Screenwriting Online

Screenwriting Online

The Professional Program in Screenwriting is UCLA's only graduate-level non-degree screenwriting program that has oversight by the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television.

Learn from renowned UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television MFA Screenwriting Program faculty and receive:

  • A world-class screenwriting education in three quarters
  • An intimate classroom environment with a maximum of 10 students per workshop
  • Guidance from initial story concept through navigating the industry

Upon successful completion of the program, students receive a certificate from the UCLA School of Theater, Film & Television.

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Deadline Dates

Application deadline: August 19, 2024

Tuition: $6,750

Classes

The Professional Program in Screenwriting Online takes place over three academic quarters. Students view a weekly lecture series, attend a weekly live zoom Q&A series, and attend an online screenwriting workshop each week.

2024-2025 Schedule

The Lecture Series

The Recorded Lecture Series - is taught by UCLA instructors and covers every aspect of the process from initial concept though rewrite.

The Live Q&A -  Students will attend a live Q&A session on Zoom  with one of our lecture series instructors on Monday nights at 7pm Pacific Time to ask any questions they may have after viewing the recorded lecture. Guest speakers from the film industry will visit the Live Q&A to discuss the state of the business and how to approach it as a new writer.

Class and lecture guests have included Meg LeFauve (Captain Marvel, Inside Out, The Good Dinosaur), Billy Ray (Richard Jewel, Terminator: Dark Fate, Overlord, The Hunger Games, Captain Phillips, Gemini Man), Damon Lindeloff (WatchmenTomorrowland, The Leftovers, Lost), Sacha Gervasi (The Terminal, My Dinner with Herve, November Criminals, Anvil), Steven Canals (Writer/Producer/Director Pose), Marissa Matteo (Writer/Producer Bull), Justin Hillian (Writer/EPThe Chi, Snowfall), Felischa Marye (Writer/Producer Bigger, 13 Reasons Why), Craig Borten (The Dallas Buyers Club), Joe Manganiello (Zach Snyder’s Justice League, True Blood), Ed Solomon (Men in Black, Now You See Me, Bill and Ted), Michael Colleary (Face/Off), Nancy Oliver (Lars and the Real Girl, True Blood), Paul Haggis (Crash, Quantum of Solace, Walker), Dan Futterman (Capote), Scott Kosar (The Machinist, The Haunting of Hill House, The Crazies, The Amityville Horror), Tom O’Connor (Writer/EP The Courier, The Hitman’s Bodyguard,The Hitman’s Bodyguard’s Wife), Joan Wai (Director of Nicholl Fellowhips in Screenwriting), Jeanne Mau (Senior VP, Viacom CBS Global Inclusion), Liz Kelly (Disney, Manager of Creative Talent and Inclusion), Barbara Curry (The Boy Next Door, Interrogation), Nicole Riegel (Holler), Keith Sharon (Showtime, Finding Steve McQueen), Maggie Malone (Frozen II, Ralph Breaks the Internet, Moana, Zootopia, Big Hero 6), Kranti Kanade (CRD), and many agents and managers.

The Workshop

The screenwriting workshop meets in an online video conference once per week, and focuses on roundtable readings and an analysis of each student's work.

It is limited to no more than 10 students per class.

Students see and hear each other and their instructor just like they would in an on campus classroom.

In Fall Quarter, students are introduced to the concepts of story and structure. They develop their stories in the weekly workshop and begin writing an original feature-length screenplay.

In Winter Quarter, students complete their first screenplay.

In Spring Quarter, students are assigned to a new workshop instructor and they are guided through the creation and completion of a second original feature-length screenplay.

Date & Time

Mon., Tues., Weds., or Thurs. evening (depending on student schedules) from 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm Pacific Time.

Apply Online

Applications are now available for the 2024-2025 program.

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Contact

102 E. Melnitz Hall, Box 951622
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1622
310.825.6124
professionalprograms@tft.ucla.edu