CINE-116-402: SCREENWRITING WORKSHOP (ONLINE)

Instructor: Scott BurkhardtEmail: bujo@sas.upenn.eduTime & Location: Tuesdays 4:30pm - 6:30pm - ONLINE

Office Hours: By appointment via Skype or FaceTime.

The screenplay is the most difficult and misunderstood of all writing. It has felled many a great writer- see F. Scott Fitzgerald -and allowed others of modest ability and great timing to become millionaires- see numerous. It is both wildly accessible and infinitely confounding. What makes a great screenplay? A great story, great characters and CRAFT.

This course aims to guide you toward:- a better understanding of the storytelling process, specifically storytelling for the screen.- an ability to identify and craft a story that is universal in its themes and thereby accessible to an audience.- an ability to critically respond to stories in order to improve them aka giving feedback to your classmates.- a diligent writing discipline.

Successful completion of this class will include:All assigned exercises and assignments. The writing and (partial) revision of no less than 30 pages of a feature screenplay. Finishing a first draft is CRUCIAL. You should not rewrite until you have a full draft otherwise you will get caught endlessly rewriting your first 30 or so pages. HOWEVER we will break this rule a little in this class so you can get some initial exposure to rewriting.

This course will offer a professional workshop environment in which PARTICIPATION will be critical and required. Discussions must always be productive and respectful and mature themes may be discussed in relation to the work presented. Our goal is to help each other become better writers through a collective effort to explore, understand, and improve the work. Your classmates’ thoughts and opinions matter because they are all potential viewers of any film based on your screenplay. You need to be receptive to and take notes on your work. Screenplays at the professional level go through many drafts. You write once, you rewrite many times. Writing is rewriting.

If you are presenting, you must post your script to Canvas in .pdf format by 4:30pm on the Sunday before the Tuesday class. Please do not use .txt, .doc, .rtf or .fdr format as they may not be readable by the entire class. .PDF ONLY! If the script is not in .pdf format it is not considered posted.

Everyone in the class (including those presenting) will check Canvas after 4:30PM on Sunday and read all work.

You will write a paragraph of your thoughts on each script and post it in the appropriate Canvas discussion before Tuesday’s class.

IMPORTANT. The Forums for each week will close when class begins, meaning you must comment on your classmates work prior to class.

Software:Final Draft, Movie Magic, Celtx (available for free) or comparable screenwriting program. Final Draft is the industry standard but you are welcome to use another program as long as the document you post to Canvas is properly formatted and in .pdf format. Required Texts:This course is a workshop so we will not refer to texts very often but there is one required text you should all read since it is foundational for modern screenwriting (see below). Other links and handouts may be required throughout the semester.

The Tools of Screenwriting by David Howard & Edward Mabley (Please order from Amazon)Thelma & Louise Screentakes E-Book (I will let you know about this…)

Future Reading/Resources for You:Writer’s Emergency Pack by John AugustThe Writer’s Journey by Christopher Vogler and Michele MontezSave the Cat! by Blake SnyderStory by Robert McKeeScreenwriting: The Sequence Approach by Paul Joseph GulinoWriting Movies for Fun and Profit by Robert Ben Garant & Thomas LennonAdventures in the Screen Trade by William GoldmanThe Studio by John Gregory DunneWerner Herzog- A Guide for the Perplexed: Conversations with Paul Cronin

Screenwriting Websites:www.gointothestory.blcklst.com (Links to an external site.)www.scriptshadow.com (Links to an external site.)www.johnaugust.com (Links to an external site.)

Screenplay Download Websites:http://www.screenplaydb.comwww.script-o-rama.com (Links to an external site.)www.mypdfscripts.com (Links to an external site.)http://gointothestory.blcklst.com/free-script-downloads (Links to an external site.)www.imsdb.com (Links to an external site.)

Film Business Websites:www.imdb.com (Links to an external site.)www.deadline.com (Links to an external site.)www.variety.com (Links to an external site.)www.thr.com (Links to an external site.)www.indiewire.com (Links to an external site.)www.filmmakermagazine.com (Links to an external site.)

Deadlines:The 4:30PM Sunday deadline is a hard deadline. People, myself included, need time to read and absorb your work. Work that is late may not be discussed in class. I will read late work at my convenience and give you feedback. However, a failure to meet a deadline (1 minute late) will cost you a half letter grade. If you fail to submit a draft entirely (over 24 hours late) and miss your workshop, it will cost you at least one full letter grade and place you in danger of failing the course. If you miss the final deadline, you will automatically fail the course.

We will use Canvas extensively and you are required to turn in your assignment by starting a Discussion on Canvas where your classmates can comment on your work before class.

Original Work:All scripts in this class must be original. You may not work on a script for this class that you have already written for another class. Plagiarism will not be tolerated and will result in a failing grade. Attendance:You are required to attend all classes. Attendance is part of your grade. If you have to miss a class please email me prior to class.

Grading:50% of your grade will be based on your development as a screenwriter from the conception of your idea, it’s subsequent development, and ultimately the first draft through its evolution to the final draft. Although this is ultimately a subjective judgment, the logic I use is the following:

A -- Did all required work. Demonstrated substantial growth. Moments where script took on a life of it’s own.B -- Did all required work. Demonstrated growth. C -- Did all required work. Demonstrated little growth.

50% of your grade will be based on your completion of the assignments and workshop participation, considering both quality and quantity. This includes class discussion and MOSTLY your weekly written reactions to your classmates’ work to be turned in before class. Attendance will be factored into this grade.

Final grades are a cumulative assessment of your performance over the course of the entire semester and are non-negotiable.

Students with Disabilities:The University of Pennsylvania welcomes students with disabilities and provides reasonable accommodations to those who self-identify in compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. At the beginning of each semester, any student with a disability should inform me privately if any instructional accommodations or academic adjustments will be needed. For more information about the ADA and academic accommodations or adjustments, contact Student Disabilities Services (215-573-9235).

Schedule and Assignments:May 24th: Introduction(s). What Is Story? Writing Cinematically. Reviewing your loglines and picking your idea.

May 31st: More on Story. Workshopping Your Synopsis

June 7th: Workshopping Your Synopsis

June 14th: Workshopping Your Outlines June 21st: Workshopping Your Outlines

June 28th: Workshopping Your Outlines

July 5th: Workshopping Your Outlines

July 12th: Workshopping Your Scripts

July 19th: Workshopping Your Scripts

July 26th: Workshopping Your Scripts

August 2nd: Workshopping Your Scripts

August 7th: FINAL DUE by 4:30pm

Films/Scripts:Over the course of the semester I will suggest and require you to watch films and read screenplays. Some of these may be specific to you and your story and others may be for everyone. The below list (not comprehensive) is a starting point for films that have good screenplays and became good films, not always the case.

The below films are all worth your time in that they are good stories, well told, primarily meaning that the screenplays are excellent. Some are available online to read.

(500) Days of SummerAmerican BeautyAnnie HallArlington RoadBridesmaidsBreaking AwayBuffalo ’66Butch Cassidy and the Sundance KidChinatownCreedDie HardEight Men OutEternal Sunshine of the Spotless MindFargoFish TankGood Will Hunting

GoodfellasGroundhog DayHoosiersHungerJunoKramer vs. KramerL.A. ConfidentialMean GirlsMoonstruckNetworkNightcrawlerObvious ChildPhiladelphiaThe Philadelphia StoryQuiz ShowRockyRushmoreSevenThe Skeleton TwinsSource CodeStar WarsTake ShelterThe ApartmentThe Empire Strikes BackThe FugitiveThe GodfatherThe Godfather 2The Last of the MohicansThe Princess BrideThe Shawshank RedemptionThelma & LouiseTootsieToy StoryTrue LiesUnforgivenYou Can Count On MeWall-EWhen Harry Met SallyWitness