Story Development Workshop: Crafting Your Original Story

Producers, development executives, directors and writers gain practical experience adapting and developing their own stories for motion pictures, movies-of-the-week and miniseries. Emphasis is placed on studying dramatic structure, learning techniques that strengthen character development and understanding the importance of collaboration with writers. You are called upon to write development notes; compile directors/writers lists; and learn the difference between beat sheets, step outlines and story outlines. You also learn how to assess the marketplace by determining what network and studio executives are looking for, as well as the best way to quickly and effectively pitch an idea. You are welcome to submit written works in-progress for in-class critiques. At the end of the course, you have honed your storytelling craft by writing original treatments based on your story outline developed in class.