SCREENWRITING: THE FIRST SIX STEPS Online
If you want personal attention and guidance, The First Six Steps is a training course which you can complete in six weeks. There is no charge. The terms of admission are in a column on the right hand side of your screen. Due to time constraints, I can work with only five students during each six week period. If the class is full when you apply, I can put your name on a waiting list.
The First Six Steps deal with the fundamentals of writing drama. In screenplays, you need an Act One that is correct, clear, and launches your screenplay in fine style. The class goal is to help to write a strong,Act One. The course will also give much of the insight that you will need to complete your script. Besides reviewing and correcting the exercises that follow each lesson, at the end of the course I will read and evaluate your Act One text. Again, there is no charge.
The textbook you need, Screenwriting Step by Step, is available from the publisher, Allyn & Bacon, as well as amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com. Used editions are cheaper and are available at various Internet sites. If you can't afford a book, or if you simply don't want to buy one, check with your local library. The caveat is that you must arrange with them to keep the book for the entire six weeks of the course.
Besides using Screenwriting Step by Step, you must be comfortable with email, including sending and receiving attached files. You also need good keyboarding skills. (Lessons must be typed. No one in the film industry accepts material any other way.) Finally, you will view assigned films. I choose films that are readily available on DVD, and movie theater attendance is not required. But movies are made to be seen in theaters, and I urge you to do so it is whenever possible.
When you get your textbook, examine it carefully. You may think it contains all the help you need. Or you might decide screenwriting is a bigger chunk of work than you care to bite off. Either way, there is no obligation. If you want to go ahead with the class, send me an email. We will get acquainted, and I will begin working with you on the lessons. Rest assured that your work will be held in strict confidence. I will never discuss or share your submissions with anyone unless I have permission to do so.
At the end of six weeks, if you wish to continue, I can offer you Screenwriting: The Next Six Steps. This advanced class deals with writing drama expressly for film, covering concepts such as structure, visual images, and subtext. At this level, there is a fee. Many students, however, feel additional study is not necessary.
Terms and Conditions:
1. Admission to class is strictly by mutual consent.
2. Students may submit only one (1) assignment per calendar week. (This gives you time to absorb the material and me time to evaluate your work.)
3. All lessons have to be completed within six weeks.
4. Students are free to withdraw if /when they wish.
5. This is a one-