Making the Scene- Intro to Script Writing

Week 1 – Intro to Script Writing
•	Play vs. Screenplay
•	Screenwriting software - Drama Queen, Final Draft, and formatting in Microsoft Word.
•	Look at Script Analysis with objectives, obstacles, beats, and scene structure. 
•      Assignment: Pick a short screenplay to read. 

Week 2- What’s in a Logline? 
•	Discuss the assigned screenplay and the logline. 
•	Simple building block – a character’s monologue: is it a confession, a confrontation or a casual story? 
•	Genre – review of genres to write a monologue. 
•	Look at film clips with genres and monologues. 
•	Look at character development sheets – for fiction and screenwriting. 
•	Assignment: Write a monologue and logline for the monologue in two genres – one you’re comfortable with and one you’re not (i.e., Drama, Medical Drama, Rom-Com, Horror, Crime Drama, Comedy, etc.) 

Week 3 – What’s your story? 
•	Read loglines and monologues. 
•	Discuss building a scene around a monologue. 
•	Look at two-person scenes. What are their objectives and obstacles? 
•     Assignment: Write a two-person scene – one to two pages with objectives and obstacles for the characters and a logline.  

Week 4 – It takes Two
•	Class members volunteer to read their scenes out loud. 
•	Feedback on scenes. 
•	Look at character prototypes from comedies and dramas – what works and what doesn’t. 
•	Character status - is one character higher or lower status? 
•	Assignment: Students will come up with a logline and summary for their project. 

Week 5 – Developing Scenes with Multiple Characters
•	Review loglines and summaries and get feedback. 
•	Develop a scene with three characters and five to ten pages. 
•	Review the short film structure and observe how good scene work is essential to solid storytelling. 
•	Assignment: Students will develop a scene or short film with three or more characters. 

Week 6 – Pulling it together
•	Do a table read with students reading each other's scripts and giving feedback.  
•	Offer suggestions on developing and honing to submit to film festivals. 
•	Discuss film festival submissions and what to look for.