Assignments

The assignments for this course are designed to enable you to compile a portfolio of different genres of writing.  Creativity, thought, and impact count more than format or technical skills, but each assignment must be in the correct format as well as carefully proofread, grammatically perfect, and free of typos.

I will post readings, samples and recorded lectures for each type of writing.  If you find other guidelines online that are helpful, you may use those also.  

After you read those materials, you should write two or three drafts of the assignment before you show it to anyone.  After each draft, put it aside for a while and come back to it at a later time for a fresh reading and a rewrite. Read it aloud to see how it sounds.  When you are satisfied that you have done your best, you may submit an optional “first draft.”  We will call these submissions “first drafts” for administrative purposes, even though they are actually the second or third draft.  Writing is rewriting.  You should not submit any work to me unless you are convinced it is the best you can do at that time.

The first draft is not required, but if you do submit one it will be graded.  If you are satisfied with that grade, you do not need to submit a final draft.

If you choose to write a first draft, you must submit it by 5 p.m. on the date listed below.  Any draft submitted after that time will be considered a final draft.  Early submissions always earn extra points.

Final drafts must be submitted by 5 p.m. on the dates listed below. Late assignments lose a half grade for each day late. 

All assignments should be submitted in Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx) format.

When you submit your drafts, both the attached file and the subject line should include your name, using the following protocol: Firstname Lastname Shortnameforassignment  1 or 2 (depending on draft). The short names for your assignments will be:

  • News 1, News 2, 
  • Doc 1, Doc 2, 
  • Drama 1, Drama 2, or Comedy 1, Comedy 2,
  • Ads 1 and Ads 2.  

So, if your name is Jane Doe (which would be surprising) your first draft news assignment file would be named Jane Doe News 1, and the second draft would be Jane Doe News 2.  The subject line on your email to me should be the same. 

You are only allowed to submit two drafts for notes and a grade.  If you miss the deadline for the first draft, the file name for your assignment should end in 2, because it will be a final draft.

ONLINE WORK 

Forums will be set up on Bb for you to share your work with your classmates, and for you to respond to your classmates’ work with brief but well thought out critiques and suggestions.  These comments should be substantive for class participation credit.  “I liked this, good job!” could be part of your critique, but it should not be your entire critique.

When you start a thread on Blackboard, please use your original title, such as “Embezzlement at BC” rather than the more generic “News Assignment.”  That will make it easier for us to keep track of your work.

You may post comments as often as you like, but at least one basic idea and one draft of your own work, and three responses to your classmates’ work, are required for each assignment.  Online work will be counted as part of your class participation grade.  You should post your work online as early as possible, so you can use your classmates’ responses in developing your assignment. These drafts are designed to help you develop your work; they will not be given a letter grade by your professor until the end of the semester.  Only the version emailed to the professor will be graded individually.

Part of your grade will be based on how well you follow directions, so read each of these basic prompts carefully:

News Assignment (readings and details here)

Choose a straight news or feature story.  Collect background material, including at least one online newspaper story.  Adapt the story to television news, as per the guidelines and samples sent by your instructor and any other guidelines you find.  Adapt the story to your local community, and add at least one interview of a BC student, professor or local community member.  The interview could be a “person on the street” or someone who could offer an expert opinion.   Write a 1- to 3-minute script in split-page format.  Read it out loud to make sure your timing is right.  Start with the anchor in the studio, have him/her throw it to the correspondent in the field who does a live intro to a taped package and a live conclusion.  Make sure your script contains everything your audience will see and hear, including the taped package.  Begin your assignment with a one-line slug identifying the crux of your story and the total running time (TRT).  End it with a separate bibliography of works consulted.  Attach your assignment in MS Word format in an email to grodman@brooklyn.cuny.edu with the file name <<First name Last name News (1 or 2)>>.  

Documentary Assignment (readings and details here)

Propose a documentary of any length on any topic, based on solid research.  What is the big idea?  What approach are you taking?  Why are you interested in this topic?  What is your personal link?  Who is your audience?  What are the key terms that will be essential for that audience to understand?   

The proposal should be 1-3 pages. It should begin with a one-liner that explains the basic idea of the documentary.  It should also include a numbered list of segments, each with an interesting title that describes the main idea of that segment, and a brief paragraph expanding on that idea.  Include also a bibliography of your research sources.

The proposal must also include a sample script excerpt.  Script out 1-3 pages of one segment of your documentary (for the purposes of your script, assume that you have whatever video you need).  As an alternative, you could instead script out a 1-3 page trailer advertising the entire documentary.  The total assignment, therefore, will be 2-6 pages.  Attach your assignment in MS Word format in an email to grodman@brooklyn.cuny.edu with the file name <<First name Last name Doc (1 or 2)>>.  Please use this same file name when posting on BB.

Comedy or Drama Assignment (readings and details here)

Choose one of these four:

1)  Propose a new sitcom series for network or cable TV. Write a brief summary of the continuing concept of the program, including a one-liner that gives the crux of that continuing concept.  List the main characters with their characteristics.  Provide a concise but complete synopsis of your own original episode (in two acts, with an A plot and a B plot, with a beginning, middle and end).  Begin your synopsis with a concise one-liner that gives the crux of your episode.  Write out one scene in standard comedy script format.

2)  Chose an existing TV sitcom series. Write a brief summary of the continuing concept of the program, including a one-liner that gives the crux of that continuing concept.  List the main characters with their characteristics.  Provide a concise but complete synopsis of your own original episode (in two acts, with an A plot and a B plot, with a beginning, middle and end). Begin your synopsis with a concise one-liner that gives the crux of your episode.  Write out one scene (2 – 3 pages) in standard comedy script format.

3)  Propose a new drama series for network or cable TV. Write a brief summary of the continuing concept of the program, including a one-liner that gives the crux of that continuing concept.  List the main characters with their characteristics.  Provide a concise but complete synopsis of your own original episode (in four acts, with at least an A plot and a B plot, with a beginning, middle and end). Begin your synopsis with a concise one-liner that gives the crux of your episode.  Write out one scene (2 -3 pages) in standard drama script format.

4)  Chose an existing TV drama series. Write a brief summary of the continuing concept of the program, including a one-liner that gives the crux of that continuing concept.  List the main characters with their characteristics.  Provide a concise but complete synopsis of your own original episode (in four acts, with at least an A plot and a B plot, with a beginning, middle and end). Begin your synopsis with a concise one-liner that gives the crux of your episode.  Write out one scene (2 – 3 pages) in standard drama script format.

The suggested length of this assignment is 3-5 pages.  Attach your assignment in MS Word format in an email to grodman@brooklyn.cuny.edu with the file name <<First Name Last Name Comedy (or Drama) 1 (or 2)>>.  

Advertising Assignment (readings and details here)

Propose a multimedia ad campaign for radio, television, and online.  You can choose any product, including your comedy, drama or documentary program.  Write a 1-page proposal explaining what your campaign will do (what marketing problem your campaign will solve) and why you believe it will be successful. 

Begin your proposal with a one-liner explaining the concept that holds your campaign together. These ads should all be related by a common theme, slogan, appeal, or other device.

Write complete scripts for a 30-second radio spot, a 30-second TV spot, and an interactive version for online.

Attach your assignment in MS Word format in an email to grodman@brooklyn.cuny.edu with the file name <<First Name Last Name Ads (1 or 2)>>.   Please use this same file name when posting on BB.

DEADLINES FOR ASSIGNMENTS 

All written assignments are due by 5 p.m. on each listed Monday.   Early submissions earn extra points.  Late assignments lose a half grade per day.  Reading Assignments can be accessed on Bb and on the assignment title links above.