Download Spring, 2011 - San Jose State University

San José State University
Theatre, Radio, Film, TV, Animation/Illustration
ADVANCED SCRIPTWRITING
TA 129 (#27132)
Spring, 2011
Instructor:
Office Location:
Telephone:
Email:
Office Hours:
Class Days/Time:
Classroom:
Prerequisites:
Dr. David Kahn
HGH 110
(408) 924-4540
[email protected]
T/Th 4:30 - 6 PM
T/Th 3:00 - 4:15 PM
HGH 217
Students must have completed TA 128 or RTVF 175 or
another upper-division creative writing class and consent of
instructor.
Online Syllabus, Schedule, Resources
sjsu.edu/people/david.kahn/courses/TA129/
Course Description
The course operates primarily as an exploratory writing workshop during which
participants develop and complete their own script writing project for stage,
screen or other media. The first few weeks will consist of a series of exercises
designed to stimulate effective and imaginative dramatic writing. Students will
“pitch” project proposals and prepare contracts specifying treatment, format, and
length of the final project. Much of the remaining course time will be devoted to
reading of and response to project writing.
Course Goals and Student Learning Objectives
Tell meaningful stories through performance; understand how to plan, perform,
produce, write and direct for stage and screen; relate performance to production.
Become literate in the language of stage and narrative screen performance;
know how to analyze a script.
Required Texts/Readings
Ball, Backwards and Forwards (ISBN: 9780809311101)
Rebeck, Free Fire Zone (ISBN: 9781575252407)
Additional readings, screenings, theatre performances
Advanced Scriptwriting, TA 129 Spring, 2011
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Recommended Texts
Aristotle, Poetics
Dunn and Pike, Playwright's Companion
Goldman, Adventures in the Screen Trade
Field, Screenplay
Hunter, Screenwriting 434
Kahn and Breed, Scriptwork
Obst, Hello, He Lied
Prigge, Created by: Inside the Minds of TV's Top Show Creators
McCloud, Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art
Segar, Making a Good Script Great
Snyder, Save the Cat!
Sweet, The Dramatists Toolkit
Strunk and White, Elements of Style
Trottier, The Screenwriter's Bible
Wolff, Top Secrets: Screenwriting
Student Responsibilities
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Participation at class meetings. Engaged participation in activities,
discussion and scene reading.
Reading and writing exercises both in and out of class. These exercises
are read and discussed in class. Writing done outside of class must be
printed according to the formats presented in class.
Pitch project proposals. Write project contract. Read and respond to draft
material. Produce final draft according to contract.
Competence and care in writing and completion of other course
assignments.
Timely completion of all assignments. (Late work will not be accepted and
can not be made up.)
Evaluation Items
Class participation
Project “pitches” and contracts
Draft materials for reading and response
Completed project per contract
30%
10%
30%
30%
Dropping and Adding
Students are responsible for understanding the policies and procedures about add/drops, academic
renewal, etc. Information on add/drops are available at info.sjsu.edu/web-dbgen/narr/soc-fall/rec324.html . Information about late drop is available at sjsu.edu/sac/advising/latedrops/policy/ .
Students should be aware of the current deadlines and penalties for adding and dropping class.
Advanced Scriptwriting, TA 129 Spring, 2011
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TA/RTVF 129 Advanced Scriptwriting, Spring 2011
Course Schedule (rev. 1/26/11) subject to change - noticed on class website
Wk
1
2
Date
Jan 27
Course Introduction - Review Syllabus, course objectives, script formats
Encouraged: Buried Child - Studio Theatre HGH 103 (Jan. 27, 28, 29 at 7 pm)
The Dresser - SJ Rep. (Jan 27-Feb 20)
Feb 1
Assignment 1: Bring in a written down joke to share
Feb 3
The Physics of Dramatic Action
Assignment 2: Research the background of a scriptwriter from the list
and turn in a one-page written report.
Assignment 3: Read Backwards and Forwards, bring book to class.
Feb 8
3
4
5
Feb 10
Assignment 4: Write a "disposable" scene that has a dramatic action
(3-4 pages). Bring in enough copies so that the scene can be read aloud
in class.
Feb 15
Workshop conflict scenes
Feb 17
Assignment 5: Sample Project Scene
Feb 22
Encouraged: Car Plays (Feb 25-27)
Feb 24
Workshop project scenes
Mar 1
The nature of pitching projects
Assignment 6: Bring in a list of five scripts in the same genre and
medium as your own.
Mar 3
Workshop project scenes
Mar 8
Assignment 7: Pitch
Mar 10
Assignment 8: (Mar. 11 Attend Cinequest - "Day of the Writer" events)
Encouraged: Intimate Apparel – University Theatre (March 11, 12, 16, 17, 18 19
6
7
Topics / Assignment Due
at 7 pm)
8
9
Mar 15
Structure, beat-sheets, boards, step outlines
Mar 17
Discuss Pitches; Workshop Project Scenes
Mar 22
Workshop Project Scenes
Mar 24
Assignments 9 & 10: Step Outline for Project; Contract for Project
10
Advanced Scriptwriting, TA 129 Spring, 2011
SPRING BREAK
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Wk
11
12
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14
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Date
Topics / Assignment Due
Apr 5
Review Step Outlines
Apr 7
Workshop Project Scenes
Apr 12
Conferences ARR
Apr 14
Workshop Project Scenes
Apr 19
Conferences ARR
Apr 21
Assignment: Read Free Fire Zone
Apr 26
Rewrites
Apr 28
Workshop Project Scenes
May 3
Workshop Project Scenes
May 5
Workshop Project Scenes
May 10
Workshop Project Scenes
May 12
Workshop Project Scenes
May 17
Assignment: Project due
Professional considerations
May 24
Final: The good read.
2:45-5 pm
University Policies
Academic Integrity
Students should know that the University’s Academic Integrity Policy is availabe at
sa.sjsu.edu/download/judicial_affairs/Academic_Integrity_Policy_S07-2.pdf. Your own
commitment to learning, as evidenced by your enrollment at San Jose State University and the
University’s integrity policy, require you to be honest in all your academic course work. Faculty
members are required to report all infractions to the office of Student Conduct and Ethical
Development. The website for Student Conduct and Ethical Development is available at
sa.sjsu.edu/judicial_affairs/index.html.
Instances of academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Cheating on exams or plagiarism
(presenting the work of another as your own, or the use of another person’s ideas without giving
proper credit) will result in a failing grade and sanctions by the University. For this class, all
assignments are to be completed by the individual student unless otherwise specified. If you
would like to include in your assignment any material you have submitted, or plan to submit for
another class, please note that SJSU’s Academic Policy F06-1 requires approval of instructors.
Advanced Scriptwriting, TA 129 Spring, 2011
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Campus Policy in Compliance with the American Disabilities Act
If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, or if you need to
make special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please make an
appointment with me as soon as possible, or see me during office hours. Presidential Directive
97-03 requires that students with disabilities requesting accommodations must register with the
DRC (Disability Resource Center) to establish a record of their disability.
Online Resources
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Celtx Free all-in-one media preproduction software. Use for
scriptwriting format
celtx.com/
Writers Guild of America Official
site of the Writers Guild of America,
west. The WGAw is the union
representing writers in the motion
picture, broadcast, cable and new
media industries
wga.org/
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The Dramatists Guild The
professional association of
playwrights, composers and lyricists
dramatistsguild.com/
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US Copyright Information
copyright.gov/
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Variety
variety.com
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IndieWire
indiewire.com
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Movie Bytes Screenwriting contests
and markets
moviebytes.com/
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SimplyScripts Read scripts online
simplyscripts.com/
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Scriptcrawler Search for scripts
scriptcrawler.net/
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Deemers Screenwriters and
Playwrights
pcez.com/~cdeemer/SWtitle.htm
Advanced Scriptwriting, TA 129 Spring, 2011
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The Playwriting Seminars
vcu.edu/arts/playwriting/
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Theatre Bay Area publishes TBA
magazine, operates Tix Bay Area
(the half-price ticket booth at Union
Square)
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Playwrights Foundation
playwrightsfoundation.org
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Theatre Communications Group
The national organization for the notfor-profit American theatre. TCG
publishes the monthly American
Theatre magazine.
tcg.org/
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Playground The Bay Area’s
leading playwright incubator
playground-sf.org/
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The Hollywood Creative Directory
Up-to-date, comprehensive info on
executives in the film and television
industry
hcdonline.com/
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Cinequest
cinequest.org
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