Kickstart Your Screenplay

Each module will introduce the coursework, a rigorous theoretical, but easy to understand approach that includes practical exercises to do in your own time, and ends with an assignment to which you’ll receive personal written feedback. You’ll complete one module a week.

We systematically take your idea through the ten modules, building the architecture of your final treatment as we progress. You’ll receive individual, in depth feedback on each assignment before you move onto the next module. In this way the treatment is built on a solid, practical foundation that has a fully developed structure, story, and characters.

You will end the course with an industry standard product that can be appraised by professional producers.

Together these modules will not only give you invaluable feedback and critique, but also a comprehensive overview of the structure and method of developing an idea into treatment.

Who should do the course?

• Professional or semi-professional writers working in other mediums, such as journalists, columnists, playwrights or novelists, who wish to acquire an added skill.
• Screenwriters who may be ‘stuck’ and are looking for a different perspective on a project, or who want to refresh themselves as to the basic rules of structure, character and story.
• Documentary or magazine program makers who want to learn how to use screenwriting skills to structure exciting, dramatic content.
• Anyone who has a great idea for a movie but does not know how to take it one step further in order to interest investors of producers.

Why should you do the course?

Despite the South African film industry being one of the of the oldest film industries in the world, with a long history of producing superb technicians, producers, directors and actors, we continue to lag behind when it comes to skilled content originators and writers.

The South African government has set aside generous funding and business incentives to kick start the feature film industry. At present there is also a worldwide boom in tv and broadband entertainment, and with it a demand for interesting content.

We are a nation of extraordinary stories, and producers and content providers are always looking for good, skilled writers to craft these into the medium of film. This course will help you to do just that.

The facilitators

Michéle Rowe is a scriptwriter who has worked primarily as a head writer and story originator for television and film. Projects Michéle has originated, written or directed have been nominated for or won various awards, including an Oscar documentary and an International Emmy nomination. At present she works as a script editor, teaches screenwriting and is completing her third novel for Penguin. She has a Master’s Degree in Creative Writing from the University of Cape Town.

Richard Beynon is a story consultant and an award-winning film and television scriptwriter with a long and accomplished career in the industry. He has written for – or headed the storytelling teams of – many of country’s most popular soaps, dramas and comedies. These include S’gudi snaysi, Going Up, Soul City, Isidingo, Scandal, Rhythm City and Isibaya. A former journalist  for the Rand Daily Mail, he has conceived, shaped and written scores of documentaries. He has lectured on writing for film and television at Wits.

With Michéle and Richard’s many decades of professional writing, film industry and teaching experience  you’ll be in very capable hands.