Course Information
COMM 2339.s01
Fall 2013
WRITING FOR RADIO, TV, FILM
Course Description: : Designed to train the student in all typical forms of broadcast and
film writing, including news, commercial copy, critique and commentary, radio theatre,
comedy and dramatic teleplay, and screenplay. Course provides both writing and
production experiences.
Course Credit Hours: 3 Lecture Hours
Student Learning Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course, students
should be able to do the following:
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Demonstrate a basic understanding of script formats
Differentiate between standard writing style and those styles applicable to
broadcast and mass media
Write individual scripts as well as co-produce collaborative script projects
Describe the essential elements of critique in the mass media
Differentiate between major and minor plot-lines and construct each,
concurrently
Detail the basic components of narrative structure
Identify, construct, and edit scripts relevant to the demands of time and
production values/strictures
Differentiate news vs. commercial values and describe those values as they
relate to the PSA
Prepare a sample storyboard
Withdrawal Policy:
“See the current Collin Registration Guide for the last
day to withdraw. “
Collin College Academic Policies: “See the current Collin Student Handbook.”
Americans with Disabilities Act: Collin College will adhere to all applicable federal, state and
local laws, regulations and guidelines with respect to
providing reasonable accommodations as required to afford
equal opportunity. It is the student’s responsibility to
contact the ACCESS office, SCC-G200 or 972.881.5898
(V/TTD: 972.881.5950) to arrange for appropriate
accommodations. See the current Collin Student Handbook
for additional information.
Instructor Information
Instructor’s Name: Ceilidh Charleson-Jennings
Office Number: B232, Spring Creek Campus
Office Hours: T/Th 9:00-10AM,3:45-4:30,W 9:30-12
Phone Number: 972.881.5182
Email: ccharleson@collin.edu
Class Information:
Section Number: COMM 2339.s01
Meeting Times: W 5:30-8:15
Meeting Location: B126
Course Resources: Students will be expected to complete online and/or library readings.
Consistent internet access (at least three times per week) required to successfully complete
course.
Lunsford, Easy Writer Pocket Guide, 3rd ed. 06, VHPS
ISBN: 0-312-43309-3
Required
Ephron, Writing and Selling Your Mystery Novel, ’05, Writer’s Digest Books
ISBN: 1-58297-376-8
Recommended
Hemley, Turning Life Into Fiction (paperback)
Graywolf Press (May 2006)
ISBN-10: 1555974449
ISBN-13: 978-1555974442
Recommended
Supplies: One yellow two-pocket folder
Attendance Policy: Attendance is taken every class session at the top of the hour, except
in those classes where a presentation is done or a project turned in, an exam is given or
returned (roll may be determined thus). Graded activities that are missed may only be
made up for extreme emergencies (with medical or other documentation) or schoolsponsored activities. Group presentations are not eligible for make up.
Assignments and Evaluation:
Radio spots (4) 10 (group), 15 (individual), 20 (individual), 25 (individual) = 70
PSAs (1 individual) =10
News stories (1 individual) = 10
E-news (1 individual )= 10
Television commercial with storyboard (group project) = 35
Television sitcom written proposal (group project) = 40
Television series pitch (group presentation) = 20
Film treatment = 25
Twelve-page screenplay = 35
Stylesheet exams (3 – radio spot format, news & PSA format, pitch/proposal
requirements) = 15 pts. each = 45
300 total points
A = 300-270
B = 269-239
C = 238-208
D = 207-177
F = 176-below
Calendar. The instructor reserves the right to modify this calendar at any time to adapt
to course needs, guest coaching, or student understanding.
AUGUST - SEPTEMBER
Week 1
Intro to course. Intro to narrative. Intro to principles of advertising & radio format
Week 2
Preparation activities, radio spot #1 & #2
Style Sheet exam #1
Week 3
Spot #1 & #2 due;; spot #1 reading
Week 4
Writing the dialogue spot. Preparation activities, radio spots #3 & #4
Week 5
PSAs, News, E-news – theory and format
Radio spots #3 & #4 due
Week 6
Style Sheet Exam 2. Intro to the television commercial. TV spot work.
PSAs, News, E-news due
OCTOBER
Week 7
Style sheet Exam #2
Concept and storyboard. TV Spot work.
Week 8
TV spot work
Week 9
TV spot pitch; intro to television series.
Week 10
TV pilot screening; series group work
NOVEMBER
Week 11
Pilot screening; series group work
Week 12 (beginning April 15)
Series group work
Style Sheet Exam #3 – proposal elements
Week 13
Series group work (1 hour); intro to film proposal Thursday
Week 14
THANKSGIVING BREAK
Week 15
SERIES PITCH
Film proposal and scripting / workshop
Week 16
Film script due at final exam period.
IMPORTANT:
Email is the best way to reach me. For confidentiality requirements, use only your
Cougarmail account to contact me.
Please begin all subject lines with COMM 2339, then follow with the rest of your desired
subject line. Ex.
Subj: COMM 2339 Question about the first test.
Please always sign your first and last name on all your e-mails to me. ALWAYS INDICATE
WHICH CLASS YOU ARE WRITING ABOUT.
You'd be amazed at how much easier this makes it for me to answer your questions
quickly and easily!
E-mail is checked M-F, usually before 10 AM and again early afternoon. Please allow 24
hours for response. I do not check e-mail weekday evenings or on weekends at all.
Students e-mailing after 10 AM Friday and 7 AM Monday should expect a response on
Monday.
Faculty Web site: http://iws.collin.edu/ccharleson
House Rules:
~ Attendance is taken every class session at the top of the hour, except in those classes
where a presentation is done or a project turned in, an exam is given or returned (roll
may be determined thus). Graded activities that are missed may only be made up for
extreme emergencies (with medical or other documentation) or school-sponsored
activities. Arrest and detainment procedures are not considered excusable absences.
~You are not penalized for missing class if no graded work is to be performed that class
session. Tardies, however, are disruptive and distracting to the entire class. Every tardy
past the first two receives a 4-pt. penalty from your total performance score in the class.
~ All exams will be preceded by a review, indicating what text content will be covered.
All lecture material, documentaries, guest speakers, etc. will be considered viable for
the relevant exam.
~ Technology and in-class etiquette: Pagers and cell phones MUST be turned to SILENT
and not visible during class. Text messaging and cell phone use is not allowed in the
classroom at any time—this includes text messaging in purses, book bags, and
pockets. Any student leaving class to respond to a page must have proof of an
emergency condition necessitating this. If you know you have an emergency condition
you are monitoring, please alert the instructor ahead of time. Students using cell
phones or other telecommunications devices in class will lose 4 points from the class
total (before averaging) for the first disruption. A second use of cell phones or similar
devices in class will result in a dismissal from class, a disruption write-up and a
meeting with the Dean of Students. See section S, p. 191 of Student Handbook.
Additionally, laptop computers are not allowed for in-class use unless circumstances
necessitate and use is pre-approved by instructor.
~ A missed exam, paper due date, etc. may be made up only with a documentation for a
school activity or family/personal emergency that spans the entire test-release period. If
you have an emergency condition necessitating a miss, notify the instructor as soon as
possible either by phone or e-mail. Simply missing the test or other assignment will
result in a zero.
~ Once the exam grades are released, students may not keep their exam pages or
Scantrons. These must be returned to the professor, serving as record of your work in
the course.
~ An absence on a group meeting/rehearsal day will result in a 5 point loss of group
points for the absent group member only. The rest of the group will not be penalized.
An absence on the day of the actual presentation will result in a zero grade for the
absent member, except in the case of extreme, documented emergency.
~ Any written work turned in (possible extra credit, group project reports, etc.) must be
typed. All work is due at the beginning of class. Student arriving late to turn in work (or
turning it in via-e-mail after class has begun) will receive a 10% deduction if work has
already been taken up. No late work / e-mail work accepted after class. If you are
going to be absent on a day something is due, email a copy to me *before* class
begins and then come the next class period with a printed copy for grading. I will not
print student work, but the emailed copy indicates that something was ready for turnin at the appropriate time for credit.
Student Policies and Procedures
~Students are expected to conduct themselves to a collegiate standard. Any student
asked to cease disruptive activities will be referred to the Dean of Students on the
second such occurrence, and will not be allowed to return to class until meeting with
the Dean. While this policy is necessary for very few students, fortunately, the presence
of the occasional student unaware of college behavior standards requires such a
reminder here.
Religious Holidays
In accordance with Section 51.911 of the Texas Education Code, CCCC will allow a
student who is absent from class for the observance of a religious holy day to take an
examination or complete a scheduled assignment within a reasonable time. Students
are required to file a written request with each professor within the first fifteen days of
the semester to quality for an excused absence. A copy of the state rules and
procedures regarding holy days and the form for the notification of absence from each
class under this provision are available from the Registrar's Office.
Scholastic Dishonesty
The College may initiate disciplinary proceedings against a student accused of scholastic
dishonesty.
Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, statements, acts, or omissions
related to applications for enrollment or the award of a degree and/or the submission
as one's own work material that is not one's own. Scholastic dishonesty may involve, but
is not limited to, one or more of the following acts: cheating, plagiarism, collusion, use
of annotated texts or teacher’ s editions, and/or falsifying academic records.
Plagiarism is the use of an author's words or ideas as if they were one's own without
giving credit to the source, including, but not limited to, failure to acknowledge a direct
quotation.
Cheating is the willful giving or receiving of information in an unauthorized manner
during an examination, illicitly obtaining examination questions in advance, copying
computer or Internet files, using someone else's work for assignments as if it were one's
own, or any other dishonest means of attempting to fulfill the requirements of a course.
Collusion is intentionally aiding or attempting to aid another in an act of scholastic
dishonesty, including but not limited to providing a paper or project to another student,
providing an inappropriate level of assistance; communicating answers to a classmate
during an examination; removing tests or answer sheets from a test site, and allowing a
classmate to copy answers.