Introduction to Screenwriting

DRAM21551 Introduction to Screenwriting 20 Semester 1 Undergraduate Level 2 1 FHEQ level (Framework for Higher Education Qualifications) ' Middle part of Bachelors ' European Credit Transfer & Accumulation System Rating : 10.0 This course offers students a practical introduction to writing for the screen, and will result in writing a short film. Students will learn about the core techniques of visual story-telling through watching and analysing the short film work of writers such as Martin McDonagh and Andrea Arnold and watching clips of a wide variety of feature films. We will explore how writing for the screen is different than other forms of writing and is both an industrial and an artistic practice.  Students will develop and hone their own writing skills through a series of focused writing exercises that will be critiqued in class. Students will be introduced to theories of story design, will use screenwriting software, and be taught how to develop their work draft by draft. Weekly classes will cover the classic three act structure, beginnings and endings, the importance of genre, universal themes and their audience relevance, as well as dialogue.  Students will be expected and encouraged to develop and extend their own knowledge of film and television history: there will be weekly viewing and reading requirements, and a recommended viewing list will be provided. Each student will write an original short film script for their final assessment. Students will work as a group to provide feedback and to learn from each others’ work.    This course offers students a practical introduction to writing for the screen, and will result in writing a short film. Students will learn about the core techniques of visual story-telling through watching and analysing the short film work of writers such as Martin McDonagh and Andrea Arnold and watching clips of a wide variety of feature films. We will explore how writing for the screen is different than other forms of writing and is both an industrial and an artistic practice.  Students will develop and hone their own writing skills through a series of focused writing exercises that will be critiqued in class. Students will be introduced to theories of story design, will use screenwriting software, and be taught how to develop their work draft by draft. Weekly classes will cover the classic three act structure, beginnings and endings, the importance of genre, universal themes and their audience relevance, as well as dialogue.  Students will be expected and encouraged to develop and extend their own knowledge of film and television history: there will be weekly viewing and reading requirements, and a recommended viewing list will be provided. Each student will write an original short film script for their final assessment. Students will work as a group to provide feedback and to learn from each others’ work.   <table> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left">The unit aims to:   <ul role="list"> <li aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="¿" data-listid="8" role="listitem">Introduce students to some of the core techniques of visual story telling. </li> <li aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="2" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="¿" data-listid="8" role="listitem">Give students a basic understanding of the role of screenwriting within the contemporary film and TV industries.  </li> <li aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="3" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="¿" data-listid="8" role="listitem">Broaden students’ knowledge and understanding of the short film as a genre. </li> <li aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="4" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="¿" data-listid="8" role="listitem">Encourage students to develop their own screenwriting skills through a supervised process of drafting and revision</li> </ul> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> <ul role="list"> <li aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-font="Wingdings" data-leveltext="¿" data-listid="5" role="listitem">Demonstrate a wider knowledge of short films and the history of the genre. </li> <li aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="2" data-font="Wingdings" data-leveltext="¿" data-listid="5" role="listitem">Understand the core structure of a screenplay.  </li> <li aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="3" data-font="Wingdings" data-leveltext="¿" data-listid="5" role="listitem">Demonstrate a strong understanding of how stories work and how and why audiences respond to them. </li> <li aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="4" data-font="Wingdings" data-leveltext="¿" data-listid="5" role="listitem">Understand how genre affects and guides story. </li></ul> <ul role="list"> <li aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-font="Noto Sans Symbols" data-leveltext="¿" data-listid="2" role="listitem">Critique their own and others’ work effectively and constructively. </li> <li aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="2" data-font="Noto Sans Symbols" data-leveltext="¿" data-listid="2" role="listitem">Use their extended knowledge of short film history as a resource to develop and refine their own writing practice. </li> <li aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="3" data-font="Noto Sans Symbols" data-leveltext="¿" data-listid="2" role="listitem">Better understand the core techniques of visual story-telling </li></ul> <ul role="list"> <li aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-font="Wingdings" data-leveltext="¿" data-listid="6" role="listitem">Express themself effectively in written and oral form. </li> <li aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="2" data-font="Wingdings" data-leveltext="¿" data-listid="6" role="listitem">Effectively revise their own work based on constructive criticism from their peers. </li> <li aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="3" data-font="Wingdings" data-leveltext="¿" data-listid="6" role="listitem">Write a short film script that demonstrates an understanding of some of the core techniques of visual story-telling. </li></ul> <ul role="list"> <li aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-font="Noto Sans Symbols" data-leveltext="¿" data-listid="3" role="listitem">Write to a deadline and within the conventions of a certain genre. </li> <li aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="2" data-font="Noto Sans Symbols" data-leveltext="¿" data-listid="3" role="listitem">Understand storytelling skills that could be transferred to advertising, journalism, theatre or any other writing which is to persuade an audience. </li> <li aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="3" data-font="Noto Sans Symbols" data-leveltext="¿" data-listid="3" role="listitem">Work both independently and within a creative team. </li> <li aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="4" data-font="Noto Sans Symbols" data-leveltext="¿" data-listid="3" role="listitem">Express their own ideas with confidence and clarity.  </li></ul> Group/team working Ability to work independently and as part of a team, as part of creative and critical projects that present unpredictable and challenging scenarios; Innovation/creativity Creative thinking creative and critical approaches to problem-solving; Leadership Awareness of the importance of contributing to public life and demonstrating good citizenship our curriculum is socially and politically engaged, and encourages students to develop a sense of social responsibility in their professional and personal life; Project management Project management planning, undertaking, managing and evaluating projects; Written communication Ability to present self and ideas effectively, including when dealing with complex and sensitive topics Other Emotional intelligence ability to use emotional and cognitive capacities when approaching challenges; 0 Other 100% Film critique   30%Short film script  70% <figure class="table"><table border="1" data-tablelook="0" data-tablestyle="Custom"><tbody><tr role="row"><td data-celllook="4369">Verbal and written feedback on pitch and draft scenes </td><td data-celllook="273">Formative  </td></tr><tr role="row"><td data-celllook="4368">Peer and discursive feedback on writing exercises in workshops </td><td data-celllook="272">Formative  </td></tr><tr role="row"><td data-celllook="4368">Written feedback on final script submission and film critique </td><td data-celllook="272">Summative </td></tr><tr role="row"><td data-celllook="4368">Additional one-to-one feedback (during consultation hour or by making an appointment) </td><td data-celllook="272">Formative and Summative</td></tr></tbody></table></figure> <figure class="table"><table border="1" data-tablelook="0" data-tablestyle="Custom"><tbody><tr role="row"><td data-celllook="4369">Available on which programme(s)? </td><td data-celllook="4369">L2 Drama, Drama/Film, Drama and English, Music and Drama, Film Studies Joint Honours, all English programmes   </td></tr><tr role="row"><td data-celllook="4369">Available as Free Choice (UG) or to other programmes (PG)? </td><td data-celllook="4369">No </td></tr><tr role="row"><td data-celllook="4369">Pre-requisite units </td><td data-celllook="4369">Any combination of L1 core Drama or English modules </td></tr><tr role="row"><td data-celllook="4369">Co-requisite units  </td><td data-celllook="4369">Any L2 core Drama module - Theatres of Modernity; Screen, Culture and Society</td></tr></tbody></table></figure> N Craig Batty and Zara Walderback. 2019. Writing for the screen: creative and critical approaches. Red Globe Press Daniel Bernardi and Julian Hoxter. 2017. Off the page: Screenwriting in the era of media convergence. University of California Press Bridget Conor. 2014. Screenwriting: Creative Labour and Professional Practice. Routledge Rachel Alicia Griffen et al (eds). 2018. Adventures in Shondaland: Identity Politics and the Power of Representation. Rutgers University Press Steven Maras. 2016. Ethics in Screenwriting: New Perspectives. Palgrave Macmillan Blake Snyder. 2005. Save the cat!: The last book on screenwriting you’ll ever need. Michael Weise Productions Natalie Wreyford. 2018. Gender Inequality in Screenwriting Work. Palgrave Macmillan   Screen Studies database (Bloomsbury)  <a href="https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/discover/bloomsbury-digital-resources/products/screen-studies/">Screen Studies (bloomsbury.com)</a>For commentary on a more diverse group of screenwriters than are currently recognised in existing screenwriting textbooks and research, go to online sources such as gal-dem, thebritishblacklist.co.uk, and BFI Screenonline.  Tutorials 33 0 167