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:
- The STEPS most screenwriters go through when writing a screenplay (what most screenwriters do, in what order)
- How to FORMAT your screenplay (including indentation, font size and capitalization) (and common mistakes to avoid)
- How to write in the LEAN, FOCUSED style most screenwriters use, and break writing habits that don’t work.
- FORM AND STRUCTURE: We’ll talk about about some common story structures, and how using them may bring your story into clearer focus
- YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE – How to identify the target audience for the movie you’re writing, and why it matters
- TREATMENTS – What they are and how to use them in the screenwriting process
- WRITING LOG LINES and TAG LINES (very short descriptions or blurbs for your screenplay) You’ll get some practice writing both.
- WRITING SCENES – We’ll look at what makes a scene, and get some practice in writing some complete short scenes.
- 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.
- 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.
