Developing your screenwriting

City Lit

Course

In London

£ 199 VAT inc.

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Description

  • Type

    Course

  • Location

    London

  • Start date

    Different dates available

This is a practical course that provides a basic grounding in the craft and terminology of screenwriting. Writing exercises, group discussion and presentations by the tutor will teach you the key skills, including structure, character and dialogue. At the end of the course you should have produced a short screenplay and an outline for a full-length project.

The Tutor: Clive Ford writes for film and stage. He graduated from UAL with an MA in screenwriting. He currently works as a lecturer at the University of Creative Arts in Farnham and at the University of Bedfordshire where he teaches writing for the screen.

City Lit reserves the right to change course tutors from those advertised in this outline. In line with our refund policy we are unable to grant a refund on the grounds of a change of tutor.

Facilities

Location

Start date

London
See map
Keeley Street, Covent Garden, WC2B 4BA

Start date

Different dates availableEnrolment now open

About this course

- Respond to and assess pieces of writing with sensitivity
- Understand the basic principles and jargon of screenwriting
- Appreciate the differences between writing for different genres and media
- Present a script in standard industry format
- Write a treatment
- Write a short film script.

Please bring a pen and paper.

Through discussion, presentations, viewing of film and TV extracts. There will be writing exercises both during and outside the class, evaluated by your tutor and fellow students.

All writing courses at City Lit will involve an element of workshop. This means that students will produce work which will be discussed in an open and constructive environment with the tutor and other students. The college operates a policy of constructive criticism, and all feedback on another student’s work by the tutor and other students should be delivered in that spirit.

For classes longer than one day regular reading and writing exercises will be set for completion at home to set deadlines.

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Subjects

  • Screenplay
  • University
  • Screenwriting
  • Works
  • Blogging
  • Theatre
  • Writing

Course programme

- Deciding what to write - generating ideas, testing ideas, research
- Theme, genre and originality
- Creating and sustaining believable characters
- Story structure
- Dialogue and subtext
- Plot development, pacing, set-ups and pay-offs
- Editing your own work and other people’s
- Formatting your screenplay
- An introduction to how the industry works.

Additional information

You can progress to Advanced screenwriting or Advanced screenwriting: workshop where you will begin to workshop your project and receive detailed feedback as you progress. Information from the tutor concerning other courses will also be offered. All students are invited to join us at City Lit Talks Back, our monthly performance night for City Lit writers. Everyone is welcome, admission is free and there's no need to book in advance. Visit for more details or if you're interested in reading your work. Students are also encouraged to submit to Between the Lines, our annual anthology. Learn more at For the latest news, courses and events, stay in touch with the Department on Facebook and Twitter. General information and advice on courses at City Lit is available from the Student Centre and Library on Monday to Friday from 12:00 – 19:00. See the course guide for term dates and further details

See related categories

Developing your screenwriting

£ 199 VAT inc.

The best Theatre courses

See all

See all