Start Date 9/13/2011 End Date 12/6/2011

Transcription

1 ENL328 (2011TRI1-A) Screenwriting Fall Semester/Trimester 2011 Tuesdays: 6:00-9:00 p.m. Location: Foss 43 Instructor: Stephan Clark Office: Memorial 219B Office Hours: TBA Phone: TBA Start Date 9/13/2011 End Date 12/6/2011 Required Books: Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting, Syd Field The Hero With a Thousand Faces, Joseph Campbell. Required Screenplays Chinatown, Witness, Close Encounters of The Third Kind, Risky Business, North by Northwest all available online. A trusted site is Highly recommended: A Netflix subscription that allows you to have at least three or three DVDs out at a time. A laptop or tablet computer that allows you to access a screenplay database online, both in- and outside of the classroom. Course Description: In this introductory course in screenwriting, students will watch movies -- and read the screenplays on which these films were based -- in order to develop a better understanding of how screenplays are written and movies are made. Special attention will be given to the hero s journey, as described by Joseph Campbell in The Hero with a Thousand Faces, and three-act structure, the basic governing principle behind almost all Hollywood movies (and most of the dramatic arts). Each student will work on a screenplay throughout the course and have excerpts of his or her work-in-progress, including its opening scene, its first ten pages, and its first act, discussed in class. Brainstorming and a spirit of collaboration will be encouraged during these discussions. Though students may work toward a completed screenplay by semester s end, each student s final project will only be required to consist of a completed first act and a one-page outline of the complete script. Software: All screenplays written in this class must be formatted to industry standards. To take the guess work out of this, use a screenwriting program. There are free programs out there (Celtx, which works on either a Mac or PC) as well as add-ons to Microsoft Word. I haven t used any of these, though, so I can only point you in their direction and hope for the best. I use Final Draft and recommend it (or at least I did recommend it before I learned I needed to pay $79 for an update after Mac upgraded to the Lion operating system). Another option is Scrivener, a program I highly recommended for short story writers, novelists and anyone else working on a

2 2 long writing project. In a major update earlier this year, Scrivener added the ability to write in screenplay form. Assignments: Analyses of Films and Screenplays: You should expect to watch one movie and read one screenplay per week. In addition to this, you will read whatever student work that is scheduled to be discussed. These will be posted to Moodle. You can either print them out or read them on the screen. Regardless of which method you choose, you will be expected to provide the studentwriter with notes: what works, what should be improved, typos, etc. Writing Exercises: During the first half of the course, you will be expected to complete various writing exercises that will either contribute to the pre-writing of your screenplay (character profiles, plot summaries, etc.) or represent actual pages from your final script (its opening scene, a single scene, the first ten pages, etc.). Final Project: The first act of a screenplay (up to 30 pages) and a one-page outline describing the script s first, second and third acts. Folder: You should keep all of your assignments in a three-ring binder that you can turn in to me. Please include a title page, listing all of the contents, at the front of the folder. This title page will need to be updated each time you turn in your folder. The Hero s Journey Project: In The Hero with a Thousand Faces, Joseph Campbell suggests that many myths from different times and places share a common theme and structure: A hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won: the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man. This sentences pretty well summarizes Star Wars, and for good reason. George Lucas used Campbell s theory as a blueprint for his 1977 blockbuster. Because Hollywood believes in nothing so much as the tried and true, many filmmakers since Lucas have also modeled their films on the hero s journey. But that s not to say that it doesn t exist independent of these conscious efforts. Many films released prior to Star Wars include the hero s journey, as well, either in whole or in part. So, what does this mean? Does every film adhere to the structure of the hero s journey? And if so, what makes us watch one after the other after the other after the other? Shouldn t we be bored by now? Or do we want each film to be familiar and resist the new? These are some of the questions we ll be exploring this semester in our reading and discussion of Campbell s The Hero with a Thousand Faces. We will discuss each of Campbell s seventeen stages in the hero s. Each student, along with a partner, will give a brief presentation on three of the stages. These presentations will include a clip from a movie of your team s choice that exemplifies that stage. Plan to spend no more than ten minutes on any one presentation. We will go over three of these presentations per class, beginning in week two and continuing until week seven.

3 3 Late Work: is not tolerated in Hollywood (until you ve become incredibly successful) and will not be accepted here (until you become incredibly successful). Don t test me on this. Evaluation methods and Grading Criteria: As this class will be run in part as a workshop, student participation is vital. Without it, student-writers could not receive feedback on their work. Consequently, your participation in this class is of utmost importance. You cannot simply show up and sit quietly in your chair. Your verbal participation is no less important than your written participation. No less important is your sense of timing. If you are scheduled to make a presentation or submit a piece of writing to the class, you must be ready to do so. If you miss a deadline, you will not be able to make up the work at another time without my approval, which will not be given automatically. Grading Criteria: 40% Final Project 30 % Participation 10 % Hero s Journey Project 10 % Written Exercises, both creative and analytical 10 % Preliminary creative work (opening scene, first ten pages, scene) Attendance (the short version): Is expected; absences and tardiness are not. Show up and be ready to join our discussions. Why else register for this class? You are expected to do a lot of work, but it is work that should bring you no small amount of pleasure. Attendance (the long version): Because we will only be meeting thirteen times, you are expected to be present and ready to participate at every class. That said, I understand that you sometimes have a good reason to be absent. For example, if you are sick -- feverish in the last twenty-four hours, coughing and contagious, bleeding profusely -- I d rather you not come in, both for your health and the health of your fellow class participants. Likewise, if you have a family emergency, by all means see to it and miss class. That said, if you re frequently sick, or frequently have family emergencies, you have my sympathy, but you can t expect a strong mark in my grade book. If you miss two classes, for any reason, your grade will be lowered -- at my discretion -- by up to one full grade point. If you miss a third class, your grade could fall another full grade point. If you miss more than three classes, you should not expect to pass the course, and I would advise you to withdraw and attempt the course again at another time. If you do miss class: 1) Please speak to another student to find out what you missed. You should have someone s address before you leave the first class session. 2) Please do not come to my office hours and ask me, So what did I miss? I cannot give a repeat performance of a three hour class in my office. That said, if you ve found out what we went over and you have some

4 4 focused questions or confusions, by all means come in and discuss those with me. You won t be punished for being absent. But you are expected to do some work to catch up. 3) Before or after the next class you attend, please speak to me if you want me to know why you were absent. Do not me. It s not that I don t want to know, it s only that I may read your message when I m away from my grade-book and unable to make a note. Absences: Coming late to class will be counted as an absence or a half-absence at my discretion. If you re late once, it won t be a big deal. If you re frequently late, it will be. Plagiarism: Would be kind of awkward, wouldn t it? Especially if you plagiarized a movie that grossed more than $100 million domestically. Let s rebrand Nike: Just Don t Do It. Your screenplay doesn t need to be perfect, it only needs to show an honest effort. If you make mistakes along the way all the better. That s how you learn. Okay, now back to something more enjoyable. Learning Objectives: 1. Students will improve their ability to find meaning in a written, visual, or spoken text. 2. Students will cultivate their ability to imagine, create, and respond aesthetically to texts and experiences within the Humanities. 3. Students will improve their ability to use the methods of inquiry and critical thinking specific to the Humanities. The Class Schedule: This schedule, like the course, is a work in progress; all reading and writing assignments are subject to adjustment or change. It is your responsibility to routinely check Moodle, where the final, binding schedule will be posted on a week-by-week basis. In general, our classes will consist of short lectures; a discussion of craft that relies on a shared reading (of a script, Campbell, or Field) or viewing experience (movies we ve watched in preparation for class, clips shown in it); student presentations; and a workshop or reading of student writing. You should expect to spend at least six hours outside of class on homework (readings, viewings, writing). You would also be well-served to get into a writing routine. Your work will be recognizably better if you do a little bit everyday rather than attempt to begin and complete a project in a single, long block of time. The choice is up to you. I will know. 9/13 Prior to Coming to Class: Read pages , Screenplay Form, in Syd Field s Screenplay, and read at least part of a screenplay online. Then watch the opening scene of Cool Hand Luke (it runs 1 minute and 47 seconds and is available on YouTube) and write that scene in screenplay format. Also: Watch Star Wars if you have never seen it or if you need to refresh your memory about its plot. Even if you don t, you ll be fine in class. And: Be prepared to discuss the opening of a movie that you found especially good. What makes you single it out? Why is it so effective? Feel free to bring in a copy of the film on DVD. We may play it in class.

5 5 During Class: Introduce: Course and syllabus. Screen: various opening scenes, starting with Cool Hand Luke. Discuss: the basics of screenplay formatting. Discuss: The Hero s Journey via Star Wars. Schedule: Workshops and Hero s Journey Project. Assignments: To write: Plot Exercise (7 Steps to a Better Story). To Watch/Read: Witness. To Read: Field, Plot Points, pp /20 Discuss: three-act structure/plot points and non-verbal communication via Witness. Presentations: Hero s Journey, groups 1-3. Read aloud in class: Plot Exercise, in order to Describe your project. Assignments: To Write: Screenplay analysis: three-act structure, plot points; Opening scene; One-page plot outline of your script (due 10/4 on Moodle). To Watch/Read: Risky Business. To Read: Field, Beginnings and Endings, Setting up the Story, pgs /27 Discuss: Role of character and story in first and second acts via Risky Business. Presentations: Hero s Journey 5-7. Workshop: opening scenes 1-6. Turn-in: Screenplay Analysis (three-act structure, plot points). Assignments: To Write: Logline of scripts (one produced, then your own); Character Profile; To Watch/Read: Close Encounters of the Third Kind. To Read: From Field, The Scene, /4 No Class. I will be en route to the Western Literature Association conference in Missoula, Montana. Assignments: To Watch: Thelma & Louise. While watching it without pausing the DVD - write down the purpose of each scene. Watch the movie a second time, repeating the task to see if your summary of each scene changes. In addition, describe the major sequences in the film. All of this will be due 10/11. Turn-in: Plot outline (on Moodle). To Read: Thelma & Louise. From Field, The Sequence, To Write: Secondary Character Profile. Sequence analysis of Close Encounters. 10/11 Discuss: The scene, sequences, and secondary characters via Close Encounters and Thelma & Louise. Presentations: Hero s Journey Workshop: opening scenes Turn-in: Loglines; sequence analysis of Close Encounters and scene/sequence analysis of Thelma & Louise; character and secondary character profiles. Assignments: To Read/Watch: The Hunt For Red October. To Read: Field, pp To Write: Opening scene of Chinatown in screenplay format (no looking at script!), ending with

6 6 Gitte s line:... you think you got that kind of class? If you end up with more than 3 pages, you are over-writing. 10/18 To Discuss: Screenplay Style via The Hunt For Red October. Great Scenes elsewhere. Presentation: Hero s Journey Read aloud: Chinatown opening scenes. Workshop: First Ten Minutes 1-3. Assignments: To Read/Watch: The Player. To Write: A scene from your screenplay, not limited to the first act. 10/25 To Discuss: The Player. Presentation: Hero s Journey Workshop: First Ten Minutes 4-6. And Scenes: 1-4. Assignments: To Read/Watch: Do The Right Thing. 11/1 To Discuss: Do The Right Thing. Presentation: Hero s Journey Workshop: First Ten Minutes 7-9. And Scenes 5-8. Assignments: To Read/Watch: North By Northwest. 11/8 To Discuss: North By Northwest. Workshop: First Ten Minutes And Scenes Assignments: To Read/Watch: The Godfather. 11/15 To Discuss: The Godfather. Workshop: First Acts 1-3. Assignments: To Read/Watch: Get Shorty. 11/22 To Discuss: Get Shorty. Workshop: First Acts 4-6. Assignments: To Read/Watch: American Beauty. 11/29 To Discuss: American Beauty. Workshop: First Acts 7-9. Assignments: To Read/Watch: Chinatown.

7 7 12/6 To Discuss: Chinatown. Workshop: First Acts Assignments: To Read/Watch: TBA. 12/13 To Discuss: TBA. Project Updates: Bring in up to seven pages to be read at table.