Screenwriter Course

Lesson 1 • What Screenwriters Actually Do

Defines the screenwriter's job within the film and TV production pipeline. Establishes professional expectations that frame every subsequent chapter.

Lesson 2 • Reading Scripts Professionally

Develops the habit of analysing produced screenplays as craft documents. Students gain a critical vocabulary used throughout the course.

Lesson 3 • Industry-Standard Script Format

Covers slug lines, action lines, dialogue blocks, and transitions using professional formatting rules. Correct format signals professionalism to every reader.

Lesson 1 • Generating and Testing Ideas

Provides ideation techniques and filters for evaluating whether a concept is cinematic and commercially viable. Prevents wasted effort on weak premises.

Lesson 2 • Crafting a Compelling Logline

Teaches the one-to-two sentence pitch formula that encapsulates protagonist, conflict, and stakes. A strong logline becomes the compass for the entire script.

Lesson 3 • Premise and Theme Development

Distinguishes premise from theme and shows how thematic argument shapes every story decision. Students articulate the central question their script will answer.

Lesson 4 • What Makes a Story Dramatic

Examines conflict, stakes, and want vs. need as the engine of drama. Grounds students in why audiences engage with certain stories over others.

Lesson 1 • Subplots and Parallel Storylines

Shows how subplots mirror, contrast, or complicate the main plot to deepen theme. Students integrate at least one subplot into their outline.

Lesson 2 • The Three-Act Model Explained

Breaks down setup, confrontation, and resolution with precise page-count benchmarks for feature films. Gives writers a reliable scaffold before drafting.

Lesson 3 • Key Structural Turning Points

Identifies plot points, pinch points, and the all-is-lost moment as mandatory story beats. Each turning point is defined by its function and emotional impact.

Lesson 4 • Building the Story Outline

Translates structural knowledge into a scene-by-scene outline using cards or software. A solid outline reduces rewriting and keeps the draft on track.

Lesson 1 • Protagonist Design Principles

Defines what makes a protagonist compelling: agency, flaw, and a transformative arc. Every structural decision in the script flows from protagonist design.

Lesson 2 • Supporting Cast and Ensemble Writing

Designs secondary characters who serve distinct dramatic functions without overshadowing the lead. Each supporting role must justify its presence in the story.

Lesson 3 • Antagonists and Opposition Forces

Builds antagonists who are the logical equal and opposite of the protagonist. Strong opposition raises stakes and forces meaningful character change.

Lesson 4 • Character Arc and Transformation

Maps the internal journey from flaw to growth or tragic decline across the three acts. Arc must be earned through scene-level cause and effect.

Lesson 1 • Scene Sequences and Act Building

Groups individual scenes into sequences that function as mini-acts with their own arc. Students assemble their scenes into a coherent act-level structure.

Lesson 2 • Anatomy of an Effective Scene

Defines scene goal, conflict, and outcome as the three mandatory components of any scene. Writers learn to enter late and exit early to maintain pace.

Lesson 3 • Writing Action Lines with Precision

Trains writers to craft lean, visual action lines that direct the reader's eye without directing the director. Economy and specificity are the twin standards.

Lesson 4 • Scene Transitions and Momentum

Covers hard cuts, match cuts, and thematic transitions that maintain narrative momentum. Smooth transitions are invisible; clumsy ones break immersion.

Lesson 1 • Principles of Cinematic Dialogue

Distinguishes screen dialogue from real speech and stage dialogue by its compression and purpose. Every line must earn its place by doing at least two jobs.

Lesson 2 • Common Dialogue Pitfalls

Identifies and corrects the most frequent dialogue errors: on-the-nose writing, over-explanation, and character voice blending. Revision exercises reinforce each fix.

Lesson 3 • Exposition Without Awkwardness

Provides techniques for delivering necessary information naturally through conflict and character need. Eliminates 'as you know, Bob' exposition traps.

Lesson 4 • Dialogue Rhythm and Voice

Develops ear for sentence length variation, interruption, and overlapping speech that creates naturalistic rhythm. Voice consistency is tested across multiple scenes.

Lesson 1 • Using Your Outline as a Guide

Shows how to follow the outline flexibly, allowing organic discoveries without losing structural integrity. The outline is a map, not a cage.

Lesson 2 • Writing Through Difficult Sections

Provides strategies for pushing through the dreaded Act Two sag and other structural trouble spots. Writers learn to diagnose and bypass blocks without stopping.

Lesson 3 • Completing and Assessing the Draft

Guides writers through finishing the draft and conducting a first self-assessment before revision. A cooling-off period and structured read-through prepare the script for notes.

Lesson 4 • Drafting Mindset and Process

Establishes the psychological contract of first-draft writing: completion over perfection. Writers learn to silence the inner critic and maintain forward momentum.

Lesson 1 • Final Polish and Submission Prep

Covers line-level polish, proofreading, and formatting checks that make a script look professional on the page. First impressions in the industry are made before page ten.

Lesson 2 • Receiving and Applying Notes

Teaches writers to extract actionable insight from coverage, peer notes, and executive feedback. The goal is diagnosing the problem behind the note, not obeying it literally.

Lesson 3 • The Revision Mindset and Process

Reframes revision as the real craft of screenwriting rather than a corrective afterthought. Writers learn to approach the draft as a reader, not its author.

Lesson 4 • Character and Dialogue Revision

Refines character arcs, voice consistency, and dialogue economy in a dedicated revision pass. Each character's journey is traced independently across the script.