Online Class: Screenwriting 101

This is a basic, nuts-and-bolts course, for people who wish to write screenplays, but don't know much about it. Because screenwriting is demanding both technically and in the market for jobs and sales, 'Getting Into The Screenwriting Game to Win' attempts to go through each essential aspect needed for a beginner to get started, stick with it, and yes, make a sale or get a job.

In this course you will learn basic rules and skills. There's no excuse for a poorly formatted script, you're really only wasting your time. Traditional three-act structure for film-stores can be debated endlessly, but it works, it's very functional, it's fairly easy to understand, and you can't neglect at least a passing familiarity with this mode of expression for your stories. Get in touch with the industry, the markets, what's selling, where to find opportunities, how to deal with people. Approach your work standards and work environment seriously, because you'll be spending a lot of time there. If you get a deal, don't get screwed for careless anticipation of the money involved, and if you get screwed, don't be surprised. And remember that if you can't make it to the top and win an Oscar for some super-big film you wrote, it's still a wonderful way to make a buck at your computer doing smaller gigs and 'for-hire' work.

Screenwriting is also therapy. It's good for you, and your imagination and thoughts will develop wonderfully as you work through each visualization---but be sensitive to the audience, don't exploit our world with endless images of violence and gore (at least not without a reason), and don't hop in bed with unethical projects or money-sources just because you can. It's a wild world for films and film-makers---stay on the bright side and keep it safe and legal.

The hope is that for the beginner, this course presents a working knowledge of what is needed to get started writing screenplays in a realistic and informed way. Beyond this, you're now free to roam where no screenwriter has gone before---and what a wonder it is to wonder.

Courses Frequently Bought Together:

ABCs of English Grammar

Greek Mythology

Novel Writing 101

Course Motivation

Let's define our terms: a screenwriter composes scripts that are produced as material for some kind of motion picture. Yet, some people might be satisfied with writing one short film, maybe 20 minutes long, and seeing it produced. They might even do this for free, for the simple joy of it, and never write another screen story. Another person might obsessively pursue only a full-time, life-long career as a top flight screenwriter with high pay and many big budget film credits. Or you may wish to write for TV, documentaries, corporate videos, and commercial spots. Believe it or not, you might want to write a screenplay or two just for yourself.

Here are some questions you should ask yourself, before deciding that you want to be a screenwriter:

If those answers are yes, then congratulations----you really do want to be a screenwriter. You may even comprehend what you're getting into. Like any other business, your chances of success depend on a myriad of factors. Some of these you control; some you don't. It also depends on what you mean by success---or what success means to you.

No, it really doesn't, if only for the sake of the writers who won't make the cut. But remember, you can always grab a $300 mini-DV camera, some light stands, and some unemployed actors and film your own script. The cost today is lower than ever and yours may be the eye, the hand, and the mind that enlightens others.