Module Identifier TF21220  
Module Title WRITING FOR FILM AND TELEVISION  
Academic Year 2005/2006  
Co-ordinator Terence F Bailey  
Semester Available semesters 1 and 2  
Pre-Requisite TF10220 , TF10320 , TF10420  
Mutually Exclusive FT20220 Ysgrifennu ar gyfer y Sgrin a Theledu  
Course delivery Lecture   10 x 2 hour lectures  
  Seminars / Tutorials   3 x 1 hour seminars, 1 hour or typically 4 x 15 min tutorials per student  
Assessment
Assessment TypeAssessment Length/DetailsProportion
Semester Assessment STORY BREAKDOWN  30%
Semester Assessment STORY OUTLINE  70%

Learning outcomes

On completion of this module, students should be able:

  1. Show a writer's working knowledge of the purpose and effects of good storytelling;
  2. Demonstrate an understanding of classic story structure, which forms the basis of most film and television drama;
  3. Understand and work with the various elements necessary for the construction of dramatic narratives;
  4. Begin to display a professional attitude towards writing for the film and television industry.

Aims

This module provides students with foundational knowledge of, and practical experience in, the use of various writing techniques, including established story structure, as it relates to creative scriptwriting.   

Brief description

Students will learn the skills necessary to create ideas suitable for development into screenplays, to structure professional story breakdowns, to create credible characters, to construct effective scenes and to write outlines to industry standard.

Content

Lecture 1:

Lecture 2:

Lecture 3:

Lecture 4:

Lecture 5:

Lecture 6:

Lecture 7:

Lecture 8:

Lecture 9:

Lecture 10:

Module Skills

Problem_solving This element is not assessed directly. However, all scriptwriting involves problem solving: what type of character will best convey a particular theme? What plot devices will most effectively propel the story to the next plot point? The effectiveness with which the author has solved problems is evident in the quality of the finished product.  
Research skills The element is not assessed directly. However most scripts involve some form of specialized knowledge that the student must research independently.  
Communication Story Breakdowns and Outlines require a high level of written communication. Lectures include segments on how to communicate effectively in these media, and the overall assessment of a piece includes assessments on how well the concept has been communicated.  
Improving own Learning and Performance Students are expected to drive their own learning and to develop their own unique creative approaches. Part of the assessment for the Outline is how well students have improved the work from Breakdown stage  
Team work Students will have the opportunity to access and give feedback on each other's work.  
Information Technology Not assessed, although it is the Department's expectation that students present their work in word processed format.  
Personal Development and Career planning Career planning is not assessed. However it will be developed through discussion of the expectations the media places on a writer, what types of approaches to the media are construed to be professional, and what type of work is most likely to enhance the student's writing prospects.  
Subject Specific Skills The module culminates in an assessed story outline which is expected to be of industry standard. A particular skill relating to screenwriting is, therefore, inherent in the module.  

Reading Lists

Books
** Recommended Text
Campbell, Joseph (1949) Hero with a Thousand Faces
Field, Syd (1979) Screenplay Dell
Field, Syd (1984) The Screenwriter's Workbook Dell
McKee, Robert (1999) Story Methuen
Vogler, Christopher (1992) The Writer's Journey Boxtree

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 5