Module Identifier TF20220  
Module Title WRITING FOR SCREEN AND TELEVISION  
Academic Year 2004/2005  
Co-ordinator Terence F Bailey  
Semester Semester 2 (Taught over 2 semesters)  
Pre-Requisite TF10210 , TF10320 , TF10410 , TF10510  
Co-Requisite TF32330  
Mutually Exclusive FT20220  
Course delivery Seminars / Tutorials   3 Hours  
  Lecture   18 Hours  
Further details For information on due dates for submission of assessed work, please refer to the departmental web pages at http://www.aber.ac.uk/tfts/duedates.shtml  

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
  1. SHOW A WRITER'S WORKING KNOWLEDGE OF THE PURPOSE AND EFFECTS OF GOOD STORY-TELLING

  1. DEMONSTRATE AN UNDERSTANDING OF CLASSIC STORY STRUCTURE, WHICH FORMS THE BASIS OF MOST FILM AND TELEVISION DRAMA.

  1. UNDERSTAND AND WORK WITH THE VARIOUS ELEMENTS NECESSARY FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF DRAMATIC NARRATIVES.

  1. UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF GENRE IN POPULAR NARRATIVE AND BEGIN TO WORK WITH A CHOSEN GENRE

  1. BEGIN TO DISPLAY A PROFESSIONAL ATTITUDE TOWARDS WRITING FOR THE FILM AND TELEVISION INDUSTRY.

Brief description

In Semester 1 you will develop your idea for a short film screenplay through the writing of a 40 word premise, a 100 word Story Outline, a 500 word Treatment and a 1500 word Step Outline by December. In Semester 2, you will develop and revise your Step Outline into a 10 minutes screenplay and complete the development of your Critical Project Appraisal.

During the lectures and workshops over both semesters you will be discussing and practising a number of approaches to the following building blocks of dramatic screenwriting: subject, story, structure, plot, character, dialogue, narrative devices, presentation and format.

Aims

TF20220 is primarily concerned with laying the groundwork neccessary for all effective story-telling. It places particular emphasis on story structure and on the uses of various elements of plot and character. the course helps students to recognise and understand the dramatic options available to a writer, and to make effective choices from within those options.

Students will have ample opportunity to develop their own story idea, from initial premise to full online stage. Lectures will provide an ever-increasing collection of techniques that will help students to re-evaluate and improve their work over the two semesters of this course.

TF20220 wil also serve to introduce students to the workings of the film and television industry from a writer's perspective. the course will outline what is expected of a professional writer.

Content

Reading and Viewing

As well as working in detail with a number of short films from my own collection, we'll also be examining techniques used in the following generally available films among others:

The Usual Suspects
Jackie Brown
Citizen Kane
The 39 Steps
The Shining
Raining Stones
Cinema Paradiso
Rosemary's Baby
Hamlet (Brannagh)
Groundhog Day

Reading Lists

Books
** Essential Reading
Field, Syd (1979, 1982) Screenplay Dell
Field, Syd (1984) The Screeenwriter's Workbook Dell
McKee, Robert (1999) Story Methuen
Vogler, Christopher (1992, 1996) The Writer's Journey Boxtree

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 5