Screenwriting is the art of penning down scripts for mass media consumption such as films, television, theatre, advertising, etc. Screenwriters are responsible for understanding and doing due research on a story, structuring how the narrative shall flow, jotting down the script and screenplay, writing dialogues and how they must be delivered. A professional screenwriter exerts a huge influence over the outcome of a project, be it the energy of the narrative, the emotional impact of the film or the characterization of people in various roles. The story is in your head, but what sells it to the audience is the screenplay, the script. Through the Certificate Programme in Screenwriting, we will teach you how to successfully transfer that story you have in your mind to the paper, and eventually to the big screen. This is where a movie starts and is where we will start our journey to understanding filmmaking.
A good film is only as good as its story. At WWI Extension, you will get a chance to learn what exactly a screenplay writer does, and how scripts are written, from the best in the industry. Here you will get exposure to various script-writing styles. Through creative use of words, you will be able to convey the emotion of a character and tell a story. Having a great screenplay is what makes the film move forward. If you want to visually tell a story, then this is the programme for you.
This introductory class will take you through the screenwriting process and its different elements: Premise, Theme, Story, Character and Structure. You will understand what writing a screenplay entails and the difference between writing a novel and screenplay.
In simple words, this class will teach you how to write a story. You will learn about different elements of a good screenplay and look at different processes that go into writing it, thereby making it a compelling film. This class will teach you to think like a screenplay writer.
In this class, you will learn about character development, an important part of creating believable fictional characters. You will learn what makes for an interesting character and how you can make the audience resonate with them.
In this class, you will learn about conflict, the trials and tribunals of the protagonist. In every narrative, conflict is the key element that provides interest, tension and suspense, while also helping the protagonist transform himself/herself. This class will analyse the importance of this ingredient in a story.
In this class, we will be talking about the structure of a screenplay. The structure is defined as the arrangement of the story elements into a specific order to evoke the perfect response in the audience. It is the chronological design of highs and lows, conflict and resolution etc. in the story.
In this class, we are going to learn how to break the script down into smaller divisions, i.e. scenes and dialogues, and treat each part individually.
In this class, we will learn the last step of completing the screenplay – inserting dialogues. Unlike structure and design, dialogue is the only thing each audience member will notice. It can make or break your film. This class will examine dialogue writing with a few examples.
In this class, we are going to take a well written short film and trace all the different elements of screenplay we have learnt about so far. We will discuss how everything comes together to form a complete narrative. The example that we are taking is the first film that Claude Berri wrote in 1964. It is a short film called LE POULET, the chicken.
This class will be split into two. The topic will be the hero’s journey, and we will be discussing screenplay on a more philosophical level. In this class, we will discuss Joseph Campbell’s concept of the hero’s journey, based on the book, “A hero with a thousand faces”. This concept discusses the pattern of narrative or character graph that every lead character is found to follow across cultures and time.
On successful completion of all the modules included in this programme, the user shall be given a certificate from Whistling Woods International. You can download the certificate in the form of a PDF.
There is no specific time limit or schedule to do a module-based programme such as this one. However, the access period to the platform is 1 year
This is a module-based programme, so there is no specific schedule to adhere to.
Please refer to the curriculum tab on the programme page of the programme.
This programme comprises of learning through video-based lectures. You will also be given the transcripts of these lectures. The content is derived from the knowledge base of Whistling Woods faculty and Industry experts along with specific case studies used to explain the concepts and theories.
There are no programmework or assignments in this programme.
There are no live sessions included as part of this programme. However, for live sessions and on campus specialization workshops, please check our Advanced Certificate in Filmmaking programme
₹ 11,000 (Inclusive of all taxes)
Admission criteria:
- No work experience is required to apply for any of the programme
- It is recommended that applicants have cleared Xth grade or equivalent
- All candidates need to have reading and speaking proficiency in English
Notes:
- You can pay for the programme with a debit / credit card and through Netbanking.
- On successful payment transaction, you will receive a confirmation mail with the order no. and payment acknowledgement.
- You will be provided a programme login URL within 48 hours of making a payment. Please register on the URL to gain access to the programme.
- In case of any issues during payment, please write to us on wwi.extension@whistlingwoods.net
