Screenwriting 101

In this Seattle screenwriting class, you’ll learn how screenplays are written, practice writing some short scenes and complete (short) scripts, and have a chance to workshop and get helpful feedback on your writings.

We’ll cover a number of topics, including:

  1. The STEPS most screenwriters go through when writing a screenplay (what most screenwriters do, in what order)
  2. How to FORMAT your screenplay (including indentation, font size and capitalization) (and common mistakes to avoid)
  3. How to write in the LEAN, FOCUSED style most screenwriters use, and break writing habits that don’t work.
  4. FORM AND STRUCTURE: We’ll talk about about some common story structures, and how using them may bring your story into clearer focus
  5. YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE – How to identify the target audience for the movie you’re writing, and why it matters
  6. TREATMENTS – What they are and how to use them in the screenwriting process
  7. WRITING LOG LINES and TAG LINES (very short descriptions or blurbs for your screenplay) You’ll get some practice writing both.
  8. WRITING SCENES  – We’ll look at what makes a scene, and get some practice in writing some complete short scenes.
  9. WRITING SOME SHORT SCRIPTS – we’ll talk about the elements of scriptwriting in detail, and will write at least two complete short scripts over the next five weeks.
  10. Plus, we’ll talk about scene length, getting an agent, pitching and selling your screenplays, and more.   

By the end of the class, you should have a good working knowledge of how to write a  screenplay, how to approach marketing it, and have some solid writing experience under your belt.


Student Testimonials

I loved your Screenwriting class. I learned more than I could… Read more “”

Jesse. L., Seattle

I was delighted with the filmmaking and lighting classes I took. Nils is a generous,… Read more “”

Patrick Meehan

I took the Crash Course in Film-making class. It was great! We went through every… Read more “”

Tracy Cranick

Took the class this spring – had a great experience, the perfect introductory course to… Read more “”

Anand Mehta

I’ve had positive experiences in the acting classes taught by Nils. He is very knowledgeable… Read more “”

Drake Johnson

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