12 DAYS OF CLASSES | Intro to Screenwriting
INTRO TO SCREENWRITING
“To make a great film you need three things: the script, the script, and the script.”
- Alfred Hitchcock
We could get into all kinds of metaphors about the importance of starting with a good script, like it’s the backbone to the whole project or whatever, but we’ve heard it a million times. The real issue is actually writing a good script. If you don’t have a road map, you may find yourself taking a great idea, struggling through formatting, attempting to figure out what you’re hoping to say as you go and at the end of the day having something only somewhat resembling what you were hoping for on the page. You can lose hours of your life revisiting it draft after draft.
OR…
You could take a class with an instructor for a few hours a week over the course of a couple months and take that idea you have floating around in your head and tackle it in a methodical way.
At the end of your class - you have your script.
Bonus: you will walk away with screenwriting skills and organizational writing process that you can replicate on future ideas you need to get on the page.
AND…this is exactly what Austin School of Film offers in our 8-week Intro to Screenwriting course with lead instructor & screenwriter Edward Santigo.
THE CLASS
What writers usually won’t tell you, is that there are many pitfalls you can so easily fall into throughout the process. Sure, they’ll tell you of the bout of writer’s block they are dealing with, but maybe they won’t tell you the story of the many times they finished a script without fully developing a character or drifted too far from their outline and ended up rambling for pages in an attempt to get back on track. They also likely won’t tell you what broke them out of that writer’s block and how they found their inspiration again.
With a supportive collaborative classroom environment where you are constantly workshopping your story and receiving feedback you are granted a good deal of accountability as you work through your screenplay. You get the chance to meet other people having the same struggles (and continue a collaboration or partnership long after the class), and you’ll be challenged and encouraged by other points of views.
Edward, the lead instructor is an industry professional with award-winning international (and bilingual) scripts who has a knowledge base, years of professional writing experience, and an MFA within his respective field.
While coming out of the class with a polished script may seem like enough, you’ll leave the course with so much more than that. Collaborators, co-writers, someone else to talk through an idea with over coffee, and more defined way to put words on a page.
Don’t just take it from us, check out one of our Student Highlight’s from earlier this year with a past student Lisa Jacobs, who went from learning screenwriting with Austin School of Film to applying those skills & being nominated at her first festival.
“Without the class, my short would likely just be a faint idea, rather than a script in an international film festival! “ - Lisa Jacobs
Deadline to register for our spring/summer sessions is March 27, 2025.
Offered as an in-person or virtual weekly class — learn the art and craft of screenwriting for film and television over 8 weeks.
Bring your ideas to life on the page and discover the art of visual storytelling through screenwriting. Whether you’re brand new to writing or looking to refine your storytelling craft, this course provides a supportive space to explore the structure, language, and emotion behind great scripts.
Over 8 weeks, you’ll learn the technical and creative processes of screenwriting — from developing characters and building story worlds to understanding genre, structure, and formatting for film and television. Through guided writing exercises, feedback sessions, and industry insights, you’ll gain the tools and confidence to turn your ideas into a compelling, cinematic story.
By the end of the course, each student will have completed an original short screenplay and a deeper understanding of the storytelling process that drives film and television writing.
Topics covered include but are not limited to:
fundamentals of screenwriting
formatting a screenplay
character development
three act plot structure
pacing
revision process through table readings & feedback
Outside of Class Commitment: Students are expected to dedicate time each week to writing and revising their scripts. Instructors provide ongoing support and feedback throughout the writing process.
MORE INFORMATION
Location:This course is offered in person at the Austin School of Film in our iMac computer lab at The Clayton. and virtually via live weekly sessions. All materials, templates, and examples are provided for use during the course. To learn more about our locations, visit this link.
Who Should Attend: Ideal for aspiring writers, filmmakers, and creatives interested in storytelling for film and television. Open to all experience levels — no prior writing or filmmaking experience required. Students must be 16 years or older to enroll.
Supplies & Materials: All students will receive access to course materials, writing templates, and software recommendations. In-person students may bring their own laptops but we will have computers onsite as well, while virtual students will need a computer and reliable internet connection to participate in live sessions.
Course Structure: This course is designed for beginners and offers both in-person and virtual learning options to accommodate different learning preferences. The curriculum and in-class time are the same for both structures.
In-Person Course: 8 weeks total, 16 hours (2 hours per session)
Virtual Course: 8 weeks total, 16 hours (2 hours per session)
Virtual classes are hosted on Google Classroom, and participants will receive a link to join in their reminder email. Students enrolled in the virtual option can join from anywhere — we’ve welcomed participants from across the United States, reflecting the program’s nationwide reach and accessibility. For the best experience, we recommend a stable internet connection for all virtual sessions.
Certificate: This course is part of Austin School of Film’s Film Forward Certificate Program.
Certification: This course, along with all Austin School of Film programs, is approved by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to provide Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credits.*
HOW CAN I START A PAYMENT PLAN?
Anyone is eligible for a payment plan for any class if they need it! Email us to get started on a payment plan at classes@austinfilmschool.org. We require 50% of the tuition cost at registration and can divide the remaining balance in up to 2 additional equal payments.
✨ 12 DAYS OF CLASSES ✨ Austin School of Film will release a different class every day for the next 12 days at 25% off accompanied with a blog post on why we curated each this year for our list. Posts will be released every day at 5pm & be on sale for 24 hours ~ no code needed! #comecreatewithus