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  2. Scriptwriting: Television Drama [FAV2203]

School: Arts and Humanities

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

  • Unit Title

    Scriptwriting: Television Drama

  • Unit Code

    FAV2203

  • Year

    2016

  • Enrolment Period

    1

  • Version

    2

  • Credit Points

    15

  • Full Year Unit

     N

  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus

Description

This unit develops skills in planning, researching and scripting drama for television series. Students will have the opportunity to develop a television series project.

Prerequisite Rule

Students must pass 1 units from FAV2102

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Recognise the distinctive characteristics of television formats and genres and how these relate to programming and script requirements.
  2. Further develop an understanding of the elements of dramatic structure, writing for the screen, script structure and format.
  3. Produce concepts, storylines, scene breakdowns and a script for a project.
  4. Understand the role of the writing team in the production process.
  5. Identify appropriate sources of funding and marketing strategies for television concepts and scripts.

Unit Content

  1. Analysis and discussion of television programs and how industry conventions affect script and program design.
  2. Exercises in creating, structuring and writing material for television.
  3. Development of a major script project for television, through the stages of concept, research, series "bible", scene breakdown and first draft.
  4. Consideration of how to "pitch" or sell a project, markets for scripts, and locating sources of funding.

Additional Learning Experience Information

Lectures. Tutorials. Workshops.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant Board of Examiners.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
AssignmentSeries Concept Document40%
Creative WorkSeries Episode60%

Text References

  • Venis, Linda. (2013). (Ed). Inside the room : writing TV with the pros at UCLA Extension Writers' Program. New York: Gotham Press.
  • Cook, M. (2007). Write to TV: out of your head and onto the screen. Burlington: MA : Focal Press.
  • Goldberg, L. & Rabkin, W. (2003). Successful television writing. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley
  • Blum, R. (2001). Television and screen writing: from concept to contract. Boston: Focal Press.
  • ^ Haddrick, G. (2001). Top shelf 2: Five outstanding television screenplays. Sydney, Australia: Currency Press.
  • ^ Haddrick, G. (2001). Top shelf 1: reading and writing the best in Australian TV drama. Sydney, Australia: Currency Press.
  • Egri, L. (2004) The art of dramatic writing: It's basis in the creative interpretation of human motives. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.

^ Mandatory reference

Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Academic Misconduct

Edith Cowan University has firm rules governing academic misconduct and there are substantial penalties that can be applied to students who are found in breach of these rules. Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • plagiarism;
  • unauthorised collaboration;
  • cheating in examinations;
  • theft of other students' work;

Additionally, any material submitted for assessment purposes must be work that has not been submitted previously, by any person, for any other unit at ECU or elsewhere.

The ECU rules and policies governing all academic activities, including misconduct, can be accessed through the ECU website.

FAV2203|2|1

School: Arts and Humanities

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

  • Unit Title

    Scriptwriting: Television Drama

  • Unit Code

    FAV2203

  • Year

    2016

  • Enrolment Period

    2

  • Version

    2

  • Credit Points

    15

  • Full Year Unit

     N

  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus

Description

This unit develops skills in planning, researching and scripting drama for television series. Students will have the opportunity to develop a television series project.

Prerequisite Rule

Students must pass 1 units from FAV2102

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Recognise the distinctive characteristics of television formats and genres and how these relate to programming and script requirements.
  2. Further develop an understanding of the elements of dramatic structure, writing for the screen, script structure and format.
  3. Produce concepts, storylines, scene breakdowns and a script for a project.
  4. Understand the role of the writing team in the production process.
  5. Identify appropriate sources of funding and marketing strategies for television concepts and scripts.

Unit Content

  1. Analysis and discussion of television programs and how industry conventions affect script and program design.
  2. Exercises in creating, structuring and writing material for television.
  3. Development of a major script project for television, through the stages of concept, research, series "bible", scene breakdown and first draft.
  4. Consideration of how to "pitch" or sell a project, markets for scripts, and locating sources of funding.

Additional Learning Experience Information

Lectures. Tutorials. Workshops.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant Board of Examiners.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
AssignmentSeries Concept Document40%
Creative WorkSeries Episode60%

Text References

  • Venis, Linda. (2013). (Ed). Inside the room : writing TV with the pros at UCLA Extension Writers' Program. New York: Gotham Press.
  • Cook, M. (2007). Write to TV: out of your head and onto the screen. Burlington: MA : Focal Press.
  • Goldberg, L. & Rabkin, W. (2003). Successful television writing. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley
  • Blum, R. (2001). Television and screen writing: from concept to contract. Boston: Focal Press.
  • ^ Haddrick, G. (2001). Top shelf 2: Five outstanding television screenplays. Sydney, Australia: Currency Press.
  • ^ Haddrick, G. (2001). Top shelf 1: reading and writing the best in Australian TV drama. Sydney, Australia: Currency Press.
  • Egri, L. (2004) The art of dramatic writing: It's basis in the creative interpretation of human motives. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.

^ Mandatory reference

Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Academic Misconduct

Edith Cowan University has firm rules governing academic misconduct and there are substantial penalties that can be applied to students who are found in breach of these rules. Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • plagiarism;
  • unauthorised collaboration;
  • cheating in examinations;
  • theft of other students' work;

Additionally, any material submitted for assessment purposes must be work that has not been submitted previously, by any person, for any other unit at ECU or elsewhere.

The ECU rules and policies governing all academic activities, including misconduct, can be accessed through the ECU website.

FAV2203|2|2