Course summary

Do you have a passion for creative writing and storytelling? Do you want to write screenplays for television and film? Our MA Screenwriting course is for anyone who wants to develop their writing voice and learn the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in this sector. During this course you’ll spend time at both our High Wycombe Campus and at our Pinewood Studios teaching base, putting you right at the heart of not only the hustle and bustle of a working studio, but also one of the UK’s most important creative communities. Why Study this subject? In the last ten years, jobs in the UK’s Creative Industries have grown at three times the UK average. (https://www.thecreativeindustries.co.uk/) Increased industry demand means employers need graduates with practical skills and hands-on experience. Why study at BNU? Our MA Screenwriting is a highly vocational and hands-on course, which will develop your understanding of various aspects of writing for the screen and help you to graduate with a portfolio of writing credits. Not only has this course been designed with industry needs in mind, it is also led and taught by top professionals and lecturers who have years of experience in their field, training future generations and writing and producing award-winning films and TV shows. Our hand-picked team of experienced professionals are eager to pass on their expertise to the next generation of budding screenwriters. With their support and insider knowledge, you’ll graduate with the skills the industry is looking for. You will learn: • How to write an effective treatment and TV Bible • How to pitch ideas to producers • The art of designing narrative structures • How to write engaging characters • The art of writing effective dialogue • How to deal with agents and producers • Techniques to overcome the challenges of rewriting and responding to notes. • How to survive in the industry as a freelance writer What will I study? On this course you will obtain a practical understanding of the skills required to produce and assess industry-standard scripts for films and High End TV (HETV). In a series of carefully designed workshops you will be guided through this difficult and daunting process. The breaks down the intimidating task of writing a script into a number of helpful tasks to make the process more manageable. You will develop advanced research skills to demonstrate a systematic understanding of narrative techniques and their application for the development of your own projects and you will work collaboratively to produce a 55 page pilot for HETV as well as a 90-page feature film screenplay. This course will also deal with the pitching, overcoming the dreaded writers block and the practicalities of being a freelance writer, getting and dealing with agents and will introduce students to valuable networking strategies. Depending on your chosen options, you may focus on writing and pitching a long-form industry-standard series for TV or streaming services. You may wish to create an original feature film screenplay, or to gain professional creative skills in writing and pitching a feature film treatment. You may decide to develop a High End Television pilot, working collaboratively in a simulated writers’ room, and adopting industry-relevant processes to enhance employable team-working skills or to gain in-depth knowledge of the practicalities of operating as a freelancer, from effective networking to securing a contract. You will develop advanced research skills and apply these to a written thesis linked to your practical studies. As this programme is focused on developing projects for the national and international market, your scripts will receive feedback from industry professionals looking at the UK market and will also be reviewed by professional screenwriters with extensive experience in the European and international market. The MA Screenwriting course will run for 12 months.