Learning Screenwriting

- I love screenwriting, it's such a thrill to see the words and ideas you put down on paper literally come to life before your eyes, and for me, the screenplay is by far the most important thing in a movie. A good script trumps even the most beautiful cinematography, or emotionally real performance. Telling a story is what filmmaking is all about, and the story begins with the writer. My name's Mark Tapio Kines, I worked in the motion picture industry for over 20 years. I've written and directed two live action features, and over a dozen shorts.

I'm the author of eight full-length screenplays of my own, and I've read hundreds of scripts written by other people, from Oscar winners to first timers. I've seen the good, I've seen the bad, and the one thing I've learned is that every aspiring screenwriter can truly benefit from mastering the art of story structure, and dramatic conflict. This is course is for all writers at all levels, anybody who has an idea for a movie, and wants to turn it into a screenplay. What we're gonna do is attach a character to your idea, this will be your protagonist. We'll take your protagonist, and build a story around them, the story will follow the rules of what we call the three act structure, which is the foundation of all dramatic storytelling.

In the first of these three acts, we'll introduce your characters, and establish your premise. In act two, we'll take your protagonist, and send them on an adventure full of dramatic conflict. In act three, we'll bring that conflict to a satisfying resolution. After you've built out your story, I'll give you some tips on how to format your screenplay. I'll even go over some legal issues to help you protect your work. Above all, this course is designed to make you understand your number one goal as a screenwriter, which is to always keep your audience wondering what happens next.

So, if you're ready, let's start exploring the fundamentals of screenwriting.