Script University

 Upcoming courses, opportunities and more:

 

Last Chance: Make money doing what you love!   This course will show you, step-by-step, how to write script coverage. We will cover key elements of screenwriting coverage, including writing a synopsis, analyzing a script, writing an evaluation, script formatting, and finding work as a reader. Whether you want to become a script reader, a story analyst, or just want to polish up your own script, a solid understanding of format and script structure will be essential. Writers put on a different hat after a script is written: revising a script is a different skill set than creating one. Gain firsthand insight into what story analysts must look for when reading a script and specifics as to what will prompt them to reject or consider a project for production. You will also learn what movie executives demand in a winning screenplay and how the story analyst’s role fits into this scenario. By the end of this workshop, you will receive a certification of completion of this course to assist you in getting work as a story analyst.   April 22 - June 17   LEARN MORE AND SIGN UP!   Instructor: Brian O'Malley   B. O'Malley started reading scripts in 1994, at the literary agency Media Artists Group. In 1997, he went to work as for legendary B-movie maverick Roger Corman (Little Shop of Horrors, Death Race 2000, Rock and Roll High School), and in 1999 assembled a team of top-notch script readers and filmmakers to launch the script coverage service Screenplay Readers.     Active Interest Media P.O. Box 20730 Boulder, Colorado, 80308 United States

 

Join the Special 3-Hour Live Event!   Comedy writing is sometimes compared to songwriting: in music, every note is important; in comedy, every word, even every syllable can be critical. There are lots of classes about writing funny; this one is about what funny is – its mechanics, its principles. And while comedy people certainly vary in their ability to articulate those principles, they all take them seriously and refer to them constantly (“Call-back’s too soon”; “Set-up’s got too many words”). This talk has no direct instruction but rather takes a deep dive into the comedy principles which are, in fact, the basic principles of every art form: tension and resolution, pattern disruption, misdirection and surprise. And we’ll see how these principles achieve their effects by looking at examples ranging from Buster Keaton to Richard Pryor to Amy Schumer.   You will receive a copy of the webinar recording in an e-mail that goes out within 24-48 hours after the live event. The answers to questions not covered in the live presentation will be included in this e-mail as well.   The roles of persona, contrast, and timing How single letters can make a line funny, or not How showing less can result in more Why comedy and logic are bitter enemies Why punchlines can be bad The thin line separating comedy and tragedy Why your body is hilarious The secret life of jokes and much more! Writers at all levels Comedy writers Drama writers, because while the class is about comedy it shows how comedy principles not only apply to but can actually enhance drama   April 29, 2021 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm PT   LEARN MORE & REGISTER!   Instructor: David Misch   David Misch is an author (“Funny: The Book,” “A Beginner’s Guide To Corruption”), screenwriter (“Mork & Mindy,” “Saturday Night Live,” “The Muppets Take Manhattan”), teacher (his own courses on comedy at USC and musical satire at UCLA) and lecturer (Sony Pictures, Walt Disney Studios, Lucasfilm, Yale, the Smithsonian, Oxford, University of Sydney, Raindance Film Festival (London), Austin Film Festival, American Film Institute, Second City, Actors Studio).      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:    Scriptreading Certificate Program Instructor: Brian O'Malley This course will show you, step-by-step, how to write script coverage. We will cover key elements of screenwriting coverage, including writing a synopsis, analyzing a script, writing an evaluation, script formatting, and finding work as a reader. Whether you want to become a script reader, a story analyst, or just want to polish up your own script, a solid understanding of format and script structure will be essential. Writers put on a different hat after a script is written: revising a script is a different skill set than creating one. Beginning Feature Film Writing: Acts II & III Instructor: Donald H. Hewitt This workshop is designed to pick up where Beginning Feature Film Writing: Outline and Act I left off. If you are working your way to a completed screenplay, this is the next step. In this workshop, you will receive practical instruction on how to construct a thrilling Act Two and a satisfying Act Three. 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 Webinars:    How Comedy Works with David Misch April 29 -- A Special 3-Hour Event! Comedy writing is sometimes compared to songwriting: in music, every note is important; in comedy, every word, even every syllable can be critical. There are lots of classes about writing funny; this one is about what funny is – its mechanics, its principles. This talk has no direct instruction but rather takes a deep dive into the comedy principles which are, in fact, the basic principles of every art form: tension and resolution, pattern disruption, misdirection and surprise.   Breaking Into Hollywood with Jeanne Bowerman June 17, 2021 When screenwriters ask an industry insider for advice, the most common response writers hear is, “Move to L.A.” But Jeanne Veillette Bowerman says, “Not so fast.” Jeanne has built a strong network for herself right from her country home in New York State while only making a handful of trips to L.A. a year. She’ll show you her key secrets that have led her to be successful outside of Hollywood.   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