In 2013 and 2014 Briony Kidd taught 10-week screenwriting courses (through Learn Xpress in 2013 and through Flash Factory in 2014). In 2015 she is offering a 6-week version, which will cover similar material but move at an accelerated pace, using momentum to get a lot done in a short timeframe. It’s a demanding course for writers with major project goals. Got questions? Please get in touch.
THE SMARTER FIRST DRAFT 6 week x 2 hour-course
Conventional wisdom has it that the first version of a screenplay is often a “vomit” or “idiot draft”. This is a useful notion, allowing the writer to get the heavy-lifting out of the way uninhibited by over-thinking or perfectionism…. but it’s not the whole story. Careful and focused preparation before starting a draft can mean that ending up with a Not-So-Stupid-Idiot Draft. Or, if you prefer, Top Quality Vomit!
Whether you’re a screenwriter making the jump from shorts to features, a playwright or novelist adapting your own material, or even a more experienced screenwriter seeking to improve your process, The Smart First Draft will give you the tools and support you need to achieve your writing goals.
Course description: This six-week intensive course is suited to participants with screenwriting experience and is geared towards developing a new long-form screenplay (feature film, 1-hour television episode or similar), from concept to through to draft stage. A workshop-style approach is adopted, with a small group of six to ten writers. Entrance to this course is by application so that an appropriate balance of skill levels across the group can be achieved.
While including theory and craft discussion, the focus is on feedback and discussion in a supportive environment, testing and consolidating ideas and developing screenplays that are original and have an authentic point of view.
What the course will cover topics including:
- developing a strong logline as the basis of your screenplay
- outlining efficiently and working on structure
- character and building your world
- checking in with theme
- finding your voice and the methodology that works for you
- writing the first draft
What you can hope to achieve:
- undertake one major project, being a full-length screenplay or one-hour television episode
- develop and polish the pitch documents that are necessary to sell your script
- “bullet proof” your idea, including by presenting it to the group multiple times
This course requires participants to do homework each week and a project outcome (such as a full draft or long excerpt) is expected by the final class.
Prerequisites: Screenwriting experience (or significant experience in another creative writing medium) and an interest in filmmaking. Not suited to writers under 18 years of age.
Dates: Weekly on Thursday nights, commencing 2 July 2015.
Times: The classes run from 7.30 to 9.30 pm.
Cost: $220
Location: ONLINE, classes conducted via Skype, with Facebook and email communication during the week. Maximum of six participants.
To express interest: please complete the form below. You will receive a response within 24 hours.
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