17.09.18 | Storytelling and Screenwriting with John Dawson (5 Monday evenings)

Course Content:

This 5 part, intensive, beginner/intermediate level course will delve deeply into how to create a powerful and timeless story and what it takes to translate that into a professional quality screenplay.

Part 1:

Weeks one & two: Storytelling

Story and its role in the human experience – myths, fairy tales, fables, parables

Story components: theme, character and archetypes, structures, plotting, genres; their themes and components, form

Part 2:

Weeks three & four: Screenwriting

Format and proper screenplay language, dialogue writing, character development, tone, visual grammar

Writing loglines and treatments

Proper development process, the business of being a writer

Create a logline – part one

Week five: From Screenplay to Screen

Analysis of an Award Winning feature length screenplay (provided to participants and pre-read before class) and an in-class discussion during a live screening of the completed film

Pitch your logline – part two

Participant Profile:

This course is aimed at anyone interested in creating stories, both short and full length, for the big and small screens. Writers in other disciplines (short stories, novels, poets, playwrights, comics, graphic novels) who are looking to develop new skills are welcome.

Tutor Info:

Screenwriter/story consultant/script editor John Dawson has written feature and short scripts in both animation and live action for clients in Ireland, Britain, Canada, and Korea. He has studied, written, and acted with numerous troupes including N. America’s famous Second City

Theatre, the inspiration and casting pool for hit TV show ‘Saturday Night Live’. He lectured on screenwriting at Trinity College Dublin and has taught acting and improvisation for over 21 years in three countries including facilitating for Animation Skillnet and Screen Training Ireland, well as for employees of Ireland’s Academy Award nominated animation companies Brown Bag Films and Cartoon Saloon

Testimonial:

“I’ve done many script and screenplay classes over the years, and found John’s invaluably insightful. He really broke down plot, structure, and character development in a way that clarified the process of building an engaging story. Highly recommended!”

— Nicky Phelan, Academy Award Nominated Director of ‘Granny O’Grimm’s Sleeping Beauty’ and Series Director at Brown Bag Films, Dublin.

Date & Times:

5 Monday evenings from 6.30pm-9.30pm; 17th September, 24th September, 1st October, 8th October, 15th October.

Venue:

Conference Room 3, Guinness Enterprise Centre, Taylors Lane, Dublin 8 (Directions and Map: http://gec.ie/get-in-touch/).

Note: class on 17th September will be held in Meeting Room 1.

Cost:

Members: 100 Euro, Non Members: 125 Euro

Payment can be made by credit card online (a link will be sent to you) or by cheque/postal order payable to Animation Skillnet.

Application Procedure:

Please apply by sending an email to: animationskillnet@gmail.com

Deadline for Applications:

Monday 10th September.