Screenwriting Courses and Events - Registration Closing Soon!
Self-Paced Course
Screenwriting: From Outline to First Draft of Your Screenplay
Instructor: Deborah Goodwin
Screenwriting: From Outline to First Draft of Your Screenplay
Intermediate
Instructor: Deborah Goodwin
You’ve got a great idea for a movie and fleshed out an outline for your screenplay. Now, it’s time to start writing that script that gets past gatekeepers and grabs your reader’s attention — whether it’s an assistant, an agent, an executive, a financier, or the talent you want on screen. In this course you will move from outline to completing a first draft of your screenplay (90-120 pages).
Feb12
Live Online Event
10:00AM - 11:30AM (PST)
Global Cinema Meetup: Hasan Hadi on Making THE PRESIDENT’S CAKE
With: Hasan Hadi and Erica Elson
Global Cinema Meetup: Hasan Hadi on Making THE PRESIDENT’S CAKE
February 12, 2026
10:00AM - 11:30AM (PST)
10:00AM - 11:30AM (PST)
With: Hasan Hadi and Erica Elson
Looking to form new connections and learn from independent filmmakers around the world? Join Sundance Collab for our Global Cinema Meetup, a new series in which we invite a filmmaker to discuss financing and making and films outside the U.S.
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.
Crafting Your Short Film Screenplay
Beginner to Intermediate
Instructor: Asher Jelinsky
Short films are a great way to showcase your voice, talent, and storytelling skill. In this eight-week self-paced online course, you will learn the fundamentals of screenwriting and develop your original story idea into a short screenplay with accomplished filmmakers as your guides. Designated homework assignments are reviewed by a Sundance Advisor and designed to move you closer to your completed short screenplay (5-15 pages).
Creating the Horror in Your Screenplay
Beginner to Intermediate
Instructor: Owen Egerton
Ready to write a horror screenplay that gets under your audience's skin? Learn to craft truly terrifying and unforgettable horror stories in this comprehensive, self-paced course taught by celebrated horror screenwriter Owen Egerton. In this course, you'll go beyond cheap jump scares to discover the core principles of cinematic horror. Through bite-sized video lessons you can watch at your own pace, Owen will guide you through writing exercises that build your story from the ground up, helping you develop compelling characters, build suspense, and create scares that are both original and deeply unsettling.
Recently Added Screenwriting Courses and Events
Feb12
Live Online Event
10:00AM - 11:30AM (PST)
Global Cinema Meetup: Hasan Hadi on Making THE PRESIDENT’S CAKE
With: Hasan Hadi and Erica Elson
Global Cinema Meetup: Hasan Hadi on Making THE PRESIDENT’S CAKE
February 12, 2026
10:00AM - 11:30AM (PST)
10:00AM - 11:30AM (PST)
With: Hasan Hadi and Erica Elson
Looking to form new connections and learn from independent filmmakers around the world? Join Sundance Collab for our Global Cinema Meetup, a new series in which we invite a filmmaker to discuss financing and making and films outside the U.S.
Creating the Horror in Your Screenplay
Beginner to Intermediate
Instructor: Owen Egerton
Ready to write a horror screenplay that gets under your audience's skin? Learn to craft truly terrifying and unforgettable horror stories in this comprehensive, self-paced course taught by celebrated horror screenwriter Owen Egerton. In this course, you'll go beyond cheap jump scares to discover the core principles of cinematic horror. Through bite-sized video lessons you can watch at your own pace, Owen will guide you through writing exercises that build your story from the ground up, helping you develop compelling characters, build suspense, and create scares that are both original and deeply unsettling.
Jan30
Story Forum Online
3:00PM - 4:00PM (PST)
The Long Game: Rian Johnson and Noah Segan on Storytelling and Collaboration
With: Rian Johnson and 2 more
The Long Game: Rian Johnson and Noah Segan on Storytelling and Collaboration
January 30, 2026
3:00PM - 4:00PM (PST)
3:00PM - 4:00PM (PST)
With: Rian Johnson, Noah Segan and Katherine Street
Join us for a deep dive into the actor/director relationship with Rian Johnson and Noah Segan, the lessons learned from decades on set, and their take on the future of independent cinema.
Jan29
Story Forum Online
8:00PM - 9:00PM (PST)
Narrative Innovations: Personal Storytelling in the Indie Game Landscape
With: Abhi and 4 more
Narrative Innovations: Personal Storytelling in the Indie Game Landscape
January 29, 2026
8:00PM - 9:00PM (PST)
8:00PM - 9:00PM (PST)
With: Abhi, Julián Cordero, Tim Dawson, Wren Brier and Erica Elson
In this comprehensive panel featuring the artists behind several innovative indie games, you’ll hear a wide range of perspectives on narrative design, worldbuilding, and what goes into making a great game.
Jan29
Story Forum Online
7:30PM - 8:30PM (PST)
Storycraft in the Age of AI: Narratology, Structure and the Human Voice
With: Joseph Couch and 2 more
Storycraft in the Age of AI: Narratology, Structure and the Human Voice
January 29, 2026
7:30PM - 8:30PM (PST)
7:30PM - 8:30PM (PST)
With: Joseph Couch, Mike S. Ryan and Alicia Van Couvering
This panel explores how narratology (the study of story structure, meaning, and form) can guide human-centered AI tools toward new plot structures for the modern age, beyond inherited templates like the Hero’s Journey.
Jan29
Story Forum Online
3:00PM - 4:00PM (PST)
The Independent Screenwriter’s Guide to AI Assistance
With: Bryan Hill and 2 more
The Independent Screenwriter’s Guide to AI Assistance
January 29, 2026
3:00PM - 4:00PM (PST)
3:00PM - 4:00PM (PST)
With: Bryan Hill, Julius Pryor IV and Katherine Street
Find new ways to bring your ideas to life without waiting for a greenlight from the powers-that-be. In this session, you will discover how LLMs (Language Learning Models) can support your creative process in ideation, research, and drafting while maintaining authorship of your work.
Advisor Studio
Writing a Great Screenplay and Building a Career with John August
With: John August and Erica Elson
Writing a Great Screenplay and Building a Career with John August
With: John August and Erica Elson
Spotlight
Spotlight: Finding What Makes a Story Sing with Dana Fox (WICKED: FOR GOOD)
With: Dana Fox and Katherine Street
Spotlight: Finding What Makes a Story Sing with Dana Fox (WICKED: FOR GOOD)
With: Dana Fox and Katherine Street
Join Sundance Collab for an exclusive Spotlight Event with prolific screenwriter and executive producer Dana Fox (How to Be Single, Cruella, Home Before Dark, Wicked) as she talks about her writing journey in film and television, and co-writing the epic two-part musical film Wicked and Wicked: For Good based on the hit novel and Broadway musical.
Course Bundle
Screenwriting: From Idea to Screenplay
Includes 2 courses: Screenwriting: Core Elements, Screenwriting: From Outline to First Draft of Your Screenplay
Screenwriting: From Idea to Screenplay
Beginner to Intermediate
Includes 2 courses:
- Screenwriting: Core Elements
- Screenwriting: From Outline to First Draft of Your Screenplay
You’ve got a great idea for a movie. Now, it’s time to start writing that script. In this sequence of courses, you will learn a set of tools and go from idea to outline to completing a first draft of your original screenplay (<120 pages).
Insider Session
Insider Session: Applying to the Sundance Institute Native Lab
With: Isabella Madrigal and 3 more
Insider Session: Applying to the Sundance Institute Native Lab
With: Isabella Madrigal, Jared Lank, Adam Piron and Erica Elson
Creating the Horror in Your Screenplay (On Demand)
Beginner to Intermediate
Instructor: Owen Egerton
Ready to write a horror screenplay that gets under your audience's skin? Learn to craft truly terrifying and unforgettable horror stories in this comprehensive, self-paced course taught by celebrated horror screenwriter Owen Egerton. In this course, you'll go beyond cheap jump scares to discover the core principles of cinematic horror. Through bite-sized video lessons you can watch at your own pace, Owen will guide you through writing exercises that build your story from the ground up, helping you develop compelling characters, build suspense, and create scares that are both original and deeply unsettling.
Advisor Studio
Advisor Studio: A Guide to High-Speed, Low-Budget Film Production
With: Miguel Silveira and 2 more
Advisor Studio: A Guide to High-Speed, Low-Budget Film Production
With: Miguel Silveira, Missy Hernandez and Erica Elson
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.
Spotlight
Spotlight: Mastering Performance with Writer/Director Joachim Trier (SENTIMENTAL VALUE)
With: Joachim Trier and Erica Elson
Spotlight: Mastering Performance with Writer/Director Joachim Trier (SENTIMENTAL VALUE)
With: Joachim Trier and Erica Elson
Spotlight
Spotlight: Revolutionizing the Musical Genre with Bill Condon (KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN)
With: Bill Condon and Katherine Street
Spotlight: Revolutionizing the Musical Genre with Bill Condon (KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN)
With: Bill Condon and Katherine Street
Advisor Studio
Advisor Studio: Crafting Bone-Chilling Horror Beat Sheets with Beth Bruckner O’Brien
With: Beth Bruckner O’Brien and Soheil Rezayazdi
Advisor Studio: Crafting Bone-Chilling Horror Beat Sheets with Beth Bruckner O’Brien
With: Beth Bruckner O’Brien and Soheil Rezayazdi
Master Class
Master Class: Harnessing AI as a Tool in Animated Storytelling
With: Michaela Ternasky-Holland and Katherine Street
Master Class: Harnessing AI as a Tool in Animated Storytelling
With: Michaela Ternasky-Holland and Katherine Street
Advisor Studio
Advisor Studio: Writing Action That Works As Drama with Javier Grillo-Marxuach
With: Javier Grillo-Marxuach and Soheil Rezayazdi
Advisor Studio: Writing Action That Works As Drama with Javier Grillo-Marxuach
With: Javier Grillo-Marxuach and Soheil Rezayazdi