Intro to Screenwriting
Program:
Film & Cinema Studies
Semester:
Semester 1
Code:
FIL120
Credits:
4 Credits, 3 Hour(s)
Start Date:
January 18, 2026
Timing:
Sunday 11:30-2:30pm Est
Overview
About this Course
This course introduces students to the essential principles of cinematic storytelling through the craft of screenwriting. Focusing on the foundations of narrative structure, character development, and visual storytelling, students will learn how professional screenplays are built from the ground up.
By the end of the course, students will understand the core elements of screenwriting—including story concept, theme, character goals, conflict, scene construction, and format—and how these elements work together to drive a compelling story. Particular emphasis is placed on mastering story structure, with the course guiding students step by step through the process of developing and writing a complete Act One of an original screenplay.
Students will leave the course having fully written and completed Act One, including a clear story setup, established characters, a defined dramatic world, and a strong inciting incident that propels the story forward. This course provides a solid foundation for continuing into Acts Two and Three and for further study in screenwriting and visual storytelling.
12 Weekly Topics
Course breakdown
Week 1: Introduction to Story
Topics
- What storytelling means in the Islamic tradition
- How narratives convey message and emotion
- Basic screenplay elements: protagonist, goal, conflict, structure
- Differences and overlaps between cinematic and scriptural storytelling
Readings/Viewing
- Screenwriter’s Bible, Chapters 1–2
- Viewing: TBD
In Class
- Break down a movie using a 3-act structure
- Identify major turning points and emotional pivots
Homework
- One-page reflection on film narrative that inspires you
- Bring three short film concepts
Week 2: Finding & Developing the Idea
Topics
- Differentiating concept, premise, and theme
- Address pitch
- Logline
Readings/Viewing
- Screenwriter’s Bible section on developing story ideas
Workshop
- Exercise: pitch all three film ideas
- 3 minutes, 1 minute, 30 seconds
- “X meets Y”
- Identify protagonist, objective, and core conflict for each
Homework
- Select your film idea
- Write a logline and one-paragraph premise
- Study a film/story related to your theme
- identify inciting incident and climax
Week 3: Pitching & Core Story Structure
Topics
- Anatomy of a strong pitch
- The 3-Act structure
- Types of conflict
In Class
- Verbal pitch sessions
- Short film structural breakdowns
Homework
- Write a 1–2 page story summary
- Create a beat sheet with 8–12 major beats
Week 4: World-Building & Scene Construction
Topics
- How to construct vivid environments with efficient language
- Distinguish between novels and screenplays
- Translating worldbuilding into cinematic tools (scene headings, visual details, tone)
Workshop
- Feedback on beat sheets
- Rewrite a film narrative as a 3-scene sequence
Homework
- Complete a character packet: biography, flaw, goal, psychological tension, and arc
- Include visual traits and contradictions
Week 5: Character & Character Development
Topics
- How to present layered, grounded characters
- Antihero
- Cinematic character arcs (want vs. need)
- Using trial and adversity to shape character development
Workshop
- Present character packets
- Character traits
- What if: antagonist vs protagonist
- Group feedback on motivations and arcs
Homework
- Produce a 2–3 page outline with turning points and climax
- Begin drafting 1–2 key scenes
Week 6: Scene Writing
Topics
- Structure of a scene: goal, conflict, stakes, change
- Subtext and indirect communication
- Proper scene formatting
- Action lines
- Visual storytelling and “show, don’t tell”
- Visual storytelling and “show, don’t tell”
Workshop
- Read scenes aloud
- Evaluate pacing, tone, clarity
Homework
- Write three major scenes (setup, midpoint, climax)
Week 7: Dialogue & Visual Storytelling
Topics
- Purposeful dialogue: revealing character, advancing plot, and creating conflict
- Subtext and economy: saying less, avoiding on-the-nose lines
- Character voice and power dynamics in conversation
- “Show, don’t tell”: using action and behavior to communicate story
- Balancing dialogue and visuals to create cinematic scenes
Workshop
- Rewrite a selected scene focusing on subtext
- Exposition dumps
- Relationships
- History
- Create a version of the same scene told without dialogue
Homework
- Expand everything into a full first draft (3–10 pages)
Week 9: First Draft Workshop (Part I)
Topics
- Principles of a strong short film: pacing, escalation, emotional arc
Workshop
- First half of class reads their draft aloud
- Group critique using a structured feedback model
Homework
- Write the opening scene (up to inciting incident)
- When should the inciting incident come in?
- Silent Film vs The 6th Sense vs Superman
- “Tiktokification of film”
- Revise based on feedback
- Strengthen dramatic structure
- Principles of a strong short film: pacing, escalation, emotional arc
Week 10: First Draft Workshop (Part II)
Topics
- Diagnosing common script issues
- Strengthening character agency and scene purpose
Workshop
- First half of class reads their draft aloud
- Group critique using a structured feedback model
- Students present drafts of reading up to inciting incidents
- Table reads
- (if it’s your paper, you’re not reading)
- Listen to how your dialogue is being delivered, make adjustments/notes
- Instructor-guided detailed annotations
Homework
- Write next 5 pages of Act I
Week 11: Rewriting & Thematic Clarity
Topics
- Effective revision practices
- Tightening dialogue and enhancing subtext
- Using motifs and symbolism inspired by Qur’anic rhythm
Workshop
- Peer markup sessions
- Identify emotional and thematic beats needing improvement
Homework
- Produce the polished near-final draft
- Ensure correct industry-standard formatting
Week 12: Final Polishing, Treatments & Loglines
Topics
- Writing a clear film treatment
- Preparing a festival-ready submission package: synopsis, logline, script
Workshop
- Students present loglines and treatments for feedback
Homework
- Final polish of Act 1 of screenplay
- Prepare logline, synopsis, and treatment
Week 13: Final Readings & Course Wrap-Up
Topics
- Professional writing workflow
- Continuing your practice as a screenwriter
Final Workshop
- Table read of final screenplays – Act 1
- Group feedback and final notes
Final Submission
- Polished Act 1
- 1–2 page treatment
- Logline
- Optional short pitch video (1 minute)
Ust. Omar Ashmawey
Instructor | Film & Cinema Studies Program
Omar Ashmawey is a filmmaker, director, and screenwriter committed to reshaping how Muslim and Middle Eastern characters are portrayed in media. He holds a minor in Film Studies from the University of Michigan and an MFA in Filmmaking from the New York Film Academy. His work spans film and television, including his distributed directorial debut Boiling Pot (2015) and Oblivium (2025), with recognition at festivals such as SXSW and the Catalina Film Festival. He currently serves as Director of Media at Yaqeen Institute, focusing on authentic, community-rooted storytelling that challenges Hollywood stereotypes.