“Elke was all around great. She embraced various formats (episodic, tv, etc.) but stuck to the central focus. Overall, the course was a good experience.” – Anonymous  

Do you have a great idea for a movie? Do you want to give shape to your ideas and bring your characters to life in a believable world? Or, have you lost track of your story and don’t know where your characters are going or why?

This two-part writing course introduces participants to the major elements of feature film screenwriting, including the development stages of a screenplay, and provides in-depth analyses of those elements. The program is recommended for emerging writers and intermediate writers looking for a refresher.

Instructor | Elke Town, Story Editor & Script Consultant, Founder, Storyworks

The WIFT-T Feature Film Writing Program is presented in two parts:

Part One: Emerging

Learn the unique nature of telling stories for the screen.

Part Two: Intermediate/Advanced

Develop better characters, stronger scenes and a distinct theme.   

The WIFT-T Feature Film Writing Program examines:

Screenplay Anatomy

Using scripts from successful films, each series will help you understand the intricate working mechanisms of screenplays. The workshops focus on all elements of screenwriting, including genre, outlines, treatments and drafts, story, plot and sub-plots, backstory, character motivation, conflict, scene structure and sequences, turning points, reversals, tone, pacing and visual elements.

Feature Film Structure

Participants will learn the three-act structure, as well as the importance of themes, concepts, premise and genres. The course also examines the structure of building plots, the economy of narrative storytelling, and the importance of satisfying endings. Includes an introduction to character development and creating character profiles.

Character Development

Participants learn the essentials of character development, including creating strong, unique characters with memorable personalities; the role of protagonists, antagonists, and supporting characters; building back story and psychology; and differentiating between complex characters and caricatures.

Dialogue

Participants receive an introduction on how to write natural, believable and economical dialogue for feature scripts. Topics include scene structure, exposition, descriptive writing, atmosphere and tone, impact of character choices on story design and charting convincing character change.

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