Rationale
This module introduces students to the developmental process within filmmaking and is fundamentally concerned with the generation of ideas and the creative processes involved in their realisation.
Initially, students will explore key concepts and practices within screenwriting, critically analysing narrative structure, story types and themes, conflict, action, character, dialogue, genre and style. This critical study will be complemented by screenwriting tasks on action, character, dialogue and genre, which will be included in students’ portfolios.
Students will start to develop ideas for drama and documentary films, building a portfolio of industry standard development documents that will include synopses, outlines, treatments, beat-sheets, step-outlines, premises and pitches. This second part of the module, in particular, will complement and support summative filmmaking work in the Video Practice and Production: Introduction module, and will also provide students with the foundation skills on which to build upon in the second year Video Practice and Screenwriting modules.
Indicative Content
The format and function of the screenplay in the filmmaking process
This section will focus on the critical analysis and discussion of the screenplay’s function in the filmmaking process, and the format and construction of a screenplay, focussing on slug lines, dialogue, action, beats, scenes, sequences and acts.
Narrative structure
In this segment students will examine a number of narrative structures, including 3-act, linear, episodic, thematic, associational and circular, and how the cinematic storytelling structures of the western world correspond and/or differ to other national cinemas. In addition, students will critically analyse the theories, concepts and/or models of Aristotle, Field, Vogler and Truby, applying them to a number of produced film scripts to consider each ones strengths and weaknesses.
Conflict, action and rising action
In this segment students will develop their knowledge of narrative structure by critically analysing how screenplays use conflict and action to create drama, which in the 3-act structure builds to the final climax and resolution.
Story types and themes
In this section students will critically analyse the common and recurring story types and themes within screen stories and how and why they are used, focussing on the human experience and Aristotle’s concepts of imitation, error and catharsis.
Character, dialogue and exposition
Students will critically analyse the characters, dialogue and exposition in a number of films and screenplays, focussing on the differences between characters’ needs and desires, how character types and stereotypes can be employed, character point-of-view and the difference between effective and ‘on-the-nose’ dialogue and exposition. Once students have gained this knowledge and understanding they will apply it practically by creating short character profiles and scenes, which will be part of their final portfolio.
Genre and style
In this section students will develop their knowledge of genre from the Film Studies module to understand how screenwriters can use genre to enhance their writing by either conforming to generic conventions without becoming cliché, or successfully subverting generic conventions, and thus audience expectations. In addition, students will learn how a screenwriter can imprint his/her own style on the page/screen and critically analyse a number of films and screenplays to identify a wide range of styles including, naturalism, realist, expressionist, surrealist, theatrical, fantastical, observational and impressionist.
Developing screen ideas
This segment will be a substantial portion of the module where students will critically analyse and produce loglines, synopses, outlines, treatments, beat-sheets, step-outlines, premises and pitches for both drama and documentary films. Students will constructively criticise and evaluate one another’s pre-production documents throughout the second semester, enabling them to gain formative feedback on work they will later submit in a portfolio at the end of the module.
The life of a screenwriter
Students will be introduced to the many facets that comprise the life of a screenwriter, including agents, writers’ guilds, contacts and networking, pitching, working with commissioning editors, producers, directors and actors, different forms of rejection and how to handle it, and options, purchases and development deals.
Assessment
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Practical analysis, 2000 words (40%)
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Portfolio of Development Documents, 4500 words equivalent (60%)