Choosing a Pre-College Screenwriting Class: What to Look For
What to Look For in a Pre-College Screenwriting Course
Adults and teens interested in a screenwriting career may benefit from taking pre-college screenwriting classes. But with so many options available, how can you be sure you chose the right one and are learning as much as possible? What factors do you need to consider when comparing programs, and how do those factors affect the benefits you would be getting from them?
Here’s what you need to know about choosing an appropriate pre-college screenwriting class.
Why attend a pre-college screenwriting class?
Screenwriting classes provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the key elements and technical aspects of screenwriting, ranging from the essential skills of script outlining and constructing compelling pitches, to the technicalities of formatting and industry-standard presentation.
These classes are an excellent opportunity for aspiring screenwriters to gain the necessary knowledge and skills to navigate the competitive world of screenwriting and bring their creative ideas to life on the big screen.
What to look for in a pre-college screenwriting class
All screenwriting classes should be detailed, authoritative, and offer long-term value to their students. Here are some more specific factors to look for in a pre-college screenwriting class.
Reputable instructors
As with any course, the heart of learning comes from two places: the curriculum and the instructors. Both of these have to be high quality for the course to be worth taking.
When it comes to instructors for pre-college screenwriting classes, you’ll want to know that the person heading up the course knows exactly what they're talking about. While having a degree is nice, in the entertainment industry especially, having a verifiable portfolio of high-quality work can be all the more valuable. For these courses, look for instruction from professional screenwriters who have been in the industry for quite some time, and who have worked on critically-acclaimed productions. Though it’s not necessary, instructors who have earned industry-wide recognition in the form of prestigious awards are always a bonus.
Take the time to look into the instructors independently, and to verify the information they provide about themselves from outside sources like IMDB and other databases. Look into the public reception of the projects they’ve worked on and, if possible, watch a few of them to get a feel for this person’s writing style and talent. This can help you know that your instructors are worth listening to and, if you decide to go with that particular course, know what to expect from their teaching style.
Diverse and detailed curriculum
The curriculum of a pre-college screenwriting class should cover a wide range of topics under the general umbrella of screenwriting, both general knowledge and industry-specific information.
Some things screenwriting courses might cover include
The elements of composition in storytelling
Industry-standard script formatting and structure
How to write compelling, interesting, and realistic dialogue
Writing for a visual audience
Self-editing and critical review
Generating and accepting constructive criticism
This is so that students have a good foundation of knowledge to use in practical experience.
Speaking of practical experience, a screenwriting class should have practical aspects to it; there should be writing projects that students can produce and add to their portfolio as a method of making themselves more credible to potential employers and business partners.
Flexibility in scheduling
For teens preparing for college, time might be a highly-valued commodity. They may be balancing the end of high school, sports, hobbies, travel, and work, among other things. As such, having a flexible schedule in your pre-college screenwriting class might be a necessity. For on-campus classes, options for multiple time slots can help accommodate student schedules.
Online courses are especially good for flexibility in that many of them are asynchronous, meaning they allow students to work through the material of the course at their own pace over a set period of time. Even synchronous online classes tend to be flexible; students are able to attend class from anywhere as long as they have the appropriate technology and connectivity.
Post-course certifications
The availability of certifications from a pre-college screenwriting course isn’t necessary but can be a good bonus to consider when choosing your course. Some of these classes offer college credit that can be applied to a degree later on, or certifications that can be added to a resumé and portfolio to once again boost credibility.
Conclusion
When choosing a pre-college screenwriting class, be sure that you are considering all of the factors that are relevant to your or your teen’s life. Are you or they going to be pursuing a screenwriting degree or a degree in an adjacent field? How much practical experience are you or they looking to get from this course? Would you or they thrive in a self-led online environment? There’s no right or wrong answer to these questions; there’s only knowing what you need and what you are looking to get from your education. By keeping in mind the instructors, curriculum, schedule, and future prospects of the course, you can ensure that you’re choosing the right fit for yourself.
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