Writing a script for TV

Everything you need to know to get an idea out of your head and onto the screen

With a plethora of digital and satellite channels crying out for content, as well as a dizzying array of online outlets, there are plentiful opportunities for aspiring screenwriters to see their work through to completion. But with budgets tight and competition fierce, there's a lot you need to know before you can submit a script with confidence.

Led by award-winning screenwriter Steve Attridge, this weekend course provides you with a comprehensive introduction to all the essential elements of a good screenplay, from understanding what agents and producers are looking for, and how to format a script to appeal to the industry, to the creative pillars of quality television – creating relatable characters, quotable dialogue and watercooler-worthy plots. You'll also learn the secrets to creating and interweaving satisfying subplots into your script, and how to imbue dialogue with subtle subtext to give your viewers a more rewarding experience.

This course is for you if...

• You're an inexperienced writer keen to break into television
• You have a strong idea for a TV show or series but don't know how to structure, write or pitch a script
• You're an author or journalist looking to adapt an existing original work for television

Course description

This stimulating weekend mixes theory and discussions with inventive practical exercises, giving you the chance to explore creative ideas, try out new techniques and get instant feedback, with lessons supported by clips of best practice and detailed handouts to ensure strong learning retention. Topics covered on the weekend include:

• Understanding the medium – how to approach TV series, serials, one-off dramas and new internet models
• Layout and technical advice – dos and don'ts for writing and submitting a script
• What to do before writing – how to brainstorm ideas for a story, and the world it takes place in
• The fundamentals of drama – Aristotle's poetics, the three-act structure, Stanislavski's ideas on drama and character
• Visualising techniques, and how they shape the writing process
• Creating strong characters – hot-seating, mind-mapping, and charting the hero's journey
• The difference between story and plot – a guide to basic plots, and where to find further inspiration
• The plot thickens – interweaving subplots dynamically
• Creating and editing crisp dialogue which is true to your characters
• Making a scene – emotional set-up and pay-off within scenes, and how to structure clusters of scenes to make a script
• Genres and scriptwriting – how they change the landscape of audience and appeal
• Understanding the power of ruthless editing and adaptability
• Pitching your script – how to win over agents, producers, and the industry

Tutor profile

Steve Attridge's work includes 15 books, a dozen TV series, and seven feature films, as well as documentary dramas, TV films, stage plays and poetry. He also acts and directs – last year he performed his own show at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Awards include an RTS for Best TV Drama Series, two BAFTA nominations, an Eric Gregory Award and two Writers Guild Award. His last novel reached number four in the Kindle Singles Bestsellers. He writes for adults and children. In another life he worked as a performance poet. For more about Steve, see
steveattridge.com

Full course and returns information on the Masterclasses website