SCWR 355 The Writers' Room
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Summary
This course enables students to develop a television series in an advanced workshop setting modeled after a professional writers’ room. Emphasis will be placed on pitching ideas, breaking story and examining the various roles that make the writers’ room a creative and dynamic environment.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Recognize the structure of the typical writers’ room.
- Develop their own half-hour or hour-long spec script from a TV show that’s currently on air, and working as Staff Writers in the classroom to simulate being in a writers’ room.
- Write outlines.
- Revise and rewrite pilot teleplays for their own series.
The instructor will guide students on how to write a pilot expressing the students’ own creative voices, points-of-view and style through theme, characters, structure, tone and dialogue.
The class will survey programs and scripts of various types, including single-camera sitcom, multi-camera sitcom, one hour drama and animation. Students will verbally pitch to their peers and instructor. Like professional screenwriters working on an actual series, student writers will go through the entire sitcom writing process within our mock “Writer’s Room” and take turns as the designated “Showrunner.” As the course progresses, students will engage in their own development and “punch-up” sessions.
Over the course, students will have their scripts read aloud in class by “casting” their classmates in the roles for “Table Readings.” Constructive criticism and active participation are mandatory, as is assigned homework.
Texts
Writing the TV Drama Series – Second Edition by Pamela Douglas, and The Writers’ Room: Survival Guide by Niceole Levy
Grading
Ensemble Character Profiles: 5%
Episode Loglines: 5%
Episode Beat sheet: 5%
Episode Outline: 15%
Completed First Draft Script: 35%
Collaborative Rewrite/Punch up: 15%
Peer-to-Peer Evaluation: 10%
Participation: 10%
Prerequisites
Assignments
- 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.
LATE WORK/DEADLINES:
Just as if you have been hired to write on assignment for a television series, MEETING YOUR DEADLINES IS ABSOLUTELY VITAL.
Without a documented medical excuse or legitimate family emergency, assignments must be turned in on time.
Attendance and Participation
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.
This syllabus is subject to change as necessary during the quarter. If a change occurs, it will be thoroughly addressed during class, posted under Announcements in D2L and sent via email.
Evaluations are a way for students to provide valuable feedback regarding their instructor and the course. Detailed feedback will enable the instructor to continuously tailor teaching methods and course
content to meet the learning goals of the course and the academic needs of the students. They are a requirement of the course and are key to continue to provide you with the highest quality of teaching. The
evaluations are anonymous; the instructor and administration do not track who entered what responses. A program is used to check if the student completed the evaluations, but the evaluation is completely
separate from the student’s identity. Since 100% participation is our goal, students are sent periodic reminders over three weeks. Students do not receive reminders once they complete the evaluation.
Students complete the evaluation online in CampusConnect.
This course will be subject to the university's academic integrity policy. More information can be found at http://academicintegrity.depaul.edu/ If you
have any questions be sure to consult with your professor.
All students are expected to abide by the University's Academic Integrity Policy which prohibits cheating and other misconduct in student coursework. Publicly sharing or posting online any prior or current materials from this course (including exam questions or answers), is considered to be providing unauthorized assistance prohibited by the policy. Both students who share/post and students who access or use such materials are considered to be cheating under the Policy and will be subject to sanctions for violations of Academic Integrity.
All students are required to manage their class schedules each term in accordance with the deadlines for enrolling and withdrawing as indicated in the University Academic Calendar. Information on enrollment, withdrawal, grading and incompletes can be found at http://www.cdm.depaul.edu/Current%20Students/Pages/PoliciesandProcedures.aspx.
Students who feel they may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact the instructor privately to discuss their specific needs. All discussions will remain confidential.
To ensure that you receive the most appropriate accommodation based on your needs, contact the instructor as early as possible in the quarter (preferably within the first week of class), and make sure that
you have contacted the Center for Students with Disabilities (CSD) at:
Lewis Center 1420, 25 East Jackson Blvd.
Phone number: (312)362-8002
Fax: (312)362-6544
TTY: (773)325.7296