You will start with an overview of the standard "rules" of structure for film and TV, seeing how you can approach them from the "inside" of your characters to develop your personal voice and bring freshness and depth to your work.
You will then look at other structures in common use in mainstream cinema and television as well as in independent films and hear how professional writers use them in developing different kinds of stories without losing coherence and shape.
We'll study clips from well-known movies which work powerfully and sensitively while being based on a three-act shape - and also discuss successful films which turn out to be in two acts, seven acts or even no acts (!) - working on exercises to develop your ability to use structure in powerful ways.
Throughout the workshop, you will practise using a number of very effective tools to help you create and refine the structure of your script.
We will also discuss the importance of subplots, the role of multistranded scripts (such as Crash and Babel), how to use flashback structures, and how to ensure that your writing delivers the strongest impact.
You will finish the day with a clear understanding of the structural needs of your work and how best to develop it further.
