Visual Approach to Screenwriting and Dramatic Storytelling

Description

A comprehensive and unique visual approach on how to create professional level screenplays taught by an award-winning writer of hit television series and movies. Turn your idea into a screenplay that can actually sell! Unlike other courses that focus on inspiration, outlines, selling, etc., this course focuses on actual screenplay writing and how to go about it.

The course includes:

• Introduction to the course and the Visual Approach and how it can help you write a better screenplay.

• Industry concepts writers need to know, like High Concept, the Pitch, and the Logline.

• How to write the Slug Line and the Action paragraph (two of the three primary physical components of a screenplay).

• The Do's and Don'ts of writing dialogue that really works, including the concept of the "Three Texts."

• Hooking the audience: How to write the Setup and the Opening Shot.

• How to write Exposition that isn't boring, including "Three Basic Rules of Exposition," plus ten methods of exposition.

• How to write scenes and transitions, including basic rules, tips and how to avoid the pitfalls, plus how to do scene transitions.

• Creating and sustaining Suspense, including the "Basic Rule of Suspense," Alfred Hitchcock's approach to suspense, and how to create and sustain suspense.

• Using landscape and setting as character or metaphor, and how it can add texture and dimension to your screenplay.

• Know the story you're telling. It's astonishing how many writers don't know the story they're telling and how it can hurt them. Also covers the "surface story" and the "underlying story" and how proper use of both can add power to your story.

• Conflict, Climax, and Resolution. Learn the "Seven Types of Conflict," how to build to a climax and how to write the resolution to tie things up in ways that work.

• Endings - or how not to screw it up. The different ways endings can go wrong, how to write a great ending, plus final thoughts and tips on writing, Hollywood, and the writer's craft.

“When Andrew Kaplan dispenses his keen insights on the craft of writing, even seasoned pros pay close attention.”

- Peter Bart, Editor in Chief of Variety, Senior VP Paramount Pictures, MGM, Film Producer