TTC Video – Screenwriting 101: Mastering the Art of Story

Meanwhile, Oscar-nominated scriptwriter John Milius, who penned the script for Apocalypse Now, once said that his job was “hackwork.” So which is it? Is writing for the screen a glamorous vocation or formulaic drudgery? Is it a difficult undertaking that can sink a great novelist at the height of his career, or simply another boring day job that requires minimal skill?

In Screenwriting 101: Mastering the Art of Story. Professor Fletcher, Professor of English and Film at The Ohio State University, brings both a personal and scholarly perspective to this craft. As a screenwriter himself, he has experienced the ins and outs of the process first-hand. And as a key faculty member in Project Narrative, a think tank devoted to using cognitive science to study the effects of stories on the human mind, Professor Fletcher offers unique insight into storytelling from both a neuroscientific and a literary perspective. In the 24 lectures of Screenwriting 101, you will understand not only how to write a script, but how to tell a great story that moves audiences—the ultimate goal of storytelling in any medium.

Lectures

Lecture 1 – Thinking like a Screenwriter

Lecture 2 – Reverse Engineering Successful Scripts

Lecture 3 – Building Your Story World

Lecture 4 – Developing Your Characters

Lecture 5 – Tone: The Screenwriter’s Lens

Lecture 6 – Plotting Your Story Beats

Lecture 7 – Sentimental Return: Casablanca

Lecture 8 – The Tragic Sublime: The Godfather

Lecture 9 – Romantic Satisfaction: When Harry Met Sally

Lecture 10 – Suspense and Relief: Jaws

Lecture 11 – Romantic Longing: Annie Hall

Lecture 12 – Big Wonder: Star Wars

Lecture 13 – Charm: The Princess Bride

Lecture 14 – Alienation Effect: Do the Right Thing

Lecture 15 – Redemption: Unforgiven

Lecture 16 – Surreal Connection: Pulp Fiction

Lecture 17 – Big Sympathy: Toy Story

Lecture 18 – Existential Meaning: Fargo

Lecture 19 – Film versus Television: MASH and M*A*S*H

Lecture 20 – Writing a Television Pilot: Game of Thrones

Lecture 21 – The Sitcom: The Simpsons

Lecture 22 – The Procedural: CSI

Lecture 23 – The Prime-Time Soap: Grey’s Anatomy

Lecture 24 – Becoming a Screenwriter