ANALYSE THIS!

OVERVIEW

If you want to write for television, it's important to learn how to watch TV drama differently and to develop a clear understanding of what scripts are actually for.

What’s on the page has to be SO much more than just a good read. It has to inform an entire creative team, enabling them to breathe life into every aspect of a script. 

This one-day workshop explores the function of stage directions, dialogue and story structure in a TV drama script, deconstructing it, scene by scene, to see how it  serves as a template for what ends up on screen.

Gaining this knowledge is a crucial step for all entry-level and emerging screenwriters.

CONTENT

Using exercises, brainstorming and discussion, we will be looking at:

• How tone, setting and era are economically conveyed.
• The use of hooks and cold-opens (pre-title sequences).
• How characters are introduced and revealed. What’s their status quo before the drama begins and how do they develop? What's their FUNCTION in the story?
• The stage directions - how much detail do they need to give?
• The use of visual clues to convey story and character information.
• Story and scene structure. What’s the inciting incident? How does the story twist and turn as it progresses and what are the story beats along the way?
• Implying the “business” of a scene without being over-prescriptive.
• The use of scene endings to keep viewers hooked and drive momentum.
• Working with theme and tone to create effective scene transitions.
• Planting intrigue and withholding information - with intent.
• How every line of dialogue is there for a reason.
• Cliff-hangers - how to make your reader/viewer want more.

You’ll learn how to watch TV drama and read a script from an entirely new, practical perspective - giving you insights that'll help you improve your own writing. 

DETAILS

DATE:  Friday 25 April 2025

TIME:  11AM - 6PM

VENUE:
​BECTU
Prospect House
100 Rochester Row
London SW1P 1JP

(Close to London Victoria.)

Full Price:  £110
Concessions and Partners:  £98
Bectu Members: £88

Pay the Partner rate if you are a member of one of these organisations:  WGGB, Directors UK, Society of Authors or WFTV.​

PAY £110 (FULL PRICE)

Pay £98 (concessions AND PARTNERS)

PAY £88 (BECTU)

EMAIL FOR MORE INFO

TUTOR

Anji Loman Field is an established writer, storyliner, script editor and producer.

​She has worked in film, television and radio drama in multiple genres across three continents, most recently as lead writer on THE DEVIL'S PROMISE, a 6 x 50' episode English/Arabic supernatural thriller, created by Tony Jordan (Red Planet) for MBC. 
 
Her writing credits include BBC’s EASTENDERS, HOLBY CITY & DOCTORS as well as several drama series & films for BBC Media Action in S.E. Asia. She's currently developing projects for film, TV and Radio 4.
 
Anji has been running writing courses and workshops for Euroscript and other organisations since the mid 90s.