Syllabus: Writing the Short Film
CE 1903 | Summer 2014
SSyll
Continuing Educ ation
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Course Information:
Location: TBA
Dates: Tuesdays, June 3 – August 5
Time: 6 – 9 PM
Instructor Information:
Name: David J. Greenberg
Email:dgreenberg@uarts.edu
Email Policy: open
Instructor Bio:
David Greenberg teaches screenwriting at UARTS and Drexel. He has been hired to write nearly 40
feature, short or documentary films. His feature writing-directing debut Stomping Ground is currently
in post-production as is a new documentary, Lovers On The Run: The Complete Story of Bonnie &
Clyde. His 1995 short film The True Meaning of Cool won an award from the American Film Institute.
Course Description:
Just as some people write novels while others write poems, some filmmakers make features and some
make shorts — they are distinct forms in their own right. This course will examine the obvious
similarities in features and shorts but will primarily explore the differences between the two.
Course Overview
This course is a writing intensive class that examines the elements particular to screenwriting for short
films via lectures, screenings, writing assignments and in-class readings/critiques. Topics include the
use three act structure, creating a character, act design, and scene structure. Students will complete
several small projects and an original 10-15 page screenplay by the end of the semester.
Course Objectives/Learning Objectives:
Students will significantly develop their critical thinking abilities as applied to the analysis of the short
film form and develop critical analysis skill in by examining short film scripts and evaluating their
production-worthy attributes. Students will further their own self-reflexive analysis skills as applied to
their own work.
C OU R SE R E S OU RC E S
Software — Final Draft, MovieMagic Screenwriter or other software is highly recommended
C OU R SE A C TIV IT IE S
Readings + Responses, Presentations, Written Assignments, Critiques.
CE 1903 | C/N
SUMMER 2014
C OU R SE P O L IC IE S
Student Feedback/Communication can be both via e-mail or in person, before, during or after class
Scripts should be submitting via dgreenberg@uarts.edu as fdx, fdr, mmsw or cltx files, word/pages if
necessary.
Attendance + Participation
All students are expected to attend classes regularly and promptly, and for the duration of the
scheduled instructional time. Individual instructors will decide the optimum time for taking attendance
and may penalize for habitual lateness of absence. Repeated absences may result in a grade of "F" for
the course.
Students who withdraw from a course must do so in writing. Nonattendance does not constitute an
official withdrawal.
U NIVERSITY P OLICIES :
Academic Honesty/ Integrity Policy
Violations of academic integrity are considered to be acts of academic dishonesty and include (but are
not limited to) cheating, plagiarizing, fabrication, denying others access to information or material, and
facilitating academic dishonesty, and are subject to disciplinary action. To review the Academic
Honesty/ Integrity Policy in its entirety, please visit:
http://cs.uarts.edu/ce/policies#academichonesty/integritypolicy
ACT 48 Activity Hours
To have ACT 48 Activity Hours for this course reported to the Pennsylvania Department of Education
(PDE) you must complete and return the CE Request for Activity Hours Submission Form to the UArts
Continuing Studies Office and meet all requirements outlined by the PDE.
Student Code of Conduct
It is the policy of the Division of Continuing Studies to provide a safe and healthy environment for
learning, personal growth and enjoyment. The well being of this community depends upon the good
judgment and considerate behavior of its members. Student status at The University of the Arts is not
an unconditional right, but a privilege subject to certain rules and expectations articulated in the
Student Code of Conduct. To review the Student Code of Conduct in its entirety, please visit:
http://cs.uarts.edu/uploads/media_items/student-code-of-conduct.original.pdf
G RA D IN G : (if applicable) The ultimate goal of this course is to produce a rich,
engaging, provocative short screenplay that can actually be made into a film. While
there are a number of little exercises assigned, if you do well on your final project,
you do well in the course.
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SUMMER 2014
SCHEDULE :
SESSION +
DATE
Session 1
6/3
Session 2
6/10
TOPIC
Introduction
Structure, formula, formatting, cinematic conventions,
tricks and techniques. Selected screenings
Assignment
Write a Beat Sheet in the style demonstrated in class:
minimum 20 beats and NO SPEECH.
The World of the
Short
Assignment
Session 3
6/17
DUE
Due: 6/9
Introduction to the world of short form filmmaking,
how shorts differ from features.
Selected screenings.
Write a simple short story that can be told with no
dialogue. Your tools are desire, action and conflict.Create
a character, give him/her a conflict to resolve that is
difficult to attain and then find a climax and resolution
that are unexpected. Length one paragraph - one page.
Due 6/16
Write a 2-3 page screenplay based on “Knock”
Due: 6/23
Maximum Story,
Minimum Space
Assignment
Session 4
6/24
COURSEWORK
Genre
Considerations in
Short Films
Assignment
Review of Knock screenplays
Selected screenings
Write a 3-5 page adaptation of one of The World’s
Shortest Stories from the distributed collection.
Due: 6/30
Structural Considerations.
Screening; Life Lessons directed by Martin Scorsese
Session 5
7/1
Assignment
Prepare 3 pitches for short films in class next week
Due: 7/7
Pitching.
Documentary and Experimental Shorts
Writing a treatment
Session 6
7/8
Assignment
Write a treatment for your short screenplay
Due: 7/14
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SUMMER 2014
Workshop Treatments
Session 7
7/15
Selected Screenings
Assignment
Due: 7/21
Workshop Screenplays
Session 8
7/22
Selected screenings
Assignment
Session 9
7/29
Complete the second act/third of your screenplay
Due: 7/28
Workshop Screenplays
Selected screenings
Assignment
Session 10
8/5
Complete the first act/third of your screenplay
Review
Finish screenplays
Due: 8/4
Class Discussion and reading of final projects.
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