Screenwriting: An Introduction (Beginner)

Module one – The Idea

What kinds of stories are screen stories? What does the medium of film or television drama require? In this module we’ll consider how you know when you have a great idea for a film (or even a box set!) You’ll spend some time generating fresh ideas, or honing ideas you’ve been nurturing for some time. We’ll introduce the main tools available to you as screenwriters, and discover how successful dramas are fueled by distinctive complex characters on a quest. For your first assignment, you’ll submit one or two ideas for a film or TV drama.

Module two – Character

All great films and television dramas require complex, intriguing protagonists. They might not be likeable, but they will engage an audience’s interest from the start. We’ll explore the relationship between character arc and story structure in a variety of different genres, and we’ll consider how to imply character’s inner lives through their actions and dialogue. For your assignment you’ll write two scenes introducing the protagonist of your drama: one from the start of your film, as the character takes their first action to set the story in motion, and then in a turning point scene which brings your character to a crisis in which they must change. In this module, too, we’ll have a thorough grounding in how to lay out a script professionally.

Module three – Structure

‘Beginning, Middle, End’? Three acts or five? Screen stories must be carefully structured like no other form of storytelling. We’ll examine the structures of films and television dramas of differing formats and genres, and together we’ll explore how they’re built: looking at what is happening in each act, considering how to begin and how to end. Then, we’ll apply these structures to help us write our own scripts. Also introducing an essential tool: the Step Outline or Beat Sheet. Your assignment this module will be to draft a rough outline of your own film or drama.

Module four – Examining The Scene & Dialogue

How are scenes constructed? We’ll take apart scenes from a variety of scripts to learn how to write immersive, vivid scenes which move the story forward and are driven by character choices which further reveal them. Central to the structure of a scene is the playing out of dramatic conflict, and much of that is expressed through dialogue. We’ll look at how great screenwriters give their characters individual voices and we’ll engage with the challenges of writing dialogue for other periods and places. For your assignment you’ll be writing a highly-charged dramatic scene or sequence, in which the drama is manifest through dialogue.

Module five – Cinematic Writing & World-Building

‘Show don’t tell’ takes on new significance when you can literally use visual imagery to tell your screen story. In this module we’ll explore the unique language of cinema and television, and examine scripts from various genres which successfully exploit visual storytelling. We’ll consider how to build the world of your film, and practise writing dialogue-free sequences. We might experiment with transposing our story to different genres. For your assignment you’ll write a visually rich opening sequence and another scene which is entirely dialogue-free.

Module six – All Writing is Re-writing

How do we work our story from idea to treatment to step outline to script? Writing a feature film script or television series is a major task; we’ll explore ways to remain positive and focussed through a long period of writing. Also in this module, we’ll explore different techniques for re-writing, and give you some tools to enable you to assess your own work. Finally, we’ll work towards a finished piece of script: a thirty minute television pilot, or the first act of a feature film. We’ll schedule one-to-one online meetings to give you some personal feedback on your writing, too.