The Art & Craft of Screen Writing

Tutor: Peter Salisbury, MA in Screenwriting

Screenwriting is a very particular kind of writing informed by the language of cinema, which uses images and sound, time, sequences, dialogue, and music to express thoughts that cannot be expressed any other way.

This 12-week course for beginners encourages students to develop their own personal voice and an understanding of the basic principles of writing for film.

Students will learn specific screenwriting skills, including script layout, visual storytelling, genre, setting, character, dialogue and the construction of scenes and sequences. The course will be delivered through a combination of lectures and practical exercises.

Students will learn to:

• Develop a short screenplay from initial idea to first draft.

• Apply the techniques of narrative, structure, and visual language.

• Build rounded and convincing characters.

• Craft scenes through dialogue and sub-text.

• Reflect on the nature of screenwriting practice.

By the end of the course, students will have written a first draft screenplay for a short film. Books, scripts and films will be recommended each week to read and watch at the students’ own discretion. This course is for anyone with an interest in discovering more about the practice of screenwriting and wishing to develop their writing skills further.

Peter Salisbury is a screenwriter and filmmaker with a lifelong passion for cinematic storytelling. He grew up in England, where his interest in theatre and film began in school drama productions. He studied drama at Edge Hill University and film directing at the Irish Film School with Oscar-nominated film director John Boorman. Peter has over twenty-five years’ experience working as a cinematographer, specialising in documentary and film-style video production for broadcast TV and corporate clients including BBC TV, Channel 4, TG4, UTV Ireland, TV5Monde, Al Jazeera, Google, Nestle, Tourism Ireland, and Dublin City Council. He has made short films for the Irish Museum of Modern Art, Children’s Books Ireland, Clash Gaelic Games, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, the National Library of Ireland, and many more. Peter has a Master of Arts in Screenwriting from Falmouth University, graduating with distinction. His screenplays have been award winners and official selections at film festivals throughout the world, including France, Italy, Spain, Sweden, USA, Australia, India, Japan and Ireland. He is a member of the Writers Guild of Ireland and Irish Film & Television Academy (IFTA).