"ENG 197B FYS Story Maps: Dissecting the Structure of the One-Hour TV P" by Samuel Autman
 

Document Type

Syllabus

Publication Date

Fall 9-1-2024

Course Description

Not very long ago most American televisions were attached to rabbit ears that accessed fewer than a dozen channels. The period between 1948 and 1959 is referred to as the “Golden Age of television.” Now with cable, streaming and premium channels, the quality and quantity of television content is arguably the best-written most we have had seen thus far, eclipsing the first Golden Age. HBO led the way in the new Golden Age with The Sopranos in 1999, a hard-edged series that was more Martin Scorsese's Goodfellas than the crime dramas found on network television — most of which were cop shows. Premium channels permitted language, violence, and nudity not allowed on network primetime TV. This new freedom offered audiences a different kind of television. HBO would go on to offer shows like Six Feet Under, The Wire, Deadwood, and Game of Thrones. Other premium channels such as AMC and FX began to follow suit. Netflix's transition from rental service to content creator changed the TV industry. It proved that a streaming service could compete with the giants of network television, cable channels, and premium cable channels. Amazon, iTunes, Hulu, HBO Max, Disney Plus, and dozens more followed. This influx of content helped these streamers grow. With that came employment and creative opportunities for TV writers. This semester we’ll be analyzing what makes up effective an TV pilot. Although this is not a TV screenwriting class we’ll be diving into the structure of screenwriting. Good stories are not accidental. Essential ingredients make them stand out if they are in novels, newspaper narrative, film or podcasting. Writing is the backbone of it all and this is a writing course. My hope is that the subject we are studying we energize your writing.

Student Outcomes

STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO: ● Identify structural patterns and techniques used in visual narratives. ● Develop a language for critiquing and dissecting narratives. ● Follow the University’s FYS mandates and protocols. ● Write papers that are aligned with all of MLA guidelines for citation. ● Learn to watch and appreciate TV critically.

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