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Screenwriting 7 Day Masterclass

"The shortest distance between a human being and truth is a story." - Anonymous

DAY 1 – SCREENWRITING

9:00 – 10:30
The PHYSIOLOGICAL BASIS OF STORY:
 

Prof. Krevolin will explore how we as human beings are all hardwired to receive, process and remember stories. He will lecture on the transfer of knowledge and information through narrative and the need for better modes of storytelling.
10:30 – 10:45

TEA BREAK
10:45 – 1:00

THE GOLDEN RULES OF SCREENWRITING:
 

The basics of storytelling, Conflict, Establishing a sympathetic character who wants something badly, Three act structure (beginning, middle, end), inciting incident, Active pursuit, Legitimate manipulation of audience response, Overcoming obstacles, etc.
1:00 – 2:00

LUNCH
2:00 – 3:30

THE SILVER RULES OF SCREENWRITING:
 

Show don't tell, Tension, exposition, genres, books vs. films, characterization, character arc, raising stakes, Planting (foreshadowing) and pay-off, involvement. (All illustrated with filmic examples.)

3:30 – 3:45

TEA BREAK
3:45 – 5:00

GROUP WORK:

 

Students will break up into teams and tackle Non-Dialogue Exercise #1 -- The BIG DATE Scenario: Tell a story in two scenes by merely describing how a person prepares for a date and then how they act when they return from that date.
5:00 – 6:00

ASSESSMENT WORKSHOP:
 

In a hands-on workshop environment, we will read some of the exercises out loud and analyze them… Prof. Krevolin will share his thoughts with the students and all will learn from the class’s response to the work.

 

DAY 2 – FILMIC ANALYSIS

9:00 – 10:30

ANALYZING FILMS:
 

An analysis of films of different length to see how the structure and the principles of screenwriting hold up. In other words, moving from a TV commercial to a short film to a full-length 90 minute film, we will study the use of storytelling techniques, three-act structure and character development to create audience response.
10:30 – 10:45

TEA BREAK
10:45 – 1:00

MORE ANALYSIS
 

We will keep working on story analysis to insure that all the language and concepts can be further incorporated into their unconscious creative processes. Further, we will look at causal relationships in stories and the intricate dynamic of sequences, scenes and beats… Eventually, it should all start to sink in.
1:00 – 2:00

LUNCH
2:00 – 3:30

ADVANCED ANALYSIS SEMINAR:
 

Advanced Analysis of the film, "CITY SLICKERS"

What makes a good story a great film? What are the best ways to tell that story? What other choices are there? What guidelines apply to important dramatic elements in a story? How do you write a story so that it's a strong script?

Participants will view this film and analyze the beats and scenes to show how these general principles were applied to City Slickers and helped the film succeed.
3:30 – 3:45

TEA BREAK
3:45 – 5:00

GROUP WORK:

 

Students will break up into teams and try to write Non-Dialogue Exercise #2 -- Ambience in 3 Parts:
1) In the first scene, your main character arrives to meet someone and the environment feels strange, mysterious, awkward.
2.) In the second scene, your main character re-enters this same environment (it could be the next day or ten years later). He or she is greeted by the same person from the first scene, but this time, the environment and the greeting feel warm, happy, positive.
3.) In the third scene, as your main character re-enters this same environment, the person they are hoping to see is not there. The environment reflects a feeling of desolation, sadness, and alienation… Don't use dialogue. Instead, use visual imagery and action (the basis of the filmic lexicon) to dictate mood and story. Ρreate a compelling narrative, most of which takes place offstage and must be deduced from what is given in the three distinct, disparate scenes. Good luck, and don't make easy choices -- make daring ones.
4.) Write a one-page character biography of the protagonist which includes aspects of backstory, physical characteristics, and personality traits. Once this is written, see how many of these aspects you can incorporate into the story in subtle and artful ways.
5:00 – 6:00

ASSESSMENT WORKSHOP:
 

In an interactive, hands-on workshop, we will read some of the exercises out loud and analyze them… Prof. Krevolin will provide guidance on how to do them better and discussion of several techniques and tricks to make the exercises more dramatic and more powerful.

HOMEWORK – Go home and rewrite your exercise and make it better.

 
DAY 3 – DIALOGUE
9:00 – 10:30

WHAT MAKES GOOD DIALOGUE:
 

Prof. Krevolin will explore film clips that feature strong dialogue. Then, he will assign DIALOGUE EXERCISE #1 – MONOLOGUES: Write a first draft of a 5 minute revelatory monologue and be prepared to present it. (Make sure that the monologue tells a story and in telling a story, the character changes over the course of the monologue.)
10:30 – 10:45

TEA BREAK
10:45 – 1:00

PERFORMING THE MONOLOGUES:
 

The monologues will be performed out loud, analyzed and discussed.

1:00 – 2:00
LUNCH
2:00 – 3:30
MORE DIALOGUE
 

We will look at further examples of good dialogue and then Prof. Krevolin will assign DIALOGUE EXERCISE #2 – SAYING I LOVE YOU: Your assignment is to write a scene in which one character tries to tell another that he or she loves that person without ever using the "L" word. The scene ends with the object of affection demonstrating through action (and maybe subtle dialogue) that they either accept or reject this love.
3:30 – 3:45

TEA BREAK
3:45  – 6:00

READING THE SCENES OUT LOUD WORKSHOP:
 

The students will act out the dialogue scenes and then they will be discussed.

HOMEWORK – Rewrite your dialogue scene.

 

DAY 4 – THE BIG SEVEN QUESTIONS AND THE SCENE-O-GRAM
9:00 – 10:00

THE BIG SEVEN QUESTIONS

 

Prof. Krevolin will discuss the big seven questions that all screenwriters must ask themselves and answer. Then, each student will try to answer these questions for themselves in regards to their own story
10:30 – 10:45

TEA BREAK
10:45 – 1:00

WORKSHOP
 

Students will present his or her big seven and get feedback from Prof. Krevolin and the group as a whole.
1:00 – 2:00

LUNCH
2:00 – 3:30

THE SCENE-O-GRAM
 

We will look at scene-o-grams and discuss how to structure the scripts each student wants to write. (I assume some students will want to start by focusing on short films, while others will want to focus on a full length feature film script.) Students will then break off into teams and develop their scene-o-grams.

3:30 – 3:45

TEA BREAK
3:45 – 6:00

WORKSHOP
 

Students will present their work and get feedback from Prof. Krevolin and the group as a whole.

HOMEWORK – Go home and rewrite your scene-o-gram again.

 

DAY 5 – THE STEP OUTLINE
9:00 – 10:00
THE STEP OUTLINE
 

We will look at step outlines and discuss how to further structure stories before we go to script. Students will then break off into teams and develop their step outlines.

10:30 – 10:45

TEA BREAK
10:15 – 1:00

WRITING THE STEP OUTLINE
 

Each student will work with his team to develop his or her own step outline.
1:00 – 2:00

LUNCH
2:00 – 3:30

PRESENTING THE STEP OUTLINE
 

Students will present their work and get feedback from Prof. Krevolin and the group as a whole.
3:30 – 3:45

TEA BREAK
3:45 – 6:00

MORE STEP OUTLINES

 

We will continue to analyze and develop the step outlines of the students.
HOMEWORK – Rewrite the step outline, again…

 

DAY 6 – THE FIRST 3 PAGES

9:00 – 10:00

THE FIRST THREE PAGES OF SCRIPT
 

We will look at the opening of scripts and discuss how to write the first three pages of a screenplay and how significant they are.
10:30 – 10:45

TEA BREAK
10:45 – 1:00

WRITING THE FIRST THREE PAGES OF A SCRIPT
 

Each student will now write the first three pages of their script.

1:00 – 2:00
LUNCH
2:00 – 3:30

PRESENTING THE FIRST THREE PAGES OF A SCRIPT
 

Students will present their work and get feedback from Prof. Krevolin and the group as a whole.
3:30 – 3:45

TEA BREAK
3:45 – 6:00

MORE PAGES OF SCRIPT
 

We will continue to look at script pages.
HOMEWORK – Each student should brainstorm further ideas for their full-length feature film script or their short film script and be prepared to present in class.

 

DAY 7 – A SHORT FILM SCRIPT
9:00 – 10:00

THE ACT-BREAK TURNING-POINT SEQUENCE AND SHORT FILM SCRIPT

 

Prof. Krevolin will explore how scenes fit together to form sequences. He will assign each student to write a series of scenes that revolve around a turning-point and push the story forward. He will then talk about how a series of these sequences can form an act or a short film.
10:00 – 10:15

TEA BREAK
10:15 – 1:00

WRITING THE TURNING POINT SEQUENCE OR MORE PAGES OF A SHORT SCRIPT.
 

Each student will work with his team to develop his or her own turning point sequence or some pages of his or her short film script.
1:00 – 2:00

LUNCH
2:00 – 3:30

PRESENTING THE TURNING POINT SEQUENCE
 

Students will present their work and get feedback from Prof. Krevolin and the group as a whole.
3:00 – 3:45

TEA BREAK
3:45 – 5:30

MORE PAGES
 

Students will continue to present and get feedback on their pages.
5:30 – 6:00

FINAL THOUGHTS:
 

ΡThe class will spend some time reflecting upon what they learned and talking about how to continue to develop as writers.