Scriptwriting

Learning Outcomes

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• demonstrate originality through your writing
• independently evaluate and apply compositional methods
• make literary judgements of scripts in an informed way
• interact effectively with audiences via the performance of a script
• handle complex demands of script composition in an analytic manner

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• the process of development and revision involved in creating scripts
• how to achieve originality, linguistic versatility, and form in the handling of dialogue, action, visual effect and overall structural control in your script writing
• how scripts are developed into performance for different media
• how to write a script

Subject Specific Practical Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• distinguish your aims as a scriptwriter
• create the key structures needed for a script
• revise and edit your work effectively
• explore ways of realising your script in performance

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• present ideas effectively in a script
• translate text into performance
• write fluently in a range of styles
• revise and edit creative writing to a professional standard
• manage deadlines and make effective use of your time

Classroom activity will be aimed at exploring the interaction of script and performance, as well as devoted to the basic analysis of how scripts work. Differences between the media of various types of theatre, television and cinema will be addressed both in set reading and through exploratory investigation in the seminars.

Teaching methods include analysis of cinematic material for group discussion, practical drama work with student works-in-progress alongside exemplar scripts from cinema, television and modern theatre, and seminar discussion of scriptwriting techniques. Learning activities include responding in detail to student scripts and readings, studying published scripts, and writing drafts for performance and seminar discussion. Seminar writing tasks with provide informal, on-module feedback, supported tutorial discussion of works-in- progress.

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Repeat

An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.