Students

MMCC1025 – Screenwriting

2024 – Session 1, In person-scheduled-weekday, North Ryde

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Convenor, lecturer
Karen Pearlman
karen.pearlman@mq.edu.au
Contact via email
Tuesdays 6pm drop in sessions, all welcome to talk with convenor or peers, room 284, 10HA
Sam Allen
Stephen Collins
stephen.collins@mq.edu.au
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

This unit introduces writing for screen media. Students encounter strategies for generating, researching, and developing their own creative ideas. They work on particular aspects of screen storytelling such as character, world, and cinematic metaphor. Students may choose to develop scripts for fiction, non-fiction, animation, interactive narrative, or hybrid forms. This unit combines creative writing projects with critical analysis of selected screenworks and screenplays. Students do not need prior knowledge to do this unit, and is relevant to those interested in screen and sound media, writing, and the creative process.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • ULO1: analyse a range of screenwriting approaches and methodologies.
  • ULO2: generate story ideas and material suited to screen media.
  • ULO3: apply independent research and script writing skills to a creative project.
  • ULO4: evaluate screenwriting and creative work in progress.
  • ULO5: demonstrate the ability to reflect in action.

General Assessment Information

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (of the total possible mark) will be applied each day an assessment is not submitted, up until the 7th day (including weekends). After the 7th day, a mark of ‘0’ (zero) will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. Submission time for all written assessments is set at 11.55pm. A 1-hour grace period is provided to students who experience a technical issue. This late penalty will apply to written reports and recordings only. Late submission of time sensitive tasks (such as tests/exams, performance assessments/presentations, scheduled practical assessments/labs will be addressed by the unit convenor in a Special consideration application.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Script Outline 35% No 31/03/24 11:55pm
Script, Synopsis & Reflection 50% No Reflections: wks 10-12 in class; Scripts: 26/05/24
Weekly Online Quizzes 15% No Weekly on Mondays at 11:55pm

Script Outline

Assessment Type 1: Plan
Indicative Time on Task 2: 37 hours
Due: 31/03/24 11:55pm
Weighting: 35%

 

Drawing on material generated through weekly tutorial and iLearn exercises, select two ideas, one fiction, one documentary. Write short outlines for each of them. Details on assessment scope and examples will be discussed in tutorials. Refer to iLearn for further information.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • analyse a range of screenwriting approaches and methodologies.
  • generate story ideas and material suited to screen media.
  • apply independent research and script writing skills to a creative project.
  • evaluate screenwriting and creative work in progress.
  • demonstrate the ability to reflect in action.

Script, Synopsis & Reflection

Assessment Type 1: Creative work
Indicative Time on Task 2: 50 hours
Due: Reflections: wks 10-12 in class; Scripts: 26/05/24
Weighting: 50%

 

Consolidate your work and learning this semester into a script for a short fictional or documentary screen production. Details on assessment scope and examples will be discussed in tutorials. Refer to iLearn for further information.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • analyse a range of screenwriting approaches and methodologies.
  • generate story ideas and material suited to screen media.
  • apply independent research and script writing skills to a creative project.
  • evaluate screenwriting and creative work in progress.
  • demonstrate the ability to reflect in action.

Weekly Online Quizzes

Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 11 hours
Due: Weekly on Mondays at 11:55pm
Weighting: 15%

 

Students will demonstrate their knowledge of material covered in the unit through online quizzes. Further information can be found on ilearn.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • analyse a range of screenwriting approaches and methodologies.
  • evaluate screenwriting and creative work in progress.
  • demonstrate the ability to reflect in action.

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • the Writing Centre for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation

Delivery and Resources

Lectures and tutorials weekly from week 1.

Attendance in tutorials is mandatory. 

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit connect.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Academic Integrity

At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

The Writing Centre

The Writing Centre provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:

Student Enquiries

Got a question? Ask us via the Service Connect Portal, or contact Service Connect.

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/. 

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Unit information based on version 2024.02 of the Handbook