Screenwriting: Core Elements (On Demand)

This is an On Demand course. On Demand courses allow you to watch pre-recorded lectures at your own pace, with curated resources and other materials to support your work. You can begin taking this course at any time. 

This course does not offer feedback on your work. If you would like feedback from a Sundance Advisor and to network with other writers, consider taking Screenwriting: Core Elements (Self-paced).

In order to serve more of the Sundance Collab community, we developed this On Demand course from existing self-paced course content. By doing so, we are able to offer Screenwriting: Core Elements (On Demand) at a price that allows more people to benefit from the course content. 

Create a treatment for your feature film screenplay idea with an experienced screenwriter as your guide. In this introductory-level on demand course, you will take this important first step in crafting your screenplay and learn a set of tools that will get you from concept to treatment.

Along the way you will:

• learn the fundamentals of theme and establish yours for your screenplay.
• develop and reveal your protagonist, antagonist, and supporting characters.
• gain a command of the three-act structure and an understanding of when to break away from it.
• establish conflict and obstacles.
• construct the world and tone for your screenplay.
• layer emotion and emotional truth into your treatment.
• break through your own obstacles as you revise your work.
• understand how to take notes and approach a rewrite.

This course is ideal for:

• first-time screenwriters with a great idea for a film and who could use help with structure, world-building, character development, and deadlines.
• novice writers who have a first draft but want to further hone their structure or character development.

View the Outline tab for more details on the course.

All course videos are closed-captioned. For other accommodations and support services, please email us at accessibility@sundance.org.