Screenplay Analysis

The course is a freestanding course.

The requirement for admission to the course is a Bachelor’s degree, or the equivalent in a foreign degree.

Applicants must demonstrate knowledge of English at level English 6 or equivalent from Swedish Upper Secondary School or the equivalent level of an internationally recognized test, for instance TOEFL or IELTS.

The course provides in-depth knowledge of screenwriting research and how the field contributes to film, television, theatre and literary studies. With an emphasis on production studies and textual analysis, individual scripts and broader trends are critically discussed within a range of theoretical and methodological frameworks. Selected case studies will be used to provide a broad understanding of the different perspectives and possibilities of the field. With case studies from different parts of the world, the course adopts a global perspective.

On successful completion of the course the student will be able to:

Knowledge and understanding

• give an account of key terms and concepts in screenwriting and screenwriting research,
• account for how norms, culture and social conditions can be thought to influence screenwriting practices,
• account for typical examples of current research in screenwriting studies,

Competence and skills

• critically and systematically review how recurrent and experimental screenwriting strategies have been treated in screenwriting research,
• produce close readings and discussions of individual scripts with advanced analytical and theoretical ability,

Judgement and approach

• make assessments of how screenplays and screenwriting research describe the interplay between artistic practices, professional standards and norms, and social conditions.

The teaching is conducted in the form of seminars and workshops.

Language of instruction: English

All course learning outcomes are assessed in the form of oral presentations during mandatory seminars, short written assignments and a more extensive final assignement. An absent student may be asked to fulfill supplementary requirements in the form of additional assignments in order to achieve a Passing grade.

A student who has passed a subtest may not do a new test for a higher grade. Nor do students have the right to withdraw a submitted test and in such a way avoid being graded.

If a student who has been failed twice for the same examination element wishes to change examiner before the next examination session, such a request is to be granted unless there are specific reasons to the contrary (Chapter 6 Section 22 HF).

If a student has received a certificate of disability study support from the University of Gothenburg with a recommendation of adapted examination and/or adapted forms of assessment, an examiner may decide, if this is consistent with the course’s intended learning outcomes and provided that no unreasonable resources would be needed, to grant the student adapted examination and/or adapted forms of assessment.

If a course has been discontinued or undergone major changes, the student must be offered at least two examination sessions in addition to ordinary examination sessions. These sessions are to be spread over a period of at least one year but no more than two years after the course has been discontinued/changed. The same applies to placement and internship (VFU) except that this is restricted to only one further examination session.

If a student has been notified that they fulfil the requirements for being a student at Riksidrottsuniversitetet (RIU student), to combine elite sports activities with studies, the examiner is entitled to decide on adaptation of examinations if this is done in accordance with the Local rules regarding RIU students at the University of Gothenburg.

The grading scale comprises: Pass with Distinction (VG), Pass (G) and Fail (U).

For the grade Pass with distinction on the course, this grade is required on the final assignment. For the highest grade, there are higher requirements on analysis, problematizing and synthesis as well as linguistic ability.

The results of and possible changes to the course will be shared with students who participated in the evaluation and students who are starting the course.

Aspects of gender equality and equal treatment will be considered in the content, the literature, the teaching, and the evaluations of the course.

This is a translated version of the Swedish original. In case of differences between the Swedish version and the English translation, the Swedish original shall prevail.