CUA51020 - Diploma of Screen and Media: Screenwriting

Diploma of Screen and Media - Screenwriting

OVERVIEW

New York Film Academy Australia delivers the nationally recognised program CUA51020 Diploma of Screen and Media with selected subjects focusing on screenwriting.

New York Film Academy Australia recognises the critical role writers play in the creation of every film and television show. Yet, writing talent alone is not enough to create successful work in these mediums. Screenwriting is a learned craft, and a writer must write every day to train for the demands of this field, and to truly understand the elements that make a screenplay or teleplay functional, as well as engaging.

In addition to learning the conventions of the writing craft, students are given the support and structure to write and meet deadlines. Students write intensively throughout the course and complete several projects with the assistance of constructive critique from instructors, as well as peers.

WHAT MAKES OUR SCREENWRITING PROGRAMS UNIQUE?

Over the course of the program, each student writes a feature-length screenplay, plus one television script, along with the possibility to workshop additional treatments. As part of a fully integrated program, students explore related areas of filmmaking that help to improve their screenplays and put them into a real-world context. Thus, in addition to writing classes, students study film craft, acting, pitching, and cinema studies, as they apply to screenwriting.

Upon completion of the program, students not only understand story structure, character, conflict and dialogue, but also leave the Academy with finished products that they can pitch, produce, and try to sell.

In the New York Film Academy Australia’s Screenwriting program, students are taught the art of screenwriting through courses in both film studies and screenplay/script analysis.

Students are assigned several writing projects. These projects are subject to critique from instructors and peers during in-class workshops.

CUA51020 - DIPLOMA OF SCREEN AND MEDIA - SCREENWRITING: SEMESTER ONE

Screenwriters are cinematic storytellers. The genesis of any film project is an idea or concept that must be fleshed out into a fully formed screenplay deemed worthy of production. During Semester One, students are introduced to the screenwriter's tools, and develop the skills necessary for writing. Students are encouraged to be creative, but are also taught to think of the screenplay as a tool—the definitive industry tool-- used to articulate an idea or concept to a production team, including producers, financiers, directors, and actors. Standard formatting and industry expectations are studied and analysed during writing workshops and lectures.

LEARNING GOALS

1. In depth study of classic screenplay structure, character arcs, theme, conflict, flashbacks, voiceover, subtext, style, tone, visualisation, discipline, and genre.
2. Fundamentals of writing and story generation.
3. Fundamentals of writing for the screen
4. Development of treatments
5. Edit texts

WRITING GOALS

1. Write an outline for a feature-length film.
2. Write a treatment for a feature-length film.
3. Write outlines for television pilots
4. Write a TV Bible for a television series

CUA51020 - DIPLOMA OF SCREEN AND MEDIA - SCREENWRITING: SEMESTER TWO

The second semester challenges students to develop their craft artistically and technically, and to progress beyond their earlier experiments with the feature length screenplay. In a workshop setting, students begin writing and revising a feature length screenplay. Students are expected to share revised or newly written material with their instructors and classmates for critique. During this semester, students also broaden their understanding of the medium of motion pictures through the creation of material for television.

LEARNING GOALS

1. Professional screenwriting practice.
2. Development pitch materials and scripts across various mediums.
3. Fundamentals of screen production
4. Standard conventions of writing for television
5. Fundamentals of film directing
6. Edit scripts.

WRITING GOALS

1. Write a full draft script for a feature-length film
2. Write a full draft script for a television pilot
3. Write a news segment
4. Direct and work with actors for a scene or short film.

CUA51020 - DIPLOMA OF SCREEN AND MEDIA - SCREENWRITING: APPLICATION PROCESS

Interested students are invited to complete the application form, with a personal statement, and attend an interview to determine entrance to the program.

Course Descriptions

Term 1 Story Generation and Screenwriting Elements Writing for Television I Safety on Set	Term 3 Writing the Feature II The Freelancer Writing for Television II
Term 2 Cinema Studies Writing the Feature I	Term 4 Writing the Feature III Script to Screen

Story Generation and Screenwriting Elements   CUAWRT401 - Edit texts, CUARES412 Conduct Research

The Story Generation and Screenwriting Elements introduces the students to the craft of storytelling and editing texts. Students will be engaged in the creative process of researching and developing story ideas and character profiles. They will learn the fundamentals of writing for the screen and gain insight into the creative process involved.

Writing for Television I   CUAPPR415 - Develop and discuss ideas for own creative work

Writing for Television I, introduces the student to the fundamentals of screenwriting in the world of television drama. It is a fast-paced, intensive workshop program that allows the student to develop the knowledge and skills required to originate and develop a concept for television programs, and to develop their concept into story outlines and a television bible. Students engage regularly in workshops and discussions with peers to develop their concepts.

Safety on Set   CUAPPR515 - Establish and maintain safe creative practice

The purpose of Safety on Set is to teach the film industry practitioner to determine work health and safety requirements in a given environment and occupation, identify hazards and assess and manage risks, and to monitor and enhance safety of their practice. Having sound practical knowledge of safety is paramount for film sets, sound stages, and for screenwriters who may work on computers for long periods of time.

Cinema Studies   BSBCMM411 - Make presentations

Cinema Studies t students to identify the techniques used by cinematic innovators throughout the history of filmmaking. Through screenings and discussions, students will grow to understand how filmmakers have approached the great challenge of telling stories with moving images from silent films to the digital age. The course explores ways that the crafts of directing, screenwriting, cinematography, acting, and editing have developed. Students are then challenged to place themselves within that development with regard to their on-going film projects.

Writing Feature I   CUAWRT512 - Develop storylines and treatments, CUAPPR411 - Realise a creative project

Writing the Feature I introduces the student to the fundamentals of screenwriting for film. It incorporates fast-paced, intensive workshops that explore the fundamentals of screenwriting, in which students will be asked to develop, edit and present their feature film concepts.

Writing the Feature II   CUAWRT402 - Write extended stories

Writing the Feature II builds upon knowledge gained in earlier terms, in which students plotted their feature film script. In this subject the students will further develop their feature film scripts and reappraise parts of it to intensively adjust the script’s narrative, plotting, character arcs, and characterisation to further develop their first and second acts.

Writing for Television II   CUAWRT415 - Write narration and material for productions, CUAAIR411 - Plan and Conduct interviews

Writing for Television II further develops the student’s fundamentals in screenwriting for television. It is a fast-paced, intensive workshop program that allows the student to develop the knowledge and skills required to develop their story outlines into first draft television scripts.

The Freelancer   CUAIND412 - Provide freelance services

The purpose of The Freelancer is to teach students to learn how to work as a freelancer in the screenwriting industry, including how to promote themselves as a screenwriter and deal with the business aspects of being a freelance screenwriter.

Writing the Feature III   CUAWRT602 - Edit Scripts, CUAIND512 Enhance professional practice using creative arts industry knowledge

Writing the Feature III builds upon the knowledge gained in earlier terms. Students complete Act three of their feature film script and edit their own scripts as well as other scripts. As part of this process, the student will also be asked to explore the broader context of the creative arts industry’s networks and professional bodies and to enhance their professional practice and industry knowledge, helping prepare them for the commercial realities of working as a professional screenwriter, which will involve pitching their own feature film script.

Script to Screen   CUAPOS511 - Edit complex media productions, CUADRT512 - Direct performers for screen productions

Script to Screen allows the screenwriting student to discuss the production process and experience post-production planning, and what happens to their scripts when they go into post production. The student will explore the skills and knowledge required to prepare for post-production, work with actors to direct their own scene, and digitally edit content to complete a project for viewing and evaluation. Students will engage in the creative process of using editing techniques to build character and story to progress the narrative, bringing their scripts to life and gaining experience of editing and all that that entails. In gaining an understanding of the planning and editing process, the student will be able to utilise these skills to inform and strengthen their own writing practice.