104818 - SERIAL FICTION: SCREENPLAY AND DIRECTION

Subject type: Optional

Coordinator: Maddalena Fedele

Trimester: First and second quarters

Credits: 12

The optional subject "Serial Fiction: Screenplay and Directing" is done over 2 terms. It is a mainly practical subject and aims to confront the student throughout the course of a series of fiction. From its writing to its production, realization and assembly. Therefore, the subject is divided into two distinct parts with their separate assessment. A first part (first term) that organizes groups of students (screenwriters) for the writing of plot proposals and writing of script scripts with its seasonal plot and well-defined characters. The first part ends with the choice of projects to be carried out during the second part.

In the second part (second quarter), then, the pilots develop. The group will be divided into departments according to the interests of each student: casting and directing actors, directing, directing photography, directing, production, art, video and sound editing, etc. Throughout the quarter, each department will carry out the necessary tasks to get the chapter filmed and assembled. There are some theoretical classes that will be worked on practically in class: from making budgets, to going out to locate, to organizing castings and rehearsals, and so on.

At the end of the course (both parts) the student must be able to:

- To know in depth the practice of the production and realization of fiction by television
- Know the market trends of audiovisual fiction.
- Have the ability to apply techniques and processes for creating audiovisual content.
- Know how to use the technical and human resources needed to create and produce a television series.
- Stimulate and discover their skills to relate them to the professional world.
- Write scripts for television fiction.
- Plan a shooting plan.
- Start a serial production.
- Work on a creative post-production.
- Make an idea a reality.
- Consolidate knowledge about audiovisual narrative and fictional language.
- Build an oral sales capacity through script pitching.

-Analyze and evaluate the different script structures of serial fiction.
-Recognize the resources involved in the creation process.
-Deepen in the basic resources and their dramatic formulas. Know how to distinguish dramatic twists and their functions.
- Adapt the scripts to the budgets

• General of the subject:

The course will be divided into master classes for theoretical presentations, although they will be very participatory by students, and into classes / workshops.
On a practical level, we will work from the conception of the idea and the writing of scripts to the staging, direction of actors and design of lighting and production, through costumes and production to end the direction, production and post-production. Always trying to create products that meet the needs of the potential audience and the real market. Therefore, we can work with formats we know or experiment with new formats. 
At a theoretical level we will deal with market trends, genres and subgenres of television serial fiction, the role of the director of the series, the importance of casting, musical and sound narrative, production and filming planning, budget, sound and light design, television fiction and new technologies, distribution and funding of fiction.
The option is conceived as an in-depth study of professional practice specializing in television.
Therefore, students taking this subject will be fully immersed in the process of creating, producing and producing serious audiovisual content of fiction on television. It is recommended that they be students who want to work.


• Specific part of the script:

This first part of the course will offer both theoretical training in writing screenplays for television series and a specific practical application (writing a pilot in a group).

The theoretical parts will support students ’progressive work in writing a Bible for the sale of their series and, of course, writing the script for the pilot chapter.

In the first few weeks, each student will be asked for a premise for a television series. They will be free to choose format and timing (30-40 minute dramedy, sit as 20 minutes, web series or mini series, etc ...) but they will be guided with a series of indications for the feasibility of recording the pilot in the second part of the course.
All proposals will be presented in a pitching and teachers will choose a maximum of 6 of these works presented (always depending on the students enrolled). The groups of screenwriters for each of the proposals will be formed and work will begin on writing the pilot script. The screenwriter-student who provided the premise will be the script coordinator for their group.

At the end of this first part of the course there will be an individual examination of the theory taught. The practical part will be evaluated in group after the presentation of the written pilot. 

At the end of this first part, a pitching will be called again to choose which of the projects will be carried out. Students whose projects have not passed this second pitching would become part of the teams formed for the production and realization of the pilot.

• Specific to the Production and Realization part:

In this second part of the course, both theoretical and practical training will be offered. In fact, the two modalities will advance together since in this second part of the subject the objective is very practical: to close a master's degree of professional quality.
Each student will be able to deepen with the discipline that prefers since we will treat from production to direction of art. Although the practical part will have a lot of weight, the theory will accompany the course giving tools to students to know how to think and create. 
 

PART ONE: SCREENPLAY AND WRITING

THEORETICAL CONTENTS

- Topic 1: Overcoming fear on the blank page.
Trends in serial fiction. Theme and idea. References. Construction of an initial sales project. Pitching workshop I. Documentation. Genres and formats. Basic synopsis. Idea for sale. Logline (concept). Tagline (slogan). Initial premise to develop.
Related activity 1.

- Theme 2: Development I
Seasonal plot synopsis. Pilot synopsis.
Related activity 2.

- Theme 3: Development II
Character work: Main, secondary. Arcs. Stereotypes: files and profiles of characters and their evolution in the plots. Construction of levels of importance. Construction of the universe of the characters and their objectives.
Related activity 2.

- Topic 4: Development III
Structures and types of plots. Tone and style. Narrative resources. Turns, conflicts and narrative tension depending on the genre. Dosage of information.
Related activity 2.

- Theme 5: Writing and preparing seasonal Bible
Seasonal Bible Writing. Aesthetics. Particularities. Ladder of all chapters. Seasonal structure and each chapter. A practical example: "Crematorio" (Jorge Sánchez Cabezudo, 2011, Canal +). Evolution of seasonal plots and plot lines: horizontal plots (seasonal) and episodic plots (self-conclusive).
Related activity 2.

- Theme 6: Writing the script for the pilot episode. Practical work of dialogues, subtext and stylization.
Related activity 3.

- Theme 7: Pitching Workshop II. Extended universes: transmedia. Programming grid. The showrunner or executive producer.
Related activity 3

CONTENTS PRACTICAL ACTIVITIES

Activity 1- Idea for a television series. Individual oral presentation.

Activity 2- Project Bible: The Bible with a plot and character map.

Activity 3- Script of the pilot episode and public presentation (PITCHING. PROFESSIONAL SIMULATION)

Views of both national and international series will be used in order to find examples suitable for the proposed theory.

PART TWO: PRODUCTION AND REALIZATION

CONTENTS

Topic 1: The viability of the project and the organization of the team
The management team
The production team
Casting and directing actors
 

Topic 2: The designs
Production design
Realization design
Lighting design
Artistic design
Locations

Topic 3: Financing
Budget
Financing plan

Topic 4: The shooting
Shooting plan
Logistics

Topic 5: The assembly
Video
So
Music
Color
Master

Item 6: Marketing and distribution
TV channels
Online
Grants
festivals
Pilot chapter screening



 

PART ONE: SCREENPLAY AND WRITING

- Activity 1: INITIAL IDEA FOR A TELEVISION SERIES

During the first days of the course each student will propose a project of television series that will have to defend in an oral pitching in front of the class. As a support material, a small initial pitching workshop will be held and the corresponding web documentation will be made available to the student.

Each student must also submit a file of their series project in accordance with the usual characteristics of the professional market.
The result of the activity will have a weighting of 5% with respect to the total of the final note.

At the end of the activity the student must be able to defend an initial project.

- Activity 2: BIBLE OF THE PROJECT

At the end of the course each group will present the corresponding bible for the sale of the project. The Bible must be delivered in electronic and paper format. It will contain all the phases worked on in class: synopsis, sequenced treatments, character sheets. The result of the activity will have a weighting of 30% with respect to the total of the final note of the first part of the subject. The specific objective is to demonstrate an understanding of the correct formatted writing of a film script and its professional presentation.

Support Material: 

Texts available on the virtual campus.
Concrete study of the Bible of the series "Crematorio" (Canal +, 2011)
Selected viewers.

- Activity 3: LITERARY SCREENPLAY OF THE PILOT EPISODE AND FINAL PTICHING

Writing and presentation of the pilot episode by each of the groups of screenwriters. As support material, texts available on the virtual campus will be made available to the student. The SETENTA TECLAS screenwriters' collective will make available to the student all the narrative construction material of specific examples.

The final script will be delivered in electronic and physical format and attached to the Bible.
The result of the activity will have a weighting of 20% with respect to the total of the final note of the first part of the asignatura. The final pitching will have a value of 20%

At the end of the activity the student must be able to:
-Analyze and evaluate the different script structures of serial fiction.
-Recognize the resources involved in the creation process.
-Deepen in the basic resources and their dramatic formulas. Know how to distinguish dramatic twists and their functions.
- Adapt the scripts to the budgets

- Activity 4: THEORETICAL EXAMINATION

Theoretical individual exam.
The knowledge of the contents of the subject is evaluated. This test consists of a part of questions on concepts associated with the learning objectives of the subject, in terms of knowledge and understanding, and a set of application exercises. The student has 2 hours to complete the test.
An additional 8 hours of independent learning is considered necessary to prepare for the exam.

The result of the theoretical test of script will have a weighting of 25% with regard to the total of the final note of the first part of the asignatura.

PART TWO: PRODUCTION AND REALIZATION

Activity 1: Hidden camera

We will work on the inner monologue of the characters in groups of 3 people. We will record a real world character in hidden camera format. We will build an inner conflict and read the character's monologue in class while projecting the images.

Worth 10% of the final grade, groups of 3.

Activity 2: The creative notebook

Throughout the term, each group will create a notebook that will reflect the world and atmosphere of their series. We will work on smells, colors, textures, images, references. Each member of the team will have to fill in two pages and present them to the class.

It is worth 10% of the final grade.

Activity 3: Note from individual follow-up

Here the involvement with the subject is also valued: attendance, collaboration, attitude, initiative.

It is worth 10%, individual note.

Activity 4: The pilot

The final result of the pilot chapter is assessed.

It is worth 40% of the final grade. Of this 40%, 10% corresponds to the individual grade (self-report on the task and role in filming), and 30% group grade.

Activity 5: The exam

Theoretical individual exam.
The knowledge of the contents of the subject is evaluated. The student has 2 hours to complete the test.
An additional 8 hours of independent learning is considered necessary to prepare for the exam.

Worth 30% of the final grade, individual grade.

To pass the course you must participate in the pilot and the exam.

Of the other activities, only one "not presented" can be accumulated.

Each of the parts of the course will be assessed individually.

Forapart from script the ordinary evaluation or qualification system will be:

- Activity 1 (individual initial pitching): 5%

- Activity 2 (Project Bible): 30%

- Activity 3 (pilot script): 20%

- The second pitching (group): 20%

- Activity 4 (theoretical exam): 25%

If any of the internship or follow-up activities are not carried out, it will be considered non-scored. If there is more than one activity that has not been done, a grade of Not Presented will be obtained in the internship note. Therefore, the performance of practical activities is mandatory.

Forin the second part of the subject: Production and Realization the ordinary evaluation or qualification system will be:

- Activity 1 (Hidden camera): 10%

- Activity 2 (The notebook): 10%

- Activity 3 (Follow-up): 10%

- Activity 4 (The pilot) 40% (10% individual self-report mark and 30% group mark)

- Activity 5 (Theoretical exam): 30%

To pass the course you must participate in the pilot and the exam. Of the other activities, only one "not presented" can be accumulated.

SÁNCHEZ-CABEZUDO, Jorge. ; SÁNCHEZ-CABEZUDO, Alberto. Crematorium: script for the TV series. Madrid. Seventy Key Editions. Eight and a Half, 2014

RIOS SAN MARTIN, Manuel. The script for TV series. Madrid. IORTV. RTVE Institute, 2012

CARRIÓN, Jorge. Teleshakespeare. Barcelona Errata Naturae Editores, 2011

GALÁN, Elena .; HERRERO, Begoña. The fiction script on television. Madrid: Editorial Síntesis, SA, Madrid 2011

TOLEDANO, Gonzalo; VERDE, Nuria. How to Create a TV Series | Madrid: T&B Editores, 2007.

"The Point of View," in Gaudreault, A .; Jost, F. The film story. Cinema and narratology. 1995. Barcelona: Paidós, 1995,

CASCAJOSA VIRINO, Concepción. The ready box: cult American television. Barcelona: Laertes SA de Ediciones, 2007

"Cinema and Narrative," in Gaudreault, A .; Jost, F .. The film story. Cinema and narratology. 1995. Barcelona: Paidós, 1995,

MCKEE, R,. The script. Barcelona: Alba Editorial, 2002.

MILLERSON, Gerald. Realization and production in television. 2009. IORTV, 2009.,