Splitting your time between the Buckinghamshire College Group Amersham Campus TV/Film Studio and Creative Media Skills state of the art studio base in the heart of British Film, Pinewood Studios, you will meet and learn from some of the most recognised and actively working professionals across many areas, including: film production and development, screenwriting script development script editing and consulting.
To be a screenwriter is to be a storyteller and a narrator. Our course aims to help bring your story to life. You will be equipped with the principles behind story design and structure, genre, audience, characterisation and dialogue. Through practical learning, you will be armed with the key skill set needed for producing scripts for film, television, commercial content and the web.
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What will I learn?
This course will help you learn the skills to succeed as a screenwriter. You will develop a diverse portfolio of skills in Screenwriting. The course aims to develop whole creatives; - those who are able to produce work in a variety of creative mediums: and will be presented with opportunities to develop and utilise broad, transferable skills through an ethos of personal and professional development. Specifically, the programme allows students to demonstrate: Initiative, Independent inquiry, Team-working, Self-management, Effective participation, Creative thinking, Reflective learning, Problem solving, Communication, Numeracy.
Students will gain a good understanding of literary narrative techniques and will analyse the various forms of narrative audio-visual media, including content for film, television, web dramas and streaming services. By the end of the course, students will have outlined their short film screenplay.
As well as developing written script analysis skills, you will study:
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How to take constructive script meetings with writers and/or producers and financiers
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The pros and cons of different types of script assessment templates, with reference to European and American models
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How to operate as a pro-active development executive
- How to approach agencies and institutions to secure paid work
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Example modules
- Setting
- Plots
- Perspective
- Style
- Theme
- Characters
- Turning points
- Dialogue
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How will I be assessed?
Across the programme you will have continuous assessment with particular focus on practical work required for the projects. In the UAL grading structure your final grade, Pass. Merit or Distinction is based on the final major project. Across the programme you will have continuous assessment with particular focus on practical work required for the projects. In the UAL grading structure your final grade, Pass. Merit or Distinction is based on the final major project.
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Entry Requirements
Applicants need to 18 and over. It is desirable for students to have attained GCSE English and maths but applications from candidates with good levels of literacy and numeracy will be considered for mature candidates.
A professional interview will be required
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Progression & Career Opportunities
This course will enable the development of a systematic understanding of the roles within a film production, paying special attention to the relationship between the producer, the director and the actors with the screenwriter. Students will be guided through the entrepreneurial skills of a freelance career as a writer and they will be able to evaluate all their possibilities in the market (i.e.: script assessment, adaptation).
Possible future employment could be:
- Name talent assistant
- Studio assistant
- Agency assistant
- Film/television critic
- Script reader
- Freelance copywriter
- Content producer
- Editor
- Film Script Development
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Additional Information
This course is run in conjunction with our partners CMS at Pinewood, the course will be split between Pinewood in a professional environment and our Amersham TV/film studio and green screen room using the expertise of our experienced teaching team.
If you are under 19 on the date of enrolment this course is funded. However, if you are over 19 on the date of enrolment the course Fee is £5420 and you will be able to apply for an Advanced Learner Loan through the government's Student Finance website.
There is also a Studio Fee of £580 which can be paid in four instalments through the Online Store.
