Screenwriting (online) (Taught)

Designed to allow you to study from anywhere in the world, this online, part time MA Screenwriting course develops and nurtures screenwriters and prepares them for the professional film and television industries. This course provides students with a specialised programme that enhances their creative voice and writing style.​

The aim is to advance graduates’ sensibilities in creative collaboration, and advanced skills in scriptwriting. The course prepares individuals to engage confidently with, and challenge, the fast-changing media landscape. Collaborative projects and research will help you meet the film and television industry professional standards and understand the cultural and industrial needs of your chosen sector.

Screen Studies and Genre

This module will allow you to critically evaluate genre writing for film and television through various lectures, seminars and tutorials. You will also focus on how new technologies and a changing media environment affect the creativity and delivery for contemporary film and television industries.

Structure and Narrative

You will understand the industry recognised forms and elements required for developing and writing screenplays for film and television such as various appropriate formatting, multiple act structures and narrative form.

Contextual Studies: World Cinema

You will analyse the non-Western filmed works and how these screenwriters and filmmakers developed their influences.

Treatment and Outline

You will understand the industry recognised forms and elements required for developing and writing screenplays with reference to understanding and developing treatments and outlines as screenwriting structural forms.

Major Project 1

This module will allow you to critically develop your major screenwriting project for film and television through various lectures, seminars, workshops and tutorials.

Major Project 2

This module will allow you to critically develop your major screenwriting project for film and television through various lectures, seminars and tutorials.

The module will develop your ability to continue processing your creative work to completion and also develop the materials needed to take creative work to market.

It will also further foster your critical engagement with and analysis of the development of feature film screenwriting; to provide a solid understanding of the dramatic structures for features; and the means to further enhance your writing and narrative plotting.

Students not from a Majority English Speaking country will need IELTS 6.0 overall (no less than 5.5 in any band) or equivalent. See the Central Film School website for further details.