INTERMEDIATE SCREENWRITING MRTS 4460 Fall 2016 Department of Media Arts Class Information Section - 001 Location RTVP Building room 180i Time Tuesday 2-4:50pm Text None. Online readings and links provided in Blackboard Instructor Frances Perkins Office 263 Office Hours 12:30-2pm T/TH Email frances.perkins@unt.edu Phone RTVF Office (messages only) 940-565-2537 COURSE DESCRIPTION Intermediate-level study of the methodologies, theories, principles, formats, skills and techniques of writing scripts for narrative features from concept to completed script using formatting-relevant software. Prerequisite(s): MRTS/CBCM major status and RTVF 2010. LEARNING OUTCOMES After completing this course, you will be able to: 1. Demonstrate the different elements of a script and how each is used. 2. Demonstrate the construction of a script, complete with plot, characters, action and dialogue. 3. Identify and demonstrate individual style and creativity in writing of a script. 4. Demonstrate industry knowledge of steps screenwriters must take to be successful. COURSE BASICS Structure lecture, class discussion, demonstrations, viewing of films and clips, critiques of professional and personal work.
Attendance this is an interactive class and your attendance and participation in discussions are expected. Absences will be tracked. ONE absence will be allowed without explanation, but any afterwards will result in a loss of letter grade per absence. Use of electronics phones, laptops and tablets are allowed in class but must be used responsibly and with respect for your classmates and instructor. It is the instructor s right to ask that electronics be put away during class. Assignments All assignments are due as uploads in Blackboard and will be submitted on the assignment page. All assignments are due by the end-of-day on the due date (meaning 11:59pm on the due date) unless otherwise stated in the assignment. All written work must be typed, double-spaced, 12pt font, 1 inch margins on all sides, or in screenplay format where applicable. All outside information must be properly cited. No handwritten assignment will be accepted. If you are unable to upload your assignments to Blackboard, you may try emailing it to me or printing a copy and bringing it to class BEFORE the deadline. NOTE: emailing me assignments will result in delay in grading. Equipment there is no equipment necessary for this course. However, you will be expected to use software to ensure proper screenplay formatting at all times. There are a few resources out there for you: Final Draft www.finaldraft.com. This is the industry standard screenplaysoftware, and there is a free 18 week demo you can download and use for this class (http://trial.finaldraft.com/edutrial/). Make sure you save your scripts as a PDF so they can be read by people not using Final Draft. Raw Scripts www.rawscripts.com. This is a free, online resource for formatting scripts, so subscription is required. Make sure you save your scripts as a PDF so they can be read by people not using Raw Scripts.
Celtx www.celtx.com. This is a free, online resource for formatting scripts, but you must sign up for a free membership. There are other production resources on Celtx that are paid memberships. Make sure you save your scripts as a PDF so they can be read by people not using Celtx (not sure if this feature is available!) NOTE: Celtx Pro is already installed in the computers along the wall to Mark s office in the Media Lab. No Double Dipping That means you cannot use a script you wrote for another class as an assignment in this class. Everything you produce in this class should be ORIGINAL. Viewing Cuts/Reading Drafts I am always available to watch cuts, read drafts and otherwise critique work at any stage of development, whether it s for this class or another. I m happy to look at work you are doing outside of class. If you aren t free for my office hours, upload your work online and send me a link. I will view it and get back to you in a timely fashion. I m a geek and love this stuff, so bring it on. Useful Links To find screenplays: www.simplyscripts.com www.dailyscript.com Writers Guild of America: www.wga.org International Screenwriter s Association: www.networkisa.org Scriptwriter s Network: www.scriptwritersnetwork.org
MRTS 4460 Intermediate Screenwriting COURSE SCHEDULE FALL 2016 Course Schedule subject to change. Changes will always be announced in class and updated on the schedule in RED. Week 1 August 30 Topic Course Overview syllabus, expectations, assignments, etc. Action Items Watch movie in class, review script Assignment screening worksheet due in class Sept. 6 th Week 2 Sept 6 Topic Screenwriting Formatting & Fundamentals Week 3 Sept 13 Topic Elements of a Screenplay Assignment Identification Exercise, due Sept. 20 th by end-of-day Week 4 Sept 20 Topic Premises and Genres Week 5 Sept 27 Topic Plot and Subplots Assignment Plot breakdown Exercise, due Oct. 4 th by end-of-day Week 6 Oct 4 Topic Writing Strong Characters Assignment Character Bio, due Oct. 11 th by end-of-day Week 7 Oct 11 Topic Process of Writing a Screenplay pt. 1 Week 8 Oct 18 Topic Strong Scenes Assignment Team Scene presentations, due in class on Oct. 25 th Week 9 Oct 25 Topic Team Presentations in class Week 10 Nov 1 Topic Process of Writing a Screenplay pt. 2 Assignment Feature Step Outline Week 11 Nov 8
Topic Writing Beyond the Script Assignment First Draft, due Nov. 22 by end-of-day Week 12- Nov 15 Topic Pitching Week 13 Nov 22 Topic Rewriting and Editing Assignment Peer Feedback due to me AND writer Nov. 29 th by end-of-day Assignment Final Project, due Dec. 13 th by end-of-day Assignment plan questions for guests & submit before class Week 14 Nov 29 Topic Skype Guests Week 15 Dec 6 Topic Screenwriting Resources Dec 9 = Reading Day NO CLASSES WE DO NOT MEET DURING Final Exam Period Tuesday, Dec. 13, 1:30-3:30pm FINALS = Dec 10-15
MRTS 4460 Grading & Assignments Philosophy of Grading - What I look for and care most about is the obvious thought and energy that goes into your work. Connecting the dots between lessons, readings, and your writing is what this course is all about. Doing literally what is asked for in an assignment usually requires the least amount of effort and care, and it comes across in your work. Putting thought and effort into an assignment also comes across in the work. I am always willing to read first drafts, watch cuts, give notes, or answer questions at any time. I am always frustrated by giving someone a lower grade who says, after the fact, Well, I wasn't sure exactly what you wanted... Grading Scale Grade A B outstanding. C D F Percentage 90+ - The work is consistently outstanding. 80+ - The work is consistently strong and occasionally 70+ - The work is adequate, fulfilling minimum requirements. 60+ - The work fails to meet minimum standards. below 60 - The work is incomplete, or evidence of plagiarism. Academic Integrity Plagiarism is the presentation of someone else's ideas or words as your own. It will not be tolerated. Even when you are paraphrasing, you must give appropriate (and formal) credit to the source of the ideas or the words. Plagiarism will result in a failing course grade. Assignments Written instructions for each assignment will be announced in class and posted on Blackboard. All assignments will be due as postings in the Blackboard dropbox in either MICROSOFT WORD (.doc,.docx) or ADOBE ACROBAT (.pdf) formats. PLEASE be responsible and check your email - I may have to contact you if I cannot open your assignment (Blackboard gets quirky sometimes).
NOTE: I CANNOT OPEN.WPS or.odt FILES. SUBMITTING A PAPER IN A FORMAT OTHER THAN THE ABOVE LISTED FORMATS WILL RESULT IN A DELAY IN GETTING YOUR GRADE. Grading Grades will be figured out of a total of 500 points. Late assignments will be accepted and graded at 80% of the total possible points for that assignment (so if an assignment is worth 10 points, the highest score a late assignment could receive is 8 points). Participation Class participation is part of your final grade; I expect you to participate in all classroom exercises and discussion. This is a communication course and you must be able to communicate, experiment and share your ideas with your classmates. The instructor reserves the right to implement pop quizzes if the class does not read the assigned material. Your assignments are: Screening Worksheet Identification Exercise Plot Breakdown Exercise Character Bio Team Presentation Feature Step Outline First Draft Assignment Assigned Peer Feedback (3) Final Assignment TOTAL CLASS POINTS POSSIBLE = 25 points 25 points 75 points 75 points 100 points 500 POINTS ATTENDANCE Please be on time for class and be ready to work. A student may be absent without penalty for maximum of ONE full class period. For each absence after that, your final grade will be reduced by one full letter grade. Note: three tardies will count as one absence.