Trey Ellis

Writer

Westport, Connecticut, United States

Trey Ellis is an Emmy and Peabody winning filmmaker, American Book Award Winning novelist, playwright, essayist and Professor of Professional Practice at Columbia University’s School of the Arts. Most recently, he is an Executive Producer of the HBO documentary TRUE JUSTICE: BRYAN STEVENSON'S FIGHT FOR EQUALITY and last year’s KING IN THE WILDERNESS also for HBO.


He has written dozens of scripts and teleplays including the TUSKEGEE AIRMEN for HBO, and GOOD FENCES for Showtime, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and was shortlisted for the PEN award for Best Teleplay of the year. His works have been screened at the Museum of Modern Art and the Brooklyn Academy of Music. He is the author of the novels, PLATITUDES, HOME REPAIRS and the American Book Award Winning, RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW, as well as the memoir BEDTIME STORIES: ADVENTURES IN THE LAND OF SINGLE-FATHERHOOD. His essays have appeared in The New York Times, Playboy, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, GQ, Vanity Fair and NewYorker.com and he has contributed audio commentary to NPR’s All Things Considered. His play, FLY, was commissioned by the Lincoln Center Institute and continues to be performed around the country including in Washington, D.C.’s Ford’s Theater, the Pasadena Playhouse and the New Victory Theater in New York.

Courses and Content

May21
Advisor Studio
1:00PM - 2:00PM (PDT)

Advisor Studio: Trey Ellis on Building Your Storytelling Toolbox

Advisor: Trey Ellis

Advisor Studio: Trey Ellis on Building Your Storytelling Toolbox

May 21, 2020
1:00PM - 2:00PM (PDT)
Advisor: Trey Ellis
Register
On Demand Course

Developing the Narrative Foundation of Your Screenplay (On Demand)

Instructor: David Schwab and 6 more

Developing the Narrative Foundation of Your Screenplay (On Demand)

Beginner to Intermediate
With: David Schwab, Destin Daniel Cretton, Howard Rodman, Mira Nair, Sterlin Harjo, Tamara Jenkins and Trey Ellis
The challenge of writing a feature-length screenplay isn’t starting - it’s choosing the right idea and then sustaining dramatic tension for two hours. The story demands a central dramatic problem powerful enough to drive the entire script, and finding the perfect conflict is often the hardest part of the journey. In this On Demand course, veteran screenwriter David Schwab provides the essential process for testing your ideas and building narratives that truly last.
Aug9
Live Online Event
10:00AM - 11:30AM (PDT)

Online Meetup with Trey Ellis

With: Trey Ellis and 2 more

Online Meetup with Trey Ellis

August 9, 2020
10:00AM - 11:30AM (PDT)
With: Trey Ellis, Souvid Datta and Joslyn Rose Lyons
Event Recording

Online Meetup with Trey Ellis

With: Trey Ellis and 2 more

Online Meetup with Trey Ellis

With: Trey Ellis, Souvid Datta and Joslyn Rose Lyons
Register by 1/12
Self-paced Course

Screenwriting: Core Elements

Instructor: Trey Ellis

Screenwriting: Core Elements

Beginner to Intermediate
Instructor: Trey Ellis
Learn the core elements of writing a screenplay for a feature film, with an accomplished screenwriter as your guide. In this self-paced course, you will develop a new script idea into an outline that can be used to write your first draft.
Register
On Demand Course

Screenwriting: Core Elements (On Demand)

Instructor: Trey Ellis

Screenwriting: Core Elements (On Demand)

Beginner to Intermediate
Instructor: Trey Ellis
Learn the core elements of writing a screenplay for a feature film, with an accomplished screenwriter as your guide. In this live, online course, you will develop a new script idea into an outline that can be used to write your first draft. The eight weeks will cover character development, theme, story arcs and visual storytelling. Sessions include presentation, discussion, and interactive exercises. The course concludes with a one-on-one mentoring session focused on your project.
Event Recording

Screenwriting: Core Elements Q&A with Trey Ellis

Instructor: Trey Ellis

The Art of Feedback: Giving and Receiving Notes with Trey Ellis (Tuskegee Airmen) and Amanda Idoko (BREAKING NEWS IN YUBA COUNTY)

With: Franklin Leonard, Trey Ellis and Amanda Idoko
Learning how to give and receive feedback is an artform that makes you a better creator and collaborator, but is rarely discussed. Join our partners at The Black List [https://blcklst.com/] in a live webinar on how to navigate this nuanced, yet powerful aspect of crafting your screenplay - and career. There's great value to inviting others to read your work and let you know if your intentions are on the page. Feedback can help you in building more dynamic characters, developing stronger storylines, and creating more enriching worlds. In this webinar, we'll share tips on who you should ask for feedback, and when; and discuss how to engage in a feedback dialogue. You'll leave with an understanding of how to listen to feedback and integrate notes that will support you in revising your work and taking it to the next level.