Nuts & Bolts

4 Monday Evenings in June

June 2, 9, 16, 23

In four dynamic, practical 3-hour sessions, Keith and Brian will explore what makes film stories unique, discuss what it takes to craft an idea into cinematic shape, and help you assess whether your story can be told (and sold!) as a screenplay.

CLASS STRUCTURE

7:00 pm to 10:00 pm

SESSION 1: The basics of film story structure and strong central characters - how to create interest and empathy in your central character - creating a good "bad guy" - the rest of the people in your story and how to make them come alive. Exercise: writing vivid descriptions of characters

SESSION 2: Off and running - major story beats in Act One - openings, set-ups, inciting incidents, first turning point - writing compelling action sequences - industry standard script formatting, and why. Exercise: creating an unforgettable opening scene

SESSION 3: The long middle - major story beats in Act Two - midpoints, rising action and major setbacks - secrets of strong subplots - making sure every scene earns its place in your screenplay - dialogue that sizzles, and how to achieve it. Exercise: punching up a scene with potent dialogue

SESSION 4: What it comes down to - major story beats in Act Three - climaxes and aftermaths - what to do before you send your screenplay out into the world - Soliciting feedback - Creating a Logline, a Synopsis, an Outline, a Pitch - Target-Marketing your script- Finding a Producer - Contests - Conferences - Making industry connections - Internet resources

E-mail Brian & Keith if you'd like to register for a weekend screenwriting workshop.