Screenwriting II

Course Description

Building on the skills learned in ENG 203, students will refine their critical ability to analyze and evaluate screenplays, and their visual storytelling skills, in order to produce an effective first act of a full-length screenplay.

Learning Outcomes

• Recognize the underlying principles behind writing a script, including harnessing conflict, creating drama, developing dynamic characters, and telling a story visually.
• Appraise the traditional three-act structure, setup, development and resolution of a screenplay.
• Evaluate peer screenplays with respect to dramatic premise, dialogue, action points, complications, subplots, reversals, character development, structure, climax, resolution, and unity of theme.
• Apply the accepted format for screenplay to define the aspects of visual storytelling that separate the screenplay form from other forms of writing.
• Apply course concepts in the completion of a draft of the first act (25-30 pages) of a feature-length script.

Requirements

Weekly reading and writing assignments. Viewing of and response to required films. Participation in online discussion boards in a workshop format. A 25-30 page draft of the first act of a screenplay, written in proper screenplay format.

Prerequisites

• ENG203