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Script Adaptation: Stage, Screen and Multimedia

Unit Code: LPW603

Duration

Contact Hours

Campus

Prerequisite

Corequisite

13 week study period

3 Hours per Week

Online

LPW500 Critical Friends: The real and virtual support of writers

Credit Points: 12.5 Credit Points

Related Course/s:

A unit in the Graduate Diploma of Arts (Writing) and Master of Arts (Writing)

Aims & Objectives:

This unit provides students with the opportunity to develop an understanding of how to ‘read’, ‘write’, and ‘research’ the wide range of adaptations that are made for presentation on stage, cinematic screen and computer screen.

This unit further develops students’ understandings of the relationship of critical and cultural theories to the discourse of and about writing.

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

Demonstrate their exploration of the principles of adaptation
act as ‘writerly-readers’ of scripts;\
reflect their understanding of different media for performance and the role of the writer, through written responses
identify and apply elements of writing for performance, including plot, character and mise-en-scene
demonstrate emergent skills appropriate to script writing through the development of their own script proposals, outlines and the script itself
Offer understanding of the particular industrial and cultural demands of proposing and developing a script for performance
show insights into the processes of adaptation of a story for performance
demonstrate an understanding of the demands of writing for visual screens from film to T.V. and multimedia

Teaching Methods:

This unit is delivered online and includes a range of flexible and multi-modal learning approaches, such as virtual lectures, virtual tutorials, electronic media, set readings for response. The unit Web page provides the following information: interactivities, multimedia links, hypertext links, references and virtual community opportunities and is supported by an online tutor and opportunities for peer mentoring.

Assessment:

Written Assignments 60% - 70%
Participation in Weekly Discussion Threads 30% - 40%

Generic Skills Outcomes:

This unit will provide discipline-based knowledge and professional capabilities and experiences contributing to students’ progress in attaining generic skills such as:

Analytical skills developed through interactive applied, critical and reflective writing tasks and reviews requiring critical thinking
Communication skills developed through interactive discussion forums and web-based communication
Ability to work independently developed through web-based research and online learning, in addition to library research

Content:

Narrative in writing for stage and screens
Creation and development of character
Voice and dialogue
Dramatic elements: space, time, tension, conflict
Thinking adaptation: from book to film
Structure and adaptations
Elements of the stage play
The Elements of the screen play: structure, substructure, timing
Substructure: Technical requirements of adapting for screen and stage
Elements of writing for multi-media formats: Shots, scenes and sequences
Writing for the visual
Case Studies: Successful adaptations
Case Studies: script writers and writing process

Reading Materials:

Arnold, J. 2007 Practice Led Research: A dynamic way to knowledge, Rock View Press: Melbourne.

Aronson, L. 2000, Scriptwriting Updated: New and Conventional Ways of Writing for the Screen. Sydney: Allen & Unwin.

Dawson, J. 2000, Screenwriting: A Manual, Melbourne: Oxford University Press.
Egri, L 1977, The Art of Dramatic Writing, New York: Simon and Schuster.

Giddings, R. & Sheen, E. (eds) 1999, From Page to Screen: Adaptations of the Classic Novel. Manchester: Manchester University Press.

Howard, D. 2006, How to Build a Great Screenplay: A Master Class in Storytelling for Film. New York: St. Martin's Press.

Kitchen, J. 2007. Writing a Great Movie: Key Tools for Successful Screenwriting. USA: Billboard Books.

The Macquarie Dictionary.

The Macquarie Thesaurus.

The Macquarie website: http://www.macnet.mq.edu.au

Schwartz, M. E., 2007, How to write: a screenplay. New York: Continuum.

Seger, L. 1990, Creating Unforgettable Characters, Boston: Henry Holt.

Selbo, J. 2007. Gardner's Guide to Screenplay: From Idea to Successful Script (Gardner's Guide series), Washington, DC: GGC Publishing.

Strunk, W, The Elements of Style (any recent edition) or the online version: http://www.bartleby.com/141/

Trottier, D. 2005 Screenwriter's Bible: A Complete Guide to Writing, Formatting and Selling Your Script. Los Angeles: Silman-James Press.

And the following electronic resources:

The Electronic Labyrinth: http://jefferson.village.virginia.edu/elab/elab.html
Exposition: Towards an Electronic Humanities: http://web.nwe.ufl.edu/~gulmer/expo.html
Hypertext or Anti-Linear Navigation: http://home.earthlink.net/~outlyr/hypertext/
Red Mona: http://www.purplefrog.com/~christy/red-mona/
CyberReader: http://www.abacon.com/vitanza/cyber/index.html
Lucid Mapping and Codex Transformissions in the Z-Buffer: http://www.iath.virginia.edu/~mgk3k/lucid/

References:

The following reading materials are recommended but not required:

Aronson, L 2000, Scriptwriting Updated: New and Conventional Ways of Writing for the Screen, Allen & Unwin, Sydney.

Dawson, J 2000, Screenwriting: A Manual, Oxford University Press, Melbourne.

Egri, L 1977, The Art of Dramatic Writing, Simon and Schuster, New York.

Giddings, R & Sheen, E (eds) 1999, From Page to Screen: Adaptations of the Classic Novel, Manchester University Press, Manchester.

Howard, D 2006, How to Build a Great Screenplay: A Master Class in Storytelling for Film, St. Martin's Press, New York.

Kitchen, J 2007, Writing a Great Movie: Key Tools for Successful Screenwriting, Billboard Books, USA.

McKee, R, 1997, Story, Harper Collins, New York (highly recommended)

The Macquarie Dictionary

The Macquarie Thesaurus

The Macquarie website: http://www.macnet.mq.edu.au

Schwartz, ME 2007, How to Write: A Screenplay, Continuum, New York.

Seger, L 1990, Creating Unforgettable Characters, Henry Holt, Boston.

Selbo, J 2007, Gardner's Guide to Screenplay: From Idea to Successful Script (Gardner's Guide series), GGC Publishing, Washington, DC.

Strunk, W The Elements of Style (any recent edition) or the online version: http://www.bartleby.com/141/

Trottier, D 2005, Screenwriter's Bible: A Complete Guide to Writing, Formatting and Selling Your Script, Silman-James Press, Los Angeles.

And the following electronic resources:

The Electronic Labyrinth: http://jefferson.village.virginia.edu/elab/elab.html

Exposition: Towards an Electronic Humanities: http://web.nwe.ufl.edu/~gulmer/expo.html