Course

Screenwriting: The Art of the First Draft

Creative Live

Updated Mar 15, 2019

The most overwhelming, yet critical step for the screenwriter is the first draft. Staring at a blank sheet of paper can induce "writers block" faster than any other challenge facing a screenwriter. Screenwriting: The Art of the First Draft will equip you with a roadmap for tackling your initial draft and guide you to the next steps on the scriptwriting journey.

In this class, Hal Ackerman will teach you how to jumpstart the writing process and complete a written first draft of your screenplay. You’ll learn how to:

Organize your ideas into scenes and acts
Approach character development and dialogue
Take next steps after the first draft is complete

Hal has been teaching screenwriting to students at UCLA since 1985. He has sold material to all the broadcast networks and authored well-known books on the art of screenplay writing and selling In this class, he’ll offer actionable insights on developing your concepts and turning your ideas into a compelling and complete script.

Screenwriting: The Art of the First Draft is your opportunity to learn how to conquer one of screenwriting’s greatest challenges and get your ideas developed and down on paper.

Check out our complete collection of filmmaking classes here.

Related learning

Fashion Design Inspiration: Where to BeginCourse ⋅ 156 mins

Self-Publishing for the EntrepreneurCourse ⋅ 80 mins

Final Cut Pro XCourse ⋅ 885 mins

Cinematographer's PreparationCourse ⋅ 269 mins