Think about the most recent film or TV series you watched that really stayed with you. What about it made you want to keep watching? What do you remember when you think back to your viewing experience? Whether it was the compelling characters, the pacy plot or the breathtaking setting, the hidden architect suspending all of these elements before you is a great storyteller.

If you are a casual watcher with an interest in developing an idea for a TV series, or you have long dreamed of writing for the silver screen, this high-impact virtual bootcamp with two masters of storytelling will expertly guide you through the fundamentals of writing for the screen.

Over the weekend, with screenwriting guru John Yorke, you will dig deep into structure, and how the way you design your story can change everything - from the motivations of a main character to the relationship your viewers have with your setting. With the man who has trained a generation of screenwriters who now work on everything from Killing Eve to My Mad Fat Diary - as well as himself writing for Life on Mars, Shameless, Eastenders and many more - you will unpack the essential “rules” of storytelling, and will be encouraged to think both creatively and critically about your own story ideas.

On the second day, we’ll welcome screenwriter and director Lucy Brydon to talk about her creative process as a screenwriter and give you tips to help your ideas come to life on the page.

Course content

What makes a ‘good’ story?
How do screenplays work?
What are the essential “rules” of narrative structure?
How do they apply to novels, rhetoric, journalism and beyond?
Where does three act structure come from…?
… And why did Shakespeare write in five acts?
Session with screenwriter and director Lucy Brydon

This class is for…

Beginners who are interested in writing their first screenplay for film or TV or writers working in other mediums looking to transition into screenwriting
Those who want to develop a deeper understanding of storytelling in the context of writing for the screen

Tutor profile

John Yorke is a drama producer, author and teacher who has spent 30 years studying our insatiable appetite for stories. His long career in TV drama has given him the tools to identify the underlying shape common to all successful narratives. As former head of drama at Channel 4, controller of BBC drama production and managing director of Company Pictures, John has shaped stories that have attracted some of the biggest audiences for drama in the UK’s TV history.

Originally from Edinburgh, Lucy Brydon spent her early twenties in Shanghai where she started writing and directing short films. She studied Film Directing at Columbia University's MFA Programme in New York. Her debut novel, Shanghai Passenger, was published by Blue Mark Books in 2015. Lucy is Screenwriting Fellow on the University of Warwick’s Creative Writing Programme. Her debut feature film BODY OF WATER was commissioned by Film London, BBC Films and the BFI. It premiered at Glasgow Film Festival 2020 and was released by Verve Pictures in the UK in October 2020. She is currently developing several feature and television projects as writer/director.

You will be sent a link to the webinar 1hr before the start time of 2pm (GMT). Please email masterclasses@theguardian.com if you have not received the access link within one hour of the scheduled start time.

This masterclass is available globally. If you are joining us from outside the United Kingdom, please use this time zone converter to check your local live streaming time.

2pm GMT | 3pm CET | 6am PST | 9am EST

All Guardian Masterclasses are fully accessible but please contact us at masterclasses@theguardian.com if you have any queries or concerns.

Full course and returns information on the Masterclasses website

The fundamentals of story: A weekend screenwriting bootcamp