The Screenwriter's Workbook: Exercises and Step-by-Step Instructions for Creating a Successful Screenplay by Syd Field, Screenwriting is Rewriting by Jack Epps.

4 Draft Pages Submissions                 40 Points (10 Points each)

Final Revised Screenplay                   30 Points

Participation (In class + Notes)           30 Points

                                                            100 Totals

Grading Scale:

A         93-100

A-        90-92

B+       87-89

B         83-86

B-        80-82

C+       77-79

C         73-76

C-        70-72

D+       67-69

D         60-66

F          0-59

SCWR 301

Draft Pages

Each of your four draft page submission assignments will comprise 2 sequences as outlined in the Course Schedule below—each set of pages should be ≈23-30 pages minimum to reach the final submission’s 90-page minimum expectation. You will be evaluated on effort, creativity, originality, structure, character development, format and style, and the application of course materials and discussions to your writing. Draft Pages must be submitted to Submissions & the appropriate Discussion thread by Noon 2 days prior to class in order to give everyone ample time to read and devise notes on all peers’ pages for that week. (Note: You will read both groups’ assignments every class.)

Final Revised Screenplay

The final, revised screenplay should represent the very best writing you can put forth in the time available, unifying and polishing the pages submitted throughout the quarter. The submitted screenplay is expected to be 90 pages in length.

Participation

You are expected to actively participate in the conversation every week. To do so, you must thoroughly read all of your peers’ submitted pages before class, and formulate clear, supportive feedback, as well as thoughtful, engaging responses to all other assigned readings. You are encouraged not only to deliver your notes on pages in class, but to also upload written notes as responses to your peers’ pages. Ultimately, your job is to prove to me that you have read and considered the material. 

Notes on the Evaluation of Student Work

Rubrics according to which written assignments are assessed will be available on D2L under Content & Submissions. In order to obtain a desired grade on any assignment, students must review and adhere to these guidelines, which include not only the aforementioned expectations, but also mechanics (i.e. spelling, grammar, and punctuation). Please allow up to 7-10 days for the return of graded materials.

• All written assignments must be typed in 12 pt. Courier font in a pdf file and posted on D2L.  
• Scripts should also be free of spelling, grammatical and punctuation errors, unless the dialogue or storyline otherwise calls for it.  
• All scripts and scenes are to be done in proper screenwriting format.  
• Most professionals use Final Draft, but it is not required for the course.  
• Please make certain all assignments include your name, the course title and number and the date of the assignment due.    

Three unexcused absences will result in one full lowered final grade for the course.  Arriving more than twenty minutes to class without a valid excuse will count as an unexcused absence and it’s especially difficult if our class is on zoom.  

Time management is a major challenge for this course in regard to giving all students time for their material to be read and workshopped.  Students who arrive more than twenty minutes automatically forfeit any priority or expectation to have their material workshopped for that evening’s class.

THE ABSOLUTE ZERO TOLORANCE POLICY ABOUT TOXIC CRITICISM:

When new and aspiring writers share their work with others, it can be an emotionally charged situation leaving the writer feeling very vulnerable.  Same goes for a professional Writers’ Room.  Throughout your screenwriting careers, you will inevitably receive catty, insulting, idiotic and nonproductive criticism of your work.  However, in our classroom, absolutely none of it will be tolerated.  If and when there is something you dislike about a classmate’s writing (and you will), it is your obligation to express it.  But more importantly, it is your responsibility to express why it is you think so respectfully, and ideally, suggest a way to fix it.  At the same time, the person receiving constructive criticism from their peers will do so in a polite, non-defensive and professional manner.