Writing the Feature-Length Screenplay

Catalog description

To make a great film, you need three things—the script, the script, and the script. —Alfred Hitchcock The world’s directors are in agreement—a solid screenplay is the foundation of any great film. This course is designed to help beginner screenwriters find their voice as a film artist using the written language of visual storytelling. Students will learn how to write narrative screenplays with an eye toward completing a feature-length work. The course will cover basics of format and style, with weekly assignments aimed at developing students’ screenwriting muscles. In fall, students will write scenes and short screenplays; plus, students will learn about structuring feature-length work. Students will “pitch” ideas and rigorously outline their stories. In spring, students will write their feature-length screenplay. The pages that they present will be “table-read,” and students will receive critical feedback for future revisions. By the conclusion of the course, students will have completed a first draft of their screenplay. Writing for Television From ‘Spec Script’ to Original Pilot