Unleash your inner scriptwriter with this introductory course covering some of the basics of writing for the stage and screen, including theme, structure, plot, character, and dialogue. This is an interactive class that will include writing exercises, group discussions and readings. Participants can bring along a story idea they want to develop, a first draft they want to workshop or an open mind and a willingness to launch their creative scriptwriting journey. Your tutor is an award-winning playwright with many years of experience as a writing teacher.

Course Outcomes:

By the end of the course, participants will have a practical understanding of:

• Five of the fundamental elements of scriptwriting: theme, structure, plot, character, and dialogue
• The different requirements for writing for the stage and screen
• Script formatting
• How to access further scriptwriting resources and information about writers' markets

Course Outline:

• What is scriptwriting? Screenplays vs Stage Plays
• Generating or refining your script idea.
• Discussion & writing exercises exploring: Theme, structure, plot, character, and dialogue.
• Readings and feedback
• Script formatting for screen and stage.
• Writers' resources and markets

What to bring:

Please bring a notebook and pen.

About the tutor:

'Pat Cranney has been a professional writer, editor, writing teacher and producer for nearly 40 years. He has facilitated individuals from many backgrounds and diverse communities all over Australia to tell their stories on the page, stage, screen, and airwaves. As a playwright, he has won two Australian Writers Guild AWGIE Awards out of a total of eight nominations. In 2001, he received a Centenary Medal; for services to Australian society in writing for the stage. In 2021, he won the CBAA Community Radio Award for Excellence in Ethnic and Multicultural Broadcasting as the producer of 90.1 NBC FM’s ‘Days in Australia’, a bi-lingual podcast series based on life writing by Chinese migrants in Australia. He has Master’s degrees in Writing (1997) and Journalism (2018) from the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS).'

Other Information:

• To ensure resources are ready for you at the start of your course, we ask you ideally enrol at least one week before the course commences.
• All courses need a minimum number of students to run ("we try our hardest to get those") . If your course does not have enough students it will be cancelled before the commencement and you will be informed.