BA (Hons) Screenwriting

Writing The Short Film

You’ll explore the craft of audio-visual storytelling by actively engaging with short (3-7 minute) films across a range of forms. With a focus on ‘dramatic form’ in both screenings and script analysis, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the strategies available to screenwriters.

We will cover topics such as plot, story, tone and theme as we examine the craft skills needed to produce vivid, original work.

Story Structure

This module explores the importance of structure during the screenwriting process. You will consider the multitude of choices when considering how to identify, control and utilise structure when writing screenplays.

Introduction to Film Studies

This module will explore Hollywood films and independent US cinema as textual and cultural products. You will place these in a context that traces their aesthetic and formal development to gain a firm grounding in film studies.

Adaptation

This module aims to develop practical creative skills in the transformation of stories, narrative and plot from one medium into another through screenwriting, with a focus on balancing creativity and market needs.

The module examines the process by which a screenwriter will adapt a work for television, film or video game, with the aim of preserving and successfully translating the theme and intended meaning behind the source material.

The idea that a story needs to prove marketability in an alternative market before its adaptation to film, TV or video game will be interrogated, and issues surrounding fidelity to an original work, or a lack thereof, will also be explored.

Audio Drama

This module aims to develop creative skills in audio drama scriptwriting through an exploratory approach to the methods, processes, styles and structures.

Using traditional and contemporary platforms such as radio and podcasts, the module will analyse character building and dialogue, whilst understanding audio formatting.

By the end of the module, you will have created a final draft, short script that reflects essential elements of a successful audio drama.

Foundations of Screenwriting

This module explores some key concepts of story and screenwriting theory, as you focus on the cultivation of early relationships between story, character, structure and plot.

As part of this process, you will be introduced to some of the processes used in the creation of original screen-works through the development of initial story ideas.

You will also be introduced to some of the history and theory of screenwriting as you consider screenwriting as a craft, gain vital awareness of how screenwriting works in the industry and develop transferable skills in creativity and critical analysis.

Global TV

This module explores the political economy of the global, national and local television industries. You will explore aspects of global and local TV formats, transmedia marketing, distribution, consumption, audiences and cultural and cross-cultural relevance.

Iconic Screen Characters

You will examine a range of iconic screen characters from film, television and gaming such as:

• Batman
• The Joker
• Dorothy Gale
• Ripley
• Sherlock Holmes
• Mary Poppins
• Super Mario
• Dracula
• Lara Croft
• James Bond
• Spider-Man
• Harry Potter
• Bugs Bunny
• Superman
• Wonder Woman.

You will consider these characters in dialogue with critical and theoretical perspectives on adaptation.

Journalism and Content

The aim of this module is to examine the nature of contemporary media, how it operates and how it differs from traditional journalism.

You will examine what constitutes effective information dissemination in the online age and the technologies involved, including how they may be manipulated.

It aims to develop transferable skills in design, online presentation, writing and SEO (Search Engine Optimization).

Narrative Design and Interactive Fiction

This module develops your understanding of fundamental theories, pipelines and processes pertaining to narrative design in videogames.

You will then learn to apply these theories in practical exercises that mirror the responsibilities of writers working in the contemporary games industry.

During the module, you will have the opportunity to create a piece of interactive fiction using the tools and techniques taught.

Psychology in Screenwriting

This module will principally examine the academic writings by Professor of Psychology William Indick, in his book “Psychology for Screenwriters”.

Exploring the psychology behind story and characterisation, this module will explore psychologists Freud, Jung, Erik Erikson, Alfred Adler, Rollo May and Joseph Campbell in relation to character and narrative development for screen-based content.

Writing for Games

This module examines the role of the screenwriter in the development of narrative based computer games.

You will explore the role the screenwriter plays in developing characters, dialogue and worldbuilding.

You will also be introduced to the debates around narrative vs Ludology and the tensions created between story and play.

Writing the TV Bible

This module introduces you to the process of development when creating a long form TV drama series.

Throughout the module, you will contribute to the creation of a drama TV ‘bible’, a package of materials that is used to inform writers, producers and directors of a show’s particular production criteria. The module will give you the opportunity to explore the industrial context of such documents and how to generate story ideas for such shows. It aims to develop transferable skills in packaging and selling creative work.

Included in the bible there will be individual episode outline documents. These will be exclusively developed by individuals within the group and will form a percentage of the overall personal final grade.

Writing the TV Script

This module aims to introduce you to the process of development when creating a long form drama script.

Taking an original idea from concept to final draft, sessions will explore structure, style, theme and character, with attention to format. Emphasis on strong dialogue will be a key element to script development, whilst the difference between story and plot will be explored.

The importance of a ‘pilot’ episode will be recognised and what elements must be included when establishing a show’s selling point. You will also discover key pitching ideas on how to promote their script.

Final Major Project: Screenwriting

This dissertation level project allows you to utilise and build on the practical skills and subject knowledge developed in years one and two. It aims to give you the opportunity to work as autonomous writers, deepening and enhancing your knowledge and understanding of your chosen subject.

There is a choice of a feature film script (90 pages), TV script (50 pages) and pitch, or a games pitch package.

Industry and Pitching

This module aims to introduce you to an industry landscape of film promotion and pitching.

The importance of being able to verbally sell work will be navigated and honed.

You will explore what Industry is currently seeking when commissioning work, and how best writers can convey and sell their ideas.

The module will look briefly at contemporary commissioning platforms, writer’s competitions and literary agents, noting how writers are currently networking their projects. You will be invited to devise a pitching strategy both written and verbal for an original project and complete a live pitching experience.

Horror

This module examines the history and development of the horror genre and explores examples from cinema, television and gaming. You will use a cross-disciplinary approach by drawing upon historical approaches and theoretical frameworks that have dominated critical responses to the genre.

Representation on Screen

This module seeks to interrogate how media representations shape the way we understand our own and others’ lives in a global age.

You will examine how the media construct marginalised and intersectional identities such as:

• Race
• Ethnicity
• Class
• Age
• Disability
• Class
• Gender
• Sexuality

and how popular knowledges and discourses are constructed, experienced and contested.

Global Cinema

The module investigates various film movements across the world outside of Hollywood and mainstream cinema. The course prioritises global cinema over mainstream film and, hence, art over
business and creativity over celebrity.

The module could explore specific areas of study, for example: Weimar cinema; French cinema’s golden age; Italian Neorealism and Italian cinema’s rejection of the traditional dramatic and cinematic conventions of Hollywood; Iranian New Wave since the 1960s; French New Wave/Nouvelle Vague and New German Cinema from the 1970s; to name a few.

Online Portfolio

This module aims to build on the creative work done over the past 2 years and the strategic planning undertaken in industry modules.

You will be expected to enhance your career prospects by producing an online portfolio that aligns your skills with your commercial and professional objectives.

Campaign Writing

This module aims to provide a foundation knowledge of non commercial campaign writing and give you the chance to study alternative career paths post graduation.

Exploring event and online content, the module will look at how to convey a client’s intent through narrative awareness.

The module aims to inform and instruct writers on the opportunities for screenwriters in business, looking at recruitment campaigns, social awareness campaigns and company in-house communications.