Writing for the Screen

This course will focus on the fundamentals of writing for the screen, with a particular focus on the short-form screenplay. The course, which will explore the nature of screenwriting, is structured as a rigorous workshop. Students will begin writing the first week and continue every week. They will read peer work, with the entire process supported by in-class analysis and critiques thereof. We will migrate from initial idea through research techniques, character development, story generation, outlining, the rough draft, and rewrites to a series of finished short-form screenplays. Fundamentals of character, story, universe and setting, dramatic action, tension, conflict, structure, and style will be explored. In conference, students may research and develop long-form screenplays or teleplays, craft a series of short screenplays for production courses or independent production, rewrite a previously written script, adapt original material from another form, and the like. No experience is necessary beyond a passion to write for the screen.