1
FILM 2301, SCREENWRITING II
Spring, 2014
Time: Monday 9:30 am – 1:10 pm
Instructor: Alex Kustanovich
E-mail: akustanovich@brooklyn.cuny.edu
Phone: 718-489-3445
Class website: Blackboard
Office Hours – by Appointment
Required Texts:
Vogler, Christopher: Writer's Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers
(available at the Brooklyn College Bookstore, 718-951-5150
http://brooklyn.bncollege.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/TBWizardView?catalogId=10001&langId=-1&storeId=25555
Recommended Texts:
Truby, John: The Anatomy of Story
Field, Syd: Screenplay
Campbell, Joseph: The Hero With a Thousand Faces
Egri, Lajos: The Art of Dramatic Writing
Aristotle: Poetics
Course Objective:
To learn the basic structure of dramatic and visual storytelling, and to develop a step outline for a narrative feature film.
Course Description:
We will watch and discuss feature films, read and examine produced and unproduced screenplays, and study the fundamentals of movie structure and
its narrative components -- story, character, action, and dialogue. We’ll discuss film genres and watch clips of popular (and not so popular) films. But
most of all, we’ll do a lot of writing.
Each week we’ll explore a new topic through lecture and writing exercise. You will upload your assignments and weekly exercises into the folder on
Blackboard designated to your group. Each member of the group is required to read his/her group-mates' work and be prepared to discuss it
in class.
There will be TWO short, multiple-choice quizzes to test your knowledge of the assigned material. There will be NO MAKE-UP quizzes.
You are Required to…







Attend all classes
Participate in class discussions
Read the assigned material(s)
Read all the Blackboard posts, and the web pages linked in each post,
and /or the attached materials
Complete all assignments and exercises
Create a step outline for a feature-length screenplay
Get at least a “B” on the Final Exam
Attendance and Class Participation Policy:
Attendance, promptness and participation in class discussions are essential to your passing this course.
The Brooklyn College Film Department has a strict attendance policy. So that there are no surprises and disappointments later in the semester,
please be sure to read and memorize the paragraph below.
You are allowed to miss ONE CLASS throughout the course of the semester. However, if you miss more than one, your grade will be no
higher than a B. If you miss more than two classes, you will FAIL the course. Just in case you accidentally skipped the line above, let me
repeat it again: IF YOU MISS MORE THAN TWO CLASSES YOU WILL FAIL THE COURSE.
Please note: A student who arrives to class more than fifteen (15) minutes late is considered absent.
We meet once a week and have a lot of material to cover, so before you make a commitment to this course, please make sure that you can attend it
every Monday from 9:30 am to 1:10.
Habitual lateness (five minutes, more than twice) will result in a drop of a full grade.
2
We will have TWO FIFTEEN-MINUTE BREAKS (OR ONE THIRTY-MINUTE BREAK – it’s up to you) each class, so you’ll have plenty of time to make
that important phone call, eat a blueberry muffin, or do a yoga shoulder stand to wake yourself up. However, when the fifteen minutes are up, you are
expected back in the classroom. Anyone who extends his or her break by even one minute will be marked absent.
PLEASE NOTE: We'll be using the BC BLACKBOARD http://portal.cuny.edu, where you will uploading your assignments (I will provide detailed
instructions on how to do it). Blackboard offers the security and privacy that a site on the open Web does not. You can also view the class syllabus and
calendar on Blackboard, class notes and highlights, and your grades, of course.
All correspondence should be sent to my BC email: akustanovich@brooklyn.cuny.edu
ALL ASSIGNMENTS ARE DUE IN YOUR RESPECTIVE FOLDERS ON BLACKBOARD NO LATER THAN 9:30AM ON THEIR DUE DATE.
NO HARD COPIES, PLEASE (unless you have a good reason to bring one to class).
All assignments have to be turned in on time. Any assignment handed in within one week after its due date will be marked down a full letter grade.
No assignment will be accepted later than one week after its due date.
Please note: You are allowed a maximum of two times during the semester to hand in your assignment late. Any time thereafter, even if the
assignment is turned in 10 minutes past its due time, you will get an “F”.
Academic Dishonesty:
Any student found engaging in an act of academic dishonesty will be promptly dismissed from the course with a grade F. Academic dishonesty
includes the following:
Plagiarism – Presenting someone else’s work as your own.
Collusion – Allowing others to do the writing or revisions for you.
Evaluation will be based on the following:
1.
Class participation:
(face-to-face and online)
15%
2.
Assignments and Exercises:
40%
3.
Quizzes:
20%
4.
Final Exam:
25%
Grade Requirements for the Department:
In order to receive credit for this course, you must get a grade of C or higher; in order to take any advanced screenwriting course, for which this course
is a prerequisite, you must receive a grade of B or higher.
There will be NO INCOMPLETES given in this class.
Class Etiquette
The entire class will be working together, so each student is expected to be a well-prepared presenter and
a courteous and thoughtful listener who offers constructive and appropriate feedback. Ask yourself what you can do during each class discussion to
move the class forward in a positive way. Please turn off your cell phones when you enter the classroom.
COURSE CALENDAR
DATE
Week 1
Jan. 27
CLASSWORK
Introduction.
The syllabus and course calendar.
Overview of dramatic storytelling
Premise and logline.
The art of pitching.
Group Assignment.
HOMEWORK
Vogler: Introduction and A Practical Guide
Assignment #1:
Come up with a PREMISE and LOGLINE for the story you want to
write in this class. No longer than half-a- page.
Due no later than Friday, January 31st, @ 11:59 pm
(midnight).
Upload the assignment to your respective folder on
Blackboard.
Week 2
Feb. 3
7 Key Steps to story structure.
Stages of the Hero’s Journey.
Pitch and discuss your stories.
Maximum 15 minutes per pitch. Be prepared.
Comments / Feedback
Read COLLATERAL SCREENPLAY (on Blackboard )
3
Week 3
Feb 10
Continue to pitch and discuss your stories
Vogler: The Archetypes, Hero, Mentor (pp. 23-49)
The art of writing a ONE-PAGE SYNOPSIS. Samples.
Read the material on Blackboard.
Class exercises.
Week 4
THURSDAY
Feb. 20
NOTE: We are not meeting on Monday, Feb. 17
because of Lincoln’s Birthday. But are required to
meet on THURSDAY, Feb. 20. Be sure to adjust your
schedule.
Continue to pitch and discuss your stories
Joseph Campbell -- The Power of Myth, Part I
Week 5
Feb. 24
Read THE MATRIX SCREENPLAY (on Blackboard)
Follow the links to the synopsis samples on Blackboard.
Start working on the synopsis for your story. Be sure to keep the
synopsis NO LONGER than ONE PAGE.
Synopsis assignment due no later than Friday, Feb.28nd
@11:59 pm(midnight).
Upload the assignment to your respective folders on
Blackboard.
Synopsis questions / problems?
Read Sequence Outline samples (on Blackboard)
Screening and analyzing The Matrix
Vogler: Herald through Trickster (pp. 49-81)
Hero’s Journey beats.
Be prepared for Quiz 1 on March 3.
Quiz 1
Week 6
March 3
Start working on your Sequence Outline.
Sequence Outline (Act I, Act II, Mid-Point, Act III, SelfRevelation/Audience Revelation)
Film Clips.
Vogler: Ordinary World through Refusal of the Call (pp. 81-117)
Read YOU CAN COUNT ON ME screenplay
(on Blackboard)
Exercises.
Sequence Outline assignment due no later than Friday, March
14th @11:59 pm (midnight).
Upload the assignment to your respective folder on
Blackboard.
Week 7
March 10
Screening and analyzing You Can Count on Me
Scene Analyses
Vogler: Meeting with the Mentor through Approach to the Inmost
Cave (pp. 117-155)
Read AVATAR SCREENPLAY (on Blackboard)
Week 8
March 17
The Step Outline: Act 1
Discussing the Avatar screenplay. Story beats.
Scene Construction
Step vs. Scene
Step Outline – Act 1 assignment due no later than Friday,
March 21 @11:59 pm (midnight).
Upload the assignment to your respective folder on
Blackboard.
Exercises.
Week 9
March 24
Step Outline – Act 2
Anatomy of a Scene: Body Heat, Eve’s Bayou, The
Verdict.
Start working on Act 2 (Part I and Part II) of your Step Outline.
4
Week 10
March 31
Vogler: Meeting with the Mentor through Approach to the Inmost
Cave (pp. 117-155)
Film genres.
Screening and analyzing Rosemary’s Baby
Week 11
April 7
Step Outline – Act III
Read NIGHTCRAWLER SCREENPLAY (on Blackboard)
Reading scenes, group exercises, film clips.
Vogler: The Ordeal through Return with the Elixir (pp. 155-215)
Joseph Campbell – The Power of Myth, Part II
Be prepared for Quiz 2 on April 28th.
NO CLASS
Spring Recess
NO CLASS
Spring Recess
Week 12
April 28
Quiz 2
Final Exam, Part 1: Draft 2 of your Step Outline
Screening The Lives of Others.
Week 13
May 5
Step Outline – Act 2 & 3 assignment due no later than Friday,
April 25th @11:59 pm (midnight).
Upload the assignment to your respective folder on
Blackboard.
Step Outline – Draft 2 assignment due no later than Monday,
May 5th @ 9:30am.
Upload the assignment to your respective folder on
Blackboard.
Extra-Credit assignment (optional).
Final Exam, Part 2: Screenplay Coverage
Coverage samples.
Screenplay Coverage assignment due on Monday, May 19
@9:30am. BRING A HARD COPY TO CLASS!
1 Hour TV Drama vs. Feature Film
Reading Breaking Bad screenplay (pilot)
Screening Breaking Bad pilot
Week 14
May 12
Week 15
May 19
Work on Part 2 of your Final Exam.
Screening and analyzing Thelma and Louise.
FINAL ASSIGNMENT DUE. Hard Copy!
Screening and analyzing …
(I’ll surprise you)
Final thoughts. Summing up.
HAVE A GREAT SUMMER