City University of Hong Kong

Course Syllabus

offered by School of Creative Media

with effect from Semester A 2020 /21

Part I Course Overview

Course Title: Chinese Scriptwriting

Course Code: SM3115

Course Duration: One semester

Credit Units: 6

Level: B3
Arts and Humanities
Study of Societies, Social and Business Organisations
Proposed Area:
(for GE courses only) Science and Technology

Medium of
Instruction: Chinese

Medium of
Assessment: Chinese

Prerequisites:
(Course Code and Title) Nil

Precursors:
(Course Code and Title) Nil

Equivalent Courses:
(Course Code and Title) Nil

Exclusive Courses:
(Course Code and Title) Nil

Course Syllabus 1
Jun 2017
Part II Course Details

1. Abstract
(A 150-word description about the course)

This is an introductory course on screenwriting for would-be screenwriters and directors. Students will
learn and practise the art of cinematic narration in the writing of screenplay. As a solid and well-written
script always provides a strong creative base for a director to construct or compose his/her cinematic work,
the understanding of drama and the mastery of screenwriting technique is of utmost importance. To be an
‘auteur’ (writer/director as one) enables one to be more in control of one’s creative work, and in a better
position to realize one’s personal vision. One films what one writes. But one has first to be able to ‘write’
in sounds and images before one can ‘create’ with sounds and images. This course therefore, other than
teaching the basic concepts of drama, narration or story-telling, will focus on the imaginative use of film
language in screenwriting, and teach students to create in cinematic terms rather than ‘literary’ images.

2. Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs)

(CILOs state what the student is expected to be able to do at the end of the course according to a given standard of
performance.)

No. CILOs# Weighting* Discovery-enriched

(if curriculum related
applicable) learning outcomes
(please tick where
appropriate)
A1 A2 A3
1. Judge and differentiate between good and bad works of ✓
drama, and elaborate on it by analyzing the narrative
structure of the work and the inner workings of narration in
cinematic terms.
2. Create fictional character for screenplay that has depth, ✓ ✓
complexity and richness.
3. Create and write story or synopsis for screenplay by fully ✓ ✓
developing his/her creative ideas in cinematic terms, and
structure scene- breakdown for screenplay.
4. Create and write a narrative script of quality. ✓ ✓ ✓
5.^ Assign or link up extra self-initiated tasks on top of a ✓
coursework for further exploration of the subject.
6.^ General personal insight as a result of critical interpretation ✓ ✓
of the subject matter.
* If weighting is assigned to CILOs, they should add up to 100%. 100%
#
Please specify the alignment of CILOs to the Gateway Education Programme Intended Learning outcomes
(PILOs) in Section A of Annex.

^ Negotiated Learning Outcome (NLO) explicitly articulating the elements of Discovery oriented
learning.

A1: Attitude
Develop an attitude of discovery/innovation/creativity, as demonstrated by students possessing a strong
sense of curiosity, asking questions actively, challenging assumptions or engaging in inquiry together
with teachers.
A2: Ability
Develop the ability/skill needed to discover/innovate/create, as demonstrated by students possessing
critical thinking skills to assess ideas, acquiring research skills, synthesizing knowledge across disciplines
or applying academic knowledge to self-life problems.
A3: Accomplishments
Demonstrate accomplishment of discovery/innovation/creativity through producing /constructing
creative works/new artefacts, effective solutions to real-life problems or new processes.

3. Teaching and Learning Activities (TLAs)

Course Syllabus 2
Jun 2017
 (TLAs designed to facilitate students’ achievement of the CILOs.)

TLA Brief Description CILO No. Hours/week

1 2 3 4 5 6 (if applicable)
Lecture Lectures on the basic concepts of ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 3hrs/wk
drama and the art and technique
of narrative screenwriting.
Excerpts from film classics are
used as illustrations on the
lecture texts.
Lecture In-depth lecture on creating ✓ 3hrs/wk
characters in screenwriting. Also,
a series of written exercises to
ensure students’ ability in
creating their own fictional
characters, and acquiring
knowledge, through practice, of
good characterization.
Workshop Group critique, discussion and ✓ ✓ ✓ 3hrs/wk
brainstorming-sessions on
students’ work-in-progress to
guide them and monitor their
creative process. These
workshops are conducted for the
entire course.
Workshop Individual sessions with students ✓ ✓ ✓ 1hr/wk
to discuss and provide feedback
for revision on their script in the
final stage of their writing
process.

4. Assessment Tasks/Activities (ATs)

(ATs are designed to assess how well the students achieve the CILOs.)

Assessment Tasks/Activities CILO No. Weighting* Remarks

1 2 3 4 5 6
Continuous Assessment: 100%
Weekly in-depth analysis and ✓ ✓ 20%
useful feedbacks on
classmates’ work-in-progress.
Students’ passion, seriousness, ✓ ✓ 20%
efforts, artistic development
and progress in the entire
creative process of writing
their story or synopsis, scene-
breakdown, and screenplay.
The completed, revised FINAL ✓ ✓ ✓ 60%
SCRIPT.
Examination: 0% (duration: --, if applicable)
* The weightings should add up to 100%. 100%

Course Syllabus 3
Jun 2017
5. Assessment Rubrics
(Grading of student achievements is based on student performance in assessment tasks/activities with the following rubrics.)

Assessment Task Criterion Excellent Good Fair Marginal Failure

(A+, A, A-) (B+, B, B-) (C+, C, C-) (D) (F)
1. Weekly Analysis This assessment will - Rich, informative - Adequate content - Adequate content - Weak content, - Inadequate content,
grade on rationality, content, excellent with firm grasp of with loose grasp of the fail to identify the
clarity and fluency of grasp of the the material that comprehensive general ideas with general ideas with
argument and material with in- informs the grasp of the some knowledge of knowledge of the
comment. The depth and extensive audience on a material the subject matter subject matter
threshold of knowledge of the subject matter demonstrating basic - Poor organization, - No organization,
‘discovery’ lies in a subject matter - Reasonable knowledge of the structure and structure or/and
student’s ability to - Rigorous organization with subject matter composition composition
negotiate a position organization, balanced structure - Fair organization - Relevant points to - Irrelevant points to
that is informed,
coherent structure, and composition with adequate the subject matter, the subject matter,
defendable, and
systematic - Clear elaboration of structure and marginal ability to no ability to
standing on personal
composition ideas that sticks to composition interpret opinions interpret opinions
insight.
- Precision in the point, with - Relevant points - Ability to respond - Fail to respond to
argument, well clearly made to the subject to other comments other comments
defined and differentiated matter in question in simple terms - Unwilling to
reasoned points of issues, ability to - Ability to respond - Unmotivated to participate in class
view grounded in interpret opinions to other statements participate in class discussion and
insightful independently and engage in class discussion or comment on other
interpretation of - Active in-class discussion comment on other points, even when
existing literature participation, - Fair ability in people’s views requested by the
- Discussion shed positive listening, interpreting - Poor ability in teacher
light on new ability to initiate opinions interpreting - Minimal ability in
dimensions of the class discussion and opinions interpreting
issue comment on other opinions
- Active in-class points
participation, - Interpret opinions
positive listening, effectively
strong ability to
stimulate class
discussion and
comment on other
points
- Interpret others’
views with an open

Course Syllabus 4
Jun 2017
 Assessment Task Criterion Excellent Good Fair Marginal Failure
(A+, A, A-) (B+, B, B-) (C+, C, C-) (D) (F)
mind and ready to
negotiate
- Readiness to share
personal insight via
analysis and
synthesis with
informed views
2. Final Script Students should - Work has strong - Strong - Basic appreciation - Marginal - No appreciation of
demonstrate ability to affective quality appreciation, and/or application appreciation of the the aesthetics and
utilize primary and and the articulation exploration and/or of the aesthetic and aesthetic and expressive qualities
secondary sources, of personal styles application of the expressive qualities expressive qualities of the medium
execute creative ideas and signature aesthetic and of the medium of the medium - Fail to create
and projects. The - Excellent expressive qualities - Limited ability to - Marginal ability to project/ work that
threshold of appreciation, of the medium create project/ work create project/ work demonstrate the
‘discovery’ lies in a exploration and/or - Ability to create that demonstrate that demonstrate processes of
student’s proactively application of the project/ work that the processes of the processes of thinking and
turning theory into aesthetic and demonstrate the thinking and thinking and creative exploration
praxis, to transform
expressive qualities processes of creative exploration creative exploration - Minimal
course material into
of the medium thinking and - Adjustment of - Limited adjustment adjustment of plans
self-owned authorship.
- Work raises creative exploration plans and strategies of plans and and strategies in
questions and instill - Proper adjustment in response to strategies in response to
insights about the of plans and resources (time, response to resources (time,
process of strategies in space, equipment, resources (time, space, equipment,
conception, creative response to etc) available space, equipment, etc) available
strategization and resources (time, etc) available
production space, equipment,
- Efficient etc) available and
adjustment of plans constructive
and strategies in feedback/
response to suggestions
resources (time,
space, equipment,
etc) available with
constructive
adjustment

Note: All A+/A/A- grade assignment should comply with the highest performance of Discovery-oriented learning.

Course Syllabus 5
Jun 2017
Part III Other Information (more details can be provided separately in the teaching plan)

1. Keyword Syllabus
(An indication of the key topics of the course.)

 What is drama
 The cinematic language of screenwriting
 Emotion and action
 Character and characterization
 What is plot
 Narrative and narration
 Voice of the narrator
 Theme and message
 Narrative structure
 3-act structure and alternatives
 What is a scene
 Structuring a scene
 Action design
 Speech in screenwriting
 Dialogue / monologue / voice over

2. Reading List
2.1 Compulsory Readings
(Compulsory readings can include books, book chapters, or journal/magazine articles. There are also collections of e-
books, e-journals available from the CityU Library.)

1. The Art & Science of Screenwriting – Philip Parker. Intellect Books

2. Alternative Scriptwriting – Dancyger & Rush. Focal Press
3. Writing the Character Centered Screenplay - Andrew Horton. U of California Press
4. The Art of Creative Writing - Lajos Egri. Citadel Press
5. The Art of Dramatic Writing - Lajos Egri. Citadel Press

2.2 Additional Readings

(Additional references for students to learn to expand their knowledge about the subject.)

1. Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting – Syd Field

Course Syllabus 6
Jun 2017