Analyze stories where setting is so important it acts as a character
Apply the lessons of setting to various forms of storytelling and scripting
Practice turning visual settings into word-based descriptions
Give and receive feedback on materials developed for class
About this course:
Dialogue, plotting and pacing are pillars of any good script or book. However, a strongly-evoked setting can lift a good story into a great one. Through this course, you look at striking examples of stories where the location was just as much a character as the protagonist. You take in such stories as a class and learn to articulate what makes your settings so striking. You look at photos of interesting locations and find all the right words to best describe them. And with visual media, you even “reverse-engineer” descriptions based on what you see, then compare your writing afterward to what the script dictated in the first place. As the course progresses, you are tasked to write stories in different media—prose, live-action, animation, graphic novel, etc.—with an eye to establish and extenuate the setting. Through extensive workshopping of material in class, you learn how to make location a signature aspect of your story, not just some arbitrary choice, and describe it in vibrant, compelling language.
Enrollment limited to 15 students; early enrollment advised. Visitors not permitted. Internet access required.
This course is held via video teleconference. Instructors use Zoom to offer live class meetings at the designated class meeting time. Students must be present at the course meeting time as each student’s final grade may include scores for participation. Please inform your instructor if you will miss a class meeting. You are responsible for any class information you missed. We suggest you arrange with a fellow classmate to share their notes when feasible.
Enrollment limited to 15 students; early enrollment advised. Visitors not permitted. Internet access required.
This course is held via video teleconference. Instructors use Zoom to offer live class meetings at the designated class meeting time. Students must be present at the course meeting time as each student’s final grade may include scores for participation. Please inform your instructor if you will miss a class meeting. You are responsible for any class information you missed. We suggest you arrange with a fellow classmate to share their notes when feasible.
Refund Deadline
No refunds after January 24, 2025
Course Requirements
Internet required to retrieve course materials.
Schedule
Type
Date
Time
Location
Online
Fri Jan 10, 2025
5:00PM PT - 8:00PM PT
Remote ClassroomRemote Learning
Online
Fri Jan 17, 2025
5:00PM PT - 8:00PM PT
Remote ClassroomRemote Learning
Online
Fri Jan 24, 2025
5:00PM PT - 8:00PM PT
Remote ClassroomRemote Learning
Online
Fri Jan 31, 2025
5:00PM PT - 8:00PM PT
Remote ClassroomRemote Learning
Online
Fri Feb 7, 2025
5:00PM PT - 8:00PM PT
Remote ClassroomRemote Learning
Online
Fri Feb 14, 2025
5:00PM PT - 8:00PM PT
Remote ClassroomRemote Learning
Online
Fri Feb 21, 2025
5:00PM PT - 8:00PM PT
Remote ClassroomRemote Learning
Online
Fri Feb 28, 2025
5:00PM PT - 8:00PM PT
Remote ClassroomRemote Learning
Online
Fri Mar 7, 2025
5:00PM PT - 8:00PM PT
Remote ClassroomRemote Learning
Online
Fri Mar 14, 2025
5:00PM PT - 8:00PM PT
Remote ClassroomRemote Learning
Contact Us
Speak to a student advisor. Hours: Mon-Fri, 8am-5pm.
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