film, video & TV training | professional development

Discipline/s:	writing & directing
Level:	Beginner
Course code Date/s & times:	SI1301:Tuesdays April 16, 23, 30, May 7, 14, 21, 28 (6.15 - 9.15pm), 2013
Contact hours:	21
Places:	8
Fee:	$423 Open Channel Members / $511 (non-members) (Prices are Inclusive of GST) (Membership: $55 / $44 concession - join Open Channel here)
Prerequisites:	Please bring your film or television concept to the first session.

Get inspired, share your ideas and work with a professional screenwriter. Learn to craft your ideas into a strong narrative with this practical writing workshop.

In seven weeks, you'll learn how to: develop your story into a compelling narrative with vivid characters, dynamic action and interactive locations; write believable dialogue; construct story form and structure; and format and draft your script to industry standards. Exercises in concept development, structuring a narrative and writing dialogue will inspire you to write, write, write!

Who should do this course?
Suitable for beginners

Where can I go after this course?
Open Channel offers an intensive course in advanced screenwriting, Concept to Script. This course may also count towards a nationally recognised qualification. Read about our Qualification Programs

Are you interested in being Accredited for this course?
Read about Accreditation Options on Short Courses

How do I Enrol?
Simply print an Enrolment Form and return to us with payment to secure a place in the Short Course. See the Enrolment Form for details on how to pay.
Short Courses Application Form (pdf)

If you wish to enrol in this course as part of a full Certificate III in Media / Advanced Diploma of Screen and Media, with up-front payment, click here.

Testimonials:

"Nice frameworks to work with"
"Classmates from diverse backgrounds added perspective"
"Intensive writing opportunity, great practical exercises and homework"
"The instructors knowledge and sharing of knowledge and ideas, very detailed and open"
"Interesting discussions, useful and satisfying course structure, pushing participants to reach productive end point"
"I got the most help with Character creation, Dialogue and Story Structure"

Tutors

BEN MICHAEL
Ben Michael is a writer, lecturer and musician. He has plotted, written and edited over two thousand hours of commercial television. He has script edited award wining short films. He currently has a series in development with Snowtown producers Warp. His first feature, as Story Consultant and Script Editor, Lad, is being shot in April 2013. Ben has worked as a Story Consultant on the Cat Stevens musical Moonshadow. He's currently doing his Masters and is a PHD candidate, specialising in story that comes from theme and character. He lectures at RMIT and Holmesglen and is a part of Melbourne's thriving underground music scene, playing in The Sand Pebbles and The Golden Breed.

Past Tutors

GRAEME FARMER
Graeme has been a script editor, script writer and story editor for over thirty years, working across most genres – THE FLYING DOCTORS, THE FEDS, STATE CORONER, THE VIOLENT EARTH etc. Recently, Graeme has written for Moody Street Kids, K9 (Limelight/Channel 10) and THE SADDLE CLUB (Crawfords/Channel 9) and been script editor on DIRT GAME (ABC) and THE ELEPHANT PRINCESS (Jonathan Shiff/Channel 10). He has taught and mentored for AFTRS, Swinburne, Victoria College of the Arts and in RMIT's screenwriting program. He was also mentor for Film Victoria's First Screenwriter's Initiative. Graeme has won three Awgie awards: for HOME (ABC) 1983; DARLINGS OF THE GODS (Simpson Le Mesurier) 1988; and the Awgie for Script Editing 1993.

CORAL DROUYN
Coral Drouyn is an AWGIE and Australian Film Commission (AFC) Fellowship winner and one of Australia’s most experienced television writers and script editors. She has over 900 hours of television credits including script producer roles with Blue Heelers, Prisoner and Home and Away among many others. She has taught various screenwriting courses for the Australian Writers' Guild and Bond University. Coral is also the author of Big Screen/Small Screen and a new book So You Really Want to be a Writer?
This course includes guest speaker Jan Sardi (Shine, Mao's Last Dancer) in conversation with Coral Drouyn.