Mechanics of Screenwriting is an intensive two-evening workshop, taught by American screenwriter and Beijing Film Academy instructor, Peter Walters. Whether you're a beginner with an idea for a film, an experienced screenwriter hoping to fill-in the gaps, an indie film director writing out of necessity, or a studio executive looking for story terms and insights, this class is packed with both traditional techniques and innovative approaches designed to activate the mind's internal three-act pattern and jumpstart the writing process. Whether creating or evaluating stories, you'll learn what works, what doesn't, what's missing and what to do about it.

Saturday, October 14th, 9:30AM-12:30PM & 2:00PM-5:00PM.

This 6-hour course with accompanying workbook covers:

Tools of the Trade

• Short pitch (1-2 minutes)
• Long pitch (10-20 minutes)
• Logline (1 sentence)
• Synopsis (1 paragraph)
• One-page (1-2 pages)
• Treatment (4 pages; 20 pages)
• Outline (X pages)
• Script (90-120 pages)
• Software (Final Draft, Celtic, WriterDuet, etc.)

Story

• Elements of narrative (Aristotle's poetics)
• Dialectics (thesis, antithesis, synthesis)
• Beginning, Middle and End (this, but that, therefore)
• Internal/External storytelling (two stories at once)
• Two dramatic traditions (how the story should end)
• Five genre types (where you fit in as a fan and a writer)
• Genres and sub-genres (beyond the two traditions)
• Three-act structure (the organism)
• Acts (the organs)
• Shots, scenes, sequences (building blocks)
• The rhetorical power of narrative (versus other forms)
• Theme and metaphor (making your point as a writer)
• Cathexis/catharsis (vicarious investment/emotion)
• Semiotics and storytelling (why stories appeal to the brain)

Structure

• The Form vs. Formula debate ("time honoured principles")
• The Beginning (flawed ordinary world)
• The Middle (journey, story world)
• The End (new world, enantiodromia)
• Sequence 1 (hook, ordinary world, inciting incident)
• Sequence 2 (logic and debate, turning point, dramatic question)
• Sequence 3 (first steps, culmination)
• Sequence 4 (continued first steps, reversal, dramatic question modified)
• Sequence 5 (new direction, culmination)
• Sequence 6 (continued new direction, crisis, false dramatic answer)
• Sequence 7 (realization, final plan, showdown)
• Sequence 8 (climax, dramatic answer, denouement)
• Genre beats/endings (to flip or not to flip)
• The "hero's journey" (Campbell, Snyder, Vogel)
• Screenwriting books, podcasts, competitions and resources
• The Plot vs. Character debate

Character & Conflict

• Narrative archetypes (beyond protagonist and antagonist)
• SYS (the world of the story)
• SYSC (authority figures)
• PA (protagonist)
• VP (viewpoint)
• NB (normbreaker)
• NC (noise/chaos)
• H (hero)
• SC (safe character)
• ED (equilibrium disruptor)
• Examples (film, literature)
• Secondary and stock character archetypes
• Four-character ensembles (sanguine, choleric, melancholic, phlegmatic)
• Introductions (action, description, contrast)
• Contradictions (creating intrigue and the unexpected)
• Empathy/antipathy (tricks and gimmicks)
• Primary conflict (the central line of antagonism)
• Secondary conflict (complications, obstacles)
• "Dramatic" and "third-party" conflict (specific types of conflict)
• Structure through character and choice (not coincidence or chance)
• Story ideation questions (brainstorming)

Based in Beijing and Los Angeles, Peter is one of the most sought after screenwriters working in the Chinese film industry. He teaches advanced screenwriting at Beijing Film Academy and is the co-director of China Hollywood Society's Beijing chapter.

From Peter's students:

"Peter teaches material found nowhere else. (I googled it.) The semiotic character archetypes are worth thousands of dollars."

"Peter's class demystified screenwriting for me. He broke it down into simple, mechanical pieces which fit together to make a point."

"Peter treats everyone's work as if it were the real business of film. His teaching method is based on practical experience as a professional screenwriter."

"Peter has rich experience in screenwriting and story presentation. He understands what young creators need and will do whatever he can to make you learn."

"I am fortunate to have been one of Peter's students. The workload is challenging, but creative thinking is the result."

"Peter's class got me into screenwriting. We did a lot of pitching and theory that made us better at marketing our work. It also helped me let go of my ideas, and made me willing to rewrite until the quality of the script comes through."

"Peter's preparation and explanations made me understand exactly what I need to do write my ideas in a sellable form."