A Character-Driven Approach to Plot

My annual series of one-week online classes offering a comprehensive take on screenwriting theory begins Monday, September 6th with Core I: Plot.

A screenplay is a unique literary form. It both tells a story and serves as a blueprint to make a movie. As such, understanding screenplay structure is a critical component to the craft. Check out the observations of these screenwriting veterans:

“The reality is that the single most important thing contributed by the screenwriter is the story structure.”

— William Goldman

“The construction is the most important thing. It’s like building a house–you have to build the outside properly before you put the bits and pieces inside afterward. Get your story, get your architecture right, and you can always add your dialogue afterwards.”

— Charles Bennett

“Get the structure wrong and you blow up shortly after take-off.”

— David Mitchell

In the Core content of The Quest, we work with eight screenwriting principles, and the very first one is this:

Plot = Structure

On Monday, September 6, I will be starting a new cycle of Core classes, eight of them in all, beginning with Core I: Plot.

“I can’t think of anyone more qualified in this field than Scott."--Charlie Wachtel, Academy Award, BlacKkKlansman

In this 1-week online course, you will learn:

• Key theoretical concepts from Aristotle, Joseph Campbell and Carl Jung
• The reality of Hollywood and the “Whammo” theory
• The External World and Internal World of a screenplay universe
• Metamorphosis: Screenplay structure grounded in character
• Analysis of movies including Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Silence of the Lambs, Shakespeare in Love, The Verdict, The Sixth Sense, Up, and others

And much more.

“Scott Myers is a canny and thoughtful teacher of the craft of screenwriting.”— Javier Grillo-Marxuach, Writer/Producer, Lost, The Dark Crystal, The Middleman

Core I: Plot consists of four components:

• Lectures: There are six lectures written by me, each posting daily Monday through Saturday.
• Logline Workshop: This optional writing exercise offer you the opportunity to workshop one of your own loglines.
• Teleconference: I will host a 90-minute Zoom video conference call to discuss course material.
• Forums: The online course site has 24/7 message boards where you may engage in conversation about the craft.

For those of you who have not taken an online class, the interface is extremely easy. Plus, online classes can be an amazing experience. Most of the activities you can do on your own time — download and read lectures, review and respond to forum discussions, upload loglines and track comments. In addition, I’ve been teaching online for over a decade and it never ceases to amaze me how much of a community emerges in such an environment.

If you’re new to screenwriting, have intermediate experience, or you’ve read it all, but want to learn character-driven screenwriting, here is your chance to learn the foundation of screenplay structure that goes beyond formula.

“Scott Myers is an uncommonly sensitive and erudite thinker and writer about the craft of modern screenwriting.” — Phil Hay, Crazy/Beautiful, The Invitation, Destroyer

I only teach my Core classes once a year and the 2021 cycle begins next month. Everything you need to know about screenwriting theory in this unique curriculum based on eight principles: Plot, Concept, Character, Style, Dialogue, Scene, Theme, Time.

CORE I: PLOT — A one-week class which begins with the principle Plot = Structure and explores the inner workings of the Screenplay Universe: Plotline and Themeline. Start date: September 6.

CORE II: CONCEPT — A one-week class which begins with the principle Concept = Hook and examines multiple strategies to generate, develop and assess story ideas. Start date: September 20.

CORE III: CHARACTER — A one-week class which begins with the principle Character = Function and delves into archetypes: Protagonist, Nemesis, Attractor, Mentor, and Trickster. Start date: October 4.

CORE IV: STYLE — A one-week class which begins with the principle Style = Voice and surfaces keys to developing a distinctive writer’s personality on the page. Start date: October 18.

CORE V: DIALOGUE — A one-week class which begins with the principle Dialogue = Purpose and probes a variety of ways to write effective, entertaining dialogue. Start date: November 1.

CORE VI: SCENE — A one-week class which begins with the principle Scene = Point and provides six essential questions to ask when crafting and writing any scene. Start date: November 15.

CORE VII: THEME — A one-week class which begins with the principle Theme = Meaning and gives writers a concrete take on theme which can elevate the depth of any story. Start date: November 29.

CORE VIII: TIME — A one-week class which begins with the principle Time = Present and studies Present, Present-Past, Present-Future and time management in writing. Start date: December 13.

“Scott is a brilliant guide for anyone looking to get into screenwriting.” — Lisa Joy, Westworld, Reminiscence

These eight Core classes represent decades of my work on the front lines of the entertainment business as a writer and producer, and engaging the craft as a teacher as well, over time pulling together a coherent, comprehensive, and cohesive approach to screenwriting theory.

This is not about secret systems or magic formulas, rather the Core content presents a story-crafting process that starts with characters, ends with characters, and discovers the story in-between. That process of engaging you with your story universe through your characters and getting you in touch with these living, breathing individuals informs every step of your creative process, leading you to story structure, themes, conflict, subplots, and all the rest. As I say, Character-Driven Screenwriting.

This cycle, I am offering a special sale price. Normally, the Core classes are $95 each. In 2021, each is on sale for $79!

A popular option is the Core Package which gives you exclusive access to the content in all eight Craft classes which you can go through on your own time and at your own pace, plus automatic enrollment in each 1-week online course — all for nearly 50% off the normal price of each individual class. If you sign up now, you can have immediate access to all of the Core content.

“I’m a huge fan of Scott’s classes, and I signed up for his Core Package, which I cannot speak highly enough about. If anyone wants to take a serious look at improving their writing, there is more than enough material to keep you busy for a few… dare I say, lifetimes? He’s the best. No bones about it.”

~ Heather Farlinger

To learn about any of the Core classes, click here.

I look forward to the opportunity to work with you!