Screenwriter: Creating and Crafting the Idea

Human beings are hardwired for story, yet the art of telling a good story is remarkably elusive. This exciting short course is a chance to demystify the story writing process, through a series of imaginative and engaging creative exercises. This is an introductory two day workshop in which you’ll be introduced to the important components of good storytelling. We will explore ‘high concept’ and ‘low concept’ approaches to the art of writing for the big screen, demonstrating how character is story; and story is character. This course is ideal for writers with imagination and vision, but who may not yet have a structure to hang it on. You will learn the key elements of the narrative arc and how to shape your story beats to maximise the potential of your story. In addition, you will also learn how to shape a film idea into a compelling one page pitch, culminating in a verbal pitch of your story outline; the journey being as important as the destination. The workshops will explore creativity and emotional truths, offering a focused introduction to the magic of storytelling for cinema. The intimate workshops will provide a mutually supportive environment, under the expert supervision of your course tutor. At the end of this process you will leave with a ‘One Pager’ (a one page treatment package), as well as increased or renewed focus on where your story is going and how you might develop it further. This introductory workshop forms the first part of our Screenwriter series, and you may wish to continue developing your story from idea to feature film script on the following courses: Screenwriter: Writing a Film Treatment