Postgraduate MA Screenwriting - Overview

This course is designed to enable the writer to find their own unique voice within the tough demands of the modern film industry.

Inspired by the strength of the ArtsEd film and television department this new course has been developed by ArtsEd’s Head of Film and Television, Michael Bray. Michael is an experienced film maker and screenwriter having written and sold nine screenplays, including one that he directed himself, ‘The Seachange’ starring Ray Winstone, which was subsequently chosen by Robert Redford for the Sundance Festival. Whilst working for various film companies including Gaumont in France, Film Four, Jacket films and Winchester films, Michael has worked on hundreds of scripts.

The course takes a pragmatic approach to help the writer develop a comprehensive understanding of the process from pitch to production: from first draft, through the development process, and into completing an industry standard screenplay. With a complete analysis of complex story structure the writer will gain a solid understanding of genre, dialogue, action, style and character, developing their writing skills and techniques to bring an idea to life in the form of a screenplay. The course will reflect the different demands that film and television make on the writer and enable them to adapt their pitches and ideas accordingly.

Taught throughout by leading professional practitioners, this vocational course will give the writer practical experience of writing outlines, treatments, log lines, pilots as well as a full length original screenplay and give them the ability to pitch their ideas and be confident that their screenplays are marketable.