ALW103 - Scriptwriting Fundamentals
Unit details
| Year | 2025 unit information |
|---|---|
| Enrolment modes: | Trimester 2: Burwood (Melbourne), Waurn Ponds (Geelong), Online |
| Credit point(s): | 1 |
| EFTSL value: | 0.125 |
| Unit Chair: | Trimester 2: Donna McRae |
| Prerequisite: | Nil |
| Corequisite: | Nil |
| Incompatible with: | ALWM103 |
| Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - on-campus unit enrolment: | 1 x 2-hour on-campus seminar per week |
| Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - online unit enrolment: | 1 x 2-hour online seminar per week |
| Typical study commitment: | Students will on average spend 150-hours over the teaching period undertaking the teaching, learning and assessment activities for this unit. This will include educator guided online learning activities within the unit site. |
Content
This unit introduces students to the fundamentals of scriptwriting with a focus on developing practical skills and knowledge for a contemporary context. Scriptwriting elements covered include writing on country, writing from the self, adaptation, verbatim, character, action, story and structure. Students will learn how these elements may be used to maximum creative advantage within divergent scriptwriting forms. Understanding the fundamentals to script writing will give the student a grounding in all forms of performance writing, including for theatre, film, series, gaming, and performance art. The unit encourages writers to embrace a flexible definition of scripts in relationship to their wide application in the industry. The unit's focus is very much on understanding and developing practical skills, then applying them in practice. Intensive workshopping ensures the acquisition of the collaborative and audience awareness skills essential to allow students to undertake scriptwriting roles of the future.
Learning outcomes
| ULO | These are the Unit Learning Outcomes (ULOs) for this unit. At the completion of this unit, successful students can: | Alignment to Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes (GLOs) |
|---|---|---|
| ULO1 | Apply fundamental elements of scriptwriting to produce scripts in different forms for a contemporary context | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities GLO2: Communication GLO4: Critical thinking |
| ULO2 | Use scriptwriting software effectively | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities GLO3: Digital literacy GLO4: Critical thinking |
| ULO3 | Collaborate positively with other writers on scriptwriting projects | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities GLO2: Communication GLO7: Teamwork |
Assessment
| Assessment Description | Student output | Grading and weighting (% total mark for unit) | Indicative due week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment 1: Story in action - Action in Adaptation. Students will adapt an existing scene in contemporary language to a specific setting. Students must include a title page with a 2 line synopsis that has been contextualised from material supplied. | 800 words or equivalent | 20% | Week 4 |
| Assessment 2: Action in dialogue - Writing Character. Students will write an original brief scene between two fictional characters. | 800 words or equivalent | 20% | Week 6 |
| Assessment 3: Workshopping participation | 800 words or equivalent | 20% | Week 9 - 11 |
| Assessment 4: Individual Script. Students will complete a first draft in A4 format and correctly formatted pages of a short film (max 7 pages), a short pilot suited for online delivery (max 7 pages), or play (max 5 pages). (if choosing a play it can be an entire script or a portion of a longer work). Students must include a title page with 2 line synopsis and indicated genre, format, live action or animation. | 1600 words or equivalent | 40% | Week 11 |
The assessment due weeks provided may change. The Unit Chair will clarify the exact assessment requirements, including the due date, at the start of the teaching period.
Learning resource
There is no prescribed text. Unit materials are provided via the unit site. This includes unit topic readings and references to further information.
Unit Fee Information
Fees and charges vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study and their study discipline, and your study load.
Tuition fees increase at the beginning of each calendar year and all fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD). Tuition fees do not include textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment or costs such as mandatory checks, travel and stationery.
For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current Students website.