SCWR 470 Creating From Abundance
Summary
Course Description:
This course lays the foundation for successful improvisation in the current Chicago style, starting with the formation of the ensemble and exploring various elements of the creative process. Students experience what it means to be part of the greater whole, create freely without self-judgment, and develop fundamental tools of play that will make them better communicators and filmmakers.
Course Overview:
· Online structured activities around individual and group experiential play, discovery, with discourse among students and the instructor on improv philosophy and its application to film and storytelling.
· Each class implements a creative (communication) tool, assigned reading, journal reflection, and/or archive scene during select weeks for deconstruction and critical responses for filmmaking.
· Students are challenged to develop a variety of comedic premises expanding their comedic sensibility by engaging in a variety of improv and writing exercises that explore characters, relationships, status and point of view, genre and truth in comedy
· A final project includes an online presentation of a comedic character, sketch, an ensemble sharing to demonstrate
This course may include invited guest actors/ performers, and/or directors from the greater comedy theatre community with engagement for interview and class research
Texts
There is no required textbook needed for this course. Recommended and assigned readings, interviews, podcasts, and/or handouts will be provided by the instructor each week.
Grading
Grading:
Class Attendance 30%
Collaboration and Participation 20%
Assignments and Writing Pitches 20%
Final In-Class Online Demonstration and Paper 30%
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