About the Course
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Craft of Screenwriting Online Course
$199.00 |
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The Craft of Screenwriting
After years of asking for this – now you can take my Craft of Screenwriting course on-line!
There are dozens of how to books on screenwriting, and many other courses and seminars available on how to write screenplays. I have read many of these books, and believe some of them contain very useful information helpful to aspiring writers. However, I believe that most of these do not focus on, or they completely leave out, some of the most essential, fundamental elements and principles of dramatic writing. I’ve also never read a book or seen a course that offered a practical, doable, step-by-step approach to writing a screenplay. About 10 years ago I set out to design such a course, and I’ve been teaching it to hundreds of writers since then. Now it’s online and I’ve added a lot to it. It is dense with information, handouts and resources that will be useful to a writer forever, plus the 30 hours of video lectures. And this is the most affordable online screenwriting course of its kind!
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The Craft of Screenwriting Course
You will learn the essential fundamental elements contained in all well-constructed stories, screenplays and films. Mr. Savant’s approach is largely based on the principles contained in Lajos Egri’s classic, The Art of Dramatic Writing, adapted exclusively to screenplay structure. But Savant also offers his experience of many years studying, deconstructing and analyzing the finest films and screenplays ever written and what they have in common, as well as studying the master directors and writers who made these pictures.
Savant observes that screenplays are not a piece of literature, they are a piece of architecture. The value of a screenplay is not measured by the words on the page, you measure it by its construction.
“The most memorable films are not usually treasure for their literary values. A film script is more architecture than literature.” Elia Kazan
The class aims at demystifying the screenwriting process and giving you a real, practical, step-by- step approach to writing a well-constructed script, from the conception of an idea to finished product.
Also a great course in script analysis! Will break down an Academy Award-winning film and the screenplay in great detail, scene-by-scene, so you can see how well-crafted scripts are designed. At the end of the course you will have done a lot of writing exercises, completed a 7-12 page screenplay for a short film, and also have the tools and feel empowered by a real approach to go write other screenplays!
Whether you wish to be a screenwriter, director, producer or an actor, this is a great course, as you learn things that anyone in any area of filmmaking should understand about scripts. It will also challenge you like few other courses do.
Using a balance of lectures on video (filmed during his class), written notes from those lectures, screenwriting handouts, writing exercises, script and film analysis, and feedback on work from the instructor. This 10-Part online course gives students a firm grounding in all the basics of screenwriting. Everything is presented in a clear, accessible manner.
You will learn the essential fundamental elements contained in all well-constructed stories, screenplays and films. Mr. Savant’s approach is largely based on the principles contained in Lajos Egri’s classic, The Art of Dramatic Writing, adapted exclusively to screenplay structure. But Savant also offers his experience of many years studying, deconstructing and analyzing the finest films and screenplays ever written and what they have in common, as well as studying the master directors and writers who made these pictures.
Savant observes that screenplays are not a piece of literature, they are a piece of architecture. The value of a screenplay is not measured by the words on the page, you measure it by its construction.
“The most memorable films are not usually treasure for their literary values. A film script is more architecture than literature.” Elia Kazan
The class aims at demystifying the screenwriting process and giving you a real, practical, step-by- step approach to writing a well-constructed script, from the conception of an idea to finished product.
Also a great course in script analysis! Will break down an Academy Award-winning film and the screenplay in great detail, scene-by-scene, so you can see how well-crafted scripts are designed. At the end of the course you will have done a lot of writing exercises, completed a 7-12 page screenplay for a short film, and also have the tools and feel empowered by a real approach to go write other screenplays!
Whether you wish to be a screenwriter, director, producer or an actor, this is a great course, as you learn things that anyone in any area of filmmaking should understand about scripts. It will also challenge you like few other courses do.
Using a balance of lectures on video (filmed during his class), written notes from those lectures, screenwriting handouts, writing exercises, script and film analysis, and feedback on work from the instructor. This 10-Part online course gives students a firm grounding in all the basics of screenwriting. Everything is presented in a clear, accessible manner.
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More on My Approach
For many years I have studied, analyzed and deconstructed what I consider to be the best movies ever made (see my list of 65 great screenplays to read), and then I read many of the scripts these movies were made from. I have also studied what all the master writers and directors have learned and said about telling stories on film; from autobiographies, biographies, published interviews, personal interviews, articles and so on. Finally, I applied my own human experience, derived from many years of teaching classes and directing actors at Playhouse West in Los Angeles, from the over 60 plays I have directed and what that has taught me about telling stories, from my own experiences as an actor, director and writer in motion pictures, and from my 14 years serving as the director of a film festival and getting to watch thousands of short and feature films – the good, the bad and the ugly!
Distinguishing Good Scripts
What makes a script good or not good, and how can one tell from a script whether or not it will make a truly fine film? What’s the difference between a well-written, well-crafted screenplay and a poor one?” For the only way to create something of true lasting value is for it to be well-crafted in the first place. So, this is the target we are after and to me, the answer is simple: either the script adheres to the fundamental principles of dramatics and is constructed properly or is not. If it is not, it is not a good screenplay and will undoubtedly make for a mediocre film at best. Period, end of story.
I believe that a person educated in the art of dramatic writing and in the art of screenwriting should at least be able to tell whether or not a script is good or not, simply based on the writing. An expert in designing automobiles, or homes, for example, would know if the design will work or not. So why shouldn’t a screenwriter or director, or any other expert in the field of filmmaking, know if a screenplay will work? All you do is look at its design; its inner parts and workings and see if it’s all there and that it’s been executed properly. If it has, it’s a well-crafted screenplay that has the potential to be a good motion picture.
Having a Writing Approach
Writer’s should have an approach to doing their work. Having an approach acts as a guide through the process of writing a script. Every time a writer sits down to work or write they should know what they are doing and why they are doing it. Writers should always have something to do. When working on a story and trying to develop it into a screenplay there should never be a day when the writer says, “I’m not sure what to do next”, or “I’m not sure where to start”.
Unfortunately, many writers sit down and stare at a blank screen or notepad, not knowing where to begin or what to do with an idea they may have for a story. Others will blame or refer to “writer’s block”. Writer’s block, to me, basically means the writer has no process or approach which gives them something specific to work on.
I have attempted to break down the script writing process into doable steps, so that each time a writer goes to work on their story or script, they have something specific they can do and work on.
Concept or Idea to Finished Script
A writer should be able to take any idea, no matter where the inspiration came from, and know how to develop the idea, step-by-step into a viable screenplay. The writer should know where they are in the process, as well as know what work still needs to be done before beginning to write the actual script. And the writer should be armed with specific knowledge as to the art and craft of screenwriting, giving them a way to measure their work.
This is what The Craft of Screenwriting course attempts to do.
How to Take This Course and Get the Most Out of It
This course is broken down into 10 Parts and each Part may have multiple sections, and is designed for the student to follow each Part and section in order. The different Parts are really lessons on various aspects and topics pertaining to screenwriting that were taught as part of a 12 week “Craft of Screenwriting” course at Playhouse West in Los Angeles. The course met once per week for three (3) hours per class. The online version has only 10 parts to it, rather than 12, because some of the weekly content was condensed and combined into other weeks.
Some parts will be longer than others, but ideally one should be able to get through the video sections of each part of this course in 3 hours or less. There are also class exercises and other writing exercises given as homework in many of the Parts and its various sections which may require additional time to complete. TAKE NOTES! Yes! Taking notes is vital. There is a lot of information to absorb and you will retain the information much better if you take notes. Have a notebook dedicated to this course so you have the information as a resource forever!
I think one of the best ways to approach this course is to try to complete one part per week. This can be accomplished simply by treating it like you were taking a class at a school. Adhere to a schedule. You may try designating a 3 hour time slot each week, or break it down into 2 or 3 shorter sessions. But my advice is to keep to a regular schedule, setting the days and times you will be taking the course. The information is cumulative, so doing each Part one after the other will help you retain the information more easily.
Some people may want to attempt to fly through the material and try to do 2 or 3 parts per week. That’s fine. Do it at your own pace, but make sure you go through each part in it’s entirety before moving onto the next section.
This course is dense with information. There is a lot of stuff being given out and thrown at you. So, the advantage taking the online course has over what the students in my in the classroom had to deal with is that you may take as much time as you need to digest each section and do each exercise. You may choose to listen to some of the lectures and do some of the exercises more than once. That said, I still suggest you set a time line to get through the course and try your best to stick to a schedule. Do not let it drag out for months and months, which is why I am putting a 6 month limit to get through the course.
For many years I have studied, analyzed and deconstructed what I consider to be the best movies ever made (see my list of 65 great screenplays to read), and then I read many of the scripts these movies were made from. I have also studied what all the master writers and directors have learned and said about telling stories on film; from autobiographies, biographies, published interviews, personal interviews, articles and so on. Finally, I applied my own human experience, derived from many years of teaching classes and directing actors at Playhouse West in Los Angeles, from the over 60 plays I have directed and what that has taught me about telling stories, from my own experiences as an actor, director and writer in motion pictures, and from my 14 years serving as the director of a film festival and getting to watch thousands of short and feature films – the good, the bad and the ugly!
Distinguishing Good Scripts
What makes a script good or not good, and how can one tell from a script whether or not it will make a truly fine film? What’s the difference between a well-written, well-crafted screenplay and a poor one?” For the only way to create something of true lasting value is for it to be well-crafted in the first place. So, this is the target we are after and to me, the answer is simple: either the script adheres to the fundamental principles of dramatics and is constructed properly or is not. If it is not, it is not a good screenplay and will undoubtedly make for a mediocre film at best. Period, end of story.
I believe that a person educated in the art of dramatic writing and in the art of screenwriting should at least be able to tell whether or not a script is good or not, simply based on the writing. An expert in designing automobiles, or homes, for example, would know if the design will work or not. So why shouldn’t a screenwriter or director, or any other expert in the field of filmmaking, know if a screenplay will work? All you do is look at its design; its inner parts and workings and see if it’s all there and that it’s been executed properly. If it has, it’s a well-crafted screenplay that has the potential to be a good motion picture.
Having a Writing Approach
Writer’s should have an approach to doing their work. Having an approach acts as a guide through the process of writing a script. Every time a writer sits down to work or write they should know what they are doing and why they are doing it. Writers should always have something to do. When working on a story and trying to develop it into a screenplay there should never be a day when the writer says, “I’m not sure what to do next”, or “I’m not sure where to start”.
Unfortunately, many writers sit down and stare at a blank screen or notepad, not knowing where to begin or what to do with an idea they may have for a story. Others will blame or refer to “writer’s block”. Writer’s block, to me, basically means the writer has no process or approach which gives them something specific to work on.
I have attempted to break down the script writing process into doable steps, so that each time a writer goes to work on their story or script, they have something specific they can do and work on.
Concept or Idea to Finished Script
A writer should be able to take any idea, no matter where the inspiration came from, and know how to develop the idea, step-by-step into a viable screenplay. The writer should know where they are in the process, as well as know what work still needs to be done before beginning to write the actual script. And the writer should be armed with specific knowledge as to the art and craft of screenwriting, giving them a way to measure their work.
This is what The Craft of Screenwriting course attempts to do.
How to Take This Course and Get the Most Out of It
This course is broken down into 10 Parts and each Part may have multiple sections, and is designed for the student to follow each Part and section in order. The different Parts are really lessons on various aspects and topics pertaining to screenwriting that were taught as part of a 12 week “Craft of Screenwriting” course at Playhouse West in Los Angeles. The course met once per week for three (3) hours per class. The online version has only 10 parts to it, rather than 12, because some of the weekly content was condensed and combined into other weeks.
Some parts will be longer than others, but ideally one should be able to get through the video sections of each part of this course in 3 hours or less. There are also class exercises and other writing exercises given as homework in many of the Parts and its various sections which may require additional time to complete. TAKE NOTES! Yes! Taking notes is vital. There is a lot of information to absorb and you will retain the information much better if you take notes. Have a notebook dedicated to this course so you have the information as a resource forever!
I think one of the best ways to approach this course is to try to complete one part per week. This can be accomplished simply by treating it like you were taking a class at a school. Adhere to a schedule. You may try designating a 3 hour time slot each week, or break it down into 2 or 3 shorter sessions. But my advice is to keep to a regular schedule, setting the days and times you will be taking the course. The information is cumulative, so doing each Part one after the other will help you retain the information more easily.
Some people may want to attempt to fly through the material and try to do 2 or 3 parts per week. That’s fine. Do it at your own pace, but make sure you go through each part in it’s entirety before moving onto the next section.
This course is dense with information. There is a lot of stuff being given out and thrown at you. So, the advantage taking the online course has over what the students in my in the classroom had to deal with is that you may take as much time as you need to digest each section and do each exercise. You may choose to listen to some of the lectures and do some of the exercises more than once. That said, I still suggest you set a time line to get through the course and try your best to stick to a schedule. Do not let it drag out for months and months, which is why I am putting a 6 month limit to get through the course.
|
Craft of Screenwriting Online Course
$199.00 |
|