. This includes working collaboratively, collegially, and maintaining deadlines.
5. To help you understand and explore the dynamics of constructive criticism also known as the ‘development process’ in the film and television industry.
6. To make you aware of local and international funding and distribution opportunities for short films.

 Required Reading Materials:

1. Readings on Canvas
2. Additional handouts.
3. Peer-work.

Script Requirements:

1. All assignments must be neatly typed. No handwritten assignments shall be accepted.
2. You will turn in two copies of all assignments. I will mark one copy and return it to you; the other I will keep “on file.” Your assignments will not be considered as complete until you turn in TWO copies.
3. Deadlines are as important in this class as they are in the “real”/professional world. There shall be no exceptions. Your assignments are always due on Thursday before 1 PM. Please hand them to Arts Assignment Centre so they may date and time stamp them. Late assignments will be penalized. One mark will be deducted from the final mark for each day that the assignment is late, including after 1 PM on Thursday. If your assignment is more than a week late, it will not be marked unless you have discussed the circumstances for your late submission prior to the deadline. All medical situations are exempt from penalties but I will need to see a doctor's note. If I want you to bring your assignments to class instead of Arts Assignment Centre, I shall let you know. Remain vigilant.
4. Any work you submit in this class must be the original work of the student(s) whose name(s) appears on it and must be created for this course.

 Final Project:

A 5-minute screenplay (4-5 pages) that could potentially be submitted for funding or may be self-produced. 

Attendance and Participation:

Attendance is a MUST in this class. You owe it to yourself and the others who did not make it to the roster. This is a fast paced class that meets only once a week. Even one absence can put you behind the rest, so be there, and be on time. If you can't come to class due to a medical situation or unavoidable circumstances, please inform me via email. 

Final Examination:

There will be no final examination for this course.

 Assignments:

All your assignments involve original writing. I shall provide detailed handouts outlining assignments during the course. The assessment criteria are available in the Assignments section of the course page.

Grading:

This is how your assignments break down.

Character Biography               for credit upload on canvas

Film Format                                    5%: bring to class (hard copy)

One Scene                                          credit bring to class (in pairs)           

Pitching short in Class:             credit: bring to class (hard copies)

Peer feedback on pitches       credit (on canvas)

Synopsis first draft                     credit (to peers on canvas)

Peer feedback on first draft synopsis            credit

Synopsis final draft:                15 %: AAC

Step outline first draft             credit (bring in class on usb)

Step outline peer feedback   credit (on canvas)

Step outline final draft            20 %: AAC

Peer Review one scene          credit: bring to class (hard copy and pdf usb)

Rough draft                                    credit: bring to class (hard copy)

Final Project Screenplay:        50 %: AAC

For-Credit Assignments including in-class feedback 10%

 

 

Total                                       100%

 

This breakdown of grades is subject to change depending on your collective progress.

 Help!

Ask for it. Email me to make an appointment. This course requires your active participation therefore the onus of its success lies as much on you as it does on me. Looking forward to a creative semester.

 

COURSE CALENDAR:

25July

Week 1:Introduction. • Student Rep •What is a story? What makes a story compelling? What makes it film worthy? Visual storytelling. Backstory/Character Biographies. 

HOMEWORK

Using the question guide in 'files' write a 500-word character bio for either Luella or Roger from Hughes' story Thank You, Ma'am. Once completed proof read, and upload on the discussion section titled Character Biography. Upload before 1 PM Thursday 1 August.

1 August

Week 2: Film Format, Rules for Writing Dramatic Description, (Slugs, Scene Description, Action lines, gesture lines etc) •Relocate to HSB room 160 Multimedia MacLab. 17, Wynard Street for the Final Draft software tutorial at 3.30 PM 

HOMEWORK:

Accurately type up sample screenplay page as demonstrated in the lab. Bring one hard copy to class.

Before next class please read from your reading list:

First Read  "What is a Screenplay"-- From Syd Field's book titled Screenplay: the foundations of screenwriting

Next Read: "Starting Out: What's it About?" From Linda Cowgill's book titled Writing Short Films: Structure and Content for Screenwriters

 

8 August

Week 3: Structure of Short films vs. Features.

In class writing exercise- visual storytelling [One copy of Film Format submit in class, first thing]

Homework: One Scene –work in pairs

15  August

Week 4

Synopses & Treatments: Writers’ documents and roadmaps for stories

Pitches: premise, plot, and persuasion [One-page visual script due bring one copy to class and upload soft copy to appropriate discussion section for peer feedback ]

 

Homework: Group 1 prepares pitches. Please follow detailed instructions sent through canvas.

 

22 August

Week 5 Group 1 Pitches for final project (4-5 minute short) 

Group One Upload pitches on canvas after class before 10 PM

 

Homework: Give peer feedback on pitches before next class

Write 3 bullet points for what works and 3 bullet points for what could be improved/suggestions

Group 2 prepares pitches (detailed instructions and examples sent via Canvas)

 

29 August

Week 6 Group 2 Pitches for final project (4-5 minute short)

Group 2 Uploads pitches on canvas after class before 10 PM

 

Home work: Give peer feedback on ALL pitches before 2nd September 5 PM

Write 3 bullet points for what works and 3 bullet points for what could be improved/suggestions

Begin working on your one-page synopsis (up to 250 words 12 point font double spaced)

 

5 September  (MID TERM BREAK)

Week 7 No Class Mid Term Break

Homework: Write one-page synopsis 

5th  Sept Upload one-page synopsis on canvas before 12 noon

 

8 Sept Write feedback on any 5 synopses on canvas before 5 PM. Email Shuchi when this task (for credit) is completed

Focus on Plot, Characters, Theme, Tone/Genre.  Refer to Peer review instructions in Files section.

 

12 Sept (MID TERM BREAK)

Week 8: No Class mid-term break

Email Shuchi your revised one-page synopsis (250 words max) before midnight 

Subject: Your Name Synopsis Title of Your Project. The file name of the attachment should be the same

 

19 Sept

Week 9: Scene Design; micro and macro arcs. Setups and Payoffs; Writing Stepoutlines

Shuchi returns synopsis with feedback during class.  USE this feedback to write your step-outlines

 

Homework: Group 1 writes the stepoutline for their final project

Everyone rewrites their final revised synopsis for submission/assessment

 

26 Sept

Week 10:

In class workshop draft step-outlines (group 1) Final Synopsis for assessment Due AAC before 12 PM

Homework: Group 2 writes the stepoutline for their final project

 

3 October

Week 11:

In class workshop draft step-outlines (group 2) 

     

Homework: Rewrite Final stepoutline for submission/assessment

 

10 October

Week 12:

Dialogue: In class exercise to demonstrate text/subtext and progression in writing dialogue.

Principles of effective dialogue; brevity, simplicity, authenticity, progression; generic conventions; talk vs. silence; text and subtext   Final Step-outline for assessment Due AAC before 12 PM

 

Homework: Write in screenplay form one scene with dialogue from your final project before next class

Refer to the folder titled "For Dialogue" on Canvas. Read as many articles as you can. It will help you revise what we covered in class.

 

17 October

Week 13:

More about Dialogue. Continuation of previous week’s topic. Bring one copy of a scene from your final script that has some or substantial dialogue (one hard copy and also on USB in pdf format). Please understand that we may not get to everyone's scene. 

 

Homework: Complete Rough Draft of Screenplay

 

24 October

Week 14:

Review of checklist. The business of writing: industry, opportunities in film and television, private, arts-council, and NZFC funding; guild memberships, international and local contests; graduate study Last class day Bring complete rough draft of Final Screenplay to class.

 

28 October Monday: Two copies of Final Project Screenplay, Self Evaluation, due at AAC before 12 Noon

 

IF THERE ARE CHANGES IN THE CALENDAR NOTE THEM HERE: