MA Screenwriting
- London, United Kingdom
- Berlin, Germany
MA
DURATION
1 year
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* we accept applications and offer places on a rolling basis throughout the year
Key Summary
The MA Screenwriting programme is designed to enable you to develop the skills and understanding needed to work as a writer in today's screen industries. You will gain advanced insight into the work of a screenwriter – deep understanding of screen storytelling and professional scripts, working across a variety of screen platforms and industry contexts, writing short form and feature length scripts, the writer’s role as initiator and enabler, professional working practices and employment strategies.
Specific topics range from storytelling and formatting scripts to pitching ideas and projects, from working alone, in partnership or in writers’ rooms to selling ideas to producers and editing scripts in collaboration with other creatives.
- Practical: Pitch your script to a panel of industry experts, see your script performed by actors, and receive script development support from leading UK film and television production companies.
- Comprehensive: Learn about writing for different platforms, including film, television, web, radio, games and commercials.
- Industry-facing: Learn from leading industry tutors and guest speakers with extensive professional experience as writers, directors, showrunners, and script developers in the screen industries.
- Real-life Experience: Write for an external client, and receive real-life screenwriting experience to improve your communication, teamworking, and pitching skills.
- Portfolio: Graduate with a portfolio of content, normally including short film script, treatments for genre feature films, a pilot screenplay, online video scripts, industry-standard script reports, synopses, outlines, project pitches, and a final project feature-length script.
The overview below is not a complete list of MA Screenwriting modules. For the complete list, please download the full Course Specification on our website.
Screenwriting Craft and Industry
The key roles and responsibilities of the contemporary screenwriter are explored from industrial, ethical, and craft perspectives. You will develop your communication skills by pitching an idea for a short form project, and you will join students from other disciplines for your first collaborative production exercise using a smartphone to make a statement.
Writing for Film
In this module you will study the craft of feature film screenwriting, analysing key screenwriting principles including concept, character, and structure. You will receive extensive support to outline a feature film narrative and deliver a scripted first act.
Professional Profile
You will develop authentic and detailed career paperwork and supporting materials including a CV and personal profile. As part of the module you will be offered Elective Upskilling sessions – opportunities to develop screen industry skills outside of your chosen discipline or as part of your multi-skilling profile.
Writing Digital Content
Using contemporary examples of online content, the module will offer a greater understanding of the practice of writing for different media and encourage both creativity and independent critical thinking. Additionally, you will work collaboratively with students from other disciplines to produce a video artefact for an external client.
Writing for Television
You will learn the particular skills a television writer needs to equip themselves with and understand how a 'series bible' is developed, and then maintained, through seasons, with both single writers and multiple writers in a Writer's Room.
Practice-based Research
Building on the work of previous and concurrent modules, you will gain a deeper insight into current theories, principles, and discussions relating to issues of diversity, sustainability and ethics within the screen industries.
Final Project and Career Plan
Your project is an opportunity to deliver work that is distinctive, industry-aware, based in research and reflects awareness of a diverse and inclusive world. You will also present your career plan, including evidence of new skills to be assessed by industry employers as you prepare to enter or re-enter the screen industries on graduation.