FTV Intro to Screenwriting PDF

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Summary

Intro to communications film and tv curriculum part of the class. This focuses on intro to screenwriting for the film and tv section....

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Key potential revenue streams ○ Advertising ○ Subscriptions ○ Content deals ■ Happen when networks, studios make deals for their content to air on places like netflix ○ Product placement ■ iPhones in TV shows ■ Wayne’s World scene ○ Product integration ■ Toyota car integrated into Bones ■ Integrated narratively ■ Talks specifically about the feature of the car ○ Strategic partnerships ■ Usually about funding ??? ○ Sponsored content Screenwriter’s role in film ○ Writing on spec ■ Speculating that people will want to pay you for your work ■ Own idea most of the time ■ Sometime’s an adaptation ■ Writing under contract ○ Writing under contract ○ Rewriting ■ Majority of films are rewritten at least once ■ Other people are brought in to rewrite it Screenwriter’s role in television ○ Film is usually individually ○ Staff writer ■ Names do not get credit ■ Consistently in the writer’s room ○ Story editors ■ Highly contracted writers that mainly write the script the first time ■ They are in the writer’s room, but they get credit for the episodes they write ○ Freelancing ■ Someone who doesn’t work on the show, but who writes a spec script for the show ○ Showrunner ■ Most coveted role, have the most control ■ Get to express their ideas ■ Creates ‘show bible’ ● Giant binder that can be used by other writers in order to keep with that creative vision

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Shonda Rhimes ● Showrunner and creator for Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice and Scandal Basics of screenplay format ○ Scene heading/ slug line ■ Where we are ■ When it is ● Ex: Russia, Solenski Plaza, 3rd floor night ○ Description/ action of scene ■ What we see ○ Character name, centered above dialogue ○ Fight choreography isn’t in the script Genre ○ TV genres (examples for scripted programs) ■ Animated or live action ■ Serial, procedural, anthology ● Serial- story is serialized across the episode ○ Tells a big story, with each episode contributing towards that story ● Procedural- different story each episode ● Anthology- episodes are completely unconnected ■ action/adventure ■ Drama ■ Fantasy ■ Police procedurals/ detective ■ Science fiction ■ Sitcom ■ Workplace drama ■ *many more ○ Film genres ■ Fantasy ■ Romcom ■ Comedy ■ Drama ■ Family adventure ■ History ■ Horror ■ Melodrama ■ Musical ■ Romance ■ Thriller ■ War ■ Western Worldbuilding through tone and genre

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Genre creates ■ Tone ● What will the emotional tone be? Feel good, sappy etc… ■ Narrative expectations Genre creates audience expectations about the world that a story is set in What kind of worldbuilding does Sci Fi do? ■ Tone ■ Narrative expectations ● Lots of paranoia ■ Character expectations ● Scientists ■ World expectations Romcoms? ■ Tone ■ Narrative expectations ■ Character expectations ● Someone will be clumsy ■ World expectations ● Nothing life shattering ■...