Drawing on material generated so far this semester through weekly ilearn exercises, select two ideas, one fiction, one documentary or hybrid. Write short outlines for each of them. 

Outline parametres:

• Title and form (is it a short film? web series pilot? Interactive?)
• Genre, approach and/or tone – mood boards compiling resonant textures, images, colours and so on are welcome
• What is it about? (not plot, yet, but theme or issue or what compels you about it)
• Characters who might be in it.  Include names, ages, and a sense of who they are as entities with emotional lives
• What do they do, what will happen on screen (plot, or, if you don’t know yours yet, describe circumstances and issues or emotions)
• How character or circumstances might change, develop or escalate
• Key image (include at least one image and briefly describe its relevant aspects. More images are welcome and not all need to be decribed if you are running out of words)
• Research you have done and further research you will do to develop each idea

Outlines should not exceed 750 words per idea. (1500 words total for assignment, not including bibliographies or lists of works cited).  Submit both outlines in one pdf made from word documents or power points, or submit your outlines as video essays (maximum three minutes). 

Consider FEASBILITY.

If you would like your screen idea to come to life on screen it must be feasible.  In an MQ production context this means: no scenes on trains or busses, no more than two or three locations, no crowded public spaces, no guns at all, no knives as weapons, no car stunts, limited number of cast members, no named music (you won’t be able to get the rights). 

Assessment criteria:

• Identification and development of themes and characters,
• Clarity and creativity of choices of circumstances, issues, or events
• Relevance, specificity and depth of consideration of image/s, genre/s and approach/es
• Strength of research and proposed further research
• Clarity and fluency of written expression

Assessment standards in this unit align with the University's grade descriptors, available at: https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/assessment

Late Submission Policy:

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, (a) a penalty for lateness will apply – two (2) marks out of 100 will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date – and (b) no assignment will be accepted more than seven (7) days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline. No late submissions will be accepted for timed assessments – e.g. quizzes, online tests.

Submission:

Submit both of your outlines as one PDF document via ilearn by Midnight on Friday the 13th of April

Feedback:

Students will be instructed in protocols of giving constructive feedback and are expected to provide each other with responsive feedback on ideas as they develop in all workshops.  Feedback and marks for this assignment will be on ilearn.

Part 1

Script

5 to 7 pages

Write script for a fictional, or documentary or hybrid screen production. 

It could be a short film, a pilot for a web-series or interactive/narrative game.

Include:

• -  A title and two-sentence outline summarising your idea in an engaging way.
• -  Coherent and compelling characters and events
• -  Creative use of image, sound, dialogue, and action
• -  Structure of onscreen narrative events that opens and then resolves questions, conflicts, or encounters
• -  Clear and fluent writing in an accepted Australian film industry format. (Information on formatting and examples for fiction and non-fiction will be available on the unit’s iLearn page.)

Your screenplay should be feasible for production in a low/no budget Australian context.

Part 2

Creative Research/Alternate Version Statement

750 words plus bibliography, submitted at the end of your screenplay (in the same document) 

In this statement  you will answer the question: what if the content of the screenplay I have written was converted to another form?  Fiction to documentary, documentary to fiction, hybrid to fiction or documentary (not both).  You may also choose to convert a short film to a game or game to film (eg. fiction film to fiction game).  

The purpose of this statement is to reveal the depth of your research, your understanding of your own themes, characters and stories, and your capacity to apply research creatively.  It is also to give you a chance to play with your idea in another form!

It should include statements on:

• -  Theme
• -  Character
• -  Place and circumstances
• -  Changes over time
• -  Images and metaphors

In each case answer the questions:

• -  What (or who in the case of characters) are they? How would they appear in your alternate version?
• -  What is significant about them in the current version (important to you, the thing you would strive to keep, if possible).  How would you include it in the alternate version?
• -  What research did you do in to them? How would that research inform an alternate, converted version? 

Finish with a title and two-sentence outline summarising your alternate idea in an engaging way.

Assessment criteria 

• Development, creativity and coherence of characters and events
• Creative and significant use of image, sound, dialogue, and action
• Effective structure of onscreen narrative events to open and resolve questions, conflicts, or encounters
• Feasibility in the context of a low/no budget Australian context
• Substantive creative research and effective application of research

Assessment standards in this unit align with the University's grade descriptors, available at: https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/assessment

Submission:

Submission is via learn.  All parts of the task should be in one pdf.

Late submission policy:

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, (a) a penalty for lateness will apply – two (2) marks out of 100 will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date – and (b) no assignment will be accepted more than seven (7) days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline. No late submissions will be accepted for timed assessments – e.g. quizzes, online tests.

Feedback:

Students will be instructed in protocols of giving constructive feedback and are expected to provide each other with responsive feedback on ideas as they develop in all workshops.  Tutor feedback and marks for this assignment will be on ilearn.

Students are expected to attend seminars regularly and make considered and informed contributions in response to weekly discussion questions, screenwriting exercises and other students' work.  

Submission: through consistent punctual attendance and relevant, informed contributions in discussions of scripts, screenings and readings. 

Assessment Criteria:

• Appropriately articulated and considered responses and contributions to critical feedback in screenplay readings processes.   
• Relevant and observant contributions to discussion of readings and screenings. 

Assessment standards in this unit align with the University's grade descriptors, available at: https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/assessment

There will be short  quizzes on the materials posted weekly on ilearn in weeks 1 to 7.  You will be required to do the reading and watch the films online via links provided and then respond to questions about content of each.  

Assessment Criteria:

• correct answers to multiple choice questions
• consistent engagement 

Assessment standards in this unit align with the University's grade descriptors, available at: https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/assessment

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, (a) a penalty for lateness will apply – two (2) marks out of 100 will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date – and (b) no assignment will be accepted more than seven (7) days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline. No late submissions will be accepted for timed assessments – e.g. quizzes, online tests.