This course introduces students to the creative and commercial conventions of short film screenwriting.  

Weekly sessions: screening (2 hours approx), practice-based lecture (1hour), workshop (2 hours)
+
individual tutorials

This course encourages students to develop their creative writing skills within the discipline of short film screenwriting. Students are introduced to creative, commercial and institutional aspects of the script development process, and develop their own writing through a series of workshops and tutorials. Assessment is by a 1,000 to 1,500 word short film treatment (submitted mid-course) and an end-of-course screenplay for a short film of up to 10 minutes (3,000 to 4,000 words), developed from the treatment.

Reassessments are normally available for all courses, except those which contribute to the Honours classification. For non Honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions for this course are described below. 

The course aims to:

■ develop students' creative writing skills in the discipline of short film screenwriting

■ introduce students to particular commercial and institutional aspects of the script development process

■ develop students' analytical skills in relation to the appreciation and evaluation of storytelling techniques in film

By the end of this course students will be able to

■ demonstrate, through their own creative writing, an understanding of the discipline of short film screenwriting

■ demonstrate and understand, through practical experience, some of the commercial and institutional factors affecting the short film script development process

■ identify the dramatic techniques employed by other screenwriters/filmmakers and apply them to their own creative writing

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.