Monday 3:30 – 5:45
HGH 118

Instructor: Barnaby Dallas
Office: HGH 137 (inside the University Theatre)
Office Hours: M (2:30 to 3:30) T (1:00 – 3:00)
Phone: 408 924-4573
Email: barndallas@ksjs.org

Required Text: SCREENWRITING, by Richard Walter. All reading assignments refer to this text.

RTVF 175 HANDBOOK, by Scott Sublett, available at The Copy Club located on the corner of San Fernando and Fourth St.

Also required:
FOX IN THE SNOW, an original screenplay, by Brian Cullen, available at The Copy Club.

OPTIONAL READING:
THE SCREENWRITER’S WORKBOOK by Syd Field.

LEW HUNTER’S SCREENWRITING 434 by Lew Hunter.

PLAY, PHOTOPLAY, AND SCREENPLAY STRUCTURE: DRAMATIC PRINCIPLES FROM THEATER TO CINEMA by Barnaby Dallas. (available by request)

COURSE OBJECTIVE: to understand screenwriting through learning to write dramatically for the screen.

I will run the class like a production company. You are the writers and your assignment is to write an engaging script worthy of production. Consider me your producer whose job is to give you the skills to make sure you can complete this assignment.

But remember, this is a writing workshop. We are here to learn from each to other. Your fellow students can solve your problems if you let them. Bring your writing problems to class.

ASSIGNMENTS AND GRADING: your grade depends to a great degree on the quality of your final script. It should be well-written, full of dramatic conflict, creative, clear, artistic, intelligent, consistent with rules of dramatic writing taught in this course, neat and professional looking. You can and will create clear, properly formatted screen drama. You are expected to produce a document that at the very least looks professional. Failure to do so will result in a lower grade.

Over the course you will turn in the following assignments:

A movie idea.
A Spine Exercise (hook, central question, ect.) 5pts
Write a scene of conflict (can be from your script or group script) 5pts
A Step Outline of DOTCOMEDY. 5 pts
A Step Outline of the script you propose to write. 10 pts.
The first 17 pages of your script properly formatted. 15 pts
The first 60 pages of your proposed script full-length screenplay for a feature film. 60 pts

No late final scripts will be accepted under any circumstances. If you have not completed 60 pages, turn in whatever you have. Please note that your script will be unfinished. A finished, feature-length screenplay runs anywhere from 90 to 150 pages.

*We will develop and write a screenplay in class to illustrate the principles of screenwriting. Class participation and your contribution to the “group screenplay” can add up to 5 extra credit points.

Work is due the week after it is assigned unless otherwise noted. Oral assignment in class takes precedence over the guidelines in the syllabus.

Late papers will be marked down 30 percent. Writing 60 pages is a big job and it is crucial for students to stay on schedule.

Students are required to keep originals of all returned graded assignments.

MISCELLANY: Class will begin promptly; if you have individual business to transact with the instructor, please save your question until after class. Starting class on time helps everyone get out earlier.

Students must handle their own adds and drops, and should know the deadlines. The instructor reserves the right to modify the syllabus with proper notification.

Students are required to adhere to University policy on academic honesty.

No incompletes will be given in this course. Students who have not finished 60 pages must turn in whatever they have.

All assignments must be typed or word-processed.

CLASS SESSIONS
Screenwriting is an organic and integrated process in which one does everything at once, and therefore any division or ordering of its elements becomes somewhat artificial and difficult to maintain. Moreover, every class is different and moves at a different rate. Therefore, dates are subject to change.

1. February 2 THE IDEA. Dramatic structure in a nutshell. The Hollywood “concept” versus the personal statement: both good career choices. Two things sell spec scripts: great ideas and great writing. Where to go for ideas. The ease of writing what you know; your life is not boring. Be who you are. Summoning the courage to write.

Assignment:
Come to class next time with your single best idea. Write it down and bring it to class no mater what it is.
Reading: chapters 1 and 2

2. February 9 CHOOSING AND SHAPING THE DRAMATIC IDEA. Reading ideas aloud and making your initial decisions. Where is the story? What’s it about? Hook, hero, goal, central question, central conflict. The Group Script.

3. February 16: THE DRAMATIC IDEA CONTINUED. Reading: chapter 3. Assignment: Spine Exercise.

4. February 23: PLOT STRUCTURE. Dramatic Action, Unified Action, Probable Action and The three-act structure.

Models of structure: Freytag pyramid, graphing the hero’s fortunes, the midpoint, point of attack, moving the story forward conflict by conflict. Revealing character in action. Exposition. Revealing information. Suspense versus surprise. Double meanings and dramatic irony. Raising the stakes, jeopardy and complications. The “red herring.”

5. March 1: PLOT STRUCTURE AND THE STEP OUTLINE. Turning a foundation into a step outline. Outlining “group” idea.
Assignment: step outline for Dotcomedy.

6. March 8: THE STEP OUTLINE. Turning an idea into step outline. Review “group outline.” Step outlining a student idea.
Assignment: step outline for script you are intending to write.

7. March 15: THE SCENE. Unfocused scenes. Writer’s goals versus characters’ goals. Length of scene. Real conflict versus “trumped up” conflict. Writing in master scenes. Reading: chapter 7
Assignment: Write a scene of conflict.

8. March 22: FROM IDEA TO STEP OUTLINE TO SCENE: FLESHING THE BONES.

9. April 5: FORMATTING. Assembling a professional-looking package. The importance of brevity. Describing the room exercise.
Reading: chapter 5
Assignment first 17 pages due in two weeks.

10. April 12: STYLE: DIALOGUE, DESCRIPTION AND VERBOSITY. On the nose dialogue. Announcement-style dialogue. Abrupt and arbitrary transitions. Over-formality. Peachiness. Interrupted lines. Verbosity. The “don’ts” of lean screenwriting. Grammar and spelling.

11. April 19: GENERAL PRINCIPLES. Unity and integration. Integrating plot, theme, character and style under the rule of one. Making elements do double duty. Creating and fulfilling expectations. Symbols. Also: STYLE, TEXTURE, TONE, AND GENRE. The desirable sloppiness of realism versus the equally desirable neatness and artificiality of stylization. (BLAIR WITCH vs. SIXTH SENSE)

12. April 26: CHARACTER. Motivation. Introducing characters. Pet the dog scene. Too many characters. Comic characters. The confidant. The central relationship. Unity in conflict. Depicting minorities. Also: reading student pages.

13. May 3: THEME. Plot and “active” themes. Big themes, e.g. KANE. Exercise: discover and articulate the theme of a film you love.

14. May 10: COMEDY. Signaling comedy. Situation versus character. Farce requires complications. Obsessions. Attitude. Inappropriate behavior. Incongruity. Mistaken identity. Collapse of dignity.

15. May 17: Workshop student work.

16. May 20: Final Script Due
Your 60 page final assignment must be turned in during your final. No late papers will be accepted. under any circumstances. If the office is closed, your script may be slipped through the mail slot if it is in an envelop with the instructor’s name clearly marked on it. It is recommended that a self-stamped envelope accompany your final assignment so that it can be promptly mailed back to you. Inclusion of the SASE signals to the reader that your are serious about receiving comments on your script.