Script University

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Last Chance: 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 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm PT 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm ET   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   Hurry, Course Starts Thursday!   There are few feelings more exciting than sitting in the back of a dark theatre watching live actors perform your words, while an audience laughs and cries or even shifts uncomfortably in their seats — and eventually bursts into applause. It’s like watching a chemical reaction that produces an incredible energy, an energy unique to the live stage. An energy that all begins with the playwright. Whether you’ve never written anything before, you’re experienced in another kind of writing, or you’re a playwright looking to sharpen your skills, “Introduction to Playwriting” offers clear, step-by-step guidance in the basics: character, conflict and structure, setting, dialogue and formatting. But that’s not all. Need to make that good script great? We’ll study more than a dozen elements you can use in the rewriting process to move your script up a level and then discuss what to do next in the development and submission process. And since many of the principles of playwriting apply to all forms of dramatic writing, taking “Introduction to Playwriting” is a great idea for screenwriters too. Not only will you come back to your screenwriting with fresh insight, but you might find that you like writing plays too.   Three models for creating compelling characters About four different play structures & which to use for your play A guideline of events that occur in a play’s beginning, middle, and ending and much more!  For writers of all levels looking to learn the basics of writing for the stage. Guides students through the process of writing a play from start to finish. Discover the basics of the stage, the structure of a play, the proper format for your work, and how to prepare it for submission.   Course Starts Thursday! April 29 - May 27   LEARN MORE & REGISTER!   Instructor: Paul Peditto  Paul Peditto is an award-winning screenwriter and director. His low-budget film Jane Doe starring Calista Flockhart won Best Feature at the New York Independent Film & Video Festival. Six of his screenplays have been optioned including Crossroaders to Haft Entertainment (Emma, Dead Poets Society). Over the past decade, Mr. Peditto has consulted with over 1,000 screenwriting students around the world. He has appeared on National Public Radio and WGN radio, and reviewed in the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, L.A. Times, and the New York Times.    Peditto is an adjunct professor of screenwriting at Columbia College. Under his guidance his students have written and produced films that have appeared in major film festivals, have semifinal placings at Nicholl Fellowship, and have won awards and screened at film festivals around the country.      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 Fundamentals of Screenwriting: Give your Script a Solid Foundation Instructor: Donald H Hewitt Have an amazing idea for a movie, but don’t know how to begin writing it? Get your screenplay on the track to success with the Fundamentals of Screenwriting online course. This four-week class is the perfect introduction to the fantastic world of writing a script, from the fundamentals of the story down to the revision process. In this course, you will gain the tools to structure your scenes, your acts, and your plots. Creating the Viral Web Series Instructor: Rebecca Norris In recent years, the Internet has created space for an entirely new storytelling format: the web series. Cheap to make and easily accessible for viewers, a web series can be the perfect way for you to get started as a filmmaker and be noticed for your talent. All you need is the right set of tools and skills. Introduction to Playwriting Instructor: Paul Peditto There are few feelings more exciting than sitting in the back of a dark theatre watching live actors perform your words, while an audience laughs and cries or even shifts uncomfortably in their seats — and eventually bursts into applause. It’s like watching a chemical reaction that produces an incredible energy, an energy unique to the live stage. An energy that all begins with the playwright.     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