Original Idea and Scriptwriting

Universitat Internacional de Catalunya

Credits: 6

Code: 16279

Course: 2

Term: Second semester

Type: FB

Module:

Matter:

Main language of instruction: Catalan

Other languages of instruction: English, Spanish,

Teaching staff

Office hours:

Email.

Introduction

Original Idea and Screenwriting is a practice-oriented course that introduces students to the creative and narrative foundations of audiovisual storytelling. Throughout the course, students will acquire the skills required to generate, structure, and develop an original idea into a fiction project ready for further production.

The course covers the complete screenwriting process, from developing the initial premise and creating compelling characters to writing a screenplay and presenting the project professionally. In parallel, students will analyse selected film and audiovisual works to understand the narrative, dramatic, and expressive principles that underpin effective storytelling.

Through a project-based methodology, students will progressively develop their own original screenplay while experiencing the different stages of the creative and rewriting process. Particular emphasis is placed on collaboration, critical reflection, and the ability to communicate and pitch creative proposals in a professional audiovisual context.

Pre-course requirements

No.

Objectives

To understand the theoretical and practical foundations of screenwriting as a tool for the creation and development of audiovisual projects.
To develop the ability to generate original ideas and transform them into coherent and viable narrative proposals.
To analyse the principles of audiovisual storytelling and their application to the construction of cinematic narratives.
To apply narrative development techniques to structure coherent, engaging, and effective stories for the audiovisual medium.
To create believable characters by defining their objectives, conflicts, dramatic arcs, and relationships.
To produce the key development documents required in professional screenwriting, including the premise, logline, synopsis, treatment, beat sheet, and screenplay.
To develop critical analysis and rewriting skills in order to refine and strengthen narrative projects.
To understand the relationship between the screenplay and the different stages of the audiovisual production process, recognising its role as a working document.
To communicate and professionally present an audiovisual project through effective pitching techniques.

Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme

CN01 - Recognise the different roles within artistic and technical production teams.
CN03 - Identify emerging trends and developments within the global audiovisual ecosystem, including new formats and production technologies.
CN04 - Explain the current legal and ethical framework governing the creation and distribution of audiovisual products, taking into account the sector's regulatory requirements.
CN07 - Recognise the main contemporary artificial intelligence tools with applications in the audiovisual sector.
CP03 - Communicate information and original ideas effectively, both orally and in writing, in Spanish, Catalan and English.
CP04 - Apply professional ethical principles and standards of academic rigour in the audiovisual field, respecting the fundamental right to equality between women and men, promoting human rights, a culture of peace and democratic values, including the use of inclusive, non-discriminatory and stereotype-free language.
CP05 - Develop multi-platform scripts that take into account the specific characteristics of different audiovisual genres and formats.
CP06 - Apply innovative image and sound techniques in audiovisual productions, integrating emerging technologies.
CP07 - Create audiovisual content for commercial purposes, making full use of the expressive possibilities of multimedia environments and maximising creative potential through emerging digital technologies.
HB02 - Apply professional techniques in body language and voice presentation to create impactful audiovisual content.
HB03 - Critically analyse contemporary audiovisual genres and formats using professional aesthetic and narrative criteria.
HB04 - Use bibliographic resources, specialised terminology and linguistic structures in English effectively for professional communication in the audiovisual field.

Learning outcomes of the subject

Students will be able to:

To design audiovisual products that work effectively across different platforms, adapting their format and content to the specific characteristics of each medium, genre and device.
To master the techniques and technologies of live and multi-camera television production.
To work confidently in professional television and radio studios.
To acquire technical skills in the main technologies for recording and editing image and sound.
To master audiovisual language, appropriately integrating all modes present in narrative (visual, verbal and musical).
To identify the main sound libraries and appropriately integrate music into audiovisual narratives to create impactful content.
To master the main techniques and technologies of digital design, including AI tools.
To work effectively in teams and coordinate production teams.
To stimulate artistic creativity by developing an individual style and practising lateral thinking.
To identify the main contemporary artificial intelligence tools with applications in audiovisual content creation.

Syllabus

1. Introduction. The art of storytelling: making the invisible visible
Text and subtext. Show, don’t tell. The B story.

2. Professional screenplay format
Conventions and standards of audiovisual writing.

3. Genres, structure and plots: the importance of endings

4. Space and time: the character on stage

5. Narrator, point of view and style

6. Dialogue in audiovisual storytelling

7. How is a screenplay pitched and sold?
Tagline, logline, storyline and synopsis.

Bibliography and resources

BALLÓ, J., PÉREZ, X. (1997). La semilla inmortal. Anagrama.

BALLÓ, J., PÉREZ, X. (2015). El mundo, un escenario. Shakespeare: el guionista invisible. Anagrama.

CAMPBELL, J. (1993). El héroe de las mil caras. Psicoanálisis del mito. Fondo de Cultura Económica.

CARRIERE, J. C., & BONITZER, P. (1991). The End. Práctica del guión cinematográfico. Paidós Comunicación.

CARRIERE, J. C. (1997). La película que no se ve. Paidós Comunicación.

CHION, M. (1995). Cómo se escribe un guión. Ediciones Cátedra.

CRUZ, C. (2014). Imágenes narradas. Cómo hacer visible lo invisible en un guion de cine. Laertes.

FIELD, S. (1994). El libro del guion. Plot.

GRAU, M. (2017). La mente narradora. La neurociencia aplicada al arte de escribir guiones. Laertes.

LYNCH, D. (2016). Atrapa el pez dorado. Reservoir Books.

MCGILLIGAN, P. (2003). Backstory 3. Conversaciones con guionistas de los años 60. Plot Ediciones.

MCGRATH, D., & MACDERMOTT, F. (2003). Guionistas Cine. Océano.

MITRY, J. (1989). Estética y psicología del cine. Siglo Veintiuno Editores.

SEGER, L. (1991). Cómo convertir un buen guión en un guión excelente. Ediciones Rialp.

SIMÓN, C., & VILARÓ, A. (2022). Alcarràs. Una història sobre la terra, la pagesia i la família. La Magrana.

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