Screenplays of Television and Cinema Works and their Realisations 3007-M172ST

The aim of the course is to show which texts can prove useful in the process of developing project, production and distribution of audiovisual works as well as to familiarize students with basic rules of writing, assessing and making use of these texts.

Humanists interested in understanding the media and working in (for) the media should well know the role of text in the audiovisual work as well as the text remaining a plan of this work, registration of its structure. Knowledge on rules of writing such texts, ability to distinguish their genres as well as ability to assess their artistic value and author's skills (co-author of the audiovisual work) allows to creatively participate in realizing films and television works. It also forces to getting to know how these works are created (including mechanisms of the market responsible for financing production of this work) and in which way they exist in relation to the media audience. This audience to a larger and larger extent perceives world through education, on the basis of so-called 'image culture', often using stereotypes of popular, mainly romantic, culture.
Humanists - authors of texts "for the sake of audiovisual works" - have then two tasks. On the one hand, they should master the ability to write and to assess such texts - on the basis on case studies and experience - not only Polish, but also European and American, more versatile and deriving from the need of the media universalisation. On the other hand, they should be advocates of artistic approach in the media, i.e. be able to make use of the mechanisms they got to know to introduce on the audiovisual market masters of arts, in particular high-quality films (documentary, feature, animated, experimental). Realizing these tasks will be possible if writers understand the role of the text as a screenplay - the register of work structure (as well as other texts necessary to its production) and the importance of texts remaining integral part of the work (commentary, dialogues, subtitles, showcase). This importance should not be overrated. The author should yet accept the general rule according to which an audiovisual work remains a sequence of images (and sounds) as well as he/she should master the art of thinking most of all through images and not through texts.

Course topics:
1. Definitions of notions used in audiovisual production. Texts in audiovisual works and texts necessary in production process. Audiovisual genres. Basic literature.
2. Where to find idea of film, series or television programme? Technological, market and legal conditions of production. Developing an idea. Sources of financing. Rules of public project presentation (pitching forum).
3. Idea, act structure, treatment, screenplay, storyboard, synopsis. Working on structure of film work. Screenplay construction. Role of main character.
4. Idea, treatment, screenplay and commentary of documentary. Role of editing.
5. Idea, act structure, treatment, screenplay of feature film. Construction of feature scene. Working on screenplay of film cycle, series and telenovel.
6. Idea, screenplay, storyboard of animated film.
7. Idea, screenplay, storyboard of advertising spot.
8. Criteria of project assessment. Assessing students' works.

The method used during the course is analysis of examples (case studies) rather than theoretical reflection. That is why numerous fragments of films (or even whole films) will be used.

Passing conditions:
1. Creative presence during all classes.
2. Preparing a short thesis.