Screenwriting Diploma

Duration: 12 months, 50 weeks (incl. holidays)
Hours: 15 per week (plus additional hours, incl. evenings and weekends particularly during writing periods and when on set)

Key Features

• Receive in-depth hands-on training in the craft of Screenwriting
• Develop a substantial writing portfolio to present to the film & TV industry – through the intense nature of this course you write a short film script, two feature film scripts, a TV bible and first episode script, as well as a number of feature film pitch outlines depending on your productivity
• All your writing work is guided by film & television industry professionals including specialised masterclasses in specific disciplines, film finance and writing technique
• Workshop your scripts with professional directors and actors
• Learn how to outline, pitch and negotiate the sale of feature film and TV ideas
• Practise pitching your screenwriting ideas and completed work to a panel of film & TV industry professionals 
• Go on set to observe your own writing or that of others in a filmmaking environment 
• Gain an overview of the film finance, including option development and writer agreements, as well as a strong understanding of box office cinema audience demographics and feature film marketing
• Learn to write script reports on the work of your peers, as well as receive script analysis from professional script editors 
• Rehearsed readings. Workshop your scenes professional actors, improvising with them under the eye of professional feature directors
• Excellent tutor-to-student ratios (maximum intake of students is 12) with almost weekly one-to-one feedback with your tutors
• Attend group feedback sessions to benefit each others' work and pracise articulating notes on your own
• Benefit from studying and working in a top professional film academy to increase your contacts and knowledge of the filmmaking process
• All participating students will receive a free copy of Final Draft or equivalent industry writing software
• While on the course you receive complimentary membership of ClubPanico@LFA, the LFA’s exclusive club for emerging filmmakers with access to all their events on independent filmmaking, finding work and productions.

Recent teaching talent and guest speakers include:

• Clive Bradley – Screenwriter (‘A Harlot’s Progress’, ‘City of Vice’, Waking The Dead’)
• Geoff Bussetil – Screenwriter (Skins)
• Lucinda Coxon – Screenwriter and Playwright (The Crimson Petal and The White, Wild Target, The Heart of Me)
• Aschlin Ditta Screenwriter (Scenes of A Sexual Nature, No Angels, French Film)
• Emma Frost - Screenwriter & Script Editor (Shameless, Consuming Passion Nighty Night)
• Justin Hopper – Screenwriter with projects in development at BBC, Working Title. Script Consultant British Film Institute.
• Holly Phillips – Screenwriter (Dead Famous, Dead Gorgeous, Sugar Rush)
• Jeremy Sheldon – Novelist/Screenwriter/Producer (The Smiling Affair, Montana, Best Laid Plans)
• Ben Vanestone – Screenwriter (EastEnders, The Borrowers)
• Ben Cavey – Head of Entertainment Tiger Aspect Productions (Grandma’s House, Bad Education, Walking & Talking ‘Benidorm’)
• Arvind David – Managing Director of Slingshot Entertainment Producer (‘Tormented’, ‘Sugarhouse’, ‘French Film’)
• Lucy Dyke Development Producer, Left Bank Productions (Wallander, School of Comedy‘Married Single Other’)
• Ben Evans – Executive Producer ITV Studios (Fantabulosa, Money)
• Jake Lushington – Producer – Ken Mcreddie Associates/World Productions (The Bletchley Circle, The Devil’s Whore)
• Rebecca Knapp – Producer ('PopCorn Rollin with the Nines')
• Kate McKerrell – Producer and Script Editor ('Lost in Austen', 'Lewis', 'Silk')
• David Roden – Development Producer ('Casualty', 'EastEnders', 'Holby City')
• Deepak Singh – Executive Producer ('The Kings Speech')
• Daryl Shute – Associate Producer Magic Light Pictures ('The Cottage', 'The Gruffalo', 'Chico & Rita', 'Wild Target')
• Faye Ward - Producer, Ruby Films ('Toast', 'Brick Lane', 'The Other Boleyn Girl')
• Katie Haines – Literary Agent – The Agency
• Lily Williams - Literary Agent – Curtis Brown
• Jessica Sykes – Literary Agent – Independent
• Andrew Mills – Literary Agent – Michelle Kass Associates
• Tom Harper – Director ('Cubs', 'Misfits', 'Scouting Handbook for Boys', 'The Borrowers')
• Amanda Boyle – Director (Pop Art, Skins, Misfits, Castoffs, Sirens)
• Sam Donovan - Director ('Hammerhead, Skins', 'Secret Diary of a Callgirl', 'Last Tango in Halifax')
• Richard Kwietniowski (Owning Mahoney, Love and Death on Long Island)
• Jack Arbuthnott – Head of Development - Scott Free, London
• Beth Pattinson – Development Editor BBC Films
• Dan McRae – Head of Development, Studio Canal, London

last updated - 21/05/2012