In this course, you will be tutored by multi-award-winning playwright and author, Karen Jeynes. You will work on scripting, plot and structure character and dialogue. You will also receive industry tips on how to get your work produced and sold as well as learning how to focus and shape your ideas into workable products.

Course Details:

• Cost: $995.00 GST inclusive
• Modules: 10 Modules
• Duration: Course can be completed at own pace: between six and twelve months
• Start date: At any time; applications all year round via our website

Student must complete:

• Complete 10 writing exercises for assessment and feedback and produce one short script for either theatre, radio or film.

Admission Requirements:

• Basic writing skills are essential
• Computer skills, e-mail and Internet access required
• No previous tertiary qualification required

There is a skype session option available for this course at module 8. More...

Tutor for this course : Karen Jeynes

 

Course Curriculum

Module 1 - What's in a script?

A brief understanding of the role of the scriptwriter in film, theatre and radio Exercise: Write a review of a film or play focusing on how the SCRIPT succeeds or fails

Module 2 - Plot and Structure

The do's and don'ts OR the rules and how to break them Exercise: Write an anecdote from real life, then rewrite it with different structures and see how that changes the story

Module 3 - Character

How to create characters, flesh them out and let them have their way Exercise: Create four characters in detail that grow out of the story you used in Structure.

Module 4 - Dialogue

Text and subtext The difference between written and spoken text Exercise: Analyse the sample scripts. Take two of your characters and write a dialogue between them.

Module 5 - Action

Scripts are performance material, they are alive Exercise: Using your other two characters, write a scene with little or no dialogue, focusing on action.

Module 6- Beginnings and Endings

Where to start and how to end Exercise: Analyse the examples and then write two possible beginnings and two possible endings for your story.

Module 7- The Technical Stuff

•Remembering the limitations and joys of the mediums •Exercise: Write a detailed explanation of which of film/theatre/radio is best for your script and why.

Module 8 - Knowing your Market

Discussion of the New Zealand Scene Exercise: Write a treatment for your script, including characters, scene breakdown and sample scenes

Module 9 - Cutting and Editing

Being brutal and "Taking it out" while maintaining the truth Exercise: Take a sample scene and cutting it to the minimum. Look at your scene order and see if you could change things around, and what effect that would have.

Module 10 - Your Script

Putting it all together Exercise: Write a final script review, taking note of what works and what doesn't Exercise: Complete your short script.

 

How does the course work?

Detailed class notes covering the content of each module are e-mailed to students.

At the end of each module, students will be required to complete one or two writing exercises. In total, the course includes ten short writing assignments, all of which count towards the final result of the student.

Once the writing assignment has been completed, and e-mailed to the lecturer, an assessment and feedback will be sent to the student, and the module will be considered complete.

Students can also participate in ongoing online discussions by posting comments about the materials covered in the course, as well as give feedback to students who have posted their pieces in the Discussion Forum.

 

Conditions of Certification:

Students will receive an NZ Writers' College Certificate upon successful completion of the course, provided they meet the following conditions:

• Students must have completed all 10 assignments
• The course must have been completed within twelve months of registration.
• Students are expected to attain a minimum average of 50% for the course

Minimum Estimated Time Commitment:

• Reading time: 10 hours
• Writing time: 30 - 40 hours
• Research time: 2 - 5 hours

Read what past-students say about this course

“Doing this course is something I would recommend to anyone who wants to grasp the mechanics of creating a solid script. The course without a doubt met my objectives. The professionalism, communication, support and encouragement from The Writers’ College is second to none.” Steve Rock, Scriptwriting

“I would describe the course as informative and interesting and very useful. It was definitely worth it; you learn all the necessary tools for the trade you’re interested in.” Ursula Smuts, Scriptwriting

“I found the course exciting and interesting. I never expected to learn as much as I did. Karen Jeynes is an excellent lecturer. The feedback I received from her on assignments was definitely the reason I managed to improve my writing over the six-month period. Karen continually encouraged me and increased my confidence, and I was able to complete the course successfully. Her criticism of work submitted was fair and she gave clear advice on how to overcome the writing deficiencies in my work. Passing the course had a lot to do with her tutoring skills. I will be back next year to enrol for another creative writing course with The Writers’ College.” Marinda Thurston, Scriptwriting Course

“I learnt a lot in short space of time which was fantastic. Karen was very approachable and always replied promptly. This was important to me because I needed to wait for a response before I could continue working on an assignment.” Micharn Pollock, Scriptwriting Course

“A great experience . [My tutor was] knowledgeable and incredibly supportive. Fantastic course, well worth the money!” Kerryn Campion, Scriptwriting

"The Writers’ College provides an informative and quality course. Karen is an excellent tutor who is swift with her responses and provides objective, constructive criticism that helps steer you in the right direction. Karen offers a great course. Her notes are comprehensive and contain information about additional reading that allows one to explore the field in more depth. She has a professionally trained eye that points out where your script fails and succeeds. She is great tutor who is willing to be honest and answer any questions you have along the way. The Writers’ College is a professional college that leads the field in writing courses. I would recommend writers from any field to invest in what they have to offer, in particular the practical application of what you learn." Hannah Green, Scriptwriting Course

“I believe that the knowledge this course gave me is more than I need to venture into the tricky scriptwriting industry. Karen Jeynes made me feel comfortable enough to ask script questions which many professionals would regard as ‘dumb’.” Alec Zeelie, Scriptwriting Course

"Thank you so much for the course. It has truly been an inspiring and superb experience from start to finish. Karen Jeynes has been brilliant throughout the course. She always answered all of my questions with clarity and really went above and beyond the call of duty. She has been a wonderful mentor and a great inspiration for me. She is definitely one in a million." Riette du Plessis, Scriptwriting Course

"I really enjoyed the course. It was a personal journey for me. My tutor was excellent, her feedback extremely objective and well-balanced. I will certainly recommend your college to other aspiring writers as well. I have already started the novel course." Petro van Rooyen, Scriptwriting

"Karen Jeynes is an excellent tutor. She gave me maximum support throughout the course. I have not had the pleasure of seeing any of her work, but she is very passionate about what she does and it shows through her tutoring. She was very encouraging and she just inspired me to keep trying until I got it right. For as long as I live I will not ever forget the advice she gave me. She is excellent! Overall I was very happy with the course, I learnt a great deal and would recommend it to anyone interested in pursuing a career in this field." Marcio Goncalves, Scriptwriting

"The course has already opened doors to wonderful opportunities. I have not felt this motivated and inspired in a long time! Both the course and Karen have made a difference in my life." Martha Schungel, Scriptwriting

"Karen (my tutor) was very helpful, I learned a lot from her. This course was so inspiring." Stanley Denga, Scriptwriting