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Learn to write for the screen on this practical, introductory course. Writing exercises, presentations and screenings will teach you key skills, and you’ll begin to produce work and an outline for a full-length project.
Learning modes and locations may be different depending on the course start date. Please check the location of your chosen course and read our guide to learning modes and locations to help you choose the right course for you.
Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Centre for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.
This is a practical course that provides a basic grounding in the craft and terminology of screenwriting. Writing exercises, group discussion and presentations by the tutor will teach you the key skills, including structure, character and dialogue. At the end of the course you should have produced a short screenplay and an outline for a full-length project.
Students say:"Good group and atmosphere - I probably achieved more than I could ever have dreamt possible"; "I really liked the pace, the information and knowledge given"; "Always interesting and very encouraging and motivating"; "It gave me the ability to actually write a screenplay rather than just think about it."
What will we cover?
- Deciding what to write - generating ideas, testing ideas, research
- Theme, genre and originality
- Creating and sustaining believable characters
- Story structure
- Dialogue and subtext
- Plot development, pacing, set-ups and pay-offs
- Editing your own work and other people’s
- Formatting your screenplay
- An introduction to how the industry works.
What will I achieve? By the end of this course you should be able to...
- Respond to and assess pieces of writing with sensitivity
- Understand the basic principles and jargon of screenwriting
- Appreciate the differences between writing for different genres and media
- Present a script in standard industry format
- Write a treatment
- Write a short film script.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
Although this is an introductory screenwriting course, previous writing experience is useful. An ability to write and speak fluent English is vital.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
Through discussion, presentations, viewing of film and TV extracts. There will be writing exercises both during and outside the class, evaluated by your tutor and fellow students.
All writing courses at City Lit will involve an element of workshop. This means that students will produce work which will be discussed in an open and constructive environment with the tutor and other students. The college operates a policy of constructive criticism, and all feedback on another student’s work by the tutor and other students should be delivered in that spirit.
For classes longer than one day regular reading and writing exercises will be set for completion at home to set deadlines.
City Lit Writing endeavours to create a safe and welcoming space for all and we strongly support the use of content notes in our classes. This means that learners are encouraged to make their tutor and classmates aware in advance if any writing they wish to share contains material that may be deemed sensitive. If you are unsure about what might constitute sensitive content, please ask your tutor for further clarification and read our expectations for participating in writing courses at City Lit.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
Please bring a pen and paper.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
If you would like to continue developing your skills at the introductory level, you are welcome to enrol on another term of Ways into screenwriting though we recommend you do so with another tutor so as to experience a fresh approach. Or, if you feel comfortable you can progress to Developing your screenwriting where you will produce more of your own work and explore key concepts in greater depth. Information from the tutor concerning other courses will also be offered.
All students are invited to join us at Late Lines, our regular performance night for City Lit writers. Students are also encouraged to submit their work to Between the Lines, our annual anthology of creative writing. For the latest news, courses and events, stay in touch with the Department on Facebook and Twitter.
Nico is a British-Brazilian screenwriter, whose scripts have been optioned and developed by the likes of Warp Films, Revolution Films and The Bureau Film Company. Nico’s most recent film, The Old Man and the Land (2023), starring Rory Kinnear and Emily Beecham, directed by Nick Parrish, premiered at the Critics’ Picks strand at Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PO¨FF). In development, Nico has a thriller script with BAFTA winning producer Afolabi Kuti, and is also in development on a time-travel love story with the same team who made Daphne at The Bureau. As well as his work in feature films, he has TV projects in the works.
Clive FordSee moreSee less
Clive Ford writes for film and stage. He graduated from UAL with an MA in screenwriting. He currently works as a lecturer at the University of Creative Arts in Farnham and at the University of Bedfordshire where he teaches writing for the screen.
Bob SchultzSee moreSee less
As a screenwriter, Bob Schultz has focused on high-concept stories told on a budget, finding success writing on spec, working for hire, ghostwriting, and providing consultation for independent producers in Los Angeles, New York, and London. His screenwriting portfolio includes more than 20 credits either produced, in production, or in development, and his series of Christmas shorts (Advent) will release throughout December 2025. Beyond screenwriting, Bob has cultivated a significant body of prose fiction work, with award-winning stories published in American newspapers including The Ravena News-Herald, the Greenville Record, and The Paper (Fort Pierce, Florida), international magazines (Script magazine, Daily Grindhouse), and short story anthologies (most recently Twisted, Volume 3: The Final Chapter, 2024). His latest anthology of short stories (The Athenaeum Club Mysteries) is set to be published in the winter of 2025, and his first novel (Operation: Coronation) in early 2026. Bob has served as an instructor and mentor at colleges and universities in the USA, England, and Sweden, as well as worldwide at festivals, conferences, and through private instruction.
Alan NixonSee moreSee less
Alan Nixon is one of Britain’s top independent media professionals. His recent productions include directing the award-winning R4 sitcom Reluctant Persuaders. He has been Creative Consultant to broadcasters and renowned independents, including Aardman Animations (Wallace & Gromit), Grant Naylor (Red Dwarf), and Absolutely Productions (Armstrong & Miller / Trigger Happy TV). He was one of the founding controllers of Channel Five, has worked with Alexei Sayle, Victoria Wood, Caroline Aherne and Simon Day, and teaches courses at the BFI, the National Television and Film School, and the London School of Film, Media and Performance.
Thomas McMullanSee moreSee less
Thomas McMullan lives and works in London. He is the author of Groundwater (Bloomsbury, 2025) and The Last Good Man (Bloomsbury, 2020), which won the 2021 Betty Trask Prize. His short fiction has been published in Ploughshares, The Dublin Review, Granta, 3:AM Magazine, Lighthouse and Best British Short Stories, and his journalism has appeared in The Guardian, The Times Literary Supplement, frieze, ArtReview and BBC News. His practice also encompasses scripts, both for stage and film, and narrative design for video games. For the latter, he was the lead writer on Rollerdrome (Roll7, 2022), which won the 2023 BAFTA for Best British Game.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
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https://www.citylit.ac.uk/ways-into-screenwriting163677Ways into screenwritinghttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/w/a/ways_into_screenwriting_2-square_1.jpg249249GBPInStock/Courses/Courses/Writing/Writing for stage and screen/Writing for stage and screen/Courses/vm/Writing Courses/Screen Play and Playwriting/Courses/vm/Writing Courses/Courses/vm/Film season/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Writing/'Ways into' courses/Courses/Writing/Courses/Writing/Writing for stage and screen2285159120332018133851354513581136051228513581136051653201811771205Learn to write for the screen on this practical, introductory course. Writing exercises, presentations and screenings will teach you key skills, and you’ll begin to produce work and an outline for a full-length project. <div data-content-type="html" data-appearance="default" data-element="main">This is a practical course that provides a basic grounding in the craft and terminology of screenwriting. Writing exercises, group discussion and presentations by the tutor will teach you the key skills, including structure, character and dialogue. At the end of the course you should have produced a short screenplay and an outline for a full-length project.<br />
<br />
<b>Students say:</b> <i>"Good group and atmosphere - I probably achieved more than I could ever have dreamt possible"; "I really liked the pace, the information and knowledge given"; "Always interesting and very encouraging and motivating"; "It gave me the ability to actually write a screenplay rather than just think about it."</i>. <br />
<br />
This is a live online course. You will need:<br />
- Internet connection. The classes work best with Chrome.<br />
- A computer with microphone and camera is best (e.g. a PC/laptop/iMac/MacBook), or a tablet/iPad/smart phone/iPhone if you don't have a computer.<br />
- Earphones/headphones/speakers.<br />
We will contact you with joining instructions before your course starts.</div>114.71188883Ways into screenwriting249249https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/w/a/ways_into_screenwriting_2-square_1_7.jpgInStockEveningThuKeeley StreetAvailable courses11 weeks or longerWeekday2025-09-18T00:00:00+00:00Beginners, Some experienceSep 2025WritingHW693249249Ways into screenwriting249125249ways-into-screenwriting/hw693-2526Learn to write for the screen on this practical, introductory course. Writing exercises, presentations and screenings will teach you key skills, and you’ll begin to produce work and an outline for a full-length project.0000-Available|2025-09-18 00:00:00virtual1188658Ways into screenwriting249249https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/w/a/ways_into_screenwriting_2-square_1_5.jpgInStockEveningMonKeeley StreetAvailable courses11 weeks or longerWeekday2025-09-15T00:00:00+00:00Beginners, Some experienceSep 2025WritingHW018249249Ways into screenwriting249125249Nico Mensingaways-into-screenwriting/hw018-2526Learn to write for the screen on this practical, introductory course. Writing exercises, presentations and screenings will teach you key skills, and you’ll begin to produce work and an outline for a full-length project.0000-Available|2025-09-15 00:00:00virtual1188664Ways into screenwriting249249https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/w/a/ways_into_screenwriting_2-square_1_8.jpgInStockEveningWedKeeley StreetAvailable courses11 weeks or longerWeekday2026-01-14T00:00:00+00:00Beginners, Some experienceJan 2026WritingHW019249249Ways into screenwriting249125249Bob Schultzways-into-screenwriting/hw019-2526Learn to write for the screen on this practical, introductory course. Writing exercises, presentations and screenings will teach you key skills, and you’ll begin to produce work and an outline for a full-length project.0000-Available|2026-01-14 00:00:00virtual1188754Ways into screenwriting249249https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/w/a/ways_into_screenwriting_2-square_1_6.jpgInStockEveningWedOnlineAvailable courses11 weeks or longerWeekday2025-09-17T00:00:00+00:00Beginners, Some experienceSep 2025WritingHW293249249Ways into screenwriting249125249Clive Fordways-into-screenwriting/hw293-2526Learn to write for the screen on this practical, introductory course. Writing exercises, presentations and screenings will teach you key skills, and you’ll begin to produce work and an outline for a full-length project.0000-Available|2025-09-17 00:00:00virtual2549230Ways into screenwriting249249https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/w/a/ways_into_screenwriting_2-square_1_45.jpgInStockEveningThuKeeley StreetAvailable courses11 weeks or longerWeekday2026-04-23T00:00:00+00:00Beginners, Some experienceApr 2026WritingHW093249249Ways into screenwriting249125249Bob Schultzways-into-screenwriting/hw093-2526Learn to write for the screen on this practical, introductory course. Writing exercises, presentations and screenings will teach you key skills, and you’ll begin to produce work and an outline for a full-length project.0000-Available|2026-04-23 00:00:00virtual2549251Ways into screenwriting249249https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/w/a/ways_into_screenwriting_2-square_1_44.jpgInStockEveningWedKeeley StreetAvailable courses11 weeks or longerWeekday2026-04-22T00:00:00+00:00Beginners, Some experienceApr 2026WritingHW686249249Ways into screenwriting249125249Thomas McMullanways-into-screenwriting/hw686-2526Learn to write for the screen on this practical, introductory course. Writing exercises, presentations and screenings will teach you key skills, and you’ll begin to produce work and an outline for a full-length project.0000-Available|2026-04-22 00:00:00virtual2563795Ways into screenwriting249249https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/w/a/ways_into_screenwriting_2-square_1_46.jpgInStockEveningMonOnlineAvailable courses11 weeks or longerWeekday2026-04-20T00:00:00+00:00Beginners, Some experienceApr 2026WritingHW148249249Ways into screenwriting249125249Alan Nixonways-into-screenwriting/hw148-2526Learn to write for the screen on this practical, introductory course. Writing exercises, presentations and screenings will teach you key skills, and you’ll begin to produce work and an outline for a full-length project.0000-Available|2026-04-20 00:00:00virtual249249125HW693,HW018,HW019,HW293,HW093,HW686,HW148NONEThu,Mon,Wed15/09/25 - 24/11/2517:30 - 19:3017:3019:3011 sessions (over 11 weeks)1111 weeks or longerWeekdayKSKeeley Street,OnlineBeginners, Some experienceAvailable courses2025-09-18T00:00:00+00:00,2025-09-15T00:00:00+00:00,2026-01-14T00:00:00+00:00,2025-09-17T00:00:00+00:00,2026-04-23T00:00:00+00:00,2026-04-22T00:00:00+00:00,2026-04-20T00:00:00+00:00EveningSep 2025,Jan 2026,Apr 2026Writing249249Ways into screenwritingways-into-screenwriting/hw693-2526,ways-into-screenwriting/hw018-2526,ways-into-screenwriting/hw019-2526,ways-into-screenwriting/hw293-2526,ways-into-screenwriting/hw093-2526,ways-into-screenwriting/hw686-2526,ways-into-screenwriting/hw148-2526Learn to write for the screen on this practical, introductory course. Writing exercises, presentations and screenings will teach you key skills, and you’ll begin to produce work and an outline for a full-length project.0000-Available|2025-09-15 00:00:00configurable
159113605Writing for stage and screenhttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/writing/writing-for-stage-and-screen/writing-for-stage-and-screen1/2/285/13581/13605/1591/Courses/Writing/Writing for stage and screen/Writing for stage and screen