Run by School of Arts, Culture and Language

20.000 Credits or 10.000 ECTS Credits

Semester 2

Organiser: Mr Mathew Owen

This module introduces students to key theories of screenwriting studies, and assesses them on their own understanding of these theories, and on their own creative screenwriting practice in the form of screenplays and treatments. Workshops will look at the history and development of the screenplay, and interrogate the relationship between the written word and screen media. These sessions will also examine a range of concepts related to screenwriting, including adaptation, visual storytelling, characterisation, structure, genre and the use of dialogue and action. Students will gain an awareness of the industrial demands of screenwriting, focusing on the process of taking an idea from screenplay to screen.

During the first part of the module, students will focus on a theoretical discussion of screenwriting. This section will focus on the development of the craft of screenwriting, and will examine differing approaches taken by various writers working in a number of different historical periods and industrial contexts. Workshops will involve analysis of key texts, and an examination of the process of writing. This section of the module will culminate in a midterm assessment in the form of an essay.

The second part of the module will provide students with an opportunity to develop their understanding of screenwriting through their own practice. Students will work with the module tutors to develop a portfolio of creative work that builds upon their understanding of screenwriting theory. Students will submit their portfolio of work as the final assessment for this module.

threshold

Threshold: D-range

Submitted work is adequate and shows an acceptable level of competence as follows:

• Generally accurate but with omissions and errors.
• Assertions are made without clear supporting evidence or reasoning.
• Has structure but is lacking in clarity and therefore relies on the reader to make links and assumptions.
• Draws on a relatively narrow range of material.

C- to C+

Good: C-range

Submitted work is competent throughout and occasionally distinguished by superior style, approach and choice of supporting materials. It demonstrates:

• Good structure and logically developed arguments.
• At least in parts draws on material that has been sourced and assessed as a result of independent study, or in a way unique to the student.
• Assertions are, in the main, backed by evidence and sound reasoning.
• Accuracy and presentation in an appropriate academic style.

excellent

Excellent: A-range

Submitted work is of an outstanding quality and excellent in one or more of the following ways:

• Has originality of exposition with the student's own thinking being readily apparent.
• Provides clear evidence of extensive and relevant independent study.
• Arguments are laid down with clarity and provide the reader with successive stages of consideration to reach conclusions.

good

Very Good: B-range

Submitted work is competent throughout and distinguished by superior style, approach and choice of supporting materials. It demonstrates:

• Very good structure and logically developed arguments.
• Draws on material that has been sourced and assessed as a result of independent study, or in a way unique to the student.
• Assertions are backed by evidence and sound reasoning.
• Accuracy and presentation in an appropriate academic style.

1. Display an ability to evaluate effective screenwriting, including characterisation, structure, genre, visual storytelling and the use of dialogue and action.

2. Appraise your knowledge of the industrial and creative demands of the short film form.

3. Evaluate key concepts in screenwriting theory.

4. Develop and write effective screenplays for film that conform to industry standard formatting

Type	Name	Description	Weight
ESSAY	Essay	Essay on screenwriting theory	50.00
LOGBOOK OR PORTFOLIO	Screenwriting Portfolio	Portfolio consisting of short screenplay and detailed treatment	50.00

		Hours
Workshop	11 x 2 hour workshops	22
Private study	178 hours of private study used to develop your writing as well as following suggested readings.	178

• Literacy - Proficiency in reading and writing through a variety of media
• Computer Literacy - Proficiency in using a varied range of computer software
• Self-Management - Able to work unsupervised in an efficient, punctual and structured manner. To examine the outcomes of tasks and events, and judge levels of quality and importance
• Exploring - Able to investigate, research and consider alternatives
• Information retrieval - Able to access different and multiple sources of information
• Inter-personal - Able to question, actively listen, examine given answers and interact sensitevely with others
• Presentation - Able to clearly present information and explanations to an audience. Through the written or oral mode of communication accurately and concisely.
• Argument - Able to put forward, debate and justify an opinion or a course of action, with an individual or in a wider group setting
• Self-awareness & Reflectivity - Having an awareness of your own strengths, weaknesses, aims and objectives. Able to regularly review, evaluate and reflect upon the performance of yourself and others

• An understanding of creative and critical processes, and of the wide range of skills inherent in creative writing. (NAWE Creative Writing Benchmark Statement 3.1).
• Artistic engagement and ability to articulate complex ideas in oral and written forms. (NAWE Creative Writing Benchmark Statement 3.2).
• Ability to connect creative and critical ideas between and among forms, techniques and types of creative and critical praxis. (NAWE Creative Writing Benchmark Statement 3.2; English Benchmark Statement 3.2).
• The ability to synthesize information from various sources, choosing and applying appropriate concepts and methods (English Benchmark Statement 3.3).
• Ability to formulate and solve problems, anticipate and accommodate change, and work within contexts of ambiguity, uncertainty and unfamiliarity (NAWE Creative Writing Benchmark Statement 3.2; English Benchmark Statement 3.3).
• Ability to engage in processes of drafting and redrafting texts to achieve clarity of expression and an appropriate style. (English Benchmark Statement 3.3; NAWE Creative Writing Benchmark Statement 3.2).
• Ability to gather information, analyse, interpret and discuss different viewpoints (NAWE Creative Writing Benchmark Statement 3.2; English Benchmark Statement 3.3).
• Information technology (IT) skills broadly understood and the ability to access, work with and evaluate electronic resources (NAWE Creative Writing Benchmark Statement 3.2; English Benchmark Statement 3.3).
• Creative skills – conception, elaboration, adaptation, presentation, collaboration, preservation
• Skills of personal management – self-motivation, self-critical awareness, independence, entrepreneurship and employment skills, time management and reliability, organisation, etc.
• Enhanced powers of imagination and creativity (4.17)

Resource implications for students

None

Talis Reading list

http://readinglists.bangor.ac.uk/modules/uxs-2222.html

Reading list

PRIMARY READING

Batty, D and Waldeback, Z (2008) Writing for the Screen, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillian Cowgill, L.J. (2005), Writing Short Films: Structure and Content for Screenwriters, Los Angeles: Lone Eagle Publishing Dancyger, K. and Rush, J (2006) Alternative Scriptwriting: Successfully Breaking the Rules, Oxford: Focal Press Dancyger, K. and Cooper, P. (2004), Writing the Short Film, Oxford: Focal Press. Josh Golding (2012), Maverick Screenwriting: A Manual for the Adventurous Screenwriter, London: Methuen John York (2013) Into the Woods: A Five Act Journey into Story, London: Penguin

SUPPLEMENTAL READING

Aronson, L. (2001) Screenwriting Updated: New (and Conventional) Ways of Writing for the Screen, California: Silverman James Press. Boozer, Jack, ed. Authorship in Film Adaptation. Austin: University of Texas Press, 2008. Buchbinder, A (2005) The Way of the Screenwriter, Toronto, Ontario: House of Anansi Press Inc. Campbell, J (1993) The Hero with a Thousand Faces, London: Fontana Davies, R (2003) Writing Dialogue for Scripts, London: A & C Black Davies, R (2001) Developing Characters for Screenwriting, London: A & C Black Field, S (2003) The Definitive Guide to Screenwriting, London: Ebury Press Field, S (1989) Screenplay: The foundations of Screenwriting, New York: Dell Fine, R (1985) Hollywood and the Profession of Authorship, Michigan: UMI Research Press Goldman, W (1985) Adventures in the Screen Trade – A Personal View of Hollywood and Screenwriting, London: Futura Publications Grodal, T (1997) Moving Pictures: A New theory of Film Genres, Feelings and Cognition, Oxford: OUP Gulino, P.J. (2004) Screenwriting: The Sequence Approach, London: Continuum Hiltumen, A. (2002) Aristotle in Hollywood: Visual Stories that Work, Bristol: Intellect McKee, R (1999) Story: Substance, Structure, Style and the Principles of Screenwriting, London: Methuen Moritz, C (2001) Screenwriting for the Screen, London: Routledge Price, S (2010) Screenplay: Authorship, Theory and Criticism, Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan Prover, J (1994) No One Knows Their Names: Screenwriters in Hollywood, Ohio: Bowling Green University State Popular Press Smith, M (1995) Engaging Characters: Fiction, Emotion and the Cinema, Oxford: OUP

Compulsory in courses:

• 2P17: BA English Literature and Creative Writing year 2 (BA/ENCW)

Optional in courses:

• T103: BA Chinese and Creative Studies year 2 (BA/CHCS)
• W890: BA Creative&Professional Writing year 2 (BA/CPW)
• WPQ0: BA Creative Studies year 2 (BA/CST)
• WPQB: BA Creative Studies (4 year with Incorporated Foundation) year 2 (BA/CST1)
• WQ93: BA Creative Stds & English Lang. year 2 (BA/CSTEL)
• WR91: BA French and Creative Studies year 2 (BA/CSTFR)
• WR92: BA German and Creative Studies year 2 (BA/CSTG)
• WR93: BA Italian and Creative Studies year 2 (BA/CSTITAL)
• WW93: BA Creative Studies and Music year 2 (BA/CSTMUS)
• WR94: BA Spanish & Creative Studies year 2 (BA/CSTSP)
• WP83: BA Media Studies & Creative Wrtng year 2 (BA/CWMS)
• 8G55: BA English Language with Creative Writing (with Int Exp) year 3 (BA/ELCIE)
• Q3WL: BA Eng Lang with Creat Writ year 2 (BA/ELCW)
• W620: BA Film Studies year 2 (BA/FLM)
• W62B: BA Film Studies (4 year with Incorporated Foundation) year 2 (BA/FLM1)
• R1W8: BA French with Creative Writing year 2 (BA/FRCW)
• P3W8: BA Film Studies and Creative Writing year 2 (BA/FSCW)
• 2W89: BA Film Studies (with International Experience) year 2 (BA/FSIE)
• R2W8: BA German with Creative Writing year 2 (BA/GERCW)
• PP53: BA Journalism and Media Studies year 2 (BA/JMS)
• PP5B: BA Journalism & Media Studies (4yr with Incorp Foundation) year 2 (BA/JMS1)
• 3HPQ: BA Media Studies and English Literature year 2 (BA/MEN)
• P306: BA Media Studies year 2 (BA/MS)
• P31B: BA Media Studies (4 year with Incorporated Foundation) year 2 (BA/MS1)
• P30F: BA Media Studies [with Foundation Year] year 2 (BA/MSF)
• 8U76: BA Media Studies (with International Experience) year 2 (BA/MSIE)
• PW33: BA Media Studies and Music year 2 (BA/MSMUS)
• LP33: BA Media Studies and Sociology year 2 (BA/MSSOC)
• WW38: BA Music and Creative Writing year 2 (BA/MUSCW)
• W6W8: BA Professional Writing & Film year 2 (BA/PWF)
• W839: BA Professional Writing with Game Design year 2 (BA/PWGD)
• P3W9: BA Professional Writing and Media year 2 (BA/PWM)
• 8M74: BA Spanish with Creative Writing (with International Exp) year 2 (BA/SCIE)
• R4W8: BA Spanish with Creative Writing year 2 (BA/SPCW)
• M1W1: LLB Law with Creative Media Writing year 2 (LLB/LCMW)
• M1W2: LLB Law with Creative Media Writing (International Exp) year 2 (LLB/LCMWI)