Screenwriter's Lab: The New Method

Kemp Powers (playwright and screenwriter, One Night In Miami), Aaron Sorkin (The Trial of the Chicago 7 and The Social Network), and Sheila Callaghan (writer and producer, Shameless) are among countless television and film writers who got their start in the theatre and who continue to work in both disciplines. Agents and producers often read plays with the goal of finding a writer who excels at character-driven storytelling—which is at the heart of theatre. In this course, you learn tools to deepen your characters, expand on new plot ideas, and most importantly, find your unique voice as a writer. You first explore the fundamentals of play construction and writing techniques, writing frequently to master the art and craft of playwriting, culminating in a one-act play or one-act of a play. You then learn to apply your new-found skills to your own film or TV script.