Overview
This unit of study builds on the foundation provided by MMST11009 Digital Video and Audio to teach visual storytelling concepts. You will learn how to create a screenplay for a live-action narrative short film through the application of visual storytelling principles. You will develop industry standard documents and visual aids related to the pre-production of a narrative short film. You will learn how to constructively critique screen stories through an exploration of screen culture and history.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Prerequisite: MMST11009 Digital Video and Audio
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 1 - 2021
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback – Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from CQU Renew
The CQU Renew project has defined new guidelines for the design of unit websites.
The unit website will be revised to comply with the requirements of the CQU Renew project.
- Create a screenplay for a live-action narrative short film through the application of visual storytelling principles
- Create industry-standard pre-production documents and visual aids
- Constructively critique a range of screen stories within the context of screen culture and history.
Not applicable
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 30% | |||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 30% | |||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 40% | |||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 1 - Communication | |||
| 2 - Problem Solving | |||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | |||
| 4 - Information Literacy | |||
| 5 - Team Work | |||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | |||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | |||
| 8 - Ethical practice | |||
| 9 - Social Innovation | |||
| 10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | |||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 30% | ||||||||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 30% | ||||||||||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 40% | ||||||||||
Textbooks
Crafting Short Screenplays That Connect
Edition: 2nd (2012)
Authors: Johnson, Claudia H.
Focal Press
Burlington Burlington , MA , USA
ISBN: 9781136051296
Binding: eBook
LIVING WITH A CREATIVE MIND
Edition: 1 (2011)
Authors: Crabtree, Jeff ; Crabtree, Julie
Zebra Collective
Sydney Sydney , NSW , Australia
ISBN: 9780987104601
Binding: Paperback
Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You about Being Creative
Edition: 1 (2012)
Authors: Kleon, Austin
WORKMAN PUBLISHING
New York New York , NY , USA
ISBN: 9780761169253
Binding: Paperback
The Heroine's Journey
Edition: 1 (1990)
Authors: Murdock, Maureen
Shambhala
Boston Boston , MA , USA
ISBN: 0877734852
Binding: Paperback
VIDEO PRODUCTION 101: DELIVERING THE MESSAGE
Edition: 1 (2014)
Authors: Manriquez, Antonio; McCluskey, Tom
Pearson Higher Ed
USA
ISBN: 978-0-13-382553-4
Binding: eBook
Writing for the Screen
Edition: 1 (2017)
Authors: Weinstein, Anna
Routledge
New York New York , NY , USA
ISBN: 9781317370536
Binding: eBook
Writing the Short Film
Edition: 3 (2017)
Authors: Cooper, Patricia; Dancyger, Ken
Focal Press
Burlington Burlington , MA , USA
ISBN: 9781136048579
Binding: eBook
Additional Textbook Information
The prescribed textbook for this unit (ie.Crafting Short Screenplays That Connect) is accessed online for free through the CQUni library: https://learning.oreilly.com/library/view/crafting-short-screenplays/9780240806419/
The supplementary texts can also all be accessed for free through the CQUni library. Please see unit profile for URLs to each textbook.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- Script Formatting Software: freeware or subscription, to be advised in class.
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Harvard (author-date)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
b.murphy@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
From Script to Screen
Chapter
Readings and activities provided on Unit Moodle Site
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment 1 Briefing
Module/Topic
The Storyworld
Chapter
Readings and activities provided on Unit Moodle Site
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Readings and activities provided on Unit Moodle Site
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Formatting a Screenplay
Chapter
Readings and activities provided on Unit Moodle Site
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment Item 2 briefing
Module/Topic
Developing Characters for the Screen
Chapter
Readings and activities provided on Unit Moodle Site
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
No Classes
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
The Reading Room
Chapter
Readings and activities provided on Unit Moodle Site
Events and Submissions/Topic
Table reads for Assessment Item 2 begin
Module/Topic
Script Reviewing
Chapter
Readings and activities provided on Unit Moodle Site
Events and Submissions/Topic
Table reads for Assessment Item 2 continue
Screenplay: First Draft, Draft Mood Board and Table Read Due: Week 7 Friday (30 Apr 2021) 11:59 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Script Notes and Iteration
Chapter
Readings and activities provided on Unit Moodle Site
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment Item 3 briefing
Module/Topic
Script Supplementary Documents
Chapter
Readings and activities provided on Unit Moodle Site
Events and Submissions/Topic
Table reads for assessment item 3 begin
Module/Topic
The Second Draft: Writers on writing
Chapter
Readings and activities provided on Unit Moodle Site
Events and Submissions/Topic
Table reads for Assessment Item 3 continue
Module/Topic
How to Pitch your Screenplay
Chapter
Readings and activities provided on Unit Moodle Site
Events and Submissions/Topic
Two minute pitch
Table reads for Assessment Item 3 continue
Module/Topic
Professional Screenwriting Practice
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Table reads for Assessment Item 3 continue
Screenplay: Final draft, Press Kit and Table Read Due: Week 12 Friday (4 June 2021) 11:59 pm AEST
1 Written Assessment
For this assessment you are required to write a report critically discussing narrative structure and characterisation in two screenplays. Detailed requirements and links to the films for critique will be provided on the Unit Moodle Site.
Prior to submission you will be required to participate in an in-class seminar where students will discuss their drafts assessment for discussion.
Week 3 Friday (26 Mar 2021) 11:59 pm AEST
Submit PDF file via Unit Moodle Site
Marks and feedback will be returned via Moodle within 2 weeks of Submission
Please refer to the Assessment Brief on the Unit Moodle site for full details of the Assessment Criteria.
- Constructively critique a range of screen stories within the context of screen culture and history.
- Communication
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Cross Cultural Competence
2 Written Assessment
This assignment has three components:
- The first draft of a screenplay that would run for three to seven minutes if produced
- A draft Mood Board of five to ten referenced screen stills conveying the intended look and mood of the production
- Participation in a class table read where feedback is sought from and offered to peers.
Full requirements for the first draft, mood board and table read will be provided on the Unit Moodle Site.
Week 7 Friday (30 Apr 2021) 11:59 pm AEST
Submit PDF file via Unit Moodle Site
Marks and feedback will be returned via Moodle within 2 weeks of Submission
Please refer to the Assessment Brief on the Unit Moodle site for full details of the Assessment Criteria.
- Create a screenplay for a live-action narrative short film through the application of visual storytelling principles
- Constructively critique a range of screen stories within the context of screen culture and history.
- Communication
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
3 Written Assessment
For this assessment item you are required to:
- Produce the final draft of a screenplay that would run for three to seven minutes in duration if produced
- Produce a press kit for the screenplay
- Participate in a class table read where feedback is sought from and offered to peers.
Full requirements for the final draft, press kit and table read will be provided on the Unit Moodle Site.
Week 12 Friday (4 June 2021) 11:59 pm AEST
Submit PDF file via Unit Moodle Site
Marks and feedback will be returned via Moodle within 2 weeks of Submission
Please refer to the Assessment Brief on the Unit Moodle site for full details of the Assessment Criteria.
- Create a screenplay for a live-action narrative short film through the application of visual storytelling principles
- Create industry-standard pre-production documents and visual aids
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
