What you'll learn

Turn Your Idea Into a Screenplay
Explore What Makes Movies Award Winners
Create a Pitch That Sells Your Idea
Develop Compelling Characters
Structure Your Screenplay
Learn Techniques That Make Scenes Leap Off The Page
Polish Your Screenplay
Discover Resources To Help Get Your Screenplay Noticed

Course content

7 sections • 51 lectures • 6h 48m total length

Welcome to Screenwriting Workshop!8:11
Meet Dani Alcorn and enjoy an overview of the course material to come!
Why Write Screenplays?5:01
Why should you write screenplays, and what are the benefits?
Top Grossing Genres3:57
This lesson discusses the top grossing genres and top grossing films of recent history. How useful is this information and what should you do with it?
Award Winning Films5:19
This lesson offers a look at Academy Award Winning films and screenplays. Are awards really the best way to measure a film's success?
Movies Versus Television9:44
When comparing movies to television shows there are both practical differences (format, budget, production schedule, etc.) and differences in how the audience relates to the experience. The implications of these differences is discussed in this lecture.
A Quick History of TV and Movies9:15
This lightning fast survey of both film and television will show you how programming has changed over the years, allowing you to target your scripts at the latest trends.

Getting Ideas9:59
This lesson discusses where ideas come from, how to remember them, and what to do if you're stuck. Try out a fun exercise to get your creative juices flowing (see supplemental material).
Elements of a Good Tale: Plot and Story4:48
This lesson is a discussion of the difference between plot (external events) and story (internal emotions) and how they are integral to creating a compelling movie.
Theme: What is this Movie Really About?4:49
This lesson discusses themes, or what movies are really about. It shows you how to dig deeper and find the true emotional core of your script that will relate to all the other story and plot elements of your screenplay.
Creating Compelling Characters3:44
This lesson answers the questions: "Who's in your screenplay?" and "What will you know about them?"
Protagonists9:13
This lesson discusses how to create a compelling hero for your screenplay.
Antagonists8:42
This lesson discusses what good antagonists must do and gives you tips for creating despicable bad guys.
Supporting Characters11:25
This lesson discuses the supporting characters you'll create in your screenplay and offers suggestions for how to make them memorable.
Archetypes17:02
This lesson discusses what an archetype is, how to use them, and gives an example of a classic archetype.
The Hero's Journey22:10
This lesson explores Joseph Campbell's idea of the "monomyth" and details the Hero's Journey.

Loglines and Pitches8:14
This lesson gives step by step instructions for how to write a great logline and pitch for your screenplay.
Synopses7:21
This lesson uses Susan Dennard's 11 Key Elements to show you how to write a clear and concise synopsis of your screenplay.
Introduction to Structure5:43
This lesson provides a quick introduction to the theory of story structure and introduces the topics that follow in the next several lessons.
Four Act Structure17:50
An overview of Four Act Structure. This lesson includes a Quick Reference Guide and a Test Drive with helpful questions about each element of each act to help you think about structuring your original screenplay idea.
Three Act Structure5:59
This lesson introduces the nine story structuring checkpoints of three act structure.
Act 19:24
This lesson is an in depth look at the story structure checkpoints of Act 1: the Hook, Backstory, and Trigger.
Act 26:29
This lesson provides and in depth look at the story structure checkpoints of Act 2: the Crisis, Struggle, and Epiphany.
Act 36:36
This lesson takes an in depth look at the story structure checkpoints of Act 3: the Plan, Climax, and Resolution.
Beginnings and Endings14:33
This lesson explores beginnings and endings including common techniques and examples from great screenplays.
Scenes17:33
Discover the different types of scenes, and what to do--and not do--to make them great.
Treatments and Outlines11:01
This lesson discusses two types of roadmaps that will help get you from page 1 to page 120 of your screenplay: the treatment and the outline.

A Word on Screenwriting Software3:42
This lesson provides a quick rundown of FinalDraft and Celtx.
How To Format A Screenplay11:58
Discover the four elements that make up a screenplay, and how they are used.
Formatting Specifics7:01
These common formatting issues may seem tricky, but they're simple when you know how.
Using Celtx10:14
Celtx is powerful and free screenwriting software. Here's how to use it.
Great Screenwriting: What Belongs and What Doesn't9:33
Here's how to write a great screenplay and make sure the director films it the way you imagined it, all without breaking any rules.
Writing Great Dialogue7:15
This lesson explores how to make your characters sound like real and interesting people.
Writing Great Action/Description12:09
Minimize descriptions while maximizing the impact of your action lines, and your script will be much more commercial. Here's how.
Writing Great Character Introductions4:10
In a movie it's easy to recognize and keep track of a large number of characters. But in a script it's hard to keep track of a large number of character names. This lesson shows you how to make those characters memorable, which will help you sell your script.
Pacing8:06
A well paced movie is fun to watch. Here are some examples of pacing problems and successes, and some tips for controlling your own screenplay's pacing.
Tips For Completing Your Screenplay5:15
Follow these six techniques and you will finish your first draft.

Introduction To Film Analyses2:12
One of the best ways to learn to write great screenplays is to watch great movies.
Drama: The Shawshank Redemption4:23
Analysis of The Shawshank Redemption
Thriller: The Silence of the Lambs5:20
Analysis of The Silence of the Lambs.
Family: The Lion King3:26
Analysis of Lion King.
Romantic Comedy: You've Got Mail3:26
Analysis of You've Got Mail
Romantic Comedy: TiMER2:00
This is a brief synopsis and analysis of TiMER (2009). Main topic: character wants versus character needs.
Superhero: Spiderman (2002)3:41
Analysis of Spiderman.
Science Fiction: The 5th Element4:57
Analysis of The 5th Element

How To Get Your Screenplay Out There11:58
Agents, Managers, Contests and Contacts are all great approaches to selling your screenplay. Here's the inside scoop on all of them.
Online Resources for Screenwriters7:29
These valuable online resources will help you get your screenplay into the right hands.
Next Steps1:00
Now that you've completed the course, here are some ways you can stay involved, and further develop your screenwriting skills.
Grand Finale1:41
Thanks for taking this journey with me, and Happy Writing!

Requirements

Open to all aspiring writers, young or old, experienced or just beginning

Description

Do you have a great idea for a movie and want to turn it into a screenplay? Have you already started a screenplay and gotten stuck? Have you finished a screenplay but feel it needs polish? Screenwriting Workshop shows you how to accomplish all of these things and helps you market your work and get it onto the big screen.

In these fun and lively lessons, Dani Alcorn guides you on the path to success. You'll learn how to create and polish a screenplay step by step. Topics include:

Story Structure
Creating Compelling Characters
Using Archetypes to Flesh Out Character
The Hero's Journey
Creating Treatments that Sell
Developing the Perfect Beginning and Ending
Making Your Theme Resonate
Crafting Dialogue that Rings True
Creating Action that Packs a Punch
Controlling Pacing
Screenplay Formatting
Pitching a Great Idea
Designing the Perfect Logline
Online Resources for Screenwriters
Marketing Your Screenplay

Whether you're just getting started or you're an experienced screenwriter, Screenwriting Workshop helps you turn your dream into a reality.

Who this course is for:

First Time Screenwriters of Any Age
Screenwriters with Unfinished or Unpolished Screenplays

What you'll learn

Explore related topics

Course content

Exploring Modern Screenwriting6 lectures • 41min

Planning Your Screenplay9 lectures • 1hr 32min

Structuring Your Screenplay11 lectures • 1hr 51min

Writing Your Screenplay10 lectures • 1hr 19min

Polishing Your Screenplay3 lectures • 37min

Film Analyses8 lectures • 29min

Getting Your Screenplay Noticed4 lectures • 22min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: