Rewrite Techniques

You know your film or TV script has to be rewritten.

You know it has to be original, active, polished and poignant before it goes into industry hands.

But, where do you start?

In this in-person class, lectures, film examples and in-class writing tools show you what your script needs and help you to fix it on the spot!

You’ll “script doctor” in class, hone pages, deepen your characters and breathe new life into dialogue with instructor Pilar Alessandra, then get your career questions answered with guest speaker Lee Jessup.

At the end of the weekend, you’ll leave with a script that’s restructured, reworked and ready for the industry.

Class 1

The Story / Concept Rewrite

Writers often fail to exploit their own good ideas.  We’ll do a “concept” pass by making sure premise weaves into every beat.

The Activity Rewrite

Your script might be perfectly structured …but also perfectly boring. Here we use genre, character flaw, internal and external obstacles to create new and original activity.

Class 2

The Character Rewrite

Great characters reveal who they are through action and behavior. We mine flaws, skills and personal agenda to deepen and develop your ensemble.

The Dialogue Rewrite

Choosing a verbal strategy for your characters helps you find clever lines and memorable moments of on-screen patter.  No more overwriting and small talk!

Class 3

The Tone / Format Rewrite

Word choice, line spacing, powerful scene direction and well-crafted pages create the desired tone and mood for your script. The goal is to create a page turner!

The Cleanup

Ready to submit? Not so fast!  From the biggest idea to the smallest scene, your script needs to be airtight and entertaining. We take the script through its final paces, focusing on the details that can make or break a read!

Class 4

The Business

Now what?  Career coach Lee Jessup answers your questions about script submission, acquiring representation and the realities of sales and staffing.

“Rewrite Techniques” is open to feature film and TV writers.

Note: A completed first draft is not required to take this class. This is an advanced screenwriting class that will help you at any stage in your process.