FINAL PROJECT

Hello, class,

Remember, your mission is to write a treatment and outline of a feature-length story, complete with logline and character biographies / descriptions. Revise the drafts that you have already turned in with the feedback from your peers/ fresh insights in mind.

Five pages is the maximum length (double spaced, 12 pt. font, Times New Roman or Courier).

YOUR FINAL PROJECT INCLUDES STORYBOARDS. THERE SHOULD BE A MINIMUM OF ONE PAGE PER ACT . These don't have to be fancy (although I know many of your are exceptional artists). Stick figures are fine so long as they convey the story/POV.

Also remember:

• You can receive 1/2 credit (5 points) for making up those posts between now and next week in the "Make-Up" section of the blog (above).
  
• You may choose additional chapters from either Story or Adventures in the Screen Trade and blog on them for extra-credit of 5 points each.

Please blog any questions you have or feel free to email me.

Best,

Mariah

Week IX

Greetings, class!

Hopefully, in between Thanksgiving stuffings, you completed the treatment draft of the first act of your feature. Now, the REAL work begins! Act II!

For homework:

• Write a draft of Act II for your final project, with storyboard, and bring it to class printed out. In preparation to write it, break it into two parts, the midpoint at the center. Create approximately fourteen bullet points of scenes that take place before/after the midpoint.
• Remember the format and grammar lessons we reviewed in class.

Recommended reading:

Story, Chapter 12, Composition

Have wonderful week!

~Mariah

Extra Credit Post

Post your extra-credit blogs here via the comment link below. Extra-credit is granted for reading a chapter of your choice from Story or Adventure in the Screen Trade and blogging on it. You may also receive extra-credit for ready the screenplay Chinatown. Define the plot-points in a given act. You will receive 5 points of credit for each act.

Blog Make-Up Spot

You may post your make-up blogs in the comments section below. They are worth 1/2 credit (5 points) each.

Week VIII

Wow!

Time is flying, isn't it? Now that you have completed your short story package, it is time to start contemplating your final project. Your mission is to write a treatment and outline of a feature-length story, complete with logline and character biographies / descriptions. This is no small task, so resist the temptation to procrastinate over these last few weeks.

Now, I don't expect you to come up with an Academy Award winning concept. A "B-movie" is fine. However, I do want to see that you have processed the process outlined in the movie we watched with Syd Field and from your reading throughout the course. The treatment does not need to be extensive. Think along the lines of coverage with the exception that it will be broken down into a three-act structure. Five pages is the maximum length (double spaced, 12 pt. font, Times New Roman or Courier).

YOUR FINAL PROJECT INCLUDES STORYBOARDS. THERE SHOULD BE A MINIMUM OF ONE PAGE PER ACT (use the templates you downloaded). These don't have to be fancy (although I know many of your are exceptional artists). Stick figures are fine so long as they convey the story/POV.

For homework:

• Write a draft of Act I for your final project, with storyboard, and bring it to class printed out. It should be about one page long. It should include character intros (in ALL CAPS the FIRST TIME ONLY) and give the reader (me!) an understanding of what the plot is.
• Ready Story, Structure and Genre.
• Choose a chapter in Adventures of the Screen Trade (yes, YOUR choice).
• Blog on both.

This is your last week of blogging! However-if you have failed to post previous blogs (worth 10 points each):

• You can receive 1/2 credit (5 points) for making up those posts between now and week 11 in the "Make-Up" section of the blog (above).
• You may choose additional chapters from either Story or Adventures in the Screen Trade and blog on them for extra-credit of 5 points each.

Week VII

Hello, Class,

First off, let me say I am very impressed with your midterms (and very proud). I know it was challenging, but now you know you can do it.

For homework:

• Read Story, Ch. 5 Story Structure and Character
• Adventures in the Screen Trade, Ch. 4 & 5
• Complete your five minute short script that you began two weeks ago. Turn in your treatment, character descriptions, and script (stapled). It should be in the narrative format.

If you didn't download the script templates, here is the site where you can:

http://www.media-academy.net/yacco/templates/index.htm

Have fun!

Truly,
Mariah

WEEK VI

Greetings, Class,

This week, we continue reading and blogging.

Read Story, Chapter 10 and Adventures in Screen Trade, the Strengths of the Screenplay.

Homework:
Read a one hour drama from the website link below (in week V) and write your own character descriptions and plot points. Print it out and bring it to class (stapled please).

You should have a short story identified by now. Next week you will outline an adaptation for it and turn it in Week 8.

Week V MIDTERM TIME!

Greetings, class,

I hope the documentary scripting process was both challenging and rewarding for you. As you have probably discovered, documentary, broadcast, and narrative scripting is drastically different!

I must say, I have been impressed with your concepts and intuition on the genre thus far. Keep it up!

This week, we will resume reading and blogging on what you have read:

Story, Chapter 8, The Inciting Incident
Adventures in the Screen Trade, Chapter 16, Weaknesses of the Screenplay

For your homework:
Find a short story and begin a treatment of how you would adapt the short story into a functional screenplay. Refer back to your previous reading in Adventures in the Screen Trade
and to the handout provided in class.

Also, check out the following site, which provides TV drama screenplays in the correct format:
http://www.dailyscript.com/tv.html

Here is another site with all kinds of script goodies:
http://www.simplyscripts.com/treatments.html

Here is the expanded outline for Big Fish:
http://johnaugust.com/downloads_ripley/bf-outline.pdf

Week IV

Greetings, class!

This week, your assignment is to draft a script for the documentary project you initiated in class. If you are behind on blogs, catch up this week!

Don't forget to finish reading the script, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid in your Adventures in the Screen Trade text. When we resume reading, the material will be based on this screenplay.

Have a wonderful week!

Truly,
Mariah

Week III

Okay class,

This week, you are reading:

Story, Chapter 5
Adventures in the Screen Trade, Chapter 20 (The Screenplay)

Your homework is :

• Blog a blurb on the reading.
• Watch a documentary and write a script for a trailer (1-2 minutes).

You can view some trailers here: http://www.pbs.org/pov/filmarchive.php.

For EXTRA CREDIT, you may pick one of the PBS/POV trailers and write the script to describe what you see and hear in the trailer. This is a good idea if you did not get off on the right foot with your blog or participation...

DON'T FORGET TO BRING YOUR Adventures in the Screen Trade text to class.

Also, bring in your calendar!

Have a fabulous week!

Mariah

Grading Point System

Class,

As per your syllabus, your grade is assessed as follows:

• 25% Attendance and Participation
• 25% Assignments and Exercises
• 25% Mid-Term Project/Examination
• 25% Final Project/Examination

To be clear:

• Your attendance and participation is worth 25 points per week.
• Perfect attendance is up to 25 points of extra credit.

Everyone who is present starts with 25 points. You can keep all of these points by being on time, abstaining from side conversations when your peers are speaking, and participating in class activities. Easy!

Each week's homework and in class assignments are worth 25 points.

Week II

Greetings, Class,

Remember that your homework is to complete the assignment you started in class.

• Propose a commercial campaign for a product. Describe the campaign idea and the target audience. Include a sample script in one of the script formats provided.

Bring your assignment, printed and stapled, to class. =)

Remember to download the script templates from the link I emailed to you. If you did not receive that email, make sure to email me at mlichtenstern@aii.edu, so I can forward it to you.

• Your reading for this week is Chapter 9 of Story and Chapters 18 & 19 of Adventures in the Screen Trade (you can scan through Adventures pretty quickly-no close reading required).
• Blog a short blurb on what you learned from the reading in the comments section below this message.

Have a wonderful week!

Welcome to Your AI Scriptwriting Blog!

If you have not already emailed me at mlichtenstern@aii.edu , please do so. Remember to include your name, email address, contact information and what you hope to learn from the class in the body of your text.

=) Mariah