Description
Introduction to Screenwriting – is a classroom-based beginners’ course for Adults (18+) planning their first screenplay or wanting to improve their screenwriting skills. It will arm you with the concepts and practices you need to be aware of, before diving in. The course runs 10am-4pm, for a maximum of 10 learners.
This intensive course focuses on short film, however many of the skills learned are transferable to longer screenplays, and there will be many pointers for those who want to continue their study of feature screenplay writing beyond the scope of this beginners’ course.
This Classroom based course will:
- Develop your understanding of the basics of the craft and art of screenwriting
- Give you everything you need to start writing your first script
- Help you to understand “what makes a good script”!
- Encourage you to develop a critical self-awareness and an enquiring, analytical and creative approach to your work
- Give you a framework to develop your screenwriting practice
Who is Introduction to Screenwriting weekend course aimed at?
This course is aimed at writers who want to learn the art of screenwriting and filmmakers who want to develop their writing skills (or skills for collaborating with writers). If you haven’t done any creative writing whatsoever (whether amateur or professional), or don’t have any filmmaking skills, then you are unlikely to be able to fully benefit from this course. (See below for what you can do next).
Once you have taken this beginners course you can take our follow-up New Screenwriters – Interactive online workshop.
Note we plan to run this course as an online version in Summer Term 2023
Your tutor – Michelle Duffy
Michelle Duffy is a screenwriter, comedy creator, soap storyliner and author. She is currently developing projects with production companies in the UK and Ireland and is a regular storyliner on the Irish soap Fair City.
Introduction to Screenwriting outline:
Saturday: 10am – 4pm (with lunch and breaks)
Developing Ideas
- Where do ideas and inspiration come from?
- Why is it important to keep generating new ideas?
- How do you decide which idea is a Short Film idea?
Theme, Story, Plot & Narrative
- How to define the Premise of the film (what it’s about) from the Theme (what it’s really about)
- Cleaving Story, Plot and Narrative apart and examining how they inform choices in a scene
- Identifying POV, non-linear structure and other narrative devices
Genre
- Writing from and for Genre
- Audience expectations
- Short Film Genre
Film Story Structures
- Classical 3-act Structure and other theories
- Freedom within structure
- Alternative short film structures
Sunday: 10am – 4pm (with lunch and breaks)
Form, Formatting and Software
- Professional formatting conventions and why they exist
- Software options (including some free ones)
- Evolving industry conventions
Character & Characterisation
- Character development
- The Character Arc – internal and external
- How do you reveal character in film?
Evocative Style
- What do you write when you’re not writing dialogue?
- Developing your own Evocative Style
- Binning Screenwriting ‘Rules’
Pitching and Feedback
- How and Why to verbally pitch your screenplay
- Giving and receiving constructive feedback
- Developing pitching documents
Dialogue
- Creating authentic character voice
- Dialogue dos and don’ts.
- Subtext in dialogue
Round up and next steps
- Opportunities, Networking and Next Steps
- The rest of this session will be planned around the requests and needs of the class
Early booking discount & concessions
Early Booking – Book early to get 10% reduction on the full price course fee (usually two weeks before the course start date, but may vary).
Concessions eligibility for online courses – UK based Students, NHS workers and people on some means-tested benefits. Evidence is required, such as a student card, NHS staff card or benefits letter.
Means-tested benefits: JSA, Income Support; Working Tax Credit (not child tax credit); Council Tax Benefit (not student/single person/reduction due to disability); Housing Benefit; Pension Credit (guarantee); Unwaged Dependent of these benefits & Universal Credit.
All Film Oxford classroom-based courses are subsidised by Oxfordshire Adult Learning and are for Adults (18+).
If you like Introduction to Screenwriting you may also like:
Follow-up to this Introductory courses is New Screenwriters – Interactive online workshop
Introduction to Documentary Filmmaking – online course
Free Screenwriting software link
Additional information
| Pricing | Concession, Full price |
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