Courses / Undergraduate

Spring 2014

  • Beginning Screenwriting

    180A | CCN: 31726

    J. Mira Kopell

    4 Units

    Prerequisites: Declared film majors with at least 60 semester units completed. Professor approval required; enrollment limited.
    Explores the art and craft of writing a feature length, narrative screenplay. Participants present three story ideas to the class, develop one concept into a detailed treatment and write the first act of the script in professional screenplay form. Focus is on rewriting, with regular presentations of outlines and scripts to fellow writers. Emphasis on story structure, character development and screenplay form. Includes in-class writing exercises.
    Prerequisites: Consent of instructor required. This class is open to juniors and seniors. Preference is given to Film & Media majors, but instructor will try to accommodate other majors. Interested students should attend the first class session.
    Required Texts:
    Essentials of Screenwriting, by Richard Walter (Plume, 2010). ISBN 978-452-29627-5
    The Hollywood Standard, 2nd edition, by Christopher Riley (Michael Wiese Productions, 2009). ISBN 978-1932907636
    Four Screenplays: Studies in the American Screenplay, by Syd Field (Dell, 1994) ISBN 0-440-50490-2