Movie Screenplay WRITING Course - English Philology
Fall 2009
Vassil Stoyanoff PhD
N.B.
The number of students attending the course will be duly limited to one third of the whole freshman course based on their initial assignment completion…further questions can be forwarded to:
vassil@stoyanoff.com / Skype: stoyanoff.com
Course Objective and Description:
The aim of this course is to enable a “screenwriter” to write part of (or complete) a dramatic, feature-length, original movie screenplay. Students will also practice the tools of the craft and critique the work of others. There will be some discussion on how to break into the industry.
By the end of the course, each student is expected to write 30-40 new pages and a 1-page synopsis or 4 – 6 page treatment. This means one work on a script in-progress, or start a new script.
Most class time will be devoted to reading and critiquing student work, however, every class will include a “topic study” -- a brief discussion of an issue relevant to the current student scripts (e.g. terse dialogue, story structure, climax scenes, openings, getting an agent...). There will also be some in-class analyses and revision of script segments, in order to illustrate how to solve problems (flat dialogue, unsympathetic characters, plodding description, lack of momentum...).
Each student will have one to two (depending upon class size) opportunities to have the class read and critique their workshop segment of 10 to 20 pages. Segments will be read in advance of class, a short part of which can be read aloud in class. The entire segment will be discussed in class. Students will read two classmates’ script segments a week, and will write comments on an attached sheet.
Requirements:
Written Assignments
Work to be considered by the class must be turned in on time.
In addition to your screenplay pages, you will be writing a 2 – 4 page critical analysis on a craft topic in a film of your choice.
All pages must be typed and presented in neat and proper screenplay format. The
first page of each assignment should include your name, the date on which it is turned in, and the course number. Other pages must include your last name and the page number in the upper right-hand corner.
Participation
Commenting on your classmates’ work and participating in in-class discussions is critical in order to get the most out of this class. As you critique other scripts, you learn to turn that same sensibility onto yourself.
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Тема: Screenplay Writing Course Autumn 2009 - lecturer - Vasil Stoyanoff PhD (Прочетена 1450 пъти)