Fall/2020
Theatre 348 Professor: Ben Cromwell
Scriptwriting I E-Mail: bpc003@marietta.edu
Phone: (801)503-5917
Office: Thomas Hall 321
Office Hours: Mon. 9 – 11
and Tues. 9-11
Office Hours:
The times listed at the top of this document are reserved for you to ask questions, voice concerns,
or simply check in about the class. This semester, my office hours are accessible virtually, via
zoom or phone. Please schedule an appointment with me if you intend to take advantage of those
hours. I am also available outside of those times if you are unable to meet during them. Just ask!
Course Overview:
This course will focus on critically reading and writing for the screen and stage. We will discuss
genre conventions of scriptwriting, storytelling techniques, critical issues in scriptwriting
(including cultural representation), and revision. While most of this course will be conducted in-
person, some classes will be conducted virtually. For virtual delivery, you will be expected to
complete reading or viewing tasks as well as responses or other assignments independently by
the deadlines detailed in the syllabus and on Moodle.
Additionally, there is always a possibility that health concerns will force us to suspend in-person
classes. In the event that we can no longer meet in-person, it is my intention to conduct
synchronous classes through zoom. If you are attending class in this way, you are still required to
show up on time with your audio and video enabled. I don’t like talking to blank screens and
much of this class relies on discussion, which means you are still required to engage with me and
your fellow students. Failure to do so will result in you losing participation points for the class.
Course Goals and Objectives
At the end of this course, students will be able to:
Identify the elements of narrative structure
Employ these elements to strengthen your own writing and storytelling
Format scripts correctly for an American audience
Provide evaluative and analytical feedback of peers’ work
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Receive and incorporate feedback to revise and strengthen work
Critically read and analyze scripts
Work collaboratively on creative projects
ISLOs
Communication
Responsiveness to purpose
Conveyance of a central message
Application of disciplinary conventions
Use of syntax and diction
Artistic Literacy
Development of Concept
Development of Interpretation Techniques or Performance Skills
Course Materials/Texts
You will need the following materials for this course:
The Playwright’s Guidebook by Stuart Spencer
Grading
Grade Calculation
Total points for the semester will add up to 1000.
Responses to the reading 100
In and Out of class writing assignments 200
Collaborative Play or Screenplay 100
Critical analysis and presentation 150
One-Act Play or Screenplay 200
Rough Draft workshop participation 100
Class Discussion 100
Portfolio 50
Total 1000
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Major Assignments
This class has three major assignments. The first is a collaborative project in which students will
form groups and put together a play or screenplay to present in class. Project 2 is a critical
analysis of a play. Each student will choose a play to read and analyze. Students will be
responsible for presenting a synopsis of their play, along with their critical analysis to the group.
Finally, students will write, workshop and revise a one-act play. These will be read by the class
at the end of the semester.
Grading Expectations
In addition to the major assignments described above, students are required to come to class on
time each day and participate fully (More information on my attendance policy is included in
another section of this syllabus).
Each reading assignment entails a personal reflection component. For the most part, all I’m
looking for is that you have done the reading and engaged with it in some way, but you should
also remember that these assignments are not there for window dressing. They are meant to help
you prepare for class discussions, and I expect you to have something to contribute to the
conversation each time you come to class.
Finally, an important aspect of this class is the workshop. For each major writing assignment,
there is a day set aside for you to get feedback from your peers on what you’ve written. I expect
each workshop participant to give useful feedback and I will provide forms for doing so which
will be turned in and graded.
Assignments are due by the start of class on the due date. Late or missing assignments will be
marked as a zero. You have been warned.
If you disagree with your grade on an assignment, please come talk to me. I am a reasonable
human.
Grading Scale
Out of 1000
A = 930-1000pts.
A- = 900-929pts
B+ = 870-899pts
B = 830-869pts.
B- = 800-829pts
C+ = 770-799pts
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C = 730-769pts.
C- = 700-729pts
D+ = 670-699pts
D = 630-669pts.
D- = 600-629pts
F = anything below 600 pts.
Where can I find my grades?
Your grades are available through Moodle. You can see your current course grade at any time
by logging into our course.
Your grades are available through the Moodle gradebook.
Course Calendar
Classes highlighted in blue will be conducted virtually. Details of the readings and assignments will be
updated on Moodle.
Date Topic Reading Due
8/17 Who are you and why this syllabus In class writing
class? exercise
8/19 Aristotle’s Poetics and Chapter One: Response to the
Structure Playwright’s reading
Guidebook
8/21 Action! or Want Chapter Two: Response to the
Playwright’s reading
Guidebook Writing Exercises
8/24 In-class writing
8/26 Motivation and Subtext Chapter Three: Response to the
Playwright’s reading
Guidebook
8/28 Conflict Chapter Four: Response to the
Playwright’s reading
Guidebook
8/31 In-class writing
9/2 Stakes Chapter Five: Response to the
Playwright’s reading
Guidebook
9/4 Occasion Chapter Six: Response to the
Playwright’s reading
Guidebook
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9/7 In-class writing
9/9 Space and Breaks Chapter Seven: Response to the
Playwright’s reading
Guidebook
9/11 Creative Process Prologue and Chapter Response to the
Eight: Playwright’s reading
Guidebook
9/14 In-class writing
9/16 Workshop Rough Draft of
Collaborative
Project
9/18 Capturing Image in Chapter Nine: Response to the
Dialogue Playwright’s reading
Guidebook
9/21 In-class writing
9/23 Exploring Character Chapter Ten: Response to the
Playwright’s reading
Guidebook
9/25 Plot vs. Story Chapter Eleven: Response to the
Playwright’s reading
Guidebook
9/28 Cultural Representation Posted Reading from Response to the
Writing the Other reading
9/30 Representation Cont’d Final Draft of
Collaborative
Project
10/2 The Keys to Revision Chapter Twelve: Response to the
Playwright’s reading
Guidebook
10/5 In-class writing
10/7 podcast
10/9 Exposition Chapter Thirteen: Response to the
Playwright’s reading
Guidebook
10/12 Critical Analysis
Presentations
10/14 Critical Analysis
Presentations
10/16 Intentionally open
10/19 Critical Analysis
Presentations
10/21 Critical Analysis
Presentations
10/23 Intentionally open
10/26 Workshop
10/28 Workshop Rough Draft of play
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10/30 Intentionally open
11/2 Prep for reading Final Draft of play
11/4 Class reading
11/6 Class reading
11/9 Class reading
11/11 Class reading
11/13 Class reading
11/16 Class reading
11/24 Portfolio
1:00 – 3:00 &
3:00 – 5:00
Attendance Policy
Absences for Medical and/or Mental Health Reasons
The staff in the Center for Health and Wellness (CHW) is committed to reinforcing the important role
that class attendance plays in student academic success.
Students should not attend class if they have a fever of 100.4°F or greater, are ill, or are experiencing
multiple COVID-19 symptoms. In order for these absences to be excused, the student must contact the
Center for Health and Wellness (CHW) for evaluation (call 740-376-4477 or e-mail
healthandwellness@marietta.edu). CHW will be using telemedicine as the first step to provide timely
and physically distant evaluations. In-person appointments at CHW will be scheduled for hands-on
assessments and testing on an as-needed basis.
The Center for Health and Wellness will notify instructors if they have evaluated a student and feel that
the student should not be attending classes in person, for whatever reason and for whatever period of
time they specify. They will also indicate if the student should be attending classes virtually instead.
If the student is evaluated by someone other than CHW and the student or the other health care
provider shares documentation with CHW that the student should not be attending classes in person,
CHW will also notify instructors of the student's absence, along with information about when the
student is expected to return to classes, and whether the student should be attending class virtually, if
the documentation provided makes that recommendation.
If a student chooses to share documentation from a non-CHW provider directly with their instructors,
the instructor will determine whether to excuse the student's absence or not, and for what period of
time, based on the documentation provided. In those instances, the instructor will also determine
whether to excuse the student's absence from attending class virtually, and for what period of time,
based on the documentation provided.
In keeping with their obligation to protect a student's right to privacy, CHW will not share the reason a
student should not be attending classes (in person and/or virtually) without the student's authorization.
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If a student suffers from a chronic condition that leads to absence from class, he/she must have
presented documentation to Kristin English, Disability Services Coordinator and OAA Program Support.
Mrs. English will determine appropriate accommodations and will notify the student’s instructors of
those accommodations, including guidance on requests for make-up work for absences related to the
chronic medical or mental health condition.
Missed Class Time Due to Co-Curricular Events or Religious Observances
Classes missed due to participation in college-sponsored co-curricular events or college-recognized
religious observances are considered excused absences provided appropriate procedures are followed.
The student must notify the instructor at the earliest possible time before the absence and arrange to
make up missed work as defined by the instructor’s syllabus. The co-curricular activity must be a
performance, professional meeting, athletic contest, or College-approved field trip to be considered an
excused absence. Field trip leaders should seek approval from their supervising Cabinet officer if
students will be missing class. The religious observance must appear on the College’s calendar of
religious observances in order to be considered an excused absence. If it does not, an excused absence
can be granted only if the student requests special permission from the Dean of the Faculty.
An excused absence allows the student to make up exams or quizzes given during the absence, or to
reschedule oral presentations. It is the responsibility of the student to get notes from the class and to
compensate as much as possible for the absence. It is also the student’s responsibility to work with the
instructor in determining an appropriate time for make-up assignments. Students must recognize that
many classroom and laboratory activities cannot be replicated and that absences may be detrimental to
their performance.
Course Policies/Student Engagement Policies
TurnItIn.Com:
Please note that by enrolling in this class you are agreeing to submit your papers online to a
plagiarism-prevention program called TurnItIn.com. You should note that TurnItIn.com – always
without your name and any personal information – will retain your paper as part of their
database so that students who plagiarize from it can be detected. Only the faculty member of
your course and the campus TurnItIn administrator will have access to your name.
College Policies
Mask Policy:
In response to the best available science and current guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, every student must wear a mask or other cloth face-covering that covers their nose and
mouth while in this classroom and other instructional areas. Students who do not have a mask will be
asked to leave the classroom and only return when they follow this basic public health recommendation.
Following this simple, science-based guideline will help ensure the safety of the entire Marietta College
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community. The Marietta College community views the adoption of these practices as a mark of good
citizenship and respectful care of fellow classmates, faculty, and staff.
Academic Dishonesty:
Dishonesty within the academic community is a very serious matter, because dishonesty destroys the
basic trust necessary for a healthy educational environment. Academic dishonesty is any treatment or
representation of work as if one were fully responsible for it, when it is in fact the work of another
person. Academic dishonesty includes cheating, plagiarism, theft, or improper manipulation of
laboratory or research data or theft of services. A substantiated case of academic dishonesty may result
in disciplinary action, including a failing grade on the project, a failing grade in the course, or expulsion
from the College.
Documented Disabilities:
Students who believe that they may need accommodations due to a documented disability should
contact the Academic Resource Center (Andrews Hall, Third floor, 376-4700) and the instructor as soon
as possible to ensure that such accommodations are implemented in a timely manner. You must meet
with the ARC staff to verify your eligibility for any accommodation and for academic assistance.
Campus Labs—Beacon
Marietta College is committed to student success and engagement. Beacon by Campus Labs is a program
that helps students stay on track by directing them to campus resources specific to their individual
needs. Beacon also provides a way for faculty and staff to connect and collaborate, ensuring the student
receives all the support he or she needs to be successful at Marietta College. Attendance records and
academic updates may be reported in Beacon.
Health and Wellness:
A recent American College Health Survey found stress, sleep problems, anxiety, depression,
interpersonal concerns, death of a significant other and alcohol use among the top ten health
impediments to academic performance. Students experiencing personal problems or situational crises
during the semester are encouraged to contact the Dr. J. Michael Harding Center for Health and
Wellness (740-376-4477) for assistance, support and advocacy. This service is free and confidential.
Notice of Non-Discrimination:
Marietta College is an equal opportunity educator and employer that values diversity. In our
educational, admissions and employment policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and
other activities, Marietta College does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, national or ethnic
origin, disability, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, religious affiliation, veteran
status, or any other protected status.
Responsibility for coordination of compliance efforts and receipt of inquiries concerning Title VI of the
Civil Rights Act of 1967, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, and the Americans With Disabilities Act of
1990 (the latter related to employee concerns only) has been delegated to: Debra C. Evans, Director of
Human Resources, (740) 376-4835, dce001@marietta.edu.
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Responsibility for coordination of compliance efforts and receipt of inquiries concerning Section 504 of
the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 (the latter related to
student concerns only) has been delegated to: Kristin English, Disabilities Specialist/504 Coordinator,
(740) 376-4467, thomask@marietta.edu.
Responsibility for coordination of compliance efforts and receipt of inquiries concerning Title IX of the
Education Amendments of 1972 (gender-based discrimination and harassment) has been delegated to:
Richard Danford, Title IX Coordinator, (740) 376-4899, danfordr@marietta.edu.
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