We host writing workshops & seminars about all kinds of subjects, but especially around screenwriting, television writing, and the art of romantic comedy.
CLASSES WILL BE CONDUCTED OVER ZOOM FOR FOUR SESSIONS. They will last between an hour and a half and two hours, and be hosted SATURDAYS APRIL 20, 27, MAY 4, and 11 at 1pm PST/4pm ET. Sign up by clicking the photo above or going HERE.
—
Love is a backbone of the human experience. Laughter is a necessary force for life. It makes sense, then, that romantic comedy is one of the best-selling, most-viewed, most beloved genres—and yet baffles that it is not often given the public reverence of craft that it deserves. Love stories run through everything. Once you’ve learned how to craft a compelling rom-com you will have the toolbox to do anything—to create the tension and cathartic fulfillment that lies across all kinds of love stories, whether platonic, familial, or romantic.
This six-week seminar will use the work of romantic comedy masters Nancy Meyers and Nora Ephron as a jumping off point for study. We’ll look at the screenplays (provided for the class) for When Harry Met Sally, You’ve Got Mail, Something’s Gotta Give, The Holiday, and more, mining them for lessons on structure, humor, and id to inspire students in crafting their own rom-com.
You do not need to know how to write a screenplay to participate in this class; we will excavate the basics of crafting compelling relationships and character arcs for the screen. You can be an established writer, an aspiring one, or simply someone who loves to talk about film — all are welcome!
Like the iconic women we’ll be studying, we’ll also learn how to insert our own flair and signature voice into our work. Nancy and Nora are only a starting point. From learning from the greats of the past—by analyzing their strengths and their hang-ups—we can better learn ourselves, our own tastes, and how to push the genre forward to include a wider variety of voices, perspectives, and fascinations. This class is meant to be a supportive environment to give you the groundwork to craft your own great rom-com.
Students will leave this seminar with a deeper understanding of how to craft a rom-com screenplay, including outlining, scene structure, character arcs, banter, and more. You'll walk away ready to write your own satisfying rom-com for the ages.
COURSE TAKEAWAYS:
- How do we craft tension in key relationships in a story? How do we do this for the screen specifically, showing instead of telling?
- What makes a compelling romance, and what pays it off?
- How can we infuse humor into our work, and how do we make that humor fit the characters and story we are telling?
- What are the elements of a successful rom-com?
- How do we move the genre of the rom-com forward? How do we blast the genre open to include the voices that have historically been shut out?
COURSE EXPECTATIONS:
Students will read three total screenplays outside of class time to discuss in class. During class time we will discuss these screenplays and others (which we will read and display together) and dissect their elements.
COURSE SKELETON:
Week 1: An intro: Nancy, Nora, and the basics of the rom-com for the screen
Week 2: Voice, character, and motion: Analyzing When Harry Met Sally
Week 3: Structure, tension, and the antihero
Week 4: The crucial catharsis; making it sing and moving it forward
CLASSES WILL BE CONDUCTED OVER ZOOM FOR FOUR SESSIONS. They will last between an hour and a half and two hours, and be hosted WEDNESDAYS APRIL 3, 10, 17, and 24 at 5pm PST/8pm ET. Click the image above or PURCHASE HERE.
—
Love is a backbone of the human experience. Laughter is a necessary force for life. It makes sense, then, that romantic comedy is one of the best-selling, most-viewed, most beloved genres—and yet baffles that it is not often given the public reverence of craft that it deserves. Love stories run through everything. Once you’ve learned how to craft a compelling rom-com you will have the toolbox to do anything—to create the tension and cathartic fulfillment that lies across all kinds of love stories, whether platonic, familial, or romantic.
This six-week seminar will use the work of romantic comedy masters Nancy Meyers and Nora Ephron as a jumping off point for study. We’ll look at the screenplays (provided for the class) for When Harry Met Sally, You’ve Got Mail, Something’s Gotta Give, The Holiday, and more, mining them for lessons on structure, humor, and id to inspire students in crafting their own rom-com.
You do not need to know how to write a screenplay to participate in this class; we will excavate the basics of crafting compelling relationships and character arcs for the screen. You can be an established writer, an aspiring one, or simply someone who loves to talk about film — all are welcome!
Like the iconic women we’ll be studying, we’ll also learn how to insert our own flair and signature voice into our work. Nancy and Nora are only a starting point. From learning from the greats of the past—by analyzing their strengths and their hang-ups—we can better learn ourselves, our own tastes, and how to push the genre forward to include a wider variety of voices, perspectives, and fascinations. This class is meant to be a supportive environment to give you the groundwork to craft your own great rom-com.
Students will leave this seminar with a deeper understanding of how to craft a rom-com screenplay, including outlining, scene structure, character arcs, banter, and more. You'll walk away ready to write your own satisfying rom-com for the ages.
COURSE TAKEAWAYS:
- How do we craft tension in key relationships in a story? How do we do this for the screen specifically, showing instead of telling?
- What makes a compelling romance, and what pays it off?
- How can we infuse humor into our work, and how do we make that humor fit the characters and story we are telling?
- What are the elements of a successful rom-com?
- How do we move the genre of the rom-com forward? How do we blast the genre open to include the voices that have historically been shut out?
COURSE EXPECTATIONS:
Students will read three total screenplays outside of class time to discuss in class. During class time we will discuss these screenplays and others (which we will read and display together) and dissect their elements.
COURSE SKELETON:
Week 1: An intro: Nancy, Nora, and the basics of the rom-com for the screen
Week 2: Voice, character, and motion: Analyzing When Harry Met Sally
Week 3: Structure, tension, and the antihero
Week 4: The crucial catharsis; making it sing and moving it forward
AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE MARCH 12 AT 6AM PST
Do you want to dive deeper into how TV makes you feel? There's a craft behind every single emotion you cycle through while watching a truly excellent season of television, and this class will explore how that craft reaches through the screen. THEORY AND CRAFT: CREATING ROMANTIC TELEVISION is geared for those who want to write TV, but also for anyone who wants to write about it, or who even just want to develop a deeper relationship with the media they consume.
This class is brought to you by Alanna Bennett, a screenwriter, culture writer, and author who is no stranger to writing romantic television. She did it for The CW's ROSWELL, NM (alien melodrama romance) and as a writer-producer on Netflix's XO, KITTY (ensemble teen rom-com), as well as for multiple romantic feature scripts and countless pilots and TV pitches.
We will explore how shows like ONE DAY and FLEABAG use romantic elements to get us deep and dirty with complex, endlessly interesting characters. We'll dive into how and when they choose to use levity -- and when they twist the knife so hard they leave us breathless. You will leave this class with a deeper understanding of what makes a love story epic and memorable. We will also discuss how we (as audience & creator) can move the genre forward, incorporating viewpoints, identities, and experience we have even gotten to see on TV yet.
Class will also feature BONUS TALKS FROM VOICES BEHIND SOME OF OUR FAVORITES, as well as craft & industry Q&As with Alanna.
This four-session class will take place SATURDAYS AT 10AM PACIFIC TIME. Class dates will be APRIL 6, 13, 20, and 27. Sessions will be approximately two hours and will be recorded in case you have to miss one.
WEEK ONE: BUILDING CHARACTER
WEEK TWO: SOWING CONFLICT
WEEK THREE: THE CLIMAX
WEEK FOUR: THE CATHARTIC ENDING