Welcome to Screenwriting, Scriptwriting, Playwriting,
or whatever this class eventually ends up being called . . .
(probably a lot of things that can only be muttered under your breath)
“First forget inspiration. Habit is more dependable. Habit will sustain you whether you’re inspired or not. Habit will help you finish and polish your stories. Inspiration won’t. Habit is persistence in practice.” ― Octavia E. Butler
“Many times, what people call ‘writer’s block’ is the confusion that happens when a writer has a great idea, but their writing skill is not up to the task of putting that idea down on paper. I think that learning the craft of writing is critical.” -Pearl Cleage
“Writers don’t write from experience, although many are hesitant to admit that they don’t. …If you wrote from experience, you’d get maybe one book, maybe three poems. Writers write from empathy.” ― Nikki Giovanni
"Beginning writers must appreciate the prerequisites if they hope to become writers. You pay your dues - which takes years." - Alex Haley
or whatever this class eventually ends up being called . . .
(probably a lot of things that can only be muttered under your breath)
“First forget inspiration. Habit is more dependable. Habit will sustain you whether you’re inspired or not. Habit will help you finish and polish your stories. Inspiration won’t. Habit is persistence in practice.” ― Octavia E. Butler
“Many times, what people call ‘writer’s block’ is the confusion that happens when a writer has a great idea, but their writing skill is not up to the task of putting that idea down on paper. I think that learning the craft of writing is critical.” -Pearl Cleage
“Writers don’t write from experience, although many are hesitant to admit that they don’t. …If you wrote from experience, you’d get maybe one book, maybe three poems. Writers write from empathy.” ― Nikki Giovanni
"Beginning writers must appreciate the prerequisites if they hope to become writers. You pay your dues - which takes years." - Alex Haley
This semester you will be responsible for a variety of tasks:
Daily Journal Writing
You will write a minimum of two pages in your journal for every day the class meets (unless otherwise directed.) Group Projects
Teachers always want you to be working; students would rather talk. Teachers always want you to take responsibility for your poor efforts; students always want someone else to blame. Teachers always want less to grade; students want less to do. Well, we've discovered a solution to all these problems -- group work. Group work consists of a small group of students, none of whom have any idea what to do or how to do it, parceling out the components of a project and then blaming each other when they get a lousy grade. It's the best way to breed animosity and long-term resentments. Doesn't that sound like fun? Great . . . here is your second group project. And here's your third (not really a) group project. And just in case you were getting complacent, here's your fourth project as well. Individual Projects (because you are tired of riding the coattails of your more talented peers . . . not really, but spring is coming and they'll stop wearing coats, so then what will you ride)
This is your opportunity to work on something meaningful and exciting to you -- just don't forget that it is ultimately for an audience as well. Here you will find the directions for your individual project just as soon as Mr. Brenner realizes he can't scare you into giving up writing (and school) altogether. |
Entertaining Your Teacher and the Rest of the Class (we'll either be laughing with you or . . . )
Nah, I'm just kidding. Really, you just have to exhibit the behaviors that will make you a success in this class and anywhere else you expect people to not call you names behind your back. Good luck with that. By the way, here's a description of those behaviors. Independent Movie Watching
Here is a list of movies that have really clever and/or moving dialogue in them (if you don't agree it's because you are illterate -- now stop drooling on yourself). All of these movies would be good for an aspiring screenwriter to watch . . . however, some of them are rated R, so check with your parents first. For the third quarter, you will be watching one of these movies and reviewing it solely on the basis of its script. More details to follow. For the 4th quarter, you will be watching one more movie from the above list, and then you will write a "missing" scene from the film that will capture, to the best of your ability, the kind of dialogue that characterizes the movie. You may not invent new characters, but you can make minor characters more prominent. |
Your Metamorphosis Piece
You will be turning in the final draft of your Metamorphosis piece on February 5th . . . and it must be good. Here is some clarification on what I mean by "good." Your Capstone Project
You have already "completed" the "outline" for your "research paper" and are "ready" to "write" your "paper" -- so all that's left to do after that is to write your creative piece and your artist's statement, and then plan your presentation. Oh, and after the presentation you'll have to write a reflection -- which does not mean it should be two-dimensional and backwards -- but that can be put off for awhile . . . and we all know how you love to put things off . . . like graduating . . . and having a life. We will work on the artist's statement briefly in class. But besides that and your Capstone script, you are on your own to complete your Capstone. If you'd like some help with your project -- or just someone to laugh as you struggle and suffer -- then ask . . . soon . . . and we can meet during down time in class or after school. Here are the final due dates for all of your Capstone materials: Final draft of your research paper - 2/27 Final draft of your creative piece - 2/27 Final draft of your artist's statement - 2/27 Reflection - within one week of your Capstone presentation (click here for a link to your dates and presentation times) Here are the details of the work you will need to complete by 2/27
Capstone Project Capstone Proposal Form Capstone Rubric Sample Annotated Bibliography Sample Outline How to format the stuff you are handing in Information for submitting a bribe rather than completing your Capstone (link coming soon) |
“But surely to tell these tall tales and others like them would be to spread the myth, the wicked lie, that the past is always tense and the future, perfect.” -Zadie Smith
“Wanna fly, you got to give up the shit that weighs you down.” -Toni Morrison