Class Description

Have you always wanted to write a screenplay but don't know where to start? Then this class is for you! The goal of this single-session course is to give you an overview of screenwriting as well as some tools and strategies to best prepare for that first day when you sit down to write page one. We will focus on getting to the heart of your story idea by helping you to construct a logline (a summary that’s only a sentence or two but is the most important part of your screenplay) that will help you get started. We’ll do generative writing exercises to help you come up with your logline as well as learn about basic screenplay formatting and structure. The course will be a combination of lecturing and exercises to help generate and refine ideas. For beginner screenwriters (all levels welcome). WHAT STUDENTS SAY • "Duncan is a fantastic teacher and I loved his class. It's fun, easy-going, and super helpful. I picked up some great tools, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking to sharpen their screenwriting skills." — Allan McLeod, actor/writer (Interior Chinatown, You're the Worst) • "Duncan's screenwriting class was amazing! It gave me a new focus and strategy for developing and refining my screen and fiction writing. Highly recommended!" — Kyler Bingham, host of Salt Lake Dirt • "Attending Duncan’s screenwriting class was an absolute delight! His wealth of knowledge was evident from the get-go, and his ability to simplify issues you’ll run into as you write your story made the learning experience incredibly enjoyable. As someone who is in the industry, has read many scriptwriting books and taken several classes on the topic, I still learned a ton and got so much out of it as a storyteller. Highly recommend this class to anyone looking to dive into screenwriting!” — Kyle Boberg, film editor INSTRUCTOR DUNCAN BIRMINGHAM is a writer and filmmaker in Los Angeles. The feature film he wrote and directed, Who Invited Them, was named one of the best horror films of 2022 by The Hollywood Reporter. He's written on various TV shows including as an executive producer and writer on Maron (starring Marc Maron) on IFC and co-executive producer and writer on Blunt Talk on Starz. His screenplay Swingles was featured on The Black List and his short films have premiered at festivals including Sundance and AFI.