ARTS-UG 1611 | FALL 2018

CLASS : TUESDAYS + THURSDAYS, 6:20 PM - 9:00 PM 194 MERCER STREET, ROOM 303 instructor

Pedro Cristiani 1 Washington Pl, Room 617 office hours : Wednesdays, 3:30 - 5:00 PM [email protected]

“Horror is not a genre— it’s a reaction.” John Carpenter course description

From Murnau’s Nosferatu to Bryan Fuller’s Hannibal, horror has proven to spawn its own storytelling archetypes, serving as strong subtext for race, faith, politics and sexuality. This seven week arts workshop gives the participants the screenwriter’s tools and weapons to research, develop and execute an original genre feature outline.

We will explore how different horror auteurs deliver a unique vision from the same source material, as well as how this particular genre has transcended and influenced even the most “respected” mainstream directors. The sessions will not only cover the question of subverting narrative components and theme, but also creating “mood” and the “sense of the ominous”.

Students will research and propose an original horror source [literary, folkloric or real-life], which will serve as the foundation to their own unique mythology. The participants will then be guided throughout the creative process of developing a fully-fleshed feature outline— which will generate a short film script in proper industry-standard format.

In-class screening excerpts will include Dracula [Todd Browning and F. F. Coppola], The Thing [John Carpenter], Ringu [Hideo Nakata], Get Out [Jordan Peele], Let The Right One In [Tomas Alfredson], Rosemary’s Baby [Roman Polanski], The Fly [David Cronenberg], American Psycho [Mary Harron], The Exorcist [William Friedkin], Ju-On [Takashi Shimizu], The Shining [Stanley Kubrick], The Autopsy of Jane Doe [André Øvredal].

visit the course website: https://wp.nyu.edu/darknessspeaks/ learning goals

Participants will be exposed to the primal sources of the horror film genre, analyzing their transmutation into the narrative screenplay form and final evolution into a self-contained, multi- layered cinematic experience— making emphasis on structure, character and mythology.

They will experience their own writing journey, as they learn and articulate the tools of the working screenwriter in order to create a horror outline and short film script that are consistent with a grounded production framework.

Students will become familiar with the archetypes of genre, in order to challenge and subvert the audience’s preconceptions of how a story should be delivered. required texts

Robert McKee, Story Christopher Vogler, The Writer’s Journey Robert McKee, Dialogue

Hand-outs will include feature and television screenplays, as well as selected readings from global authors and filmmakers. course requirements + assessment attendance and active class participation [25%] : students are expected to attend all classes and be on time. Active participation involves working out ideas through discussion and creative reasoning. Students are encouraged to expose their insight and perspective on the readings and screenings, as well as on each other’s work— but in return must propose their personal take on the issue they are addressing. proposal and evolution of the feature outline [30%] : the feature outline is composed of a first phase that covers the horror source proposal, pitch and one-page synopsis. The second part focuses on the narrative paradigm construct— the complete four act structure, main and secondary storylines, character arc and original horror mythos. short film script [20%] : throughout the third phase of the course, students will develop a short film draft in proper screenplay format. This story will originate from the feature outline and shall cover a story point that uses the unnatural mythology as a trigger to bring conflict and a deeper revelation to both character and story.

final presentation [25%] : the concluding individual project is the revised [two drafts] full narrative feature outline [10 - 15 pages], the revised [two drafts] short film script [10 - 15 pages], and a concept poster that serves as a visual presentation for the horror feature project.

The approach, tone, goals and execution of the story will be the subject of in-class discussions.

visit the course website: https://wp.nyu.edu/darknessspeaks/ technology

As the sessions progress, the use of cellphones, portable computers and tablet devices will be endorsed as digital tools for the research and assembling of the cinematic assignments.

Use of such devices outside the given parameters will result in the lowering of grading.

On the last week of class, students must bring an online device to complete the two-part course evaluation process. expectation of academic integrity

As a Gallatin student you belong to an interdisciplinary community of artists and scholars who value honest and open intellectual inquiry. This relationship depends on mutual respect, responsibility, and integrity. Failure to uphold these values will be subject to severe sanction, which may include dismissal from the University.

Examples of behaviors that compromise the academic integrity of the Gallatin School include plagiarism, illicit collaboration, doubling or recycling coursework, and cheating.

Please consult the Gallatin Bulletin or Gallatin website for a full description of the academic integrity policy: http://gallatin.nyu.edu/about/bulletin/undergrad/policies/ integrity.html list of screenings the following is a list of suggested genre films and television shows— selected excerpts will be screened during the sessions, nevertheless it is advised that the students integrate the viewing of this material to the weekly hours assigned to the course.

American Psycho [2000, Mary Harron] Ju-On [2000, Takashi Shimizu] The Silence of the Lambs [1991, Jonathan Demme] Candyman [1992, Bernard Rose] Hannibal [2013 - 2015, Bryan Fuller] The Conjuring [2013, James Wan] Rosemary’s Baby [1968, Roman Polanski] it follows [2015, David Robert Mitchell] The Exorcist [1973, William Friedkin] Bram Stoker’s Dracula [1992, F.F. Coppola] The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari [1920, Robert Weine] The Witch [2016, Robert Eggers] Nosferatu [1922, F.W. Murnau] A Nightmare on Elm Street [1984, Wes Craven] Dracula [1931, Tod Browning] The Descent [2006, Neil Marshall] The Thing [1982, John Carpenter] The Host [2006, Bong Joon-ho] The Shining [1980, Stanley Kubrick] Get Out [2017, Jordan Peele] In the Mouth of Madness [1994, John Carpenter] Hereditary [2018, Ari Aster] Ringu [1998, Hideo Nakata] The Babadook [2014, Jennifer Kent] The Hunger [1983, Tony Scott] Let The Right One In [2008, Tomas Alfredson] The Fly [1986, David Cronenberg] The Mist [2007, Frank Darabont]

visit the course website: https://wp.nyu.edu/darknessspeaks/

S Y L L A B U S

The current Syllabus is a proposed road map— even though we may know our destination, the mystery of the Journey is what makes the trip worth taking.

W E E K O N E

“Be afraid… Be very afraid.” The Fly [1986]

CLASS #1 introduction, overview, discussion and goal of the course. 1816: The Year Without A Summer— a gothic tale of horror starring Byron, Polidori, Shelley and Godwin. 1911 - 2018: nightmares captured on film— the horror genre in the history of world cinema. tools and weapons of the screenwriter. pitch, synopsis, treatment and script. the purpose of fear: what makes horror work.

CLASS #2 the [re]search for an original source. analyzing the translation from the literary and folkloric forms to the dynamic cinematic structure. genre and sub-genre. the four-act paradigm: breaking down the contemporary storytelling template for film and television. the first storytelling layer: structure, part one. reading, The Autopsy of Jane Doe, by Richard Naing & Ian Goldberg assignment: story proposals— sources and picthes.

visit the course website: https://wp.nyu.edu/darknessspeaks/ W E E K T W O

“We all go a little mad sometimes.” Psycho [1960]

CLASS #3 the first storytelling layer: structure, part two. story beats, narrative tempo, crescendo, execution, consequences and closure. complementary and contrasting plotlines. character and setting, narrative tone. the roads not taken: designing points of no return. the archetypes of horror. reading, The Mist, by Stephen King [novella] and Frank Darabont [screenplay] Story, pp. 3 - 99 assignment: story proposals— synopsis.

CLASS #4 the second storytelling layer: character. core, design and evolution. bounding the story to a point of view. conflict and change, expectation and consequences. female and male archetypes in horror: origins and purposes— moral, social, sexual and religious values. fear as revelation. re-defining the story beats, points and acts through each character’s descent. reading, It Follows, by David Robert Mitchell Story, pp. 100 - 131 assignment: final story proposal— revised pitch and one-page synopsis.

W E E K T H R E E

“What an excellent day for an exorcism.” “But wouldn’t that drive you out of Regan?” “It would bring us together.” “You and Regan?” “You and us.” The Exorcist [1973]

CLASS #5 the third storytelling layer: the monster. creating an original mythology: the unnatural force as an unpredictable source of antagonism and exposition. mythology as the trigger behind every story beat. the creature and its hidden kinship with the point of view. boogeymen, locations and deviations— manifestations of the unknown. reading, The Silence of the Lambs, by Ted Tally Writer’s Journey, pp. 1 - 80 assignment: outline breakdown— inciting incidents, story beats and plot points.

visit the course website: https://wp.nyu.edu/darknessspeaks/ CLASS #6 the search for tone: comparing and analyzing contrasting adaptations from the same source material. integrating the cinematic resources into the printed word— the visual writing. text and subtext. story and theme. horror and the flesh. deconstructing the genre and sub-genre rules to subvert the audience’s expectations. reading, Hannibal, Episode 101, “Pilot” + Episode 313, “The Wrath of the Lamb" Story, pp. 135 - 154 assignment: oultine breakdown— acts one and two.

W E E K F O U R

“Sometimes there is no right thing— you just have to pick the sin you can live with.” Horns [2013]

CLASS #7 merging the storytelling components into a multi-layered narrative form— character, plot, setting and mythology. in-class discussion and revision: the evolution of each individual screenplay. reading, Hereditary, by Ari Aster Writer’s Journey, pp. 81 - 141 Dialogue, pp.22 - 92 assignment: outline breakdown— acts three and four.

CLASS #8 the sacrificial choices: what to loose and what to keep from a first draft. act structure and reformulation. intertwining storylines. the end of the line: exploring the narrative trails and their consequences. leaving room for the unexpected. the power of the unseen: the construction of the ominous. reading, There Are More Things, by Jorge Luis Borges The Rats in the Walls, by H. P. Lovecraft assignment: feature outline, first draft

visit the course website: https://wp.nyu.edu/darknessspeaks/ W E E K F I V E

“For the dead travel fast.” Bram Stoker’s Dracula [1992]

CLASS #9 sequence structure: selecting story points from the outline and developing them into a self- contained narrative piece. the industry-standard presentation— break down and study. positioning a cinematic project in the market. creating a concept poster for the final projects. the narrative beats of horror. reading, American Horror Story, Episode 101, “Pilot” Writer’s Journey, pp. 142 - 228 Dialogue, 181 - 196 assignment: feature outline, second draft.

CLASS #10 guest lecturer: Alvaro Rodriguez, Writer and Producer— Mr Rodriguez has served as screenwriter for both film and television. He is the author of such features as “From Dusk Till Dawn: The Hangman’s Daughter”, “Machete”, “Shorts”, and “Last Rampage”. As well as being showrunner for the TV series “From Dusk Till Dawn”, produced by El Rey Network.

His Mexican border-influenced short fiction has appeared in multiple publications and platforms, including the Anthologies “Along the River” and the Bram Stoker Award- winning “After Death”.

Mr Rodriguez is the Creator, Writer and Executive Producer of “Seis Manos”, the first original anime series produced by Netflix, to air on 2019. reading, From Dusk Till Dawn, Episode 106, “Place of Dead Roads” Story, pp. 233 - 259 Dialogue, 148 - 178 assignment: the short film outline, story breakdown.

W E E K S I X

“Man is the warmest place to hide.”The Thing [1982]

CLASS #11 the rewrite. working under a deadline. finding your own angle. clearing up your mind and setting the story priorities. turning suspense and narrative tension into dramatic exposition. character and dialogue. pacing. the screenwriter’s resources. the WGA.

visit the course website: https://wp.nyu.edu/darknessspeaks/ reading, Story, pp. 334 - 373 Dialogue, 97 - 144 assignment: the short film outline, character and dialogue. concept poster, presentation.

CLASS #12 the screenwriter as an executive producer: rewriting the material to create a viable screenplay. the shooting schedule. guerrilla screenwriting: turning production limitations into creative advantages— from the development stage. assignment: the short film screenplay, first draft.

W E E K S E V E N

“Good morning. You are one day closer to the end of the world.” The Omen [1976]

CLASS #13 the purpose of fear, redux. subverting your screenplay: bringing the auteur’s point of view into the rewrite. elevating the subtext to the front narrative line. in-class revision: the concept poster. assignment: the short film screenplay, second draft. note : bring an online device to complete the two-part course evaluation.

CLASS #14

final class meeting. presentation and discussion of the final projects. assignment: short film screenplay and feature outline, final drafts. pitch and one-page synopsis, revised versions. concept poster, final version.

visit the course website: https://wp.nyu.edu/darknessspeaks/ NOTES

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visit the course website: https://wp.nyu.edu/darknessspeaks/