WHEN 12 weeks, January 12 - April 6 Online chats: Mondays, 9-10 pm ET WHERE Online. Click here for more info. LEVEL Intermediate/advanced PRICE $610 ($575 for ) more info

Course Details

So you want to break into scripted television? There is only one writing sample accepted by TV agents, producers, and networks across the board: a spec script of a current show. Getting your foot in the door starts with demonstrating your ability to write for someone else's show.

And you know you don't belong in a beginner's class. After all, you've already mastered the basics: churning out words, editing yourself, meeting deadlines. If you keep up with this workshop, you'll finish the first and second drafts of your sitcom or one-hour drama script. Each week, you'll learn about essentials like structure, plot, character, and dialogue, and get feedback on your script from your instructor and fellow students. The entire last class will be devoted to reading final drafts and learning how to get your script into the right hands. By the end of the class you'll be ready to submit your spec or pilot script to potential agents and buyers.

In this class, you will learn:

• How to create characters that viewers will want to invite into their homes week after week
• Basic formatting for comedies and dramas (2 act to 4 act structure)
• Structure: how to break for commercial, find a good ending, and wrap things up seamlessly
• The secret behind perfect dialogue
• Subplots: Where to put them, how to tie them in
• How your script reflects the existing show and climate within the marketplace
• The cyclical behind-the-scenes events of the broadcast and cable world, including a discussion about pilot season
• Everything there is to know about the TV business from an industry expert

By the end of class, you will have:
A complete spec script of a one-hour drama or sitcom.

TV Writing: Spec Script (PDF) View a sample syllabus for this class here.

Related Courses

Instructor Bio

Laurie Scheer's Courses

Laurie Scheer is a former vice president of programming for WE: Women's Entertainment and is currently teaching at Yale University. She has worked as an assistant, d-girl, and producer for some of the most powerful media conglomerates in the world, including ABC, Viacom, Showtime, and AMC-Cablevision. She has been a professor at numerous universities across the US and considers herself a media goddess, helping creative professionals realize their goals of working and improving 21st century media. Her book Creative Careers In Hollywood: From Extra Girls to Errand Boys (Allworth Press, 2002) chronicles and celebrates all of the movies ever made that feature women working in Hollywood. She also has a DVD, How to Pitch and Sell Your Screenplay.

Testimonials

Laurie has boundless enthusiasm and offers the opportunity to succeed. -- Paul Hagen

"Aside from priceless information and insight based on her background in TV, Laurie offers constructive feedback and moral support that fledgling TV writers are unlikely to find elsewhere." -- Roslyn Ross

"Laurie's seminar was by far the best I have ever taken! She's the most knowledgeable instructor I've ever had, excellent on every level. I can't say enough how much I got out of attending." -- Jamila Bey

"Laurie's seminar was the best money I've ever spent! I learned more about how television programming works in 3 hours than I picked up in a lifetime as a television news reporter." -- Brigette Polmar

"Laurie's class provided invaluable tips. She's one of the coolest instructors I've ever had. I would recommend her classes to anyone interested in learning more about writing for film and television." -- Imani Dawson

"Laurie's generous advice about television writing helped give me the confidence I needed to negotiate the contract process. I'll always remember that if you are a professional, you're worth it." -- Gina Laurie

"Laurie's classes are musts for anyone wanting to progress in the television industry.It is quite unusual to have someone offer to share their experiences, and even more unusual for them to truly want you to succeed." -- Tamara Federici, writer & former associate producer, Chappelle's Show

"Laurie is a professional who generously shares with her students her love and first-hand knowledge of the complex TV industry. She has a wonderful knack of encouraging writers, instilling confidence, and showing them where they have taken a wrong turn." -- Nancy West

"Laurie was informative, funny, and extremely knowledgeable. I found myself riveted and wanting to know more. If anyone is thinking of a career in television writing, this course is your starting point." -- Inger Slade

"Laurie's message of being well-researched, prepared and realistic -- while also having supreme confidence in yourself and your ideas -- is one that all producers should hear." -- Tony Monterastelli

"Laurie's engaging presentation, her wealth of knowledge, and her personal stories about the TV business will give any aspiring TV writer the necessary tools to succeed. Laurie gives you a thorough step by step process that will make you hone in on your concepts, brand, writing, and pitching skills." -- Denise Hendricks