Rona Naomi Mark

This FYS course will give students the foundational tools needed to write for just about any screen. Starting with simple scenes and short-form screenplays, students will learn formatting and industry standards—all while cultivating their own personal style. Students will learn the basics of dramatic structure, character development, and visual storytelling through their own work and through the analysis of published screenplays. In the first semester, students will write several short scripts, which we will table-read and workshop in class. In the second semester, we will focus our work on outlining and writing feature-length screenplays. Students will have the opportunity to pitch their projects to the class and to create look books for their screenplays. Students will meet for conference weekly in the first semester and every two weeks in the second.

Working within a genre can greatly assist the fledgling filmmaker by suggesting content and stylistic elements, thereby freeing the artist to focus on self-expression. While exploration of all genres is welcome, our class discussions and video exercises will explore various ideas present in the so-called “lesser genres” of horror, sci-fi, and fantasy. Students will shoot several short video exercises, both individually and in groups, each with a certain directing and thematic prompt. Film viewings will demonstrate how genre films handle sexual politics and repression, societal and personal anxieties, naturalism as opposed to fantasy, as well as the smart use of special effects and other strategies for the low-budget, independent filmmaker. This course does not require previous filmmaking experience. The first semester will focus on screenwriting, and the students will write short scripts that they will then produce and direct in the second semester for their conference project. Simultaneously, students will learn to use the school’s filmmaking equipment and editing software and utilize those skills in a series of short, targeted video exercises. These exercises will not only familiarize the students with the gear at their disposal but also introduce them to concepts of visual storytelling; i.e., where to put the camera to tell the story. The second semester will focus on preproduction and previsualization of the student’s conference film. Students will learn how to craft shot lists, floor plans, look books, and other tools to help them organize their film shoots. They will practice directing actors and finding a method for effective communication with their cast. And they will learn some basic production management skills, such as breaking down scripts for production and scheduling. After shooting their conference films, students will workshop their rough cuts in the classroom and fine-tune their edits in preparation for the final class—THE SCREENING!

This independent-study collective will provide a framework for advanced screenwriting and filmmaking students to pursue material toward an advanced project that could take the shape of a short film and/or screenplay. Led by a team of filmmaking and moving-image arts faculty, students will be interviewed during registration to evaluate their proposed material and their role on the project. The week-to-week structure of the collective will be tailored to meet the needs of the individual projects/groups as the semester progresses. The collective will be open to screenwriting, documentary, and fiction filmmaking students. Both individual and group projects are invited to apply to the class. Interested students should come to the interview prepared to present a project proposal.

This is a course for rigorous, experienced screenwriters who are proficient in screenplay format and style and want to build their writing portfolio. Students will come ready to pitch an idea for an original screenplay, TV pilot, or web series. This workshop-style class will feature table readings and feedback sessions, as well as readings and analysis of published work. Students will outline their projects, then quickly start producing pages for review.

Has there ever been a better time to be a no-budget filmmaker? Recent technological advancements in camera and editing equipment have made it possible for just about anyone to create slick, high-resolution images for very little money. As films get easier to produce, however, good films become harder to find. So, how does the nascent filmmaker distinguish his/her work from the crowd? With a great script, sure-footed direction, and a smart allocation of his/her available resources. In this immersive filmmaking workshop, students will develop and shoot a project over the course of the semester. First, we’ll discuss scripts not only in terms of their story but also in terms of their scope and their producability. Then, we’ll practice our directing skills with a series of weekly shooting assignments that target specific directorial challenges. Next, we’ll break down our scripts for production, figuring out low-cost ways to achieve various cinematic effects. Our next step will be to previsualize the film by making shot lists, floor plans, and look books. Students will then go out and shoot their films and bring back the footage for editing. We’ll review basic post-production procedures and introduce software effects that can add polish to a project without adding cost. The goal of the course is to push the student creatively without multiplying costs beyond what is necessary. With the school’s equipment and other resources at your disposal, the only limitation to you as a filmmaker is your imagination and resourcefulness.

If you’ve always wanted to make a narrative film but don’t know where to start, this intensive, introductory workshop will give you the building blocks to make a short film. Starting with screenwriting, students will learn basic narrative structure and screenplay formatting so that they can write a three- to five-page script that they will produce and direct by the end of the term. Students will work both in groups and individually to explore the essentials of directing by completing several video exercises. Students will be introduced to camera operation, editing, sound recording, and basic production management to help them prepare for their conference project. All written and video projects will be presented in class and workshopped to help students improve their visual storytelling skills.

This course will be an introduction to all facets of film production, from screenwriting through exhibition. The first semester will focus primarily on the art and craft of screenwriting, and students will emerge with a screenplay that they will then produce during the second semester. In addition to written assignments, students will produce several video assignments that will familiarize the students with the equipment and techniques of filmmaking. Students will form film crews from within the class and will learn the various roles on a film set. Students will learn some basic production management skills that they will then apply to the making of their own short films. This course will have weekly conferences for the first six weeks; biweekly conferences thereafter.

This is a hands-on production course with a focus on producing genre films. Working within a genre can greatly assist the fledgling filmmaker by suggesting content and stylistic elements, thereby freeing the artist to focus on self-expression. While exploration of all genres is welcome, our class discussions and video exercises will explore various ideas present in the so-called “lesser genres” of horror, sci-fi, and fantasy. Students will shoot several short video exercises, both individually and in groups, each with a certain directing and thematic prompt. Film viewings will demonstrate how genre films handle sexual politics and repression, societal and personal anxieties, naturalism as opposed to fantasy, as well as the smart use of special effects and other strategies for the low-budget, independent filmmaker. In addition to class exercises, students will each produce and direct a short video project for their conference work.

This class will introduce students to all aspects of filmmaking, from conceiving a script through exhibition of the final work. The first semester will focus on screenwriting, and students will write short scripts that they will then produce and direct in the second semester. Simultaneously, students will learn to use the school’s filmmaking equipment and editing software and utilize those skills in a series of short, targeted video exercises. These exercises will not only familiarize the students with the gear at their disposal but also will introduce them to concepts of visual storytelling (e.g., where to put the camera to tell the story). The second semester will focus on preproduction and previsualization of the student’s conference film. Students will learn how to craft shot lists, floor plans, look books, and other tools to help them organize their film shoots. Students will also practice directing actors and finding a method for effective communication with their cast. They will also learn some basic production management skills, such as breaking down scripts for production and scheduling. After shooting their conference films, students will workshop their rough cuts in the classroom and fine-tune their edits in preparation for the final class—THE SCREENING!

When asked what advice he could give aspiring young film directors, Akira Kurosawa replied “…if you generally want to make films, then write screenplays….Write, write, write...” Indeed, though the roles can be separated, there is an expansive overlap of skills in writing and directing narrative fiction films. A good writer can “direct” a reader on the page, and a good director can “write” in imagery. This class aims to explore the interplay between writing and directing through a series of assignments, culminating in a short film that each student writes and directs. This yearlong writing and directing workshop will give students the basic skills necessary to produce a short film. Starting with writing the script, students will learn screenwriting formats and styles and workshop their screenplays until they are ready to direct. Students will then learn directors’ previsualization skills, such as storyboarding, creating shot lists, and drawing floor plans. Basic production management skills will be covered so that students can organize their films and be ready to begin producing their films in the second semester. Students will shoot several short exercises to learn the importance of shot choices and camera placement. First-semester shooting assignments will all be done on the students’ personal devices (phones, tablets, cameras, computer desktops) and then migrate to shooting on the school’s equipment in the second term. All work will be reviewed during the workshop, and students will learn to analyze and critique their and their colleagues’ work.

During the course of this seminar/workshop, students will learn how to write narrative screenplays with an eye toward completing a feature-length work. The course will cover basics of format and style, and there will be weekly assignments aimed at developing students’ screenwriting muscles. Students will “pitch” ideas, rigorously outline stories, and write and revise pages of their blueprint for a feature-length film. The class is designed to help the beginning screenwriter find his or her voice as a film artist, using the written language of visual storytelling.

To make a great film, you need three things—the script, the script, and the script.—Alfred Hitchcock

The world’s directors are in agreement—a solid screenplay is the foundation of any great film. This class is designed to help the beginning screenwriter find his or her voice as a film artist, using the written language of visual storytelling. During the course of this seminar/workshop, students will learn how to write narrative screenplays with an eye toward completing a feature-length work. The course will cover basics of format and style, and weekly assignments will be aimed at developing students’ screenwriting muscles. In the first semester, students will write scenes and short screenplays; plus, they will learn about structuring feature-length work. Students will “pitch” ideas and rigorously outline their stories. During the second semester, students will write their feature-length screenplay. The pages they present will be “table-read,” and students will receive critical feedback for future revisions. By the end of the year, students will have completed a first draft of their screenplay.

To make a great film you need three things—the script, the script, and the script. —Alfred Hitchcock

The world’s directors are in agreement—a solid screenplay is the foundation of any great film. The screenwriter is the architect of a film, the one to sit down with a blank page and create something out of nothing. The job of the screenwriter is to convey complexity of character and plot visually rather than through verbal explanation. The screenwriter shows rather than tells. In this craft class, students will learn the fundamentals of visual storytelling, specifically for narrative fiction screenplay writing. The class will cover story structure, character development, dialogue, outlining, and formatting. Students will have outside writing assignments that will be reviewed during class in a workshop format. In addition, students will be responsible for reading several screenplays and providing analysis. Students may work on short or feature-length films, web-isodes, or full television episodes; there are no limitations on content.