Playwriting for Movie and TV Writers OnDemand Webinar

ABOUT THE WEBINAR

Film is a visual medium. Screenwriters primarily work in images. Theater is a verbal medium. Screenwriters need to "re" learn rules, everything from the differences in format to navigating the Two Dimensional world of the stage vs. the 3D "silver light" of a movie screen. Appropriate for both basic and advanced screenwriters, if you have an idea for a stage play and are looking for a primer in how-to transition over to the stage, this webinar is for you.

This webinar will define if your original idea is appropriate for the stage and help with brainstorming techniques to help you write it. It will discuss adaptation techniques for writing a play based on a true story. It will clearly define the difference between writing for the visual medium of film and the verbal medium of a play. This course offers a breakdown on the three different types of adaptation you might write (original--faithful--and hybrid). It also challenges writers on their motivations for writing an original play, and gives some battle-tested strategy for how to approach your first play.

During this live webinar, students will...

• Discover the art of how to write a play
• Gain insight on the process of the playwright from idea to finished conception
• Review the rules of formatting stage plays
• Brainstorm themes appropriate for the stage
• Question traditional screenplay outlining as part of the stage writing process
• Compare and contrast the classic 3-act structure for plays vs. film
• Clarify when to attempt to write a true story play
• Prioritize when to write an adaptation vs. an original idea
• Define the difference between the visual medium of film and the verbal medium of the stage
• Learn when your story is better told for a film or novel vs. the stage
• Discover the differences in writing for the 2D stage vs. the 3D movie screen
• Learn tricks of the trade from playwrights who have "crossed over" like David Mamet, Tracey Letts, and Tennessee Williams

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:

• How to gain a basic understanding of writing for the stage
• How to tell if your original idea should be a film or a play
• How to judge whether your writing talents are more tailored writing for film or stage
• How screenwriters have crossed over after writing for the stage
• How to take a personal story and adapt it for the 2D world of the stage
• How to find potential theater companies to produce your work

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

• Writers who are looking to write a stage play
• Writers who want basic A to Z tips on writing for the theater
• Writers who want help with the business end of the playwright: aka, what happens AFTER it's written
• Writers who want to learn lessons from screenwriters who crossed over into the world of theater
• Writers who want to write a stage adaptation but are unsure how
• Writers who have a great original story they want to explore on the stage
• Writers who want to discover the excitement of having their work come alive in a new way every night
• Writers who think they might have an idea that could translate for the stage, and who need some guidance on making that happen