Getting Started Writing Your Feature Film Screenplay

Overview

This introduction to screenwriting course explores techniques and procedures in cinematic writing.

Together as a group we will apply these to case studies and participants' live projects.

Emerging writers get to respond to the variety of traditions, agendas and expectations that their immediate collaborators (including development executives, agents, producers and directors) bring to a film idea. 

Programme details

Courses starts: 18 Sep 2023

Week 0: Course Orientation

Week 1: Creating engaging Characters

Week 2: Building an absorbing Structure 

Week 3: Intriguing with Genre

Week 4: Evaluate reference work through Script Reports

Week 5: Formative assessment: Script Report Presentations (2 hour live session) 

Week 6: Formatting, and setting up the story in the first 10 pages 

Week 7: The script as foundation in filmmaking, and a sense of adventure in the second 10 pages

Week 8: Values, and facing a turning point in the third 10 pages

Week 9: Pitching and meeting Tests, Allies & Enemies in the fourth 10 pages 

Week 10: Summative assessment: Work in Progress Presentation (2 hour live session)

Certification

Students who register for CATS points will receive a Record of CATS points on successful completion of their course assessment.

To earn credit (CATS points) you will need to register and pay an additional £10 fee per course. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online.

Coursework is an integral part of all weekly classes and everyone enrolled will be expected to do coursework in order to benefit fully from the course. Only those who have registered for credit will be awarded CATS points for completing work at the required standard.

Students who do not register for CATS points during the enrolment process can either register for CATS points prior to the start of their course or retrospectively from the January 1st after the current full academic year has been completed. If you are enrolled on the Certificate of Higher Education you need to indicate this on the enrolment form but there is no additional registration fee.

Fees

Description Costs
Course Fee £269.00
Take this course for CATS points £10.00

Funding

If you are in receipt of a UK state benefit, you are a full-time student in the UK or a student on a low income, you may be eligible for a reduction of 50% of tuition fees. Please see the below link for full details:

Concessionary fees for short courses

Tutor

Mr Carl Schoenfeld

Carl has three decades’ film industry experience as writer, director and producer. He has pioneered fresh approaches across filmmaking and education. His award-winning productions with the BBC, Channel4/Film4, BFI, including BAFTA nominated 'A Sarajevo Diary' and Ben Whishaw starrer 'My Brother Tom', embraced new technology and launched the talent involved.

Course aims

Enable emerging screenwriters to start a first draft of their feature film screenplay, communicate the project's aims as a work in progress, and build on guidance from their tutor and peers. 

Course objectives:

  • Express your film idea within the limitations of the screenwriting form and practise the application of dramatic writing techniques.
  • Evaluate screenwriting in terms of formal and dramatic achievements.
  • Communicate your evaluation, including areas of achievement and those requiring further development, in a constructive manner.  

Teaching methods

Regular seminars lead to applications through independent screenwriting practice, reading of student work and guided discussions on achievements and further development required.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course students will be expected to:

  • be able to write within the limitations of the screenwriting form (e.g. slugline, scene description, dialogue);
  • practice their critical skills, identifying dramatic achievements in creative writing as well as areas that may be improved;
  • articulate constructive feedback to peers.

 

Assessment methods

Based on their creative writing project, industry observation and feedback received, students are required to submit for summative assessment either: 

a) a 1000 word self-selected screenplay fragment and reflection on learning, as well as a final revised pitch presentation in week 10, or

b) a 1500 word self-selected screenplay fragment and reflection on learning.

Students must submit a completed Declaration of Authorship form at the end of term when submitting your final piece of work. CATS points cannot be awarded without the aforementioned form - Declaration of Authorship form

Application

We will close for enrolments 7 days prior to the start date to allow us to complete the course set up. We will email you at that time (7 days before the course begins) with further information and joining instructions. As always, students will want to check spam and junk folders during this period to ensure that these emails are received.

To earn credit (CATS points) for your course you will need to register and pay an additional £10 fee per course. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online.

Please use the 'Book' or 'Apply' button on this page. Alternatively, please complete an enrolment form (Word) or enrolment form (Pdf).

Level and demands

Most of the Department's weekly classes have 10 or 20 CATS points assigned to them. 10 CATS points at FHEQ Level 4 usually consist of ten 2-hour sessions. 20 CATS points at FHEQ Level 4 usually consist of twenty 2-hour sessions. It is expected that, for every 2 hours of tuition you are given, you will engage in eight hours of private study.

Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS)