One Day* Conventional Narrative Seminar

Experience level: All screenwriters - experienced, intermediate and beginners

Conventional narrative means 'one protagonist on a single forward-progressing journey' and typically sees the film as consisting of three acts (occasionally four or five). It is the core of the screenwriter's craft and forms the basis of all the nonlinear forms like flashback, multiple stories, multiple protagonists. etc.

Most scriptwriting courses deal only with conventional narrative, and furthermore, teach only one approach to it. As a working writer, Linda Aronson believes that different films benefit from different approaches.

She therefore spends this day providing firstly an overview of a range of practical, 'nuts and bolts' approaches to conventional narrative, and secondly, an in-depth study of her own 'narrative sentence' and 'script development strategies' approaches.

She therefore spends this day providing firstly an overview of a range of practical, 'nuts and bolts' approaches to conventional narrative, and secondly, an in-depth study of her own 'narrative sentence' and 'script development strategies' approaches.

These 'development strategy' techniques have been acclaimed for their usefulness and practicality by professional writers internationally and were singled out for special praise by leading Hollywood guru Christopher Vogler. They simultaneously provide a step by step method of constructing a conventional film along with a diagnostic tool for checking that the structure of the film is sound.

Topics covered during the day include: creativity under stress, from idea to story; relationship line; protagonist, antagonist and mentor antagonist; constructing strong rising suspense; message and scenario; characterisation; character in action; the short film; satire; the journey film; productive and redundant conflict, etc.

NOTE This day forms the basis of the following day's work on parallel or non-linear narrative (flashbacks, multiple stories, multiple time frames, multiple protagonists, etc).

Participants wishing to learn about non-linear forms are strongly recommended to attend the Conventional Narrative seminar because the analytical basis for understanding non-linear structural patterns is explained in the Conventional Narrative seminar.

The Insider, Jaws III, Being John Malkovich, Thelma and Louise, Gods and Monsters, Tootsie, The Piano, Once Were Warriors, Rain Man, Scent of a Woman, Falling in Love, Go, Prelude to a Kiss, Jean de Florette, Guarding Tess, Chocolat, Star Wars, True Lies, The African Queen, Romancing the Stone.

* shorter over-view versions available