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Advanced Screenwriting: Writing the First Draft Feature Screenplay

Units: 4
Student Level: Screenwriting Experience Required

May 15 - Jun 23 Add to cart
(May Session) In-Person (ADULT 18+)
Schedule: Mon/Weds/Fri 1:00pm - 3:50pm (PDT)
Orientation: May 15, 2023 at 11:00 AM
Max. Seats: 10
Faculty: Paul Foley

Jun 26 - Aug 4 Be Added To Waitlist
In-Person (AGES 16+)
Schedule: Tues / Thurs 1:00pm - 5:20pm (PDT)
Orientation: Jun 19, 2023 at 2:00 PM
Max. Seats: 8
Faculty: Paul Foley

Jun 26 - Aug 4 Be Added To Waitlist
In-Person (AGES 16+)
Schedule: Mon/Weds/Fri 1:00pm - 3:50pm (PDT)
Orientation: Jun 19, 2023 at 2:00 PM
Max. Seats: 8
Faculty: Beverly Neufeld


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Screenwriting experience is recommended for this course. Students will be expected to know screenplay format, syntax, and terminology upon enrolling in this course.

About the Class

A professional screenwriter sells their imagination, personality, experience and personal ethos. Advanced Screenwriting will give students the tools of crafting the screenplay in a rigorous 6-week course, at the end of which students will have a first draft that they can continue to revise or take out into the industry.

Students will workshop ideas and stories with their instructor and peers in a “writer’s room” like setting. It is highly recommended that perspective students have the following prior to applying:

  • Basic knowledge of feature screenplay writing
  • Understand fundamental screenwriting terminology
  • Arrive with a strong and organized idea and defined character(s)

Course Objectives

In this course students will structure and write a completed first draft of a three-act, full-length feature screenplay in under six weeks, exploring such topics as:

  • Developing ideas
  • Story structure
  • Narrative
  • Writing dialogue
  • Character arcs
  • Formatting

Each student is expected to participate in the writing process which includes writing up to twenty-five pages per week in order to successfully complete the course.

Important Additional Information

  • All projects are created outside of scheduled class time.
  • All dates and times of the course are subject to change.

INSTRUCTOR(S): Paul Foley