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Script Writing

What you’ll achieve: In this project-centered course*, you will design a series bible and write a complete pilot episode for your own unique television or web series, be it drama or comedy or something in between. You’ll learn to break down the creative process into components, and you’ll discover a structured process that allows you to produce a polished and pitch-ready script in just a few weeks. Completing this project will increase your confidence in your ideas and abilities, and you’ll feel prepared to pitch your first script and get started on your next. Here is a link to a trailer for the course. To view the trailer, please copy and paste the link into your browser. https://vimeo.com/423035246/6b3c18c4c5 This is a course designed to tap into your creativity and is based in "Active Learning". Most of the actual learning takes place within your own activities - that is, writing! You will learn by doing. "Thank you so much for your direct way of teaching this course. It was encouraging for us all to creatively flow and find our own voice in writing and developing our scripts. This aspect was very important to me." Ingrid The course curriculum is simple: you’ll write, revise your work, and share feedback with your peers. I am a proponent of Experiential Learning (active learning). My lectures are short (sometimes just two minutes long) and to the point, designed in a step-by-step process essential to your success as a script writer. I will guide you but I won’t "show" you how to write. I firmly believe that the only way to become a writer is to write, write, write. “David's lecture style for this course is inspired. The videos are succinct and engaging. When I watch the lectures I feel David’s sincere desire for me to create something truly amazing. He is teaching us how to write a script, and he is providing wisdom and tools that will help us do so in a compelling way - by writing; not by watching him talk at us.” - A R Adamson What you’ll need to get started: To begin with, any basic word processor will do. During week two, you can choose to download some free scriptwriting software such as Celtx or Trelby or you may choose to purchase Final Draft, or you can continue to use your word processor and do your own script formatting. Learner Review: "I am in love with this course. Having never written a script before, or any substantive fiction since college (15 years ago) I had a small idea in my head that has now exploded into something I really believe in. David's guidance is spot on, he's his own compelling story teller, he gives you enough, and then you have to figure it out, make it happen, WRITE! WRITE! WRITE! " If you have any concerns regarding the protection of your original work, Coursera's privacy policy protects the learner's IP and you are indeed the sole owners of your work. *About Project-Centered Courses: This is a ‘project-centered course’, which means it is designed specifically to help you complete a personally meaningful real-world project, with your instructor and a community of learners with similar goals providing guidance and suggestions along the way. By actively applying new concepts as you learn, you’ll master the course content more efficiently; you’ll also get a head start on using the skills you gain to make positive changes in your life and career. When you complete the course, you’ll have a finished project that you’ll be proud to use and share. Time: 1-2 hours of study, 30+ hours of active project work

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Rating 4.2★ based on 168 ratings
Length 6 weeks
Effort 1-2 hours of study, 30+ hours of project work
Starts Jun 26 (46 weeks ago)
Cost $49
From Michigan State University via Coursera
Instructor David Wheeler
Download Videos On all desktop and mobile devices
Language English
Subjects Art & Design Humanities
Tags Arts And Humanities Music And Art

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What people are saying

recommend this course

I would recommend this course for first time writers but also for more experienced writers who need a deadline and a structure to get them to write and to finish something.

I would love to recommend this course to anyone interested in learning script writing.

I would recommend this course to anyone who wants to create a TV or web series.

I would highly recommend this course to everyone out there who loves to write.

I recommend this course to every individual who is ready to work and earn rather than just buying a online certificate.

I recommend this course!

I highly recommend this course to all budding screenplay writers!

I recommend this course for those who like to write and create new stories, and maybe in the future, make possible the real screenplay.

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peer review

I think the rapid pace of the course is causing major student drop-offs and disengaged peer reviews.

Probably the only regrettable thing is that the "comments" graphe in peer review is optional.

The idea for peer review is great because we're all students of this course and so we can learn from each other while being inspired.

My only criticism of the course would be the peer review.

teaching us how to write a cold openAreas of improvement:-The beginner's course is entirely graded on peer reviews where one could get a range of divergent opinions on the same story, at times scathing and not constructive.

Also there were some issues with the peer review process.

To pass assignments off of 4 or 5 peer reviews is worthless.

The applied projects were great, and I learned a lot from the peer review assignments.

That is, an outline and act due the same week before peer review should be adjusted.

Even if the course runs longer, I feel that doing an outline then getting peer review before submitting the act would be more helpful.

Allows writer to better flesh out the script with more time to improve and implement the useful peer review suggestions.

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so much

This is not so much a course as a cut-throat writing incentive.

It just gives you so much satisfaction.

I learned so much from this course.

Thank you so much.

In this course, I experienced and learned so much from David.

This was my first time writing a script and I learned so much along the process, especially by getting reviews from my peers.

I got so much out of this I ended up paying for it - it was well worth it.

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write a script

this course will make you write a script... and that's it, if you want to LEARN how to write a script, don't take this course.This course just push you to write a script without clearly teaching you what to do, if you want to learn, look for another course (I took one from futurelearn.com while in this course, it's free, this one is a waste of money if you pay) This isn't a CLASS it's a workshop.Thank goodness for fee waivers; I would have been so upset if I had spent my money on this course.

The instructor says in the first video: ”you do not need to read a book on how to write a script” – in my opinion YOU DO!

I really learnt how to write a script for digital media.

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david wheeler

David Wheeler's methods work because they don't only teach, they encourage.

A big thank to David Wheeler, it's a lovely way to teach about the script writing.

Professor David Wheeler simplified the intimidating feat of writing a tv pilot into a realistically executable series of steps.

David Wheeler is awesome, and I love this course!

Thank you David Wheeler.

Thanks to David Wheeler, everyone at Michigan State University and Coursera for making this accessible to so many.

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my peers

), and I saw my peers, and my own writing grow in originality and quality as the course progressed.

The grading criteria points with every assignment have functioned as vital checklists in which to review not just my peers, but also my own work as well.

I signed up to get some experience and to also get feedback from those more experienced than I. I'm less interested in what my peers have to say and more interested in the feedback of the instructor who has years more experience than most of us.

I was also very impressed by the sincere feedback I got from my peers.

Also, the feedback I received from my peers were all lovely and helpful critiques that I will reflect on when reviewing my script and when writing new ones.Thank You!

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highly recommend

It's been a great learning experience overall and highly recommend it to anyone motivated or interested in this subject!

It was a very good course and in a small time i came to know a lot about the script writing sorry that i cannot complete the whole course due to my other commitments I thoroughly enjoyed this class and would highly recommend it.

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other students

There were some very useful comments from other students but I also need some help from people who are real professionals in it.

Your only feedback is through other students.

Everything is peer-reviewed, so you get no feedback from actual experts - just other students.

I found this course very frustrating, from other students not reviewing work in a timely fashion, to other students not putting any effort into their reviews.

The only feedback you get is from other students who don't know anymore than I did.

Having work reviewed by other students is excellent - you get a mixed bag of reviews - just like the reviews of your TV Series.

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rather than

In this regard, I found Jan's feedback discouraging rather than constructive.

This left many students writing dramas rather than comedies at a loss, since they were planning for hour long pilots.

That is the fault of the course, I think, rather than my peers.

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Rating 4.2★ based on 168 ratings
Length 6 weeks
Effort 1-2 hours of study, 30+ hours of project work
Starts Jun 26 (46 weeks ago)
Cost $49
From Michigan State University via Coursera
Instructor David Wheeler
Download Videos On all desktop and mobile devices
Language English
Subjects Art & Design Humanities
Tags Arts And Humanities Music And Art

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