Film and TV Scriptwriting Course

Lesson 1 • Screenwriting Software Essentials

Covers industry-standard screenwriting applications and their core features. Efficient tool use accelerates drafting and ensures format compliance automatically.

Lesson 2 • The Screenwriter's Role and Craft

Defines the screenwriter's function in film and TV production pipelines. Establishes why format and visual storytelling discipline are non-negotiable professional standards.

Lesson 3 • Industry-Standard Script Format

Teaches slug lines, action lines, dialogue blocks, and transitions using professional formatting rules. Correct format signals professionalism and ensures accurate page-per-minute timing.

Lesson 1 • Outlining and Beat Sheets

Provides practical methods for building detailed outlines before drafting. A strong outline reduces rewriting time and keeps the story on structural track.

Lesson 2 • Alternative Structural Models

Examines the Hero's Journey, Save the Cat beat sheet, and five-act TV structures. Exposure to multiple models gives writers flexible tools for different genres and formats.

Lesson 3 • Subplots and Parallel Storylines

Explains how subplots mirror, complicate, or contrast the main plot to deepen theme. Writers learn to weave multiple storylines without losing narrative momentum.

Lesson 4 • Premise, Theme, and Central Question

Teaches how to distil a story into a single compelling premise and thematic argument. A clear premise guides every structural and character decision throughout the script.

Lesson 1 • Protagonist and Antagonist Dynamics

Examines how protagonist and antagonist mirror each other to sharpen thematic conflict. Strong antagonists are built from the same desire as the protagonist but pursue it differently.

Lesson 2 • Character Desire, Need, and Flaw

Distinguishes between what a character consciously wants and what they unconsciously need. This gap generates internal conflict and sustains audience engagement across the entire script.

Lesson 3 • Character Arc and Transformation

Maps positive, negative, and flat character arcs onto structural turning points. Writers learn to anchor arc moments to plot events so transformation feels earned.

Lesson 4 • Character Research and Authenticity

Covers research methods for writing characters outside the writer's lived experience. Authentic representation strengthens credibility and broadens the script's audience appeal.

Lesson 1 • Scene Goals and Conflict

Every scene must have a character goal, an obstacle, and an outcome that changes the story. Writers learn to identify and sharpen these three elements before drafting any scene.

Lesson 2 • Set Pieces and Signature Scenes

Identifies high-impact scenes that define a script's tone and marketability. Writers learn to design and execute set pieces that showcase genre and character simultaneously.

Lesson 3 • Pacing and Scene Rhythm

Controls scene length, white space, and sentence rhythm to modulate emotional tempo. Writers learn to vary pace deliberately rather than letting it default to monotony.

Lesson 4 • Entering and Exiting Scenes

Teaches the principle of entering scenes late and leaving early to maximise momentum. Precise entry and exit points eliminate dead air and keep readers turning pages.

Lesson 1 • Reading Dialogue Aloud and Revision

Uses table reads and cold readings to identify unnatural rhythms and clunky exposition. Ear-based revision is the fastest method for polishing dialogue to performance-ready quality.

Lesson 2 • Exposition Through Dialogue

Covers techniques for delivering necessary backstory without halting dramatic momentum. Exposition is hidden inside conflict, humour, or revelation to keep scenes alive.

Lesson 3 • Distinct Character Voice

Teaches how vocabulary, syntax, rhythm, and evasion patterns differentiate characters. Readers should identify any character from dialogue alone without reading the character name.

Lesson 4 • Writing Authentic Vernacular

Addresses dialect, slang, and period-specific speech without alienating readers. Writers learn to suggest authenticity through selective word choice rather than phonetic spelling.

Lesson 1 • Drama and Thriller Conventions

Examines the structural and tonal demands of dramatic and thriller screenplays. Tension mechanics, moral stakes, and revelation timing are the core craft tools for both genres.

Lesson 2 • Comedy Structure and Timing

Breaks down comedic structure, joke architecture, and the rule of three in screenwriting. Comic timing on the page is achieved through line length, spacing, and beat placement.

Lesson 3 • Understanding Genre as Contract

Frames genre as a promise made to the audience that must be honoured and subverted strategically. Writers learn to identify genre conventions before deciding which to keep or break.

Lesson 4 • Horror, Sci-Fi, and Fantasy World Rules

Covers how speculative genres require internally consistent world rules established early. Breaking established rules destroys audience trust and collapses narrative credibility.

Lesson 1 • Series Engine and Ongoing Conflict

Defines the series engine as the renewable source of conflict that sustains multiple seasons. Writers learn to distinguish episodic procedural engines from serialised arc engines.

Lesson 2 • TV Format Fundamentals

Distinguishes half-hour, one-hour, limited series, and streaming formats by structure and page count. Format choice shapes every structural and tonal decision in a television project.

Lesson 3 • The Series Bible

Covers the components of a professional series bible used to pitch to networks and streamers. A compelling bible sells the world, characters, and long-term story potential in one document.

Lesson 4 • Writers' Room Dynamics

Prepares writers for the collaborative, hierarchical environment of a professional TV writers' room. Understanding room etiquette and pitching protocol is essential for staff writer employment.

Lesson 1 • The Rewriting Mindset

Reframes rewriting as the primary craft of screenwriting, not a corrective afterthought. Writers learn to detach from first-draft choices and evaluate scripts with editorial objectivity.

Lesson 2 • Coverage, Competitions, and Submission

Explains how professional script coverage works and how to use it to improve scripts. Writers learn submission strategies for competitions, fellowships, and agency query processes.

Lesson 3 • Receiving and Applying Notes

Covers how to interpret, prioritise, and apply script notes from readers, executives, and peers. Writers learn to distinguish useful diagnostic notes from prescriptive notes that miss the real problem.

Lesson 4 • Line-Level Polish and Proofreading

Addresses action line economy, redundant description, and formatting errors in final passes. A clean, error-free script signals professionalism and respects the reader's time.