Writing a great feature screenplay takes dedication, perseverance, and a whole lot of COFFEE…or tea if that’s your thing. No matter how great of an idea you have, how fantastic your characters are, or how mind-boggling your plot twist is, at the end of the day, none of it matters without a solid story structure. Plot holes are where scripts go to die and structure is often the hardest aspect of writing. Screenwriters of all levels must first gain a deep understanding of the craft because no other elements of your script can come together without it. Whether you’re working on your first screenplay or your millionth, dedicating time to better understand structure will improve your film scripts ten times over.
Ask any executive or gatekeeper of any kind—out of the thousands of scripts they read daily, no issue is more prevalent than a writer’s failure to effectively structure and plot out their story. If you want to be taken seriously, this class will give you the tools to make you stand out as a screenwriter who is worth the time and investment.
The instructor will use their extensive experience evaluating scripts and discovering stories to delve into how you can master story structure for your own feature film screenplay.
What You’ll Learn
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- What is the three-act structure and is it necessary for your feature screenplay?
- Tips on how to plan your structure
- Worldbuilding
- Effective characters
- Stakes
- Theme/Tone
Act One
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- Introducing your characters
- The inciting incident
- The central question
- Common pitfalls in act one
Act Two
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- Complications and escalations
- Transitions
- Subplots and turning points
- Common pitfalls in act two
Act Three
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- Is it a reveal or a surprise?
- The climax
- Resolutions and closings
- Common pitfalls in act three
- Q&A with TEACHER