Trey Wodele
twodele@emailmtcs.org
Office Hours: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm, Monday - Friday
Phone: 612-728-8915 Ext 2005


Course Objectives

* Learn to format a script like a professional
* Learn the basics of three act structure and how they apply in screenwriting
* Discuss film using a whole new vocabulary
* Develop original characters
* Create original dialogue
* Craft an original and engaging story for a film
* Produce a short (30 page) script that looks and sounds like the scripts they use in Hollywood


Printed Materials

Certain materials used in this online course are included under the fair use exemption of the U.S. Copyright Law and have been prepared according to the educational multimedia fair use guidelines and are restricted from further use, including but not limited to portions of the following texts, videos, and films:

Making a Good Script Great, Linda Segar - (1987) Hollywood, CA: Samual French Trade

What we Talk About When We Talk About Love, Raymond Carver - (1989) New York, NY: Vintage Books

Different Seasons, Stephen King - (1983) New York, NY: Signet Fiction

Shawshank Redemption, The Shooting Script, Frank Darabont - (1996) New York, NY: Newmarket Press

Story, Robert McKee - (1997) New York, NY: Regan Books

**Shawshank Redemption, directed and adapted for the screen by Frank Darabont

***Adaptation, directed by Spike Jonze, screenplay by Charlie Kaufman

On the Lot, Fox Television

**Shawshank Redemption is rated R for "Language and Prison Violence." The clip that is included in this course has been edited for content and is appropriate for high school students.

***Adaptation is rated R for "Language, Sexuality, Some Drug Use, and Violent Images." The version streamed for this course has been edited for content and is appropriate for high school students.



In addition, you will need a few pieces of software:

* I highly recommend that you download and install the Firefox web browser with the 1-Click Answers add-on.
* itunes to hear the podcasts.
* Simply Screenplay formatting freeware

Links to all of this software are provided in the "links" section of the Course Home.

Organization: This course will be divided into 18 units and is designed to be completed in 1 semester. Differentiation will allow for more or less time to complete this course.

Grading: All essays and creative work will be graded as objectively as possible, using the rubrics provided. The remainder of your grade will be based on quizzes, exams, participation in threaded discussions, and peer evaluations.

Participation: All students will be required to participate in online and classroom discussions and peer evaluations. This is the only way we can get to know one another, become familiar with each other's work, and benefit from the help of others.

Plagiarism: I once had a student try to hand in a script that was not his. What he didn't know was that I have seen a lot films and read a lot of screenplays. I noticed that the script was VERY good while I read the first page. I noticed the script was VERY familiar while I read the second. So, I went online and Googled the first piece of action from the script. In seconds, I knew that it was a script from a fairly obscure film released only in L.A. and New York. I happened to have read the script in a trade journal.

This guy was very unlucky, but the point is, these days it is way too easy discover plagiarism. If you are caught using someone else's work, you will fail the unit. If you are caught plagerizing a second time, you will fail the course. You will also be subject to any discipline detailed in MTS's discipline policies.

Technical help: I will always be happy to help you with any technical problems. If you are not in my classroom, please email me anytime or contact me via telephone or webcam chat during my office hours.

Help with Classwork: If you need help with the classwork when you are working on this course away from my classroom, the first step is to post your question in the class lounge. There is a strong possibility that one of your peers can help and will do so before I see your email. You may also contact me by phone or webchat during office hours, or by email any other time.


Peer Evaluations

I have a few things to say about peer evaluations. Please remember that all of us are taking big risks by sharing creative work. I will thank you in advance for your respect, kindness, and careful consideration of others feelings while offering critical analysis of their work. I am not saying that we should always agree and never offer opposing insight, I am just requiring that this analysis is done in a mature and thoughtful manner