This course takes Creative Writing MFA students through the process of writing a feature-length screenplay. Classes include workshops, short lectures on screenwriting tools such as Character synthesis, editing through theme, and popular story structures. Students participate in a simulated story development room with the aim to create a work for television. Through an examination of Hollywood screenplays, scenes from produced films, pitch packages and season arcs, questions of cinematic production and authorship are addressed. Workshops engage writers in reading from their own and others' works, while students are expected to provide supportive and meaningful feedback. Course materials focus on workshop loglines, synopses, thematic statements/pitches, and beat sheets, as well as some select scenes from student work-in-progress. Outlines and first draft feature-length scripts are to be made available for peer and instructor feedback. The course concludes with readings of the first act of each student screenplay.
This course takes Creative Writing MFA students through the process of writing a feature-length screenplay. Classes include workshops, short lectures on screenwriting tools such as Character synthesis, editing through theme, and popular story structures. Students participate in a simulated story development room with the aim to create a work for television. Through an examination of Hollywood screenplays, scenes from produced films, pitch packages and season arcs, questions of cinematic production and authorship are addressed. Workshops engage writers in reading from their own and others' works, while students are expected to provide supportive and meaningful feedback. Course materials focus on workshop loglines, synopses, thematic statements/pitches, and beat sheets, as well as some select scenes from student work-in-progress. Outlines and first draft feature-length scripts are to be made available for peer and instructor feedback. The course concludes with readings of the first act of each student screenplay.
