Microsoft Word - FMS209-2024Syllabus-FallA.doc

SCREENWRITING FUNDAMENTALS

FMS 209

Spring A 2024

Professor: Christopher Bradley

Email: [email protected]

Telephone: 323-702-2183

Office: Ross-Blakley Hall, Room 136

Office Hours: Wednesdays, 1-5 PM (or by appointment) (Live or via phone or Zoom)

COURSE OUTLINE

What elements go into a successful script? How is storytelling related to screenwriting? Why is

it valuable for beginners to write a short script before attempting a feature-length script? In

answering these questions students will: 1) complete a variety of writing tasks throughout the

course, including exercises designed to teach aspects of craft such as plot, characterization and

dialogue; 2) create a Hollywood-style treatment that lays out a full synopsis of a short film they

plan to write; 3) write the first draft of that short film and 4) revise their first draft. Each student

will leave with a complete short script, as well as a solid idea of how to apply basic storytelling

techniques to the screenplay form.

You are expected to engage in all learning tasks and attend all classes.

Reading: Linda J. Cowgill’s Writing Short Films, Second Edition.

You will likely need to buy the book at either the ASU bookstore or from an online distributor

such as Amazon.com. It will take at least two weeks for the book to arrive, so be sure to order it

well before class begins. Read the book carefully and on time, as it forms the basis of both the

class discussions and the exams.

Software: You will need to download the free program Celtx, which will provide you with

templates to write in the proper screenplay format. It is compatible across operating systems.

The website for the download is: http://www.celtx.com.

Screenings: You are responsible for viewing the screenings associated with each lesson. Most

of them are linked to the course from websites such as YouTube; however, you will also need to

rent and watch Jaws at the end of the course. You can find the movie either at a local video store

or through an online source such as Netflix. Though these films are entertaining, you are

watching them primarily for study. This means taking notes and viewing the screenings

numerous times. The screenings will inform both your class discussions and your written work.

POLICIES

Plagiarism Policy: You are expected to turn in original work for this course. Quotations or

ideas paraphrased from other work must be properly cited. Taking credit for another's idea or

writing is plagiarism, which is a serious violation of the University's Code of Academic

Integrity. Integrity is expected of every student in all academic work. The guiding principle of

academic integrity is that a student's submitted work must be the student's own. This principle is

furthered by the student Code of Conduct and disciplinary procedures established by ABOR

Policies 5-308-5-403, all provisions of which apply to all Arizona State University students. If

you are unsure how to credit your source, ask a member of the teaching team for clarification.

Academic honesty is expected of all students in all examinations, papers, and laboratory work,

academic transactions and records. The possible sanctions include, but are not limited to,

appropriate grade penalties, course failure (indicated on the transcript as a grade of E), course

failure due to academic dishonesty (indicated on the transcript as a grade of XE), loss of

registration privileges, disqualification and dismissal. For more information, see

http://provost.asu.edu/academic-integrity

Absences: 1. More than three unexcused absences may result in the loss of a full letter grade.

2. Information on excused absences related to religious observances/practices that are in accordance

with ACD 304-04 “Accommodations for Religious Practices.” can be found here.

3. Information on excused absences related to university-sanctioned events/activities that are in

accordance with ACD 304-02 “Missed Classes Dues to University Sanctioned Activities” can be

found here.

Students with Disabilities: Students who feel they will need disability accommodations in this

class but have not registered with the Student Accessibility and Inclusive Learning Services

office should contact SAILS immediately. The SAILS Tempe office is located on the first floor

of the Matthews Center Building. SAILS staff can also be reached at (480) 965-1234 (V) or

(480) 965-9000 (TTY). For additional information, visit: www.asu.edu/studentaffairs/ed/drc

Expected Classroom Behavior: Be sure to arrive on time for class. Excessive tardiness will be

subject to sanctions. Under no circumstances should you allow your cell phone to ring during

class. Any disruptive behavior, which includes ringing cell phones, listening to your mp3/iPod

player, text messaging, constant talking, eating food noisily, reading a newspaper will not be

tolerated. The use of laptops (unless for note taking), cell phones, MP3, IPOD, etc. are strictly

prohibited during class.

Policy Against Threatening Behavior: All incidents and allegations of violent or threatening

conduct by an ASU student (whether on-or off campus) must be reported to the ASU Police

Department (ASU PD) and the Office of the Dean of Students. If either office determines that the

behavior poses or has posed a serious threat to personal safety or to the welfare of the campus,

the student will not be permitted to return to campus or reside in any ASU residence hall until an

appropriate threat assessment has been completed and, if necessary, conditions for return are

imposed. ASU PD, the Office of the Dean of Students, and other appropriate offices will

coordinate the assessment in light of the relevant circumstances.

Title IX: Title IX is a federal law that provides that no person be excluded on the basis of sex

from participation in, be denied benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any

education program or activity. Both Title IX and university policy make clear that sexual

violence and harassment based on sex is prohibited. An individual who believes they have been

subjected to sexual violence or harassed on the basis of sex can seek support, including

counseling and academic support, from the university. If you or someone you know has been

harassed on the basis of sex or sexually assaulted, you can find information and resources at

https://sexualviolenceprevention.asu.edu/faqs.

As a mandated reporter, I am obligated to report any information I become aware of regarding

alleged acts of sexual discrimination, including sexual violence and dating violence. ASU

Counseling Services, https://eoss.asu.edu/counseling is available if you wish to discuss any

concerns confidentially and privately. ASU online students may access 360 Life Services,

https://goto.asuonline.asu.edu/success/online-resources.html

Policy on Discrimination: Arizona State University is committed to providing an environment free

of discrimination, harassment, or retaliation for the entire university community, including all

students, faculty members, staff employees, and guests. ASU expressly prohibits discrimination,

harassment, and retaliation by employees, students, contractors, or agents of the university based on

any protected status: race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual

orientation, gender identity, and genetic information.

Copyrighted materials: A warning to students that they must refrain from uploading to any course

shell, discussion board, or website used by the course instructor or other course forum, material that

is not the student's original work, unless the students first comply with all applicable copyright laws;

faculty members reserve the right to delete materials on the grounds of suspected copyright

infringement.

GRADED WORK

Attendance/Participation (50 points): You are responsible for attending all classes and

participating in class discussions The professor will keep track of your participation, including

assessing the value of what you bring to the overall discussion. You will be expected to be

rigorous while at the same time being supportive and constructive.

Writing Exercises (50 points): You are responsible for completing a writing exercise for each

lesson that one is assigned. The writing exercises are typically a page long and are either in

prose or screenplay form. I describe them in detail at the end of each lecture. These exercises

must keep up with the progress of the course. Again, be rigorous while at the same time being

supportive and constructive.

Treatment (100 points): Before you begin writing your actual script you will first create a brief

synopsis of its basic components called a treatment. The treatment is a boiled down prose

version of your story that includes such crucial aspects as an outline of the plot and a description

of the main characters and their function within the plot. The treatment serves as both a

summary of your movie for others and a blueprint for you as you write. Your treatment should

be 2-3 single spaced pages. See the website for a sample treatment.

First Draft of Screenplay (100 points): You will complete the first draft of a screenplay for a

short film. A first draft is by definition rough, but it should be about 10 pages long and include a

beginning, middle and end along with other identifiable aspects of story structure such as

conflict, crisis and resolution. Your script should be in a standard screenplay format approved

by your instructor. See the website for a sample treatment.

Final Draft of Screenplay (100 points): The final draft will include many of the elements of

the first draft (beginning, middle and end, conflict, crisis, etc.) but show demonstrable

improvement over the first draft. This might include heightened conflict, more functional

dialogue, more three-dimensional characters, or whatever else the instructor suggests. The

student should aim for the final draft to be 10-12 pages. It should be as polished as possible in

terms of both the writing and the format.

Grading Scale - 0 to 400 Points

A+ ..... 400+ Points

A ..... 372 - 399 Points

A- ..... 360 - 371 Points

B+ ..... 352 - 359 Points

B ..... 332 - 351 Points

B- ..... 320 - 331 Points

C+ ..... 312 - 319 Points

C ..... 280 - 311 Points

D ..... 240 - 279 Points

E ..... 000 - 239 Points

LEARNING TASKS

This course is comprised of 15 lessons. Each lesson includes all or some of these tasks:

1. Reading: Read a chapter from the assigned book

2. Reading Review: Reconsider key concepts from the readings

3. Screening: Study films screened for class

4. Website: Surf relevant websites

5. Media Clips: Review scenes referenced in readings & lectures

6. Lecture: Listen to audio lectures with powerpoint slides

7. Class Discussion: Pose and/or answer questions in class

WARNING: Course content includes films that may contain graphic violence, language,

sexuality and drug use.

Module 00: Welcome (Tuesday, 01/09)

Assignment 1: Academic Integrity Agreement

Module 01: Getting Started; Story Ideas (Tuesday, 01/09)

Screening: George Lucas in Love / Joe Nussbaum, 1999

Readings: “Shitty First Drafts” by Anne Lamott

Writing Short Films / Linda J. Cowgill, Introduction, pages, xi-xiv

Chapter 1, pages 3-12

Chapter 2, pages 13-32

Lecture: Turning the Chaos of Life Experience into an Ordered Narrative

Assignment: Three Story Ideas

Discussion: Exercise/Discuss with classmates

Optional: Live at Sundance: Short Films, Tall Ideas

Screenwriter’s Utopia

Screenwriting.info

The Writing Process

Module 02: The Essential Aspects of Story (Tuesday, 01/16)

Screening: The Hire: Ambush / John Frankenheimer, 2001

Reading: Writing Short Films / Linda J. Cowgill, Chapter 4, pages 64-82

Lectures: Creating a Logline

Creating a Treatment

Assignments: Your Logline

Your Treatment

Discussion: Exercise/Discuss with classmates

Optional: Aristotle's Six Principles of Drama

Assignment #1: Treatment due Tuesday, 01/23

Module 03: Character and Dialog (Tuesday, 01/23)

Screening: The Hire: Powder Keg / Alejandro G. Iñárritu, 2001

Readings: Writing Short Films / Linda J. Cowgill, Chapter 4, pages 34-63

Chapter 8, pages 133-140

Chapter 10, pages 165-176

Chapter 11, pages 178-188

Appendix, pages 199-209

Lecture: What Your Characters Want and What Your Characters Say

Quizzes: Quiz 1; Essential Screenplay Formatting

Quiz 2: Essential Grammar and Style

Assignments: Your Character Biography

Dialog Exercise

Discussion: Exercise/Discuss with classmates

Optional: Confessions of a Short Film Programmer

Module 04: Scene Construction (Tuesday, 01/30)

Screening: Black Button / Lucas Crandles, 2007

Reading: Writing Short Films / Linda J. Cowgill, Chapter 9, pages 149-163

Chapter 5, pages 83-99

Lecture: Creating a Scene as a Microcosm of your Larger Story

Assignments: Conflict Scene

Discussion: Exercise/Discuss with classmates

Optional: Character Moods or Emotions

Module 05: Your First Draft (Tuesday, 02/06)

Screening: The Powder Keg / Alejandro González Iñárritu, 2001

Reading: Writing Short Films / Linda J. Cowgill, pages 64-81

Lecture: How do I put my script together?

Assignments: Your first draft

Discussion: Exercise/Discuss with classmates

Assignment #2: First draft due Tuesday, 02/13

Module 06: Revising Your First Draft (Thursday, 02/13)

Screening: Copy / Michael Griffin and Sean Dowling, 2006

Reading: Writing Short Films / Linda J. Cowgill, pages 83-99

Website: Greatest Movie Plot Twists, Film Spoilers and Surprise Endings

Lecture: How do I move my story?

Discussion: Exercise/Discuss with classmates

Module 07:: Next Steps (Thursday, 02/20)

Screening: Spin / Jamin Winas, 2005

Reading: Writing Short Films / Linda J. Cowgill, pages 103-120

Website: What Happens in Act I?

Lecture: How do I fade in?

Clips: Blade Runner / Ridley Scott, 1982

Say Anything / Cameron Crowe, 1989

Apocalypse Now / Francis Coppola, 1979

Discussion: Exercise/Discuss with classmates

Assignment #3: Screenplay Final due Tuesday, 02/27