Writing the One-hour Television Drama - The Basics
Writing the One-hour Television Drama - The Basics
Instructor: Kevin Collins
6 Sessions
Tuesdays, January 12 - February 16, 2010
7:00-10:00pm
Price: $195 General, $175 ATL365 Members (Member Number Required)
Limit 15 Students
To break into television, a writer needs a great spec script or the
next hot pilot. Either way, television’s hour-long five-act structure
should be understood. This course will guide students through the
process of developing a beat sheet and will then focus on the steps
needed to finish a rough draft. Writers’ room brainstorming sessions
will be conducted and scenes from produced shows will be screened and
dissected in order to illustrate what works or doesn’t work on the
small screen. Students should come prepared with ideas.
Location: Atlanta Film Festival 365 535 Means St. Atlanta, GA, 30318
Registration Links:
General Registration - $195
ATL365 Member Registration - $175
Syllabus
WEEK 1:
Student introductions will include each participant's
screenwriting background. Have they written anything before and in what
genre? Kevin will then give a brief talk about format and structure,
explaining the basics of a screenplay’s 3-act structure and how TV uses
5-6 acts because of commercial breaks.
Opening teasers will also be covered and screenings of good and bad
examples will be viewed.
There will be a mini-brainstorming session at the end of class for
students who haven't yet created a story idea. Students' first home
assignment will be to work on a beat sheet.
WEEK 2:
Students will hand in their beat sheets. A discussion will follow
regarding any problems incurred. Kevin will give a brief talk about Act
1 and what it is meant to accomplish (raising the tension created in
the teaser). Students' home assignment will be to finalize their beat
sheets and write teasers.
WEEK 3:
Students will hand in completed beat sheets and teasers. There will be
a discussion on Act 2 and what it is meant to accomplish (the original
story problem is now worse than any of the characters imagined).
Students' home assignment will be to write Act 1.
WEEK 4:
Students will hand in Act 1. Class will discuss any necessary fixes for
their teasers followed by a discussion on Act 3 and what it is meant to
accomplish (a resolution to the original story problem must be devised
by the characters). Students' home assignment will be to write Act 2.
WEEK 5:
Students will hand in Act 2. Class will discuss any problems or issues
with Act 1. There will be a discussion on Act 4 and what it is meant to
accomplish (the resolution devised in Act 3 is put to the test and the
characters either succeed or fail). Students' home assignment will be
to write Act 3.
WEEK 6:
Class will end with a writers’ roundtable to discuss problems and
challenges writers are having with their stories. If the writers would
like, table reads of their scenes will be conducted.
