Media and film studies

Screenwriting: Principles of Storytelling

Module code: P4161
Level 4
15 credits in autumn semester
Teaching method: Lecture, Workshop
Assessment modes: Coursework

This industry facing module trains you in the art and craft of professional screenwriting.

You’ll:

• work to the expectations of producers, development executives and short-film commissioners
• dissect contemporary plot architecture then apply it to your own material.

Weekly case studies of award-winning shorts unpack how character drives action and how theme emerges through:

• conflict
• subtext
• visual juxtaposition.

Guided by experienced tutors, you’ll shepherd one concept through logline, outline and beat sheet to a polished six to eight minute screenplay ready for casting and pre-production. By the end, you’ll have completed a revised script and gained experience in the vocabulary, workflows and critical knowledge required to collaborate confidently in today’s screen industries.

Module learning outcomes

• Create multidimensional characters whose goals, motivations and arcs drive short-form cinematic narratives.
• Apply established screenwriting structures—including inciting incident, turning points and climax—to organise a coherent 6–8 minute story.
• Produce a professionally formatted short-film screenplay that demonstrates visual storytelling, theme and subtext.
• Analyse script-development challenges, selecting and justifying creative solutions in response to peer and industry-style feedback.
• Establish the foundation for the future application of the principles of storytelling in other forms, media and platforms.