Writing for Television: The Half Hour

(4 Credits)

This workshop course takes students step-by-step through writing their own script for a half-hour, single camera show. It goes from premise lines for A, B, C stories to the beat sheet, outlines to script pages, to writing a complete draft of a half-hour spec script or an original half-hour pilot. Students who write a pilot will have the added task of conceiving a new show. While the emphasis is on comedy, students can write a drama, reflecting the flexibility in today’s half-hour format. Students will learn essential TV writing tools, half-hour TV writing skills, comedy writing skills, and learn about the TV industry. Everyone will complete a revised beat sheet, an outline and a revised first draft of a half-hour single camera teleplay.