Faculty profile

SPRING 2020 COURSES

CRW 201 SCREENWRITING: INTRODUCTORY - This introductory course explores the screenwriting genre as it applies to a visual medium.  Students will engage in writing exercises to learn the elements of story, character development, structure, scene study and dialogue.  Students will also analyze professional screenplays, learn to pitch and write their own short film script.

No prerequisite.

CRW 401 SCREENWRITING: ADVANCED - TV and Film used to be distant cousins. That is no longer the case. With streaming channels, subscription-based TV and widescreen “theaters” in the home, TV shows are more popular than ever and it’s no surprise that there’s been a substantial increase in content.  More than ever, agents and managers want writers who can be staffed on long-form serialized television as there are currently over 400 shows and over 30 buyers.  This class will focus on WRITING THE ONE HOUR TELEVISION DRAMA.   Students will go through the complete process of writing a one-hour pilot from pitch to outline to the first draft to revisions to a bible for the show. PRE-REQUISITE:  CRW 301. This course is open to students who have previously taken CRW 401 – writing the feature film.

CRW 395 SPECIALIZED STUDIES: Norwegian Literature: From Trolls to Thor, Ibsen & Noir - This Q4 study abroad course offers students an enchanted opportunity to visit Norway and Iceland and study a literary history of Norwegian authors beginning with Norse mythology and folklore and moving to Ibsen, the father of modern realism and concluding with the recent noir fiction blockbusters of Jo Nesbo. The course begins on campus after spring break and in mid-May, students fly to Oslo, to walk the streets of Harry Holes, explore Ibsen’s home, peer into the Viking ships and enjoy an Oslo Opera House performance. Leaving Oslo, we’ll hop on "one of the best train rides in the world" (Lonely Planet) followed by a cruise through the Sognefjorden, the longest fjord in Norway. In Bergen, we’ll look for trolls, climb Floiban and tour Edvard Grieg's Troldhaugen. A dip in Iceland's Blue Lagoon wraps up this incredible adventure to Scandinavia.

FALL 2019 COURSES

CRW 201 SCREENWRITING: INTRODUCTORY-This introductory course explores the screenwriting genre as it applies to a visual medium.  Students will engage in writing exercises to learn the elements of story, character development, structure, scene study and dialogue.  Students will also analyze professional screenplays, learn to pitch and write their own short film script. No prerequisite.

CRW 301 SCREENWRITING: INTERMEDIATE-This course will focus on writing the first half of a feature length screenplay.  This process will be facilitated by lectures, in-class assignments and small and large group workshops.  You will pitch your ideas, break your story, create a beat sheet and learn the sequence structure of a feature length script.  Character development and writing dialogue will also be emphasized.  CRW 201 is a prerequisite.