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Beginner Screenwriting for Adults (18+) with Chris Messineo (In-Person) - 10 Weeks

Tuesdays, 10-week class (In-Person)
September 16 - November 18, 2025
8:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Do you have a story stuck in your head that would make a great movie? Have you tried to learn screenwriting from a book and are frustrated with the progress you've made? Our Screenwriting class can demystify screenplay format and help you get a compelling story on the page.
Working on shorts and feature length scripts, we cover different aspects of the craft:
- Screenplay Format and Software
- Characters, Goals, and Obstacles
- Visuals - A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words
- Dialogue and Nine Techniques for Improving it
- Writing VO, Flashback, and Montage
- Three-Act Structure and The Movie Game
- Scene Outline and Scene Cards
- The First Ten Pages
- Rewriting: The Power of Writing
- Loglines, Contests, and Getting Produced
We read from each other's scripts and learn how to identify what works, what doesn't, and how to improve. We watch scenes from Hollywood and Independent movies and look at the actual screenplays that created them.
In additon, each week, there are specific writing exercises designed to challenge and motivate you. Finally, we'll talk about agents, screenplay contests, and how to get your script read and produced.
Students are encouraged to bring a notebook or laptop to class.
September 16 - November 18, 2025
8:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Do you have a story stuck in your head that would make a great movie? Have you tried to learn screenwriting from a book and are frustrated with the progress you've made? Our Screenwriting class can demystify screenplay format and help you get a compelling story on the page.
Working on shorts and feature length scripts, we cover different aspects of the craft:
- Screenplay Format and Software
- Characters, Goals, and Obstacles
- Visuals - A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words
- Dialogue and Nine Techniques for Improving it
- Writing VO, Flashback, and Montage
- Three-Act Structure and The Movie Game
- Scene Outline and Scene Cards
- The First Ten Pages
- Rewriting: The Power of Writing
- Loglines, Contests, and Getting Produced
We read from each other's scripts and learn how to identify what works, what doesn't, and how to improve. We watch scenes from Hollywood and Independent movies and look at the actual screenplays that created them.
In additon, each week, there are specific writing exercises designed to challenge and motivate you. Finally, we'll talk about agents, screenplay contests, and how to get your script read and produced.
Students are encouraged to bring a notebook or laptop to class.