Visual & Media Arts :: Undergraduate: Writing for Film and Television

Writing for Film and Television

Storytelling has evolved from its roots in the oral tradition to that of telling stories for film and television. A specialization in writing for film and television will foster learning through writing, critique, and rewriting. Students will be encouraged to be innovative and individualistic in their style and expression. Students will have the opportunity to write feature-length scripts, situation comedies, one-hour prime time drama, and short scripts suitable for film, video, or new media.

Credits

B.A.: 44
B.F.A.: 60

Visual and media arts foundations (12 credits)

The Visual and Media Arts Foundations offers the student a broad theoretical, historical and practical introduction to the visual and media arts.

Required Courses

Course Code	Course Information
VM100	History of Media Arts I 4.00 Credits The first of a two-semester course exploring the historical development of the media arts. This course will focus on the development of the film, broadcasting, and sound recording industries until 1950, including the organization, operation, and management of media organizations. The course will investigate the relationship between economics, industrial history, and social and political systems, and the styles and techniques of specific films and broadcast programs. Special attention is given to the diversity of styles of presentation in the media.
VM101	History of Media Arts II 4.00 Credits The second of a two-semester course exploring the historical development of the media arts. This course will focus on the continuing development of the film, broadcasting, and sound recording industries after 1950, as well as the development of video and digital technologies, including the organization, operation, and management of media organizations. The course will investigate the relationship between economics, industrial history, and social and political systems, and the styles and techniques of specific films and videos, broadcast programs, and new media.
VM120	Foundations in Visual and Media Arts Production 4.00 Credits This course combines lectures with hands-on workshops. It examines the relationships among photography, graphics, audio, film, video, and new media within the context of cross-media concepts, theories, and applications. The course traces the creative process from initial conception and writing through production and post-production. Students will proceed through a series of exercises that will lead to completion of a final project, which establishes a foundation for advanced production course work.

Introduction to Disciplines (16 Credits Minimum)

At the Introduction to Disciplines level, students explore one or more of the department’s main discipline areas.

Required Courses

Course Code	Course Information
VM200	Media Criticism and Theory 4.00 Credits This course explores theoretical and critical approaches to the study of photography, film, video, audio, and digital culture. Theories and methods in this course will examine issues relating to production and authorship in the media arts, audience reception and effects, political ideology, ethics, aesthetics, cultural diversity, and schools of thought within the liberal arts. Extensive critical writing and reading in media criticism and theory. Prerequisite: VM 101 and VM 120.

Course Code

Course Information

VM200

Media Criticism and Theory

At least two of the following

VM220	Writing the Short Subject 4.00 Credits Participants will study the short subject within the genres of fiction, non-fiction, and experimental concepts and scripts (animation is included in any of these forms). Scripts will range from 3-15 minutes in length and should be suitable for shooting within the budget and time constraints of an Emerson College production class. Students will be expected to complete comprehensive revisions of their work. Prerequisites: VM 101 and VM 120.
VM221	Writing the Feature Film 4.00 Credits Combining lecture, workshop, and screenings, this course examines the fundamentals of writing for narrative feature-length film. The course will examine structure, character, scene writing and dialogue and will take students from ideation through to the development of a detailed outline. Prerequisites: VM 101 and VM 120.
VM222	Writing for Television 4.00 Credits This course will examine how to write for television in a variety of formats, including news magazine, reality TV, and children's television, but with a predominant emphasis on situational comedies, dramas, and movies of the week. Through a series of lectures, screenings, and readings, the elements of each genre will be analyzed. Each student will be challenged and encouraged to find his or her own unique "voice" and to find new and innovative ways to write stories within the confines of each established format. Each student will leave with a professional first draft of either a sitcom or drama, or the first 30 pages of a made-for-TV movie script. Prerequisite: VM 101 and VM 120.

At least one of the following

VM230	Introduction to Film Production (I) 4.00 Credits An introductory level course in the basics of non-synchronous 16mm filmmaking, including basic camera operation, principles of cinematography and lighting, black-and-white film stock information, introduction to non-sync sound recording and transfers, and picture and sound editing.
VM231	Intermediate Film Production 4.00 Credits An intermediate level 16mm film production class designed to introduce students to the technical, conceptual, and procedural skills necessary to successfully complete a short double system sync-sound film. Students will be introduced to pre-production, production, and post-production procedures and techniques, and will receive detailed hands-on instruction in the operation of sync-sound motion picture production and post-production equipment.
VM240	Introduction to Video Field Production 4.00 Credits An introduction to single-camera video production. Through lectures and hands-on projects, students learn the equipment and techniques used in single-camera field production and post-production. Students write and produce a variety of projects, which are edited in digital non-linear mode and then downloaded for review in class.
VM241	Introduction to Studio Television Production 4.00 Credits An introduction to studio television practice. Through lectures and hands-on laboratories, students learn the principles of pre-production, production, and post-production for the studio as well as control room procedures. Students prepare their own productions, from concept to completion. Each project is shot multi-camera, live-on-tape, in the studio.
VM250	Introduction to Sound Principles & Audio Production 4.00 Credits An introduction to audio physics, sound principles, and the theory and practice of audio recording and mixing. The emphasis is on concept development for sound production; signal routing and the mixer console; analog and digital audio recording and editing techniques. Prerequisite: VM 101 and VM 120.
VM251	Audio Field Recording 4.00 Credits An intensive study in the theory and practice of field/location and studio audio recording for film, video, television and documentary formats. The course covers techniques in the use of field/studio recorders and mixers, wireless microphones, shotgun microphones, boom poles & shot blocking. Also covered are tape based, and hard disk digital recorders, and time-code synchronization management. Prerequisite: VM 250.
VM260	Introduction to Digital Media Production 4.00 Credits An introduction to the theory and practice of digital media production. This course will stress the conceptual, aesthetic, and technical concerns of digital media, emphasizing creativity and familiarity with the material. Areas include introductions to Web design and development, animation, interactivity, graphics and imaging, as well as project management, interface design, and user experience. Students will produce creative works based on instruction in the technical aspects of the material. Prerequisite: VM 101 and VM 120.

Specializations

Required Courses

VM402	Seminar in Media Arts Topics 4.00 Credits This course will examine various topics in media arts. Students will be expected to study a variety of issues in seminar fashion. Topics vary from section to section. Course may be repeated for credit if topics vary. Prerequisite: VM 200 and Senior standing (Junior standing with permission of Chair).

VM402

Seminar in Media Arts Topics

One Advanced Visual and Media Studies course (4 Credits)

One Advanced Visual and Media Studies course (4 Credits)

At least two of the following

VM320	Feature Writing Workshop 4.00 Credits Working from detailed outlines developed in VM 221 Writing the Feature Film, this course will take students through to the completion of a first draft, feature-length screenplay. In addition to writing their own scripts, students will read the material written by each member of the class, write a detailed critical analysis of each segment, and engage in discussion of aesthetics, craft and form. Prerequisite: VM 221 or WP 439. (This course may count toward the Media Arts major or the WLP major.)
VM322	Comedy Writing for Television 4.00 Credits This course examines the television comedy with a heavy emphasis on sitcoms. Areas of study include sketch writing and writing for late night TV. Also covered are a history of sitcoms, how to write physical comedy, how to write for existing shows and characters, sitcom structure, format, and how to write jokes. Each student will write a script for an existing sitcom that will be work-shopped in class. Prerequisite: VM 222.
VM422	Writing Primetime Drama 4.00 Credits This course examines the primetime television drama. Areas of study include the difference between plot-driven dramas and character-driven dramas. Also covered are a history of television drama, writing effective protagonists and antagonists, writing for existing dramas and characters, writing an hour-long drama, and format. Each student will write a script for an existing primetime television drama that will be work-shopped in class. Prerequisite: VM 222.
VM425	Scene Study Workshop 4.00 Credits This course is designed to further hone the craft of screenwriting by learning to write scenes for narrative film/video. Focus will be on character actions and reactions, dialogue, and rhythm. Through analysis and practice, participants will study the monologue, master scenes, comic scenes, and action scenes, among others. Prerequisite: VM 320 or VM 422 or VM 423.

Recommended Courses

VM423	Writing Television Pilots 4.00 Credits Course examines how to create a television series. Topics covered include creating an original premise, how to write convincing, multi-dimensional characters and how to write intriguing, character-specific dialogue. Each student will write an entire television pilot script to be work-shopped in class, along with a 22-week episode guide that includes character and story arcs. Prerequisite: VM 222.
VM424	Interactive Storytelling 4.00 Credits The act of storytelling is one of the richest traditions of humankind. We have told our stories by many means books, art, time-based media, and performance. A recent addition, the ability to tell stories using interactive methods and digital delivery systems, has radically changed the process of making and telling stories. In this production course we will explore recent developments in interactive, digital narratives, performances, documentaries, ethnographic studies, games and installations. Students will produce one large-scale interactive project during the semester. Production teams will need specialists from all media disciplines. Prerequisite: Two courses numbered from VM 220 or VM 221 or VM 222.
VM231	Intermediate Film Production 4.00 Credits An intermediate level 16mm film production class designed to introduce students to the technical, conceptual, and procedural skills necessary to successfully complete a short double system sync-sound film. Students will be introduced to pre-production, production, and post-production procedures and techniques, and will receive detailed hands-on instruction in the operation of sync-sound motion picture production and post-production equipment.
VM440	ADVANCED STUDIO PRODUCTION: FICTION 4.00 Credits This course will provide the opportunity for specialized studio work in genres, such as drama series, sopa operas and situation comedies. Student will create and then produce, direct, light and crew them.
WP211	Introduction to Creative Writing: Fiction 4.00 Credits These courses focus on the basic vocabulary, techniques, and traditions in the chosen genre. All courses will include the discussion of published work. Students will practice their writing craft through exercises and other assignments, many of which will be shared with the class in an introductory workshop setting. These courses may be repeated once for credit.
TH121	Introduction to Acting I 4.00 Credits An introduction to the acting process designed for the non-performance major. Group and individual exercise work develops a relaxed instrument able to respond freely, in the body and the voice, to emotional and external stimuli. The course moves from fundamental explorations through improvisation to work on scripted material.
TH388	Playwriting 4.00 Credits Working from the reading and analysis of contemporary plays, from discussions of contemporary theatrical techniques, and from exercises through which the student writer gains access to personal material, the major focus of the semester will be the writing and revision of several drafts of at least one one-act play suitable for production on stage. Pieces, scenes, and whole plays will be read in class and active participation in the workshop process is a required component of the course.

Advanced Visual and Media Arts Workshop

Students may apply to take the Advanced Visual and Media Arts Workshop. Two semesters mandatory for B.F.A. Optional for B.A.

For specific course prerequisites, please consult the Undergraduate Catalog.