Scripts in Focus

Scripts in Focus is a 6-week class, which includes a mixture of lectures and exercises. It’s open to writers and (fans) of all levels. Farther down, you can view a syllabus for this course.

To excel at writing screenplays or TV scripts, you must write regularly and read scripts from a writer’s perspective. Painters typically learn their craft by studying the work of masters, and most accomplished scriptwriters do the same. Who better to show you the ropes of great screenwriting and TV writing than the best in the business?

Each week, students focus on an aspect of scriptwriting craft in relation to a specific movie or TV episode. Like works of fine art, these scripts are analyzed from various angles as their secrets are revealed. (The reading consists of a mixture of film and TV scripts, all of which are provided.)

If you seek to elevate your scriptwriting, let those who have been there show the way.

About Scripts in Focus
Scripts in Focus

This is so much more than what you think Scripts in Focus would cover.

Anna Minasyan

sociologist

Upcoming Classes

Masks are not required, but we’ll provide masks for those who want them. We are no longer requesting proof of vaccination.

More Covid details

Price

Registration fee $25, paid once per term

6-Week

Syllabus

This course features the studying of film and TV scripts (with scripts supplied to the class).

Genres

Week1
Genres: Tour of genres. Importance of knowing your genre. Finding the singularity within your genre.
     Script analyzed: a recent script that varies

Week 2
Comedy: The genre defined. The singularity of this script. The genre in action.
Script analyzed: Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt pilot episode by Tina Fey and Robert Carlock

Week 3
Comedy/Drama: The genre defined. The singularity of this script. The genre in action.
Script analyzed: Little Miss Sunshine by Michael Arndt

Week 4
Crime/Drama: The genre defined. The singularity of this script. The genre in action.
Script analyzed: Breaking Bad pilot episode by Vince Gilligan

Week 5
Thriller: The genre defined. The singularity of this script. The genre in action.
Script analyzed: Michael Clayton by Tony Gilroy

Week 6
Science Fiction/Horror/Action-Adventure: The genre defined. The singularity of this script. The genre in action.
Script analyzed: Aliens by James Cameron

Note: Content may vary among individual classes.

Teachers

Jason Greiff
Jason Greiff

Jason Greiff wrote the feature screenplay The Godparents, which was developed with Universal Studios and Marc Platt Productions. He has produced credits in children’s animation in China and Portugal, and has helped develop shows for Disney Asia and China’s largest media company CCTV. His screenplays have won the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award, the Lew Wasserman Award for Best Comedy, and a national competition sponsored by the Writers Guild of America. He authored the chapter on Tone/Theme in Gotham’s book Writing Movies (Bloomsbury USA). He has taught at NYU. He holds a BA from SUNY Purchase and an MFA in Dramatic Writing from NYU/Tisch.

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