Begins Thursday, October 26th, 2023

Class will meet weekly on Thursday nights via Zoom, 8:30PM - 10:30PM EST.

Open to All writers!

Any questions about this class? Use the Chat Button (lower left) to talk with us.

Taught by Brysen Boyd, a playwright, TV writer, and essayist originally from Tacoma, WA. He served on the writing staff for HBO’s SUCCESSION (in a position created for him), is a 2023 Artist-in-Residence at Williamstown Theater Festival, the inaugural Playwright-in-Residence at Reverie Theater Company and is a proud member of Youngblood/Ensemble Studio Theater.

Get to know Brysen in our Meet the Teaching Artist series.

In this course we will explore the fundamentals of dialogue, both on the page and on the screen!

When one explores the world of TV/Film, it can be daunting to know where to start. What is Final Draft? How do you write a Logline? Where does the INT./EXT. go in the script? While all those things are important (and I can teach you the meaning of all this!), writers sometimes forget the core of it all—the actual writing.

This course will look at how learning the craft of dialogue from playwriting will influence your screenwork and vice versa. In the first portion of the course, we will read short plays by Branden Jacob Jenkins, Caryl Churchill, Susan Stanton, and watch short films/scenes from television SUCCESSION, ATLANTA, EUPHORIA. Then, we will write our own scenes, both for the stage and the screen. The hope of this course is that all students walk away with ten-minute plays/short film scripts that they are proud of.

COURSE TEXTS:

• A Number - Caryl Churchill
• Today is my Birthday - Susan Stanton
• Gloria - Brandon Jacob Jenkins
• SUCCESSION
• ATLANTA
• SEX AND THE CITY
• EUPHORIA
  

COURSE TAKEAWAYS:

Ultimately this workshop will be focused on three things:

• Learning how to write characters that move and sound like the people in your everyday life.
• Learning the differences between writing a scene for the stage and writing it for the screen.
• And exploring the real-life benefits of writing both kinds of scripts.
  

COURSE OUTLINE:

This is a traditional workshop seminar, so we will explore a new text each week, have a discussion about it, and then spend the second portion of the class workshopping student work.

ONLINE COURSE STRUCTURE:

This class meets weekly via Zoom. Come prepared for a super fun class with live interaction on Zoom each week and plenty of writing, reading, and talking!

• Instructor: Brysen Boyd
  
• Class Starts Thursday, October 26th, 2023
  
• The class will meet weekly on Thursday nights via Zoom, 8:30PM - 10:30PM EST.
• Course is fully ONLINE.

Instructor Brysen Boyd is playwright, TV writer, and essayist originally from Tacoma, WA. He served on the writing staff for HBO’s SUCCESSION (in a position created for him), is a 2023 Artist-in-Residence at Williamstown Theater Festival, the inaugural Playwright-in-Residence at Reverie Theater Company and is a proud member of Youngblood/Ensemble Studio Theater. His plays include FAMILY SIDESHOW (Playwrights’ Center Venturous Prize Nominee, O'neill Conference Semi-finalist, 2022 Juilliard Finalist, Winner of KC-Melting Pot National New Play Competition), CLOSING COSTS on 6101 NYANZA (Blue Ink Award Semi-finalist, Kennedy Center Short Play Semi-finalist) and others. His work has received support from Tin House, The Kennedy Center, Sewanee Writers Conference, Columbia University, Napa Valley Writers Conference, Kansas City Melting Pot, Seattle Playwrights’ Saloon and others. Having come to playwriting and creative nonfiction in undergrad by way of his first love, TV, his goal in life is to write stories that make others feel as excited as 9-year-old him felt when watching David and Keith on SIX FEET UNDER. Writing means everything to him—second only to his miniature wiener dogs, Simon and Alvin. B.A., Boston College MFA., Columbia University