Script University

With details of upcoming courses:

Hurry, Course Starts Thursday!   In this four-week course, an established executive producer/showrunner will give you an inside look at the world of dramatic, episodic television. You will explore—and practice—the actual process involved in successfully writing a spec episodic script that will open doors across Hollywood. When you enroll in this course, you will learn how to analyze a TV show and develop “franchise”-friendly story ideas for a one-hour drama. Then you’ll build upon those skills to develop and write a story under the direction of the course’s instructor, who will be acting as showrunner. After incorporating his notes, you will be sent off to write your outline—or beat sheet—which is a breakdown of entire episode, beat by beat. You’ll receive feedback from your instructor and incorporate the suggestions into your outline leaving you at the end of the course ready to write an episodic script for a drama…the first step in getting a job on a TV series!   How to write an episodic script that is exactly like the series you’re writing for yet is also uniquely, unmistakably you How to deal with restrictions—the franchise, the four-act structure, the budget, the shooting schedule—and create something new, fresh, and different How to take a one-paragraph story idea and spin it into one-pager, or sales pitch How to plot, or “crack a story” How to use your beat sheet to write your spec script and much more!     Course Starts Thursday! March 18 - April 15 LEARN MORE & REGISTER     Instructor: William Rabkin   William Rabkin, author of WRITING THE PILOT and co-author of best-selling book SUCCESSFUL TELEVISION WRITING, is a veteran showrunner whose executive producing credits include “Missing,” “Diagnosis Murder,” and “Martial Law.” He has most recently written for A&E’s new hit show The Glades. His writing and/or producing credits also include “Monk,” “Psych,” “SeaQuest,” “Spenser: For Hire,” “Hunter,” “Baywatch,” “Sliders,” “The Cosby Mysteries,” and “Nero Wolfe,” to name a few. In addition, Rabkin has directed episodes of “Diagnosis Murder” and several short films. He has led writing seminars in Madrid and Stockholm, consulted for broadcasters in Germany, Sweden, and the Netherlands, and served as an adjunct professor of screenwriting at Stephens College. He is currently a Visiting Assistant Professor of creative writing in the University of California, Riverside’s MFA Program, Palm Desert Graduate Center, and also teaches television writing at the UCLA Extension.     Active Interest Media P.O. Box 20730 Boulder, Colorado, 80308 United States   Whether you're completely new to writing screenplays or you're an experienced screenwriter looking to add a new skill, Script University has a course for you, all from the comfort of your home! Click here to view the full course schedule >>   Courses Starting This Week:    The Nitty Gritty of Spec Scripts: Writing Strong Action and Dialogue Instructor: Dave Trottier This one-week intensive workshop focuses on the specifics of writing compelling action (description) and dialogue. At the end of this course, your expert instructor, Dave Trottier, will evaluate five pages of your spec script! Beginning Feature Film Writing: Outline and Act One Instructor: Donald H Hewitt When you plan a long-distance trip to a place you’ve never been before, do you just hop in the car and start driving and hope for the best? Writing a screenplay is also a long trip into unknown territory. Whether you are a writer looking to understand the fundamentals of writing for film or a television writer looking to expand your skillset, this course is for you. Writing the Sci-Fi/Fantasy Screenplay Instructor: Neal Stevens Science fiction and fantasy films push the boundaries of the imagination to another realm where anything in this world, other worlds, or even the entire universe can exist. This course will show you how to go beyond derivative, go beyond stereotypical characters, and create a compelling screenplay!   How To Write Based On A True Story Instructor: Paul Peditto To find the best ‘story’ within a ‘true story,’ we need to start with a clear understanding of what makes for a viable screenplay idea. There are MANY stories within every true story, and the thrill and challenge of writing based on a true story is to select the one that will make the most compelling screenplay. In this workshop, you will go through the step by step process of building your screenplay from the foundation of a true story.   Beginning Television Writing Instructor: William Rabkin In this four-week course, an established executive producer/showrunner will give you an inside look at the world of dramatic, episodic television. You will explore—and practice—the actual process involved in successfully writing a spec episodic script that will open doors across Hollywood.   Upcoming Webinar:    Sell Your Script Safely: How to Protect Your Intellectual Property Instructor: Jon James Miller Thursday, March 25, 1:00 PM PDT Hollywood is ravenous for content and the most desired source is pre-existing intellectual property, or IP. Many writers don’t realize the true value of securing IP until it’s too late. This live webinar will cover the process of how to secure and protect the underlying rights to your IP with strategies on how to stay attached to it once you’ve found a buyer.   Hate being tied to a schedule? Check out our affordable Self-Paced Courses >>   EXPERT INSTRUCTORS | CONVENIENT ACCESS INVALUABLE FEEDBACK   Active Interest Media P.O. Box 20730 Boulder, Colorado, 80308 United States     Hurry, Course Starts Next Week!   This one-week intensive workshop focuses on the specifics of writing compelling action (description) and dialogue. At the end of this course, your expert instructor, Dave Trottier, will evaluate five pages of your spec script. Who is the real audience for your spec script, and what are they looking for? Craft a riveting, engaging spec that can open doors to your success. In this workshop, you will get an inside view of how to write action and dialogue that captures the imagination and emotions of those who can make a difference. Examples will be provided. Your instructor, Dave Trottier, is a produced screenwriter who has helped hundreds of writers break into the writing business. He is in-demand script consultant, award-winning teacher, and author of The Screenwriter’s Bible (now in its sixth edition).   Course Starts Thursday! March 18 - March 25   LEARN MORE & REGISTER   Instructor: Dave Trottier   Dave Trottier has sold or optioned several screenplays and developed projects for The Walt Disney Company, Hill Fields (for ABC), among others (some titles: Igor’s Revenge, The New Musketeers, A Window in Time, Hercules Recycled, The Penny Promise, and A Summer with Hemingway’s Twin.) As a script consultant and teacher, he has helped clients and students sell their work, break into the biz, and win contests, including two Nicholl Fellowships. His book, The Screenwriter’s Bible is now in its seventh edition and is a top seller. He was honored with the Distinguishing Teaching Award by the University of Phoenix and has taught writing courses, workshops, and seminars at over 30 American universities. He has written his “Ask Dr. Format” column for Script magazine since 1989.     Active Interest Media P.O. Box 20730 Boulder, Colorado, 80308 United States