Atlanta Film Festival 365

Writing the One-hour Television Drama
Instructor: Kevin Collins

6 Sessions
Tuesdays, October 6 - November 10
7:00-10:00pm

Price: $195 General, $175 ATL365 Members (Member Number Required)

Limit 15 Students

To breakinto television, a writer needs a great spec script or the next hotpilot.  Either way, television’s hour-long five-act structure should beunderstood.  This course will guide students through the process ofdeveloping a beat sheet and will then focus on the steps needed tofinish a rough draft.  Writers’ room brainstorming sessions will beconducted and scenes from produced shows will be screened and dissectedin order to illustrate what works or doesn’t work on the smallscreen.  Each of the last five weeks will be dedicated to the analysisof the teaser and four acts with particular focus on plot, character,dialog and cliffhangers.  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

WEEK 1:

Student introductions will include each participant's screenwriting background. Have they written anything before and in what format?  Kevin will then give a brief talkabout structure, explaining the basics of a screenplay’s 3-act structure, explaining how TV uses 5-6 act because of commercial breaks. Opening teasers will also be covered, with examples of good and bad teasers shown.

There will be a mini-brainstorming session at the end of class for students who haven't created a story idea. Student's first home assignment will be to write a teaser and/or beat sheet.

WEEK 2:

Students will hand in their beat sheets and teasers. A discussion will follow regarding any problems incurred in creating a beat sheet. Kevin will give a brief talk about Act 1 and what Act 1 is meant to accomplish (raising the tension created in the teaser) Student's home assignment will be to write Act 1.

WEEK 3:

Students will hand in Act 1. Student's teasers will be returned withnotes. There will be a discussion of necessary fixes for the teasers. There'll 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) Student's home assignment will be to write Act 2.

WEEK 4:

Students will hand in Act 2. Class will discuss any necessary fixes for Act 1. There will be 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). Student's home assignment will be to write Act 3.

WEEK 5:

Students will hand in Act3. Class will discuss any necessary fixes for Act 2. There'll be a discussion of 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).  Student's home assignment will be to write Act 4.

WEEK 6:

Students will hand in Act 4. Class will discuss any necessary fixes for Act 3. Class will end with a writers’ roundtable to discuss problems and challenges writers are having with their stories.  If the writers would like, there'll be table read of their scenes. Notes on Act 4 will be emailed or faxed tostudents.