"I had never written a script before but after taking this course I now have a feature script with an established producer. I can't rate it highly enough!"
Pavel Barter, Screenwriter

Who is it for?

The course is for screenwriters, filmmakers, development executives and producers who who are working on a feature film and who want personalised tuition as they develop their outline into a first-draft script.

How does it work?

The course consists of 8 x 2 hour seminars held over an 8-week period.

Writers start with a one-page synopsis. Each week they are given a project-related writing task after each seminar to develop their story and to help them put it down on paper. By the end of the course writers are expected to have written a 10-page treatment / step outline which will form the basis of their first draft.

Rather than just explaining screenwriting principles, the seminars workshop writer's ideas under the following headings:

• Introduction: how ideas are developed into feature scripts
• Character: external and internal conflict
• Structure - establishing lines of tension and building towards jeopardy
• Project identity - the influence of genre and tone
• Charting the progression of character arcs and character development
• Sub-plots and secondary characters
• Scene writing (1) - building scenes, heightening tension
• Scene writing (2) - dialogue.

Film and script excerpts are selected with the participants' projects in mind to give greater focus.

The course is limited to 6 participants.

Price

The course fee is £ 195. The fee includes all materials and light refreshments. Please make all cheques payable to Initialize Films.

When and where?

Click here for dates of the next course.

The next course will be held at 15 Southampton Place, Holborn, London, WC1A 2AJ. Click here for a map.

Registration

Please send a mail to info@initialize-films.co.uk with your contact details or complete a registration form and send to:

15 Southampton Place
London
WC1A 2AJ

Feedback examples

"As an ex-development executive at American Zoetrope I found the Project Development - Feature Screenplay course to meet a high standard of professionalism. Regular homework, individual feedback, class discussions and deadlines encouraged me to write on a regular basis. The small peer group of writers were very inspiring and we found our instructor, Ian Davies, to give quality feedback on each of our works in progress. Overall I found the experience very rewarding."
Finley Glaize, Writer / development exec. Finley was a participant on the Project Development - Feature Screenplay course

"The course completely revolutionised how I thought about my screenplay. For example, after we did a session on characterisation, suddenly I could create characters with depth, and I could show the complexity of my characters visually. Even though I have read lots of books on the art of scriptwriting and tried to apply what they say to my writing, this course gave me far more than all of them put together, it made my writing vibrant!" Kothai Kanthan, Writer-Director - participant on Project Development - Feature Screenplay course. Kothai was recently selected as one of 25 new talents by Screen International.

"Great course, very motivating, focussed but relaxed, lots of insight and info. Am about to enrol on another Initialize course, so that seems like a recommendation!"
Siri Melchior, Writer-Director, participant on Project Development - Feature Screenplay course. Siri has written and directed several animation shorts including The Dog Who Was a Cat Inside backed by Channel 4. Siri works for production company Trunk.

"This was the perfect screenwriting course: it didn't repeat the stuff you've already read in the books, it had a really high standard of participants, and Ian had imaginative and perceptive things to say every time. The first session alone [description of common faults in scripts Ian sees for MEDIA+] was worth the money on its own."
Tim Jackson, Writer - participant on Project Development - Feature Screenplay course

"I found the course run by Ian Davies extremely valuable in developing my script and recommend it to any writer who wishes to get their script into production."
Linda James, Writer - participant on Dedicated Project Development Workshop - Feature Screenwriting

"The screenwriting course with Initialize was invaluable in the development of our script. It was great to work in such a small, supportive group and have classes tailored to our individual relevant themes. With a different topic each week, the pace was intensive and productive. And the tuition style is refreshing - not a rigid set of rules to stick to but the tools to help really expand on ideas, story and characters."
Deborah Hogan, Andy Spronk - Writer-Director-Producers of several short fiction and factual films including Warner Brothers' A Stirling Performance.

"Enrolling on the course at Initialize was the best decision I have made in my writing career. It completely surpassed my expectations, and I now feel confident enough to make a real effort as a screenwriter. The key advantage of Initialize was the small number on the course, which was a real bonus in helping to develop our scripts."
Sam Olsen, Writer - participant on Project Development - Feature Screenplay course

"The course has been fantastic. I have found it interesting, stimulating yet very accessible. I really appreciated the small group size, as it allowed the course to be more focussed on each writer's project. It has also managed to take the fear out of something that at first can appear to be an insurmountable challenge, and has been excellent at helping locate many inroads. Yet is has done this in a way that has managed to retain the excitement of the wealth of possibilities open to us. I am currently feeling very jealous of all those who are about to start the next course!"
Melissa Shorten, Writer - participant on Project Development - Feature Screenplay course

"The course exceeded my expectations - rather than an overview I got an in-depth understanding of the process. Although a complete novice such as myself cannot become a script writer in 8 weeks, the course helped me understand what areas I need to work on, so it has doubtlessly been a fantastic first step. I just wish the course had lasted longer!"
Fabiola Alvarez, Writer - participant on Project Development - Feature Screenplay course

"The course was fun to do and you learnt a lot - I would recommend it. I often came away with my head brimming with new ideas and this is a sure sign that the sessions were relevant and focused on the most important aspects of screenwriting. I felt doing the course has really helped my own work and allowed me to further develop a great many useful tools that are integral to the craft in areas such as character development, scene writing, genre, dialogue, structure and treatment writing.
Will Dingli, Writer - participant on Project Development - Feature Screenplay course

"I had a great time. The writing tasks have been a really good way of disciplining myself and developing my screenplay. Most important was the energy that each of the writers and Ian brought to the classes and the discussions we all had about our projects. If you're thinking of having a go at script writing, sitting listening to a lecture isn't enough."
Simon Fisher, Writer - participant on Project Development - Feature Screenplay course

For more information on specific training and project development programmes click on the links below:

Screenwriters
Producers
Documentary Filmmakers and Documentary Producers

For all other information see:

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