Upcoming Online Screenwriters University Classes

Fundamentals of Screenwriting

This four-week class is the perfect introduction to the 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.

At each step, you will receive comprehensive feedback on assignments targeted to develop the skills needs to thrive as a screenwriting.

The lessons in this course include video instruction.

Next session: August 9 – September 6

Writing the Series Bible: Developing Your TV Series

A strong series bible is a crucial sales tool for your series. This workshop will help you get your TV series ready for an executive by developing your series premise, honing your pilot, and writing your series bible.

Next session: August 9 – September 6

Seven Weeks to Your TV Spec Script

In this workshop, writers will learn all the key elements to a successful “episodic spec,” and will receive ongoing instructor guidance in building their own—from basic idea through finished outline. It begins with knowing how to choose the right kind of show to spec, then understanding which elements to study, in order to really grasp how a typical episode functions well enough to write one. Students will then learn the elements of great story ideas for a spec, and be given a chance to pitch and re-pitch multiple ideas for their episode, before finally settling on one to write. At that point, they will begin “breaking story” (figuring out the key “beats” of each “act”) over several weeks, getting instructor feedback along the way. Finally, they will be guided in crafting a scene-by-scene outline, from which they could then go on to write the actual script.

Next session: August 9- September 27

WRITING THE DOCUMENTARY FILM

FOUR-WEEK ONLINE COURSE STARTS APRIL 5, 2018

Documentary writing requires research and an understanding of the audience’s expectations, and how the writer can keep an open mind when challenged by the unforeseen, including the exposing of surprising material and interview subjects’ unexpected responses. This course will examine and offer specific strategies for writing and planning a documentary.

READ MORE HERE

Writing the Animated Feature Film at Screenwriters University

In this 4-week course, you will learn key screenwriting and animation writing concepts that will allow you to take your idea and turn it into a working outline for a movie that you will then be able to write from. Essentially, you will learn how movies ‘work,’ and when and where things need to occur in your story to keep an audience engaged. By the end of the course, you will have a thoroughly reviewed ten-page treatment of your film.

Next Session:  September 29

Writing the Family Feature Film at Screenwriters University

What exactly a “family film” is can be hard to define—they can be humorous or deadly serious. They can be total fantasy or a (sometimes) painful reality. This workshop will guide you through the structural and thematic elements common among the most successful family films of all time. If you aren’t considering writing for this target market, you are ignoring a prosperous genre that attracts big names and big budgets. Besides all that,these stories spotlight relationships, high-stakes conflicts, and a quest: all exciting goals to look through and to try to achieve for any screenplay. By the end of this workshop, you will have a complete treatment for your feature length family film that has been vetted by a professional screenwriter, and also all the tools you need to see your project to the end.

Next session: September 8 – October 6

Join me Thursday, September 8 for my four-week Online class

World Building: Crafting Screenplays Readers Can Step Into at Screenwriters University

This course will offer specific tips for creating and implementing advice on building the world of your screenplay. Research advice and tips, strengthening visual storytelling in action paragraphs, developing and implementing settings, examining character and plot conflict as it relates to your settings, and genre consistency, will also be covered in this class. Original and unique worlds will set your script apart from the other screenplays, vying for attention from film executives; this course will also discuss understanding film industry folks’ expectations without compromising your vision and creativity.

Next session: September 8 – October 6

Webinar: Making Your Screenplay a Success with Susan Kouguell
Monday, Monday, April 25| 1:00-3:00pm EST
Regular Rate: $25.00 | (discount rate) $15.00
Sign up

Whether you are working on your first screenplay or you’ve got several under your belt, this workshop will help you hone your craft and better understand the business of screenwriting. Award-winning screenwriter and filmmaker Susan Kouguell will cover key elements of screenwriting including analysis of structure, plot, characters, story ideas, dialogue genre, and underlying themes. This webinar promises to be a great primer for anyone wanting to learn about the craft of dramatic writing, how to write for the screen, and how to market your work

LIVE WEBINAR: Write and Sell Nonlinear Screenplays: Nolan, Kaufman, Tarantino, and More — with Susan Kouguell

Monday, March 14, 2016 1:00 PM PT / 4:00 PM ET

At a Glance A live webinar detailing the essential elements for writing a nonlinear narrative screenplay. Reveals film executives’ evaluating process to determine if a nonlinear narrative script is successful. Discover specific tools on strengthening and writing nonlinear narrative screenplays.

Please note: If you purchase any webinar, you will get a recorded version of the webinar sent to you after the presentation day. So if you can’t attend live, you will still get all the materials.

ABOUT THE WEBINAR

Writing a nonlinear narrative feature screenplay demands a comprehensive understanding of storytelling structure. This webinar will discuss nonlinear storytelling with an eye to the theory that screenwriters must understand the conventional rules of screenwriting in order to successfully break them. Anticipating and understanding what film industry folks require is essential to writing a screenplay that breaks the rules of the traditional three-act structure.

During this live webinar, Susan Kouguell will offer specific tips for creating nonlinear narrative scripts. Advice and discussion will include analyses of both traditional and nonlinear structures seen in various films, strengthening visual storytelling, developing and implementing character and plot conflicts, and genre consistency. Discussion will also cover understanding film executives’ expectations without compromising the writer’s vision and creativity.

READ MORE HERE