Online Writing Day: A Surprising Screenplay in a Day

Getting a film made or noticed can be about a fresh take on cinema: a story that hasn’t yet seemingly been told, or a twist on a story as old as time. But how to hit upon an idea and characters? During this one-day course, writer, director and actor Alice Lowe will guide you through the process of taking your idea for a film and developing it towards the loose structure of a screenplay. You’ll think about the audience and how best to create a story that will surprise and stimulate by seemingly subverting the usual tropes, all the while using useful structural tips and support from recognised traditional script formats. You will discuss the ideas and meanings behind classic films, with an emphasis on genre, and you’ll examine the deep primal possible themes behind your film idea in order to discover what its strongest selling point is, and how its message will in every way inform character, scenes, and dialogue.

Alice will give advice on:

1. How to come up with an idea. Or how to story-fy your own life.

2. Character and story, and how the two interact. How to make sure your characters are ‘real’ and distinct.

3. Dialogue.

4. How to utilise genre to sell your story.

5. How to develop your own tone and unique style of storytelling.

6. Scene by scene. How to use location to bring your scenes and themes to life.

7. The three-act or five-act structure! Beginning, middle and end.

8. Meaning or message. What’s your film ABOUT?

9. Editing and taking notes. How to improve your work.

This course will be suitable for those interested in film or screenwriting, or with developed or undeveloped screenplays. Participants are welcome and encouraged to bring along a short paragraph about an idea or their screenplay.

Is this course for me?

Our one-day courses are aimed at anyone who is currently, or would like to begin, writing. They are often attended by:

• writers who would like a concentrated bolt of creative inspiration
• writers who would like to try out writing in a different genre
• beginners who would like to dip their toe into writing
• writers who have responsibilities which mean our longer format courses are not possible

All sessions of the day are delivered live via Zoom meetings, with the option of cameras off or on. We strongly encourage you to participate in the live sessions, but if you find yourself unable to attend on the day it will be possible to watch the recordings of each session at any time over the course of the following month.

We have limited concession places available for this course (which are bookable through the usual booking process), as well as some fully funded places for those who cannot afford the concession rate. For more information please email grants@arvon.org.

Online: £90

Concessions: £63

As part of our effort to increase participation in the arts, a limited number of 30% concessions are available for this course at checkout, as well as two fully funded places for those who cannot afford the concession rate. To request a fully funded place please email grants@arvon.org. 

We are committed to making our Arvon at Home programme accessible to as many people as possible.

Across all of Arvon at Home

• All sessions will have auto-generated captioning.
• There is a Chat facility to ask any questions.

Masterclasses 

• A recording of the Masterclass will be available to view for one month after it is aired live, simply log in to your account on our website and you’ll find a link under the ‘Event Details’ tab in the ‘Video recording’ column (you may need to scroll right on your screen to see it), similarly, if any learning resources are available, another link will appear under the ‘Course Materials’ tab.
• There is a Chat and Q & A facility to ask any questions.
• Zoom webinar format (your  video and audio will remain off throughout & your name will not be visible to other participants, so it is a ‘relaxed’ event).
• During sessions we will have a text version available via screen share (if you require these in advance of the session, please email arvonathome@arvon.org).  

Online Writing Day

• A recording of the workshops will be available to view for one month after it is aired live, simply log in to your account on our website and you’ll find a link under the ‘Event Details’ tab in the ‘Video recording’ column (you may need to scroll right on your screen to see it), similarly, if any learning resources are available, another link will appear under the ‘Course Materials’ tab.
• There is a Chat and Q & A facility to ask any questions.
• All sessions of the day are delivered live via Zoom meetings, with the option of cameras off or on. 
• During sessions we will have a text version available via screen share (if you require these in advance of the session, please email arvonathome@arvon.org).  

How I Write

• There is a chat and Q&A facility to ask any questions.
• Zoom webinar format (your video and audio will remain off throughout, & your name will not be visible to other participants so it is a ‘relaxed’ event).
• A recording will be available to view for one month after the event is aired live, simply log in to your account on our website and you’ll find a link under the ‘Event Details’ tab in the ‘Video recording’ column (you may need to scroll right on your screen to see it), similarly, if any learning resources are available, another link will appear under the ‘Course Materials’ tab. 

Online Writing Weeks / Weekends

• Courses are delivered by Zoom meeting, which means they are not recorded. 
• Courses have much smaller groups than Masterclasses and How I Write events, and are also more interactive with your fellow course participants and tutors, so cameras and audio are usually on (though both are completely optional). If you would prefer your camera and audio to be off at all times, it would be helpful to let your course host know this in advance. 
• We use Padlet as a landing page for all course materials, and to provide an optional platform for interaction with your tutors and fellow course participants. If you would like some more information about this, or if you have any anxiety about using this platform, please email arvonathome@arvon.org.  

Subject to funding/permissions (please contact arvonathome@arvon.org for more details)

• Recording of Writing Weeks and Weekends.
• Downloadable transcripts.
• BSL interpretation.
• Live captioning.

If you have any access issues that we have not covered here, please contact us on access@arvon.org

See here for more access information.