FMS 494
Screenwriting Workshop
Summer 2011, Session 3, 8-weeks
Professor:
Office:
Office Phone:
Email Address:
Office Hours:
Christopher Bradley, MFA
Language and Literature 643-C
(323) 702-2183
christopher.bradley.1@asu.edu
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10 am to 12 pm
COURSE OUTLINE
Through a combination of discussion and workshops, students will write a screenplay for a
feature length film. They may choose either a traditional or alternative structure for their
screenplay. Students will also develop their ability to analyze and demonstrate their mastery of
the various elements of a feature film, including concept, character arc, dialogue, and plot
devices such as suspense, surprise, dramatic irony, planting and payoff. This course is not only
an opportunity for students to learn the techniques necessary to write a feature but it is also an
opportunity for them to grow in their overall understanding of writing and an understanding of
themselves as writers.
Reading: While there are no assigned readings for the course, you should own these
textbooks from your earlier courses and have them available for reference:

McKee, Robert. Story: Substance, Structure, Style, and the Principles of Screenwriting.
New York: Harper Collins, 1997.

Trottier, David. The Screenwriter’s Bible: A Complete Guide to Writing, Formatting, and
Selling Your Script. Los Angeles: Silman-James Press, 2005.
You will likely need to purchase these books at the ASU bookstore or from an online
distributor such as Amazon. If you are taking this course via distance learning and are
not within driving range of campus, consider the fact that it will take at least two weeks
for the book to arrive; hence, so be sure to order it well before class begins. You will
also be reading a number of articles, all of which have been posted to the virtual
classroom in the Learning Tasks section. To honor copyright law, they have been
password protected. The teaching team will email you the passwords before the first day
of class. Read the book and articles carefully and on time, as they form the basis of both
the class discussions and quizzes.
Peer Critique and Feedback: An important part of becoming a writer is gaining insight
to other writing and expressing that insight in an articulate and constructive way. Every
week, you will offer your peers feedback and critique. The nature of your comments
should be encouraging and supportive as well as helpful and insightful, keeping in mind
the old saying, “The sword of truth doesn’t have to decapitate. It can simply point.” (If
you experience criticism that is not consistent with these goals, let your instructor know.)
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Academic Dishonesty: You are expected to turn in original work for this course.
Quotations or ideas paraphrased from other work must be properly cited. Taking credit
for another’s ideas or writing is plagiarism, which is a serious violation of the
University’s Code of Academic Integrity.
In the “Student Academic Integrity Policy” manual, ASU defines “’Plagiarism” [as]
using another's words, ideas, materials or work without properly acknowledging and
documenting the source. Students are responsible for knowing the rules governing the use
of another's work or materials and for acknowledging and documenting the source
appropriately.”
Academic dishonesty, including inappropriate collaboration, will not be tolerated. There
are severe sanctions for cheating, plagiarizing and any other form of dishonesty.
GRADED WORK
We expect every student to leave this course with a better -- more insightful -- understanding of
screenwriting and what it means to be a writer. Towards this end, you will give feedback to your
fellow students, gaining insight into your own writing by noticing what is and is not working in
the writing of your fellow students.
Participation (200 Points): To further develop your skills in writing you will be
expected to complete various developmental and analytical exercises on the electronic
bulletin board. You will also be asked to offer feedback each week on your peers’
screenplay pages. You will exchange approximately 15 pages with a different fellow
writer each week. Give your peers supportive and encouraging critiques, but also
comment with respect to strengths and weaknesses. Along with your final draft, you
will also be asked to submit a one-pages response to the feedback that you received
on your work in progress, explaining why you did or did not incorporate feedback
into any revisions.
Final Draft (200 Points): You will be expected to finish a feature length screenplay.
The script will be evaluated based on four components: 1) format and grammar, 2) the
deployment of the craft, i.e. how well you used conflict, dramatic irony, surprise, etc. 3)
how well you handled feedback in revising the work, 4) and finally, the works creativity
and freshness. Again, along with your final draft, you will also be asked to submit a
one-pages response to the feedback that you received on your work in progress,
explaining why you did or did not incorporate feedback into any revisions.
Grading Scale - 0 to 400 Points
A+ ..... 400+ Points
A ..... 372 - 399 Points
A- ..... 360 - 371 Points
B+ ..... 352 - 359 Points
B ..... 332 - 351 Points
B- ..... 320 - 331 Points
C+ ..... 312 - 319 Points
C ..... 280 - 311 Points
D ..... 240 - 279 Points
E ..... 000 - 239 Points
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LEARNING TASKS
This course is comprised of 16 lessons. Each lesson includes all or some of the following tasks:
1. Listen to the online lecture
2. Complete your writing assignment for the week and post it to the eboard
3. Give feedback to at least one of your fellow students
Lesson 01:
Lecture:
The Logline(Tuesday, 5/31)
Introduction
The Logline
Lesson 02:
The Treatment (Thursday, 6/2)
Lecture:
The Treatment
Assignment: Post your logline and treatment by 9 AM on the day of our next class.
Lesson 03:
Lecture:
Media Clip:
Assignment:
Opening Hook (Tuesday, 6/7)
Capturing and Keeping Your Audience
The Terminator (Cameron, 1984)
Provide feedback to at least one fellow student on the logline and treatment by 9
AM on the day of our next class.
Lesson 04:
Lecture:
Media Clip:
Assignment:
Ordinary World and Inciting Incident (Thursday, 6/9)
Your Ordinary World and Your Inciting Incident
Sexy Beast (Glazer, 2000)
Post and email pages 1-15 by 9 AM on the day of our next class.
Lesson 05:
Lecture:
Media Clip:
Assignment:
The Mini-Crisis (Tuesday, 6/16)
Pulling Back the Spring
Poltergeist (Hooper, 1982)
Provide feedback to at least one fellow student on their pages by 9 AM on
the day of our next class.
Lesson 06:
The First Act Break (Thursday, 6/18)
Lecture:
The Spring Releases!
Media Clip: Poltergeist (Hooper, 1982)
American Beauty (Mendes, 1999)
Assignment: Post and email pages 15-30
Lesson 07:
New World, New Rules (Tuesday, 6/21)
Lecture:
The Plan, the Teams
Media Clip: Little Miss Sunshine (Dayton & Faris, 2006)
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Assignment: Provide feedback to at least one fellow student on their pages by 9 AM on
the day of our next class.
Lesson 08:
Subplots (Thursday, 6/23)
Lecture:
Keeping all the Plates Spinning!
Media Clip: Donnie Darko (Kelly, 2001)
Harold and Maude (Ashby, 1972)
Assignment: Post and email pages 30-45
Lesson 09:
A Major Test (Tuesday, 6/28)
Lecture:
Your Protagonist’s Big Failure
Assignment: Provide feedback to at least one fellow student on their pages by 9 AM on
the day of our next class.
Lesson 10:
The Midpoint (Thursday, 6/30)
Lecture:
The First (False) Solution
Assignment: Post and email pages 45-60.
Lesson 11:
Major Losses (Tuesday, 7/5)
Lecture:
The Three Traditional Losses
Assignment: Provide feedback to at least one fellow student on their pages by 9 AM on
the day of our next class.
Lesson 12:
The Big Pit (Thursday, 7/7)
Lecture:
The Worst Loss of All
Assignment: Post and email pages 60-90.
Lesson 13:
The Epiphany (Tuesday, 7/12)
Lecture:
The Epiphany: The Protagonist’s True Goal Revealed
Assignment: Provide feedback to at least one fellow student on their pages by 9 AM on
the day of our next class.
Lesson 14:
The Climax and the Resolution (Thursday, 7/14)
Lecture:
The Climax and the Resolution
Assignment: Post and email pages 90-110.
Lesson 15:
The Re-Write, The Business (Tuesday, 7/19)
Lecture:
Polishing and Getting Your Screenplay Out There!
Assignment: Polish your final draft!
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Final Draft and Response to Feedback: Due as Email Attachment Friday,
7/23, by 9:00am MST.