Join multi-award-winning, bestselling author and screenwriter Hannah Kent in this practical three-part course on all the elements of screenwriting.
Have you always wanted to write a screenplay but not known where to begin? To write for screen you need to have a strong understanding of creative concepts such as character and plotting, as well as some familiarity with the film industry and its particular conventions and expectations. This workshop is ideal for those who may have great story ideas but are new to screenwriting, as well as for emerging and established writers of novels or short stories interested in venturing into filmic storytelling.
You will learn:
- The basic tenets of writing for screen
- Why character is central to creating compelling scripts
- Methods for structuring your story
- What loglines, outlines, treatments and synopses are and how to write them
- How to format your script to industry standards and why it is important to do so
- How screenwriting differs from other forms of creative writing
- How to utilise the opportunities of a visual medium (and understand its limitations)
- How to develop your own characters and structure so that you may draft your own screenplay
The course is designed to take you 5-6 hours in total, and can be completed in short stages at your convenience. Scroll down to see the full course curriculum and a list of frequently asked questions.
KYD Members receive a 10% discount on this course and all other KYD online courses throughout the year. Become a member here, or contact [email protected] for more information.
Want to buy a course for a friend? Purchase a gift voucher here.
Your Instructor: Hannah Kent
Hannah Kent's first novel, the multi-award-winning, international bestseller, Burial Rites, was translated into over 30 languages and is being adapted for film by Sony Tristar. Her second, The Good People, was translated into 10 languages and nominated for numerous awards, and Devotion, her third novel, won Booktopia's Favourite Australian Book.
Hannah’s original feature film, Run Rabbit Run, starring Sarah Snook (Succession), was directed by Daina Reid (The Handmaid’s Tale) and produced by Carver and XYZ Films. It premiered at Sundance Film Festival in 2023, where it was acquired by Netflix. Hannah is also the screenwriter for the film adaptations of The Good People (Aquarius Productions) and Devotion (Dollhouse). She is the co-founder of Kill Your Darlings.
Course Curriculum
- Part One Introduction (1:12)
- What is a Screenplay?
- The Centrality of Character
- Why I Use Character to Generate Story (1:20)
- Creating Compelling Characters
- Exercise One: Creating a Character Profile
- Exercise Two: Putting the Why in a Character Profile
- Exercise Three: Drafting an Exchange
- Story or Plot?
- The Three-Act Structure
- Exercise Four: The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
- Act One
- Act Two
- Act Three
- Plot Points
- Exercise Four: Understanding the Three-Act Structure
- Exercise Five: Mapping Out a Three-Act Structure
- Part One Summary (0:20)
- Introduction: Scaffolding & Supporting Documents (0:53)
- Loglines
- Writing Loglines
- Exercise Six: Identifying the Components of a Logline
- Exercise Seven: Writing a Logline
- Outlines
- Treatments and Scriptments
- Exercise Eight: Studying Treatments
- Exercise Nine: Writing a Treatment
- Part Two Summary (0:48)
- Introduction: Getting Down to Business (0:41)
- Exercise Ten: Reading Scripts
- Formatting Scripts
- Software
- Exercise Eleven: Exploring Screenwriting Software
- Slug Line
- Exercise Twelve: Writing Slug Lines/Scene Headers
- Big Print/Action—What Is It?
- Big Print/Action—Formatting
- Exercise Thirteen: Writing Big Print/Action
- Dialogue (1:10)
- Dialogue (cont.)
- Exercise Fourteen: Character Dialogue
- Additional Formatting Must-Knows (0:07)
- Exercise Fifteen: Writing Your Screenplay
- Final Words (1:40)
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the course start and finish?
The course starts now and never ends! It is a completely self-paced online course - you decide when you start and when you finish. We encourage you to approach this material not just as lessons to be finished once and for all, but also as a collection of resources to which you can return time and again.
How long do I have access to the course?
Forever! After enrolling, you have unlimited lifetime access to this course - across any and all devices you own.
Does the teacher provide feedback?
No. If you are interested in receiving feedback on your project, we encourage you to check out KYD's Manuscript Assessment Service: https://killyourdarlings.com.au/shop/manuscript-assessments/
How do I access my course?
All our online workshops are hosted at workshops.killyourdarlings.com.au, via the Teachable platform. You can access your workshop by logging in at that link, or by following the link in your welcome email when you enrol. Please note that as the Teachable platform is a separate website to KYD you will need to create a new account, and will not be able to use your KYD login details.
I'm a KYD member. How do I receive my 10% discount?
Click on 'Enrol in course for $169'. Enter the coupon code that was emailed to you when you became a KYD member at checkout, underneath the tutor's photo.
What if I have another question?
You can email us at [email protected] and we'll be happy to help!