Screenwriting: Concept to Reality, by Kevin Allen Jackson

Welcome!

This class covers development of a first draft screenplay, from conception, to development of character and structure, to building moments and scenes (with particular attention paid not only to crafting character-driven action, but also to those special elements that make your story uniquely compelling), to completion of a solid first draft, to the creation of a plan for rewriting.

The eight 2.5-hour class sessions are designed to give any writer, at any stage of his or her creative growth, all of the tools necessary to ultimately develop conceptually solid and compelling material. Writers don't need to have any previous writing experience, or have a script on which they are already working (in fact, it's usually preferable that they don't bring an existing script into the class, although there is no prohibition against this). All they need is an idea, which they will submit prior to the first class, in the form of a simple "When... then... until..." statement.

View Full Course Syllabus

Class size:

Classes are a minimum of 10, but no more than 15 students

After Class 8:

After Class 8, students have one week to finish and turn in their first drafts.

Approximately 2-3 weeks later, I will contact each writer to set up a half-hour, 1-on-1 consultation, during which the writer will receive my feedback on his or her first draft, and together will will refine/revise his or her rewrite plan.

Office hours

Students are encouraged to take advantage of bi-weekly office hours, two -2-hour blocks during the week, during which I will be available to chat with students about their work online.

If you are unavailable for any of the scheduled office hours times, you may contact Kevin to try to set up another time to chat.

Class Schedule:

To be determined, pending sufficient number of registrants.