_{SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:}

_{Material will be presented in the form of lectures, discussions, handouts, writing exercises as well as screenings. Students will read a wide variety OF SCREENPLAY SAMPLES. In the context of a creative writing workshop, they will complete in-class AND AT HOME writing exercises. They will ALSO be required to provide their fellow writers with thorough feedback. Finally, they will PITCH ideas in preparation for a full script (first draft), to be presented and critiqued at the end of the term.}

_{LEARNING OUTCOMES:}

_{ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:}

_{This class is a WORKSHOP -- Attendance and partecipation constitute 30% of your final grade. More than 3 unexcused absences will result in an F (Fail) grade for Attendance & Participation. More than 5 unexcused absences will result in failing the course. If unexcused, a tardy of more than 15 minutes will be counted as an absence. Leaving class early will also affect your grade.}

_{NB: The use of laptop computers in class for writing purposes is permitted. However, NO INTERNET ACCESS is allowed. Surfing the Internet/Facebooking etc will result in FAILING THE CLASS at once. No other electronic devices (cell phones, texting etc) are permitted.}

_{WEEKLY ASSIGNMENTS:}

_{Constitute 25% of your grade. 3 or more MISSED weekly assignments will result in an F (Fail) grade for this section. 5 missed weekly assignments will result in failing the entire course – even if the student hands in his/her final script.}

_{ORGANIZATION:}

_{Do not wait until week 14 to organize your portfolio! Each day, insert ONE COPY of your written assignments in a folder/binder. An incomplete portfolio will reduce your grade! For class organization, you will need at least THREE copies of each written assignment. Students will not be able to read their assignments in class every week, but everyone must always have their three copies READY.}

_{For all your assignments, you MUST bring enough copies for the entire class and the instructor.}

_{UNLESS EXPLICITLY STATED, WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS ARE DUE ON THE FOLLOWING CLASS. THIS MEANS THAT IF AN EXERCISE IS ASSIGNED ON A TH. IT WILL BE DUE ON THE FOLLOWING TU. IF IT IS ASSIGNED ON THE TU. IT WILL BE DUE ON TH. NO LATE ASSIGNMENTS WILL BE ACCEPTED!}

_{CLASS SCHEDULE:}

_{WEEK ONE}

_{INTRO TO CLASS. requirements/organization/writing is rewriting/feedback}

_{DECIDE FEEDBACK TEAMS (Of three people)}

_{ASSIGNMENT 1:screening of scenes, selected by students, as examples of effective storytelling. What is effective storytelling? Why? Analysis of the relationship between the selected scene and the entire film.}

_{ASSIGNMENT 2, due on Mon Week 2:  each writer is given a beginning PARAGRAPH by the instructor. From that starting point, develop a story. READING and feedback.}

_{WEEK 2}

_{Reading and Feedback on Ass. 2}

_{The basis of writing: inspiration, description, discipline. Writing is rewriting.}

_{-WHY DO WE TELL STORIES? WHY THAT STORY? –}

_{find your personal connection to your material.}

_{-WHERE CAN WE FIND IDEAS? Stories can come from – tracking publications, personal experience, biography, published materials (adaptations).}

_{-WHAT DO WE NEED TO WORRY ABOUT? GUIDING the audience through a vivid description of details.}

_{-What is POINT OF VIEW? Difference between protagonist and perspective: whose story do you want to tell? From which perspective?}

-_{What is TONE? What is the emotional experience you want to induce in your audience?}

_{---------------------}

_{Writing for the screen.}

_{Writing ONLY through images and sounds.  The importance of dramatic action.}

_{Reading:  “A PLAYWRIGHT’S GUIDEBOOK” Chapter 2: ACTION}

_{WEEK 3}

_{Reading and feedback on ASS. 3}

_{LECTURE/DISCUSSION}

_{Writing for the screen (CONTINUED). Writing ONLY through images and sounds.}

_{n             Always in the present tense}

_{n             Only events which can be seen or heard.}

_{n             Turning what is invisible into something visible and audible. Dramatizing. Externalizing.}

_{n             Only characters in action (the reader will infer the emotional state from the action)}

_{n             Show/Don’t tell: an action is more meaningful than a 100 lines of dialogue!}

_{Screening of shorts:}

_{PEEL BY JANE CAMPION}

_{TWO MEN and A WARDROBE by R. Polanski}

_{MEAT LOVE BY Svenmaker}

_{Writing assignment 4 Due on week 4}

_{Extend the image from previous assignment into a story. The image can be placed at any point of the story, but it should be a substantial part of the narrative, WITH NO DIALOGUE – focus on images, sounds, and characters’ actions.}

_{Reading and feedback on ASSIGNMENT 3.  Detailed analysis of each story:}

_{1)           WHAT IS THE EVENT IN YOUR STORY?  What are your ‘actions’?}

_{2)           WHAT ARE THE CINEMATIC ASPECTS OF YOUR STORY? WOULD IT WORK ON THE SCREEN?}

_{WATCHING ASSIGNMENT, Due on Wed week 4:}

_{WATCH THE BIG LEBOWSKI (Cohen)}

_{WEEK FOUR}

_{Mon: Reading and feedback writing assignment 4}

_{Wed: discussion of THE BIG LEBOWSKI (Cohen), in relationship to  THE ARCHITECTURE OF SCREENWRITING: THREE ACT STRUCTURE.}

_{-Review chapter on ACTION after lecture/discussion.}

_{Reading: SCREENPLAYS that SELL: Chapter 8 WHAT STORY IS.}

_{SCREENPLAY, Syd Field. Chapter 1 WHAT IS A SCREENPLAY?}

                                              _{Chapter 11 BUILDING THE SCREENPLAY.}

_{Screening of short “WASP”}

_{At home assignment:}

_{Regarding WASP: answer these questions in writing:}

_{1)           Identify the three-act structure:}

_{2)           what is the inciting incident?}

_{3)           what are the act breaks?}

_{4)           What is the climax and resolution of the story?}

_{5)           Finally, whose story is it? From which perspective is the story told?}

_{WEEK 6}

_{REVIEW of THREE ACT STRUCTURE}

_{Read screenplay THE APARTMENT.}

_{LECTURE/DISCUSSION}

_{SCENE WORK – SCENE AS THE CENTRAL UNIT, THE BUILDING BLOCK OF A SCREENPLAY}

_{– characters, drives, conflict, dialogue, text and subtext. What drives the scene? What is the scene about? What is the resolution of the scene?}

_{Screening: clips from:}

_{MINNY AND MOSKOWITZ, by J. CASSAVETES  (the date)}

_{GOODFELLAS, by M. SCORSESE (the bedroom scene)}

_{WELLCOME TO THE DOLLHOUSE, by T. SOLONDZ (the bathroom scene)}

_{THE APARTMENT, by B. Wilder (the bedroom scene; the key scene)}

_{Reading: THE PLAYWRIGHT’S GUIDEBOOK: Chap. 3 Motivation and subtext.}

_{Chap. 4 Conflict.}

_{SCREENPLAY: Chap. 10 the Scene.}

_{SCENE WORK (continued): is it as easy to understand what the scene is about from just reading the screenplay?}

_{IN CLASS EXERCISE: We will be reading scenes from screenplays then watching clips from the same films.}

_{Scenes from scripts: TRUST THE MAN, YOU CAN COUNT ON ME, THE MARATHON MAN. Clips from YOU CAN COUNT ON ME, THE MARATHON MAN.}

_{Writing assignment , due on week 7}

_{Write a scene between two characters, applying the notions explored in class.}

_{ASSIGNMENT IN PREPARATION FOR YOUR FINAL:}

_{PREPARE YOUR PITCH for a SHORT FILM IDEA. you will present it in class and receive feedback on.  Present two ides, and you will decide what to work on based on the feedback.  Students won’t be able to hand in their final SCRIPT unless they first discuss their ideas in class.}

_{WEEK SEVEN}

_{READING AND FEEDBACK ON SCENES WRITTEN BY STUDENTS.}

_{PITCH OF IDEA FOR SCRIPT – students 1-5}

_{Home assignment: GIVE WRITTEN FEEDBACK on THE IDEA PRESENTED BY YOUR ASSIGNED PARTNERS.}

_{STUDENTS. (EMAIL THEM AND CC ME ON IT)}

_{HOME ASSIGNMENT for PRESENTERS 1-5: WRITE ONE SCENE FROM YOUR FILM (due on week 8)}

_{WEEK EIGHT}

_{PITCH OF IDEA FOR SCRIPT – students 6-10}

_{Home assignment: GIVE WRITTEN FEEDBACK on THE IDEA PRESENTED BY YOUR ASSIGNED PARTNERS. (EMAIL THEM AND CC ME ON IT)}

_{HOME ASSIGNMENT for PRESENTERS 6-10: WRITE ONE SCENE FROM YOUR FILM (due on week 9)}

_{WEEK NINE}

_{PITCH OF IDEA FOR SCRIPT – students 11-15}

_{Home assignment: GIVE WRITTEN FEEDBACK on THE IDEA PRESENTED BY YOUR ASSIGNED PARTNERS. (EMAIL THEM AND CC ME ON IT)}

_{HOME ASSIGNMENT for PRESENTERS 11-15: WRITE ONE SCENE FROM YOUR FILM (due on week 10)}

_{NB. BY THE END OF THIS WEEK EVERY STUDENT WILL HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION ABOUT THE FILM SCRIPT SHE/HE WILL WORK ON.}

 WEEK TEN

_{LECTURE/DISCUSSION}

_{How to develop and portray characters: Scene’s focus on CHARACTER work.}

_{Screening of clips from:}

_{WELLCOME TO THE DOLLHOUSE, by T. Solondz}

_{THE SAMURAI By J. P. Melville}

_{HAROLD and MAUDE, by H. Ashby}

_{IF by L. Anderson}

_{READING: THE PLAYWRIGHT’S GUIDEBOOK}

_{Chapter 10 CHARACTER}

_{DIALOGUE (use it sparsely/wisely/on the nose/exposition/text vs subtext)}

_{Plus… a few notes on SCREENPLAY FORMAT.}

_{Screening of opening sequence of RESERVOIR DOGS (Tarantino).}

_{READING: THE PLAYWRIGHT’S GUIDEBOOK: Chapter 13. EXPOSITION}

_{READING:  WRITE SCREENPLAYS THAT SELL: Chapter 5 WHAT A SCREENPLAY ISN’T}

_{Chapter 6 WHAT A SCREENPLAY IS}

_{HOME ASSIGNMENT}

_{Define the psychology and back-story of the protagonist of your story (it can be from one of past written exercises or new story).}

_{Once you feel that you really know your character, let’s see him/her in action. Write a scene or a sequence where you explore the character whose backstory you created. The scene should give us some sense of character.}

_{You can also do the opposite: first you write the scene, get a glimpse of that character, then extend him/her beyond the scene. Build his/her character and backstory.}

_{WEEK ELEVEN}

_{Reading and feedback on character’s assignments}

_{PLUS… a few notes on:}

_{-DIALOGUE (use it sparsely/wisely/on the nose/exposition/text vs subtext)}

_{-SCREENPLAY FORMAT.}

_{Screening of opening sequence of RESERVOIR DOGS (Tarantino).}

_{READING: THE PLAYWRIGHT’S GUIDEBOOK: Chapter 13. EXPOSITION}

_{READING:  WRITE SCREENPLAYS THAT SELL: Chapter 5 WHAT A SCREENPLAY ISN’T}

_{Chapter 6 WHAT A SCREENPLAY IS}

_{NOTES ABOUT HOW TO FORMAT YOUR SCREENPLAY, IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A SCREENWRITING SOFTWARE:}

_{SCREENPLAY, Field: CHAPTER 13: SCREENPLAY FORM}

_{WEEK TWELVE}

_{FINAL DUE:  READING AND FEEDBACK on scripts 1-5.}

_{BRING ENOUGH TYPED COPIES FOR EVERYONE IN CLASS: 16 COPIES!}

_{Home assignment: GIVE WRITTEN feedback on SCRIPT presented by your assigned partners.}

                 _{WEEK THIRTEEN}

_{FINAL DUE: READING AND FEEDBACK on scripts 6-10.}

_{BRING ENOUGH TYPED COPIES FOR EVERYONE IN CLASS: 16 COPIES!}

_{Home assignment: GIVE WRITTEN feedback on SCRIPT presented by your assigned partners.}

_{WEEK FOURTEEN}

_{FINAL DUE: READING AND FEEDBACK on scripts 11-15.}

_{BRING ENOUGH TYPED COPIES FOR EVERYONE IN CLASS: 16 COPIES!}

_{Home assignment: GIVE WRITTEN feedback on SCRIPT presented by your assigned partners.}

_{YOUR FINAL PORTFOLIO IS DUE on WED. WEEK 14. No portfolios will be accepted after that date!}

_{You are required to HAND IN your complete PORTFOLIO, containing all writing exercises, all feedback and final script on THURSDAY, WEEK 14.  Everything needs to be TYPED!}

_{On the final exam session, we will meet to discuss and evaluate if/how each student plans on continuing writing process!}