Bachelor of Fine Arts (Screenwriting) (B-FASCWRI)

You’re currently viewing the 2018 version of this course

Overview

Award title	Bachelor of Fine Arts (Screenwriting)
Year & campus	2018 — Southbank
CRICOS code	093587J
Fees information	Subject EFTSL, level, discipline and census date
Study level & type	Undergraduate Coursework
AQF level	7
Credit points	300 credit points
Duration	36 months full-time

The BFA (Screenwriting) provides an immersive and experiential studio-based education, focusing on the origination and development of stories for the screen. There is a strong emphasis on developing the student’s individual creative voice, while underlining the need to speak effectively and freshly to an audience. The course provides training in writing for different screen-based mediums and genres, as well as the creative adaptation of work originated in other literary genres.

Housed in the School of Film and Television, this degree lives alongside the school’s other degrees in directing and producing for live-action fiction, animation and documentary. This provides screenwriting students with the unique opportunity to develop professional-practice collaboration skills.

This happens while developing creative concepts alone or in collaborative teams, while being on-set during productions, and through script readings and critical self and peer assessment.

Undertaking elective subjects offered by other VCA schools, or by the wider University community, gives the student the opportunity to investigate the generation of original creative work in other arts disciplines, or the opportunity to strengthen their knowledge of current issues and debates in non-arts based fields.

The BFA Screenwriting graduates complete a deeply personal, artistically transformational, and highly professional course of development. With their creative, collaborative and technical skills they are optimally placed to make significant impact in the national and international creative industries.

BFA Screenwriting graduates may also elect to undertake a 4 th year of study in the honours programme, or 2 years of further study towards a Masters degree.

Entry requirements

1. The Selection Committee will evaluate the applicant’s ability to pursue successfully the course using the following criteria:

· successful completion of the VCE (or an equivalent qualification) with a study score of at least 25 in Units 3 and 4 English/English Language/Literature, or a study score of at least 30 in Units 3 and 4 ESL. Minimum ATAR is not applicable.

· performance in the selection test process leading to possible short listing for interview and folio presentation.

2. The Selection Committee will conduct interviews with those shortlisted and may call for referee reports or employer references to elucidate any of the matters referred to above.

Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry.The University is dedicated to providingsupport to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website. http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

Intended learning outcomes

Work independently or in ensemble in a wide range of careers and performance or production opportunities;
be well-trained and knowledgeable in their own and related fields;
be committed to continuous learning and production in their discipline;
have a local and international perspective on their own arts practice;
excellence in practising their own art form;
have good academic literacy skills in expression, argument and research;
be proficient in the use of appropriate modern technologies.

Generic skills

Artistically excellent:
- demonstrate a flexible and innovative approach to the national and international challenges for the professional artist/practitioner in the 21 Century
- have a strong sense of intellectual integrity and the ethics of artistic practices and scholarship
- have in-depth knowledge of their specialist discipline(s)
- reach a high level of achievement in artistic practice, writing, generic research activities, problem-solving and communication
- be critical and creative thinkers, with an aptitude for continued self-directed learning
- be adept at learning in a range of ways, including through information and communication technologies

Knowledgeable across disciplines:
- examine critically, synthesise and evaluate knowledge across a range of disciplines
- expand their analytical and cognitive skills through learning experiences in diverse subjects
- have the capacity to participate fully in collaborative learning and to confront unfamiliar problems
- have a set of flexible and transferable skills for different types of employment

Leaders in communities:
- initiate and implement constructive change in their communities, including professions and workplaces
- have excellent interpersonal and decision-making skills, including an awareness of personal strengths and limitations
- mentor future generations of learners
- engage in meaningful public discourse, with a profound awareness of community needs

Attuned to cultural diversity:
- value different cultures and their cultural forms of practice
- be well-informed citizens able to contribute to their communities wherever they choose to live and work
- have an understanding of the social and cultural diversity in our community
- respect indigenous knowledge, cultures and values

Active global citizens:
- understand their relationship with and responsibility to their cultural environment and society
- accept social and civic responsibilities
- be advocates for improving the sustainability of the environment
- have a broad global understanding, with a high regard for human rights, equity and ethics.

Course structure

The course structure for the Bachelor of Fine Arts (Screenwriting) is outlined below.

Subject options

First Year Subjects

Students choose one VCA Elective (see list below):

Students are encouraged to take Semester 2 or Summer/Winter intensive subjects

PLUS

Code	Name	Study period	Credit Points
FLTV10012	Screenwriting Practices 1A	Semester 1 (On Campus - Southbank)	25
FLTV10013	Industry Perspectives	Semester 1 (On Campus - Southbank)	12.5
FLTV10014	Pictures, Sounds, Words	Semester 1 (On Campus - Southbank)	12.5
FLTV10015	Screenwriting Practices 1B	Semester 2 (On Campus - Southbank)	25
FLTV10009	Screen Culture and Aesthetics 1	Semester 2 (On Campus - Southbank)	12.5

Second Year Subjects

Students choose one VCA Elective (see list below):

Students are encouraged to take Semester 2 or Summer/Winter intensive subjects

PLUS

Code	Name	Study period	Credit Points
FLTV20012	Screenwriting Practices 2A	Semester 1 (On Campus - Southbank)	25
FLTV20017	Screenwriting Practices 2B	Semester 2 (On Campus - Southbank)	25
FLTV20011	Gaming and the Writer	Semester 1 (On Campus - Southbank)	12.5
FLTV20010	Screen Culture and Aesthetics 2	Semester 2 (On Campus - Southbank)	12.5
FLTV20018	Writing for the Youth Screen Market	Semester 2 (On Campus - Southbank)	12.5

Third Year Subjects

Code	Name	Study period	Credit Points
FLTV30011	Screen Culture and Aesthetics 3	Semester 1 (On Campus - Southbank)	12.5
FLTV30014	Screenwriting Practices 3	Year Long (On Campus - Southbank)	50
FLTV30015	Screen Adaptation	Semester 1 (On Campus - Southbank)	12.5
FLTV30016	Attachment or Research Project	Semester 2 (On Campus - Southbank)	12.5
FLTV30017	Screenwriting Business	Semester 2 (On Campus - Southbank)	12.5

VCA Electives - level 1 subjects

Students wishing to take subjects offered as breadth options on the Parkville campus should seek permission from the Course Coordinator

Code	Name	Study period	Credit Points
		Semester 2 (On Campus - Southbank) Semester 1 (On Campus - Southbank) No longer available Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) Winter Term (On Campus - Southbank) July (On Campus - Southbank) June (Off Campus) Semester 2 (Off Campus) Not available in 2018 Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) Winter Term (On Campus - Parkville) July (On Campus - Parkville)
MUSI10215	Alexander Technique for Daily Function	Semester 2 (On Campus - Southbank)	12.5
THTR10019	Clear Speech and Communication	Semester 1 (On Campus - Southbank) Semester 2 (On Campus - Southbank)	12.5
DRAM10025	Contemporary Performance Analysis	No longer available
FLTV10021	Interactive Art Media 1	Semester 1 (On Campus - Southbank) Semester 2 (On Campus - Southbank)	12.5
MUSI10202	Jazz: The Improvisatory Spirit	Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
MUSI10179	Making Music For Film And Animation 1	Semester 2 (On Campus - Southbank)	12.5
MUSI10184	Pop Song Writing 1	Semester 1 (On Campus - Southbank) Semester 2 (On Campus - Southbank)	12.5
THTR10007	The Actors Process	Winter Term (On Campus - Southbank)	12.5
FINA10035	Still Life: Nature Morte	Semester 2 (On Campus - Southbank)	12.5
FINA10036	Life Drawing: The Body	Semester 1 (On Campus - Southbank)	12.5
AIND10003	Ancient and Contemporary Indigenous Arts	Winter Term (On Campus - Southbank) July (On Campus - Southbank)	12.5
AIND10004	Art and Indigenous Voice	Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
DNCE10027	Dancing the Dance 1	Semester 1 (On Campus - Southbank) Semester 2 (On Campus - Southbank)	12.5
MUSI10222	The Wellbeing Orchestra	Semester 2 (On Campus - Southbank)	12.5
MUSI10199	Music Theatre: From Chorus To Ensemble	Winter Term (On Campus - Southbank)	12.5
UNIB10011	The Secret Life of the Body 1	Semester 1 (On Campus - Southbank) Semester 2 (On Campus - Southbank)	12.5
DRAM10026	Up Close and Personal with MTC	June (Off Campus) Semester 2 (Off Campus)	12.5
CCDP10001	Games & Playfulness	Not available in 2018	12.5
CCDP10002	The Electronic Arts: Vision and Sound	Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
CCDP10003	Video Games: Remaking Reality	Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
FINA20044	Art and the Botanical	Winter Term (On Campus - Parkville) July (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
DNCE20032	Body Works	Not available in 2018	12.5

VCA Electives - level 2 subjects

Students wishing to take subjects offered as breadth options on the Parkville campus should seek permission from the Course Coordinator

Code	Name	Study period	Credit Points
		Semester 2 (On Campus - Southbank) Semester 1 (On Campus - Southbank) June (On Campus - Southbank) Winter Term (On Campus - Southbank) July (On Campus - Southbank) Summer Term (On Campus - Southbank) February (On Campus - Southbank) Summer Term (On Campus - Parkville) January (On Campus - Parkville) Winter Term (On Campus - Parkville) July (On Campus - Parkville) Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) Not available in 2018
MUSI20190	Advanced Recording Studio Techniques	Semester 2 (On Campus - Southbank)	12.5
MUSI20194	Alexander Technique for Performance	Semester 1 (On Campus - Southbank)	12.5
MUSI20167	Creating Music For Advertising	Semester 1 (On Campus - Southbank)	12.5
THTR20043	Design and the Moving Image	June (On Campus - Southbank)	12.5
MUSI20164	Free Play New Music Improvisation Ensem	Semester 1 (On Campus - Southbank) Semester 2 (On Campus - Southbank)	12.5
MUSI20168	Glee Singing: The Power Of Pop Music	Semester 1 (On Campus - Southbank) Semester 2 (On Campus - Southbank)	12.5
THTR20022	Improvisation: Text, Space and Action	Winter Term (On Campus - Southbank)	12.5
MUSI20169	Intimate Acts: Inside The 'Fourth Wall'	Semester 2 (On Campus - Southbank)	12.5
FINA20033	Introduction to Printmaking Processes	Winter Term (On Campus - Southbank) July (On Campus - Southbank) Semester 2 (On Campus - Southbank)	12.5
MUSI20186	Music Theatre: Singing Sondheim	Summer Term (On Campus - Southbank)	12.5
MUSI20187	Music Theatre: Singing the Golden Age	Semester 2 (On Campus - Southbank)	12.5
FINA20026	Painting Techniques	Summer Term (On Campus - Southbank) February (On Campus - Southbank) Semester 1 (On Campus - Southbank) Winter Term (On Campus - Southbank) July (On Campus - Southbank) Semester 2 (On Campus - Southbank)	12.5
THTR20042	Puppets as Storytellers	Summer Term (On Campus - Southbank)	12.5
MUSI20192	R&B, Soul & Gospel Choir	Semester 1 (On Campus - Southbank) Semester 2 (On Campus - Southbank)	12.5
MUSI20163	Samba Band	Semester 1 (On Campus - Southbank) Semester 2 (On Campus - Southbank)	12.5
MUSI20173	The Art of Game Music	Semester 1 (On Campus - Southbank)	12.5
THTR20023	The Artist's Toolbox	Summer Term (On Campus - Southbank) July (On Campus - Southbank)	12.5
MUSI20174	The Laptop Recording Studio	Semester 1 (On Campus - Southbank) Semester 2 (On Campus - Southbank)	12.5
DNCE20031	Dancing the Dance 2	Winter Term (On Campus - Southbank)	12.5
FINA20035	Drawing with Anatomy	Summer Term (On Campus - Parkville) January (On Campus - Parkville) Winter Term (On Campus - Parkville) July (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
AIND20011	Indigenous Art and Changing the Nation	Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
CCDP20001	Street Art	Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
MUSI20206	The Business of Music	Semester 2 (On Campus - Southbank)	12.5
FINA20036	Under Camera Animation	Summer Term (On Campus - Southbank) February (On Campus - Southbank) Winter Term (On Campus - Southbank) July (On Campus - Southbank)	12.5
FINA20044	Art and the Botanical	Winter Term (On Campus - Parkville) July (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
FINA20045	Introduction to Screenprinting	Winter Term (On Campus - Southbank) July (On Campus - Southbank)	12.5
DNCE20032	Body Works	Not available in 2018	12.5
MUST20007	Bollywood: a cross-disciplinary study	July (On Campus - Southbank) Semester 2 (On Campus - Southbank)	12.5

VCA Electives - level 3 subjects

Students wishing to take subjects offered as breadth options on the Parkville campus should seek permission from the Course Coordinator

Code	Name	Study period	Credit Points
DRAM30020	Acting for Camera	Winter Term (On Campus - Southbank)	12.5
THTR30042	Hashtag Cyberstar	Summer Term (On Campus - Southbank) Winter Term (On Campus - Southbank)	12.5
MUSI30236	The Music Producer: From Brass to Beats	Semester 1 (On Campus - Southbank)	12.5
THTR30039	Understanding Masks	Winter Term (On Campus - Southbank)	12.5
MUSI30237	Music Theatre: Singing Rock Musicals	Semester 1 (On Campus - Southbank)	12.5

Further study

Qualified graduates may progress to an additional year to qualify for Bachelor of Fine Arts (Screenwriting) (Degree with Honours), and/or to a range of master degrees leading to research programs.

Note to students regarding subject enrolment:

If you are unable to enrol into your subjects via your Student Portal, please submit an online Subject Change Application for Student Centre review.

The Subject Change Application should only be used if you are unable to make the subject changes online via your Student Portal.

Last updated: 18 December 2020