Universitat Internacional de Catalunya

Audiovisual Narrative I

Audiovisual Narrative I
6
8534
2
First semester
FB
Communication
Guión
Main language of instruction: Spanish

Other languages of instruction: English

Teaching staff


Dra. GARCÍA AVIS, Isadora - igaravis@uic.es

Isadora García Avis: igaravis@uic.es

Introduction

Audiovisual Narrative I is a 6 ECTS module that aims to introduce students to the analysis of narrative theory, as well as its application to different areas of the audiovisual industry.

Pre-course requirements

This compulsory module is only open to UIC students enrolled in either the Audiovisual Communication Degree, or the Journalism + Audiovisual Communication Double Degree.

Objectives

The objective of this course is for students to learn about the foundations of audiovisual narrative theory, so that they can be able to analyse audiovisual stories from a critical perspective.

Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme

  • 01 - The ability to adapt to varying circumstances
  • 02 - The ability to understand, accept criticism and correct errors
  • 03 - The ability to administer and manage human and technical resources
  • 04 - The ability to work in a team and autonomously
  • 05 - The ability to organise time and workspace
  • 06 - The ability to develop academic rigour, responsibility, ethics and professionalism
  • 07 - The ability to apply the deontology and respect for the audiovisual sector
  • 08 - The ability of critical analysis, synthesis, concretion and abstraction
  • 10 - The ability to confront difficulties and resolve problems
  • 12 - The ability to meet deadlines, develop the ability to be punctual and respect for human, technical and material resources
  • 13 - The ability to create spoken and written communication
  • 14 - Knowledge and mastery of rhetoric and oratory to communicate own ideas
  • 16 - The ability to manage, analysis and reflect on content
  • 17 - The ability to contextualize and critically analyze the events of social reality and to represent Contemporary History
  • 19 - The ability of informative documentation
  • 20 - Knowledge and mastery of bibliographic media
  • 21 - Knowledge and mastery of the digital culture
  • 22 - Knowledge and mastery of the distinction between opinion and information / colloquial and cultured register
  • 24 - The ability to plan and organize both short term and long term projects
  • 25 - The ability to maximize creative development
  • 26 - The ability to develop a sense of taste and perfection in the aesthetics and finalization of projects
  • 32 - The ability to confront audiovisual and film projects in all phases (pre-production, shooting, post-production, distribution)
  • 33 - The ability to create and direct.
  • 34 - The ability to know and respect the different roles of the artistic and technical teams
  • 40 - The ability to defend and respect authorship and intellectual property
  • 42 - The ability to distinguish, analyze and dominate the distinct genres and formats of television, film and radio
  • 43 - the ability to create scripts for film, television and radio according to the demands of the genre
  • 44 - The ability to adapt to new audiovisual formats
  • 45 - The ability to know and dominate the techniques of audiovisual narrative.
  • 49 - The ability to write fluent texts, step outlines or scripts
  • 53 - Lingustic ability in Catalan, Spanish and English
  • 54 - The ability to skillfully manage the literature, terminology and linguistic structures of the English language related to the field of communication.

Learning outcomes of the subject

  1. Students will understand the nature and form of dramatic narratives in audiovisual media.
  2. Students will learn to identify the main narrative elements that make up an audiovisual story in different cultural industries.
  3. Students will acquire the basic tools to develop a critical analysis of storytelling in film and television.

Syllabus

Block I. Introduction to fundamental concepts.

Block II. Main narrative components of an audiovisual story.

1. Dramatic conflict. 

2. Characters.

3. Structure and plot. 

4. Time. 

Block III. Applied narrative modules.

Module 1. Adaptations.

Module 2. Other forms of storytelling.

Teaching and learning activities

In person



TRAINING ACTIVITY ECTS CREDITS
Coaching. Monitoring how students learn the content of the subject, either individually or in groups. In the coaching sessions, mistakes will be corrected, queries answered, and exercises and activities to achieve the established objectives will be suggested. 0.6
Focused Praxis. Handing in occasional exercises to learn theory through practice. 0.8
E-learning. Virtual learning based on ICT. 0.6
Lectures. In lectures, lecturers/professors not only transmit content or knowledge, but also, and above all else, attitudes, motivation, skills and values, etc. They also ensure that participants can express their opinions and arguments to the other students. 1.6
Peer learning. The aim of this activity is to ensure that students gain the ability to analyse and be critical. One way of achieving this is by correcting their peers' exercises and results, etc. Each student will be evaluated twice: as both a recipient and a transmitter of critical knowledge. 0.4

Evaluation systems and criteria

In person



First examination sitting (January):

  • 40% Final group project.
  • 30% Personal diary (individual analysis).
  • 30% Continuous evaluation in class (attendance, participation, class exercises).

To be able to pass this course, students must obtain at least a 5, both in the final project and in their diary.

Second examination sitting (June):

100% Final exam.

Bibliography and resources

MANDATORY READING:
  • McKEE, Robert. Story.  
  • Additional weekly readings posted on Moodle. 
RECOMMENDED READING:

BOOKS
  • ARISTÓTELES. Poética.
  • BALLÓ, Jordi, y PÉREZ, Xavier. La semilla inmortal.
  • BARTHES, Roland. Análisis estructural del relato.
  • BLACKER, Irwin R. Guía del escritor de cine y televisión.
  • BORDWELL, David. La narración en el cine de ficción.
  • BRENES, Carmen Sofía. ¿De qué tratan realmente las películas?
  • DE ROSENDO, Teresa y GATELL, Josep. Objetivo Writers' Room.
  • DiMAGGIO, Madeline. Escribir para televisión.
  • EGRI, Lajos. El arte de la escritura dramática.
  • GARCÍA MARQUEZ, Gabriel. Me alquilo para soñar. Taller de guion.
  • GARCÍA-NOBLEJAS, Juan José. Poética del texto audiovisual.
  • GENETTE, Gérard. Nuevo discurso del relato.
  • GOLDBERG, Lee y RABKIN, William. Successful Television Writing.
  • IGLESIAS, Karl. Writing for Emotional Impact.
  • MARKS, Dara. Inside Story. The Power of the Transformational Arc.
  • McKEE, Robert. El guion. Sustancia, estructura, estilo y principios de la escritura de guiones.
  • PHELAN, James. Reading People, Reading Plots. Character, Progression, and the Interpretation of Narrative.
  • RONALD, Tobias. El guion y la trama. Fundamentos de la escritura dramática audiovisual.
  • RUSSIN, Robin U. y DOWNS, William M. Screenplay: Writing the Picture.
  • SÁNCHEZ-ESCALONILLA, Antonio. Estrategias de guion cinematográfico.
  • SEGER, Linda. Cómo convertir un buen guion en un guion excelente.
  • SEGER, Linda. Cómo crear personajes inolvidables. 
  • THOMPSON, Kristin. Storytelling in Film and Television.
  • VILCHES, Lorenzo. Taller de escritura para televisión.
  ARTICLES
  • BRENES, Carmen Sofía. "Explorando el tema. La noción poética de 'sentido' al servicio de la escritura de guion", Revista de Comunicación, nº 15, 2016, pp. 166-182. 
  • CATTRYSSE, Patrick. "The protagonist’s dramatic goals, wants and needs", Journal of Screenwriting, Vol. 1 nº 1, 2010, pp. 83-97.
  • CUEVAS, Efrén. "Focalización en los relatos audiovisuales", Trípodos, nº 11, 2001, pp. 123-136.
  • IGLESIAS, Karl. "What’s at Stake?", Creative Screenwriting, enero/febrero 2007, pp. 38-39.
  • MITTELL, Jason. "Narrative Complexity in Contemporary American Television", The Velvet Light Trap, Nº 58, Fall 2006, pp. 29-40.
  • NEWMAN, Michael Z. "From Beats to Arcs: Toward a Poetics of Television Narrative", The Velvet Light Trap, Nº 58, Fall 2006, pp. 16-28.
  • RICOEUR, Paul. "La vida: un relato en busca de narrador", Ágora: Papeles de Filosofía, Vol. 25 nº 2, 2006.
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