Interactive Syllabus

Screenwriting Studies are a relatively young field within and beyond film and media studies. It combines approaches and methods from literary studies, adaptation studies, creativity studies, production studies, etc.

The course will sketch out the short history, the subdivisions and their representative works. It will therefore give an introduction into the manifold aspects of screenwriting studies.

"Screenwriting studies" will be taught by Dr. Claus Tieber, a Principal Investigator at MUK, Music and Arts University of the City of Vienna. Born in 1966 in Hall in Tirol. PhD in 2001, Habilitation (venia docendis) in 2008. Teaches film studies at University of Vienna, Christian Albrechts Universität zu Kiel, Universidad Salamanca and Masaryk University Brno.

There are six lectures, accompanied by screenings of short films (The Kleptomaniac, USA 1905; A Corner in Wheat, USA 1909) as well as feature films (Devdas, India 1955; Adaptation, USA 2022).

The course itself consists of lectures, discussions in diverse settings (could include role playing), Q&A, screenings of excerpts of documentaries as well as fictional films. Student attendance is obligatory on all lectures and will be regularly checked. Combined students may skip two sessions. Students are required to read all the items from the obligatory reading list and watch the films in preparation for the course. All of the required materials will be provided.

After completing the course Screenwriting Studies, students will:

- have a better understanding of screenwriting studies

- be provided first guidance in analyzing screenwriting and script development processes

- have a better knowledge of the history of the field, as well understanding current trends and issues