50004 Writing for Television

Handbook description

This subject is an introduction to writing drama for television with particular emphasis on long-form TV, i.e. series and serials. The writing and development of comedy and sitcoms is touched upon, but the focus is on drama. This subject takes students from the basic elements of screenwriting through the specifics of television series writing and acquaints them with the idiosyncrasies of dealing with series producers, storyliners, editors and directors. Students view a wide range of television drama from Australia, Britain and the US. Each student creates an idea for a television series, which is then developed into a formal series outline incorporating the storyline for the first episode to produce the type of document that has currency in the industry.

Subject objectives/outcomes

At the completion of this subject, students are expected to:

1. Understand and be able to work with the specific requirements of television screenwriting.
2. Be familiar with how the television industry develops drama series and serials.
3. Write a television series outline from their own original concept, including the basic plot structure and outlines of the main characters.
4. Write the storyline for, and a scene from, the first episode of the series plus two segments.
5. Critique their own work and that of their classmates.

Contribution to graduate profile

Through focusing on how television series and serials are created this subject provides a clear introduction to the collective process television script writers engage in when developing television drama. This subject will also contribute to students' understanding of Australian television cultural traditions, industries and institutions as well as the global nature of the television industry. It contributes to students' skill and knowledge base as creative and critically informed communications professionals by introducing them to the specifics of television series and serial writing as well as the structures employed in the development of long form television drama.

Teaching and learning strategies

• After reviewing the basic principles of screenwriting, students will learn to apply these to the specifics of writing drama for the small screen.
• Through viewing of various and contrasting television dramas, students will be taught to objectively assess past shows and through lectures and class discussion will confront the perennial question as to what makes a TV series successful.
• Students, either alone or in groups, will pitch their initial concepts to the class and receive input from the lecturer and their peers.
• Students will, again with input from the lecturer and their classmates, develop and expand on their initial ideas until they have written a television series outline plus the storyline and a scene for the first episode. This document, which will define the show and introduce its characters, will be recognisable in the industry and it is hoped that some, at least, may be of sufficient standard to enable students to approach producers and/or TV networks.
• The course is designed to include guest lectures from television industry professionals.

Content

This subject is designed to give the students knowledge of the internal workings of the television industry, to give students an understanding of the details of writing for the small screen and how it differs from cinema, and to give them an opportunity to collectively engage in the creative development of a television drama.

Assessment

Assessment item 1: The Idea

Assessment item 2: The Series Outline

Assessment item 3: The Episode Outline

Minimum requirements

Students are expected to read the subject outline to ensure they are familiar with the subject requirements. Since class discussion and participation in activities form an integral part of this subject, you are expected to attend, arrive punctually and actively participate in classes. If you experience difficulties meeting this requirement, please contact your lecturer. Students who have a reason for extended absence (e.g., illness) may be required to complete additional work to ensure they achieve the subject objectives.

Attendance is particularly important in this subject because it is based on a collaborative approach which involves essential workshopping and interchange of ideas. Students who attend fewer than ten classes are advised that their final work will not be assessed and that they are likely to fail the subject.

Indicative references

Aronson, L 2000 Television Writing : The Ground Rules of Series, Serials and Sitcoms

North Ryde, NSW, Australian Film, Television and Radio School.

Blum, R.A. 1995 Television and Screen Writing : From Concept to Contract. Boston, USA, Focal Press.

Byrne, J and Powell, M 2003 Writing Sitcoms. London, A & C Black.

Campbell, J 1968 The Hero with a Thousand faces Princeton, N.J. : Princeton University Press, , Field, S 1984 The Screenwriters Workbook A Dell Trade Paperback

Haddrick, G ed.2001Top Shelf 1: Reading and Writing the Best in Australian TV Drama.Sydney, Currency Press in association with the Australian Film, Television and Radio School.

Haddrick, G ed.2001Top Shelf 2: Five Outstanding Television Screenplay. Sydney, Currency Press in association with the Australian Film, Television and Radio School.

Hilliard, R 2003 Writing for Television, Radio, and New Media. Belmont, CA. USA, Wadsworth Thomson Learning.

Lucey, P 1996 Story Sense: Writing Story and Script for Feature Films and Television. New York, NY, USA. McGraw-Hill,

Marc, D and Thompson, R.J. 1995 Prime Time, Prime Movers: From I love Lucy to L.A. law--America's Greatest TV Shows and the People Who Created Them. Syracuse, NY, USA, Syracuse University Press.

Murray, S 1996 Australia on the Small Screen 1970-1995: The Complete Guide to Tele-features and Mini-series. Melbourne, Oxford University Press.

Paice, E 1987 The Way to Write for Television. London, Elm Tree.

Seger. L 1987 Making A Good Script Great Dodd, Mead and Company New York

Smith, E.S 1999 Writing Television Sitcom. New York, NY, USA, Perigee Books.

Thornham, S and Purvis, T (2005) Television Drama, Theories and Identities Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

Trottier, D 1998The Screenwriter's Bible: A Complete Guide to Writing, Formatting, and Selling Your Script.Los Angeles, USA, Silman-James Press.

Vale, E 1998 Vale's Technique of Screen and Television Writing. Boston, USA, Focal Press.

Vogler C 1992 The Writers Journey – Mythic Structure for Storytellers & Screenwriters A Michael Wise Productions Book

Yacowar, M 2003 The Sopranos on the Couch: Analyzing Television's Greatest Series.New York, NY, USA, Continuum.