Formatting and structure are vital to every screenplay because they instantly announce your readiness to be taken seriously as a screenwriter. Whether you’re writing a feature, short, or TV pilot, nailing these crucial elements dramatically increases your chances of getting your script read and sold.

In “Screenplay Formatting & Structure Essentials,” Timothy Cooper will walk you through everything he wishes he’d known when he started: the principles behind why formatting matters, his tried-and-true steps to building your story from logline to outline to script, and exactly what differentiates professional pages from amateur ones.

You’ll learn:

• The 5 vital templates you need to outline every film or TV show 
• Write an unforgettable introduction to your protagonist 
• Top new formatting conventions and changes you need to know 
• 7 first-page red flags to avoid at all costs 
• Surprising pitfalls of using flashbacks, flash-forwards, and V.O. 
• The simple naming trick to make any character stick in our minds 
• Why the emotional journey is all-important—and how formatting can take us there 

After this class, you’ll understand what you can and can’t mess with when it comes to professional script formatting, solid structure for pilots and features, writing clear yet subtextual dialogue, and creating propulsively powerful scenes that'll get you past the gatekeepers.