Getting Visual (Screenplay 101) Screenwriting Seminar

Are you ready for your writing to get visual?

Screenwriting is the perfect art form for bringing visual storytelling to life. In this 3-session seminar, you will learn the nuts and bolts of screenwriting:

• In Session 1, you will learn standard industry formatting, get familiar with how screenwriting software works, and learn how to read screenplays.
• Session 2 will introduce the concept of visual storytelling and how it differs from other forms of writing (i.e. prose). You will also learn how screenplays measure playing time from the page, and how to plan a story from visuals first. Your take-home work will see you trying your hand at telling a simple visual story.
• We’ll wrap up with Session 3 – “show don’t tell.” Here you’ll learn how to avoid expository writing and what is and isn’t for the screenwriter to put on the page. We will also explore how visual story telling allows writers to use and bend time in ways entirely unique to the medium.

By the end of the seminar, you will have a firm grasp of how to go about writing your own screenplay!

Seminar Format

The online seminar is fully interactive and takes place via live video conference (which is recorded, so you can watch it on replay). During the seminar, you’ll have ample opportunity to share your work, talk through and practice craft issues, and ask questions about the genre.

Assignments, readings, and video clips will guide you on your screenplay writing journey.

Details

[ezcol_1quarter]Dates:[/ezcol_1quarter] [ezcol_3quarter_end]January 27, Feb. 3, Feb. 10, 2020 (Dates TBA) [/ezcol_3quarter_end]

[ezcol_1quarter]Length:[/ezcol_1quarter] [ezcol_3quarter_end]3 Sessions (2 hrs. each)[/ezcol_3quarter_end]

[ezcol_1quarter]Where:[/ezcol_1quarter] [ezcol_3quarter_end]Online via video chat [/ezcol_3quarter_end]

[ezcol_1quarter]Format:[/ezcol_1quarter] [ezcol_3quarter_end]Live video meetings including lecture, readings, and homework assignments[/ezcol_3quarter_end]

[ezcol_1quarter]Weekly Meeting:[/ezcol_1quarter] [ezcol_3quarter_end]Mondays at 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. EST[/ezcol_3quarter_end]

[ezcol_1quarter]Instructor:[/ezcol_1quarter] [ezcol_3quarter_end]Rebecca Hales[/ezcol_3quarter_end]

FAQ

Isn’t a screenplay just a story?

Not exactly. While a screenplay tells a story, it is actually a blueprint for the final visual product. It will be used by the producers, directors, casting agents, actors, location scouts, set designers, costume department, etc. to bring together all the elements that make a movie or TV series. It is a very collaborative document and the success of every department starts with the writer.

How is telling a story for the screen different from writing any other type of story?

Film and television are visual mediums. What is described in a book can range from the physical surroundings, to the smells, to the deepest thoughts and feelings of a character. We spend time in their internal world, getting to know them and bonding with them. In screenwriting, if it can’t be seen on the screen, it shouldn’t be in the script.

Screenwriting forces the writer to ask: “How do I SHOW what the character thinks and feels since I can’t TELL the audience directly?” This includes actions and dialogue that convey emotional subtext.

Do I have to buy special software?

Not at all! While screenwriting does use special software like Final Draft and Move Magic Screenwriter there are free online alternatives that will help you format your screenplay. Of course, once you fall in love with screenwriting, you may want to purchase the more comprehensive software.

What is the seminar format?

The class will meet in real time over interactive video conference (3 sessions at 2 hours each) to hear Rebecca’s lecture, and talk about the various craft, theory, and production elements in screenplay writing. All materials will be provided including assignment details.

How the online seminar works

• After enrolling, you will receive an email with information about the seminar series. A few days before the first seminar is to begin, you will receive any other pertinent information and a reminder for the video conference.
• The seminars take place over video conference. Each week prior to the video meeting, you will receive an email with a link to your class’ video meeting. Click on it, and you’ll be brought into the secure meeting where you can take part in the interactive conversation.

Instructor Bio

Rebecca Hales