DC 201 Introduction to Screenwriting
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Summary
This course will introduce students to the fundamentals of screenwriting.
It will focus on structure and the basic elements of composing a screenplay, through lecture, films analysis (feature films and short films) and writing exercises leading to the achievement of a short script.
The objective of this class is to offer a better understanding of films and screenplays, to allow students to develop a sense of cinematic storytelling and to explore their creativity.
At the end of the course, every student should have achieved a five to ten minutes screenplay, which will adhere to the principles of dramatic structure learned in class.
The following topics will be covered:
- The basic elements of a story (Conflict/emotion, protagonist/objectives/ obstacles, characterization).
- The basic screenplay structure in three acts.
- Tools and method (step outline, dialogue, visuals etc.).
- Critical analysis of films and screenplays.
Texts
Readings:
- Screenplay by Syd Field
- The Art of Dramatic Writing by Lajos Egri
- Zen and the Art of Writing by Ray Bradbury (recommended)
Here is a link that features the class? customized booklist, so that you can figure out the most affordable price for your books.
http://www.slugbooks.com/DePaul/DePaul-Booklist.html?curDept=2764&curCourse=000179004&rid=pm
In class readings:
- The screenplay of Groundhog Day by Danny Rubin (2nd revision by Harold Ramis 1992). It can be downloaded at www.script-o-rama.com
- Selected scenes from the screenplay Sweet Smell of Success by Clifford Odets & Ernest Lehman
- Selected scenes from the screenplay of Chinatown by Robert Towne (Some of them figure in Syd Field?s book)
In class Screenings (in part or in whole):
- Groundhog Day (Harold Ramis)
- Strangers on a Train (Alfred Hitchcock)
- Rio Bravo (Howard Hawks)
- The Royal Tenenbaums (Wes Anderson)
- North by Northwest (Alfred Hitchcock)
- To Be or Not to Be (Ernst Lubitsch)
- The Apartment (Billy Wilder)
- Sweet Smell of Success (Alexander Mackendrick)
- Yojimbo (Akira Kurosawa)
- Coffee & Cigarettes (Jim Jarmush)
- Good Morning (Yasujiro Ozu)
A selection of shorts films will also be shown.
Grading
Class attendance and participation: 10%
Assignments: 30%
First draft of screenplay: 20%
Final screenplay: 40%
A = 95, A- = 90, B+ = 87, B = 84, B- = 80, C+ = 78, C = 74, C- = 70, D+ = 68, D = 64, D- = 60, F = 59 -0
A indicates excellence, B indicates good work, C indicates satisfactory work, D work is unsatisfactory in some respect, F is substantially unsatisfactory work.
Prerequisites
None.
Attendance/assignments/examination
Attendance:
Each week?s class consists of lectures, screenings, scripts? readings and discussions. Attendance is mandatory. Being 15 minutes late or more will be regarded as being absent. Each student is allowed one absence. All subsequent absences will result in grade reduction in the attendance/participation grade.
Assignments/Examination:
Writing and screening assignments must be completed by the date to which they are assigned in the syllabus. Reasonable deadlines are given for completion of each assignment. Late submission of any assignment will not be accepted without prior consent from the instructor. All written assignments must be typewritten in 12- point courier, 1,5 spaced with standard one-inch margins. Please, put your name, the class title and the assignment title in the upper left hand corner.
There is no final exam for this module. The completion of a five to ten minutes screenplay (5 to 10 pages using the screenwriting software www.celtx.com which is free and easy to use) will be required at the end of the quarter.
No computers in class (except for the workshops)
Lectures and Reading Assignments:
Lecture presentations will occur weekly. The textbooks offer an opportunity for independent learning that supplements the lecture presentation. Lectures may introduce additional material not available in the readings, and the readings may explore concepts not mentioned in class. BOTH SOURCES ARE NEEDED.
plagiarism/content changes
Plagiarism:
Plagiarism on assignments is a serious offence and will earn the student a failing grade for the class. There are no exceptions to this rule. If you are in doubt about the definition of plagiarism, consult your student handbook.
Content changes:
- Depending on time factors, the assignments projected for the term may require slight alteration or rescheduling.
- The syllabus itself could change slightly, depending on the way the class goes.
Meeting with me:
You are invited to meet with me on campus to discuss your screenplay. It?s not mandatory, but recommended. However, I know it?s impossible for some of you. In that case, we can arrange a phone/skype appointment.
1) Introduction to course and requirements:
Dramatic Art and Screenplay. Definitions. Difference between screenwriting and other forms of writing (stage and novel)
What does a screenplay look like? In class reading of a few scenes from the screenplay of Groundhog Day.
2) The basic elements of Drama:
Conflict and emotion - Protagonist and objective. Examples.
Assignment 1 (due week 2): 2 ideas for 2 different stories.
Assignment 3 (due week 4): Groups work. Different groups of students will watch one of these 5 films: To Be or Not to Be (Lubitsch), North by Northwest (Hitchcock), Yojimbo(Kurosawa), Shadow of a Doubt (Hitchcock), Sweet Smell of Success (Mackendrick). Each group of students will make an oral presentation of the film watched on week 4.
The basic elements of drama:
- Obstacles - Characterization.
- In class reading of screenplays.
- Film segments.
Assignment 2 (due week 3): Develop the characters of your story. Concentrate on your protagonist and eventually your antagonist. Characterize them. What do they want, what is their goal in your story? What is important to know about their biography? Write one page by character.
**Students should start making appointments with me to discuss their individual screenplays (20 minutes recommended.)
Structure:
- The Aristotelian Curve. The division in Three Acts.
- Inciting incident, plot points, climax etc.
- Settings + Unity principle
In class screening of Strangers on A Train and discussion.
Structure:
- Beat, scene and sequence
- Step-Outline
- Exposition.
- Each group will present the film assigned week 1.
Assignment 4 (due week 6): Write the first draft of your short screenplay (five pages). This first draft consists of: a step outline, at least one fully developed scene with dialogue, and your ending.
Tools:
- Activities, Dialogues, Visuals.
- Workshop first draft
Tools:
- Dramatic Irony, surprise, mystery
- Planting and payoff
- Workshop
Assignment 4 returned/Peer review:
- Students will read each other?s first draft screenplay. They will discuss their work and offer feedback. On line students can have their screenplay read in class if they want, so they can take advantage of the class? feedback.
- Format issues
Groundhog Day
In class screening of ?Groundhog Day?. Analysis and discussion.
Method:
- Step outline/Treatment/synopsis/Pitch. In class exercises: pitching your script.
- Format
- Writer?s block/Problems and solutions
- Questions.
This syllabus is subject to change as necessary during the quarter. If a change occurs, it will be thoroughly addressed during class, posted under Announcements in D2L and sent via email.
Evaluations are a way for students to provide valuable feedback regarding their instructor and the course. Detailed feedback will enable the instructor to continuously tailor teaching methods and course
content to meet the learning goals of the course and the academic needs of the students. They are a requirement of the course and are key to continue to provide you with the highest quality of teaching. The
evaluations are anonymous; the instructor and administration do not track who entered what responses. A program is used to check if the student completed the evaluations, but the evaluation is completely
separate from the student’s identity. Since 100% participation is our goal, students are sent periodic reminders over three weeks. Students do not receive reminders once they complete the evaluation.
Students complete the evaluation online in CampusConnect.
This course will be subject to the university's academic integrity policy. More information can be found at http://academicintegrity.depaul.edu/ If you
have any questions be sure to consult with your professor.
All students are expected to abide by the University's Academic Integrity Policy which prohibits cheating and other misconduct in student coursework. Publicly sharing or posting online any prior or current materials from this course (including exam questions or answers), is considered to be providing unauthorized assistance prohibited by the policy. Both students who share/post and students who access or use such materials are considered to be cheating under the Policy and will be subject to sanctions for violations of Academic Integrity.
All students are required to manage their class schedules each term in accordance with the deadlines for enrolling and withdrawing as indicated in the University Academic Calendar. Information on enrollment, withdrawal, grading and incompletes can be found at http://www.cdm.depaul.edu/Current%20Students/Pages/PoliciesandProcedures.aspx.
Students who feel they may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact the instructor privately to discuss their specific needs. All discussions will remain confidential.
To ensure that you receive the most appropriate accommodation based on your needs, contact the instructor as early as possible in the quarter (preferably within the first week of class), and make sure that
you have contacted the Center for Students with Disabilities (CSD) at:
Lewis Center 1420, 25 East Jackson Blvd.
Phone number: (312)362-8002
Fax: (312)362-6544
TTY: (773)325.7296