Filming The Unfilmable

Display Schedule

Code Completion Credits Range Language Instruction Semester
311UNF Z 2 2H/W English winter and summer

Subject guarantor

Neil Andrew TAYLOR

Name of lecturer(s)

Neil Andrew TAYLOR

Learning outcomes of the course unit

By the end of the course students will:

-learn the techniques, skills and academic considerations present within film literature in order to define and differentiate the various elements that combine to deliver a coherent project

-gain an understanding of the personal, critical, social and commercial factors within the creative process that leads to finished artistic projects within the audio-visual medium

Mode of study

lecture

Prerequisites and co-requisites

-

Course contents

This course is designed to give students an in-depth experience of the creative process and its considerations and to consider the ‘filmable’ - those things that are ‘known’ and the ‘unfilmable’ - those things which are ‘understood’.

The course uses film text analysis, academic texts drawn from a wide range of sources not only limited to film, a short series of class assignments, and in-class exercises exploring the creative writing process as found in film script development.

Recommended or required reading

THOULESS, Robert H. Straight and Crooked Thinking. London: Pan Books, 1974. 220 s. ISBN 0-330-24127-3.

EAGLETON, Terry. Literary Theory. Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 1989. VIII, 244 s. ISBN 0-631-13259-7.

BROOK, Peter. The Empty Space. London: Pelican Books, 1988. 157 s. ISBN 0-14-02.1415-1.

PETER, John Desmond. Vladimir’s Carrot. London: Methuen. x, 372 s. 1988. ISBN 0-413-18530-3.

ESSLIN, Martin. The Field of Drama. London, New York: Methuen, 1988. 190 s. ISBN 0-413-19260-1.

Assessment methods and criteria

Students will be evaluated on their contribution and efforts to the class, practical work and the colloquial examination. The course grade will be calculated as follows:

Attendance - 20%

Participation in discussion - 30%

In-class assignments - 60%

Note

  1. Introduction: Lecture plus in-class exercises; 'Creative play on the page' Intro to Creative Writing for screenwriters - chronology, narrative structure, character, dramatic principles, cinematic requirements, why write?

Prior reading/screening - none this session but students to screen two music videos of their choice on YouTube

  1. The range and commonality of adaptation. Principles of creative writing/thinking - thinking the unthinkable.

Reading: Students to bring one short story of their choice to the session and be prepared to defend its qualities as a piece of literature of interest and literary merit.

  1. Launch of 1st set exercise plus lecture - influences and usefulness of associated artforms - 'lifted' dialogue and image. The development of franchise characters.

Screening extracts from:

James Bond

Marvel / DC comics characters

Asterix

Jason Bourne

Reading:

Esslin: The Field of Drama. Methuen ISBN 9780413192608

4 Camera stylo, improvisation and research, life experience - Zeitgeist and contexts of source material v adaptation for current screening.

Screening: Extracts from the work of Mike Leigh. Students to have viewed Abigail's Party, Topsy Turvy, Vera Drake, Mr Turner (trailer or excepts if released).

5. 2nd set exercise. The challenge of what the writer 'cannot have' Adapter v author (how much to respect source material). Use of the Epic format.

Screenings: extracts from

The Life of Pi: Dir Lee

Jason and the Argonauts: Dir Chaffey

O Brother Where Art Thou: Dir Coen Brothers

Beowulf: Dir Zemekis

The Mahabharata: Dir Brook 1990

Life of Brian: Dir Pythons

Reading: Peter J, Vladimir's Carrot. Methuen 1987

  1. Adapting from novel/short story - examples of the 'unfilmable'

Readings: Stories by Maugham, Chekhov, Turgenev, Mann, de Maupassant, Gustav Meyrink, Hrabal, Thurber, Hawthorne, Woody Allen, Hardy, others of choice. Translations in English must be available for inclusion.

Screening extracts from:

Love In The Time of Cholera: Dir Newell

Pride and Prejudice: Dir Wright

The Handmaids Tale: Dir Schlondorff

The 39 Steps: Dir Hitchcock

Kidnapped: Dir Stevenson 1960

7. 3rd exercise launch. Screenplay tasks - literary narrative versus visual narrative. Classical literature techniques in screenplay and the use of 'historical' language.

Shakespeare in Love: Dir Madden

Moliere: Dir Tirard

Richard III: Dir Olivier

Henry V: Dir Olivier and Branagh

Ran: Dir Kurosawa

Macbeth: Dir Polanski

  1. Adapting from stage material

Madness of George III; Dir Hytner

The King's Speech; Dir Hooper

Amadeus; Dir. Forman

Vanya on 42nd Street; Dir Malle

Reading: Brook P, The Empty Space. ISBN 9780684829579

  1. Group workshop. Students to bring extracts of material specifically adapted to children's market and animation (adult and children)

No reading or screening prior to this session.

  1. Adapting biography, interface of selected adapted material with adapter's appropriate personal experience.

Screenings: Students to have viewed:

Lust for Life: Dir Minnelli

The Music Lovers: Dir Russell

Students to bring screen excerpts of 2 biopics of their choice. One must be a biopic of an artist, the other not.

  1. The writer /director relationship

Prior reading/screening - none this session

  1. Final class: Review and preparation/ expected requirements for next semester.

Schedule for winter semester 2020/2021:

06:00–08:0008:00–10:0010:00–12:0012:00–14:0014:00–16:0016:00–18:0018:00–20:0020:00–22:0022:00–24:00
Mon
Tue
room 241
Room No. 3
(Lažanský palác)
TAYLOR N.
13:10–14:45
(lecture parallel1)
on-campus
Wed
room 344
Room No. 7
(Lažanský palác)
TAYLOR N.
13:10–14:45
(lecture parallel2)
on-campus
Thu
Fri
Date Day Time Tutor Location Notes No. of paralel
Tue 13:10–14:45 Neil Andrew TAYLOR Room No. 3
Lažanský palác 		on-campus lecture parallel1
Wed 13:10–14:45 Neil Andrew TAYLOR Room No. 7
Lažanský palác 		on-campus lecture parallel2

Schedule for summer semester 2020/2021:

The schedule has not yet been prepared

The subject is a part of the following study plans