Pre-Script Pro-Strategy Screenwriting Seminar

Define premise as the screenwriting toolbox that answers the three questions—who is the protagonist, what does he want, and why should we care—while testing obstacles, conflict, stakes, and high concept.

Define your genre through epic, crime, thriller, or mixed forms, compare with similar films, and use comparables to shape premise, audience fit, four-quadrant potential, and budget expectations.

Explore the distinction between protagonists and heroes, their on-screen goals, and how conflicts, likability, and emotional stakes shape character arcs, from traveling angels to franchise heroes.

Emphasize that protagonists need active antagonists who challenge them and drive growth. Portray the antagonist as human, complex, and able to mirror the hero's fears and power.

Learn script formatting basics: use interior or exterior scene headings, present-tense action, and concise descriptions; establish character introductions, stakes, and beats that serve the story's theme.

Explore how theme expresses story values, with self-sacrifice and the shift from arrogance to humility, and learn to brainstorm motifs, symbols, and genre to elevate theme.

Analyze thematic lies in romantic comedies, including persistent stalking, deceit, the 'Oliver fallacy,' and commodification of relationships, and highlight counterexamples toward healthier portrayals.

Explore perma, a happiness theory of positive emotion, life satisfaction and meaning, engagement, and resilience, and learn to weave shared connection and transcendence into compelling screenplays.

Identify and avoid common screenwriting pitfalls, from weak desire lines and overlong exposition to deus ex machina, while outlining conflict via a 12-sequence or five-act structure.