Developing Your Short Film

FILM TV X 476.243

Learn the development process for short films with a focus on developing a short film treatment. At the end of the course you will have honed your idea and have a final short script or treatment ready for shooting.

READ MORE ABOUT THIS COURSE
Winter
Spring
Summer
In-Person
Remote
Starting at $785.00
As few as 10 weeks
4.0

What you can learn.

  • Learn basics of story structure and how the specific storytelling elements, such as theme, plot, characters, and dialogue work in synergy toward the goal of an effective short story
  • Explore topics including setting up a theme that serves the story, character development, creating realistic dialogue, and planning the scenes with a limited budget in mind
  • Experience lectures and exercises illustrated with film clips and readings emphasize the role of story, creating original characters and developing plot points for different genres of films
  • Experience lectures and exercises illustrated with film clips and readings emphasize the role of story, creating original characters and developing plot points for different genres of films
  • Submit your work-in-progress throughout the quarter for evaluation and feedback by the instructor and the class

About this course:

Learn the development process as it relates to short films with the focus on developing a short film treatment, first draft and second draft. You gain an understanding of the basics of story structure and how the specific storytelling elements—theme, plot, characters and dialogue—work in synergy toward the goal of an effective short story. Topics include character development, creating realistic dialogue, discovering what you are driven to say through your story’s theme, and planning the scenes with a limited budget in mind. Lectures and exercises illustrated with film clips and readings emphasize the role of story, creating original characters and developing plot points for different genres of films. You submit your work-in-progress throughout the quarter for evaluation and feedback by the instructor and the class. At the end of the course, you have honed your idea and have a final short script or treatment ready for shooting.

Spring 2024 Schedule

Date & Time
Details
Format
 
-
Thursday 7:00PM - 10:00PM PT
Available
See Details
Instructor: Cynthia Riddle
397108
Fee:
$785.00
Remoteformat icon
Location: Remote Classroom
ENROLL BY: Apr 4, 2024
See Details
Notes

Internet access required. Materials required.

Refund Deadline
No refunds after April 17, 2024
Course Requirements
Internet access required to retrieve course materials.
Current version of Final Draft Software
Schedule
Type
Date
Time
Location
Lecture
Thu Apr 4, 2024
7:00PM PT - 10:00PM PT
Remote Classroom
Lecture
Thu Apr 11, 2024
7:00PM PT - 10:00PM PT
Remote Classroom
Lecture
Thu Apr 18, 2024
7:00PM PT - 10:00PM PT
Remote Classroom
Lecture
Thu Apr 25, 2024
7:00PM PT - 10:00PM PT
Remote Classroom
Lecture
Thu May 2, 2024
7:00PM PT - 10:00PM PT
Remote Classroom
Lecture
Thu May 9, 2024
7:00PM PT - 10:00PM PT
Remote Classroom
Lecture
Thu May 16, 2024
7:00PM PT - 10:00PM PT
Remote Classroom
Lecture
Thu May 23, 2024
7:00PM PT - 10:00PM PT
Remote Classroom
Lecture
Thu May 30, 2024
7:00PM PT - 10:00PM PT
Remote Classroom
Lecture
Thu Jun 6, 2024
7:00PM PT - 10:00PM PT
Remote Classroom
Lecture
Thu Jun 13, 2024
7:00PM PT - 10:00PM PT
Remote Classroom
-
Thursday 7:00PM - 10:00PM PT
Available
See Details
Instructor: Josh Yunis
397103
Fee:
$785.00
In-Personformat icon
Location: UCLA Extension Lindbrook Center in Westwood
ENROLL BY: Apr 4, 2024
See Details
Notes

Internet access required. Materials required.

Refund Deadline
No refunds after April 17, 2024
Course Requirements
Internet access required to retrieve course materials.
Current version of Final Draft Software
Schedule
Type
Date
Time
Location
Lecture
Thu Apr 4, 2024
7:00PM PT - 10:00PM PT
UCLA Extension Lindbrook Center in Westwood
Lecture
Thu Apr 11, 2024
7:00PM PT - 10:00PM PT
UCLA Extension Lindbrook Center in Westwood
Lecture
Thu Apr 18, 2024
7:00PM PT - 10:00PM PT
UCLA Extension Lindbrook Center in Westwood
Lecture
Thu Apr 25, 2024
7:00PM PT - 10:00PM PT
UCLA Extension Lindbrook Center in Westwood
Lecture
Thu May 2, 2024
7:00PM PT - 10:00PM PT
UCLA Extension Lindbrook Center in Westwood
Lecture
Thu May 9, 2024
7:00PM PT - 10:00PM PT
UCLA Extension Lindbrook Center in Westwood
Lecture
Thu May 16, 2024
7:00PM PT - 10:00PM PT
UCLA Extension Lindbrook Center in Westwood
Lecture
Thu May 23, 2024
7:00PM PT - 10:00PM PT
UCLA Extension Lindbrook Center in Westwood
Lecture
Thu May 30, 2024
7:00PM PT - 10:00PM PT
UCLA Extension Lindbrook Center in Westwood
Lecture
Thu Jun 6, 2024
7:00PM PT - 10:00PM PT
UCLA Extension Lindbrook Center in Westwood
Lecture
Thu Jun 13, 2024
7:00PM PT - 10:00PM PT
UCLA Extension Lindbrook Center in Westwood
-
Wednesday 7:00PM - 10:00PM PT
Available
See Details
398567
Fee:
$785.00
In-Personformat icon
Location: UCLA Extension Lindbrook Center in Westwood
ENROLL BY: Apr 3, 2024
See Details
Notes

Internet access required. Materials required.

Refund Deadline
No refunds after April 16, 2024
Course Requirements
Internet access required to retrieve course materials.
Current version of Final Draft Software
Schedule
Type
Date
Time
Location
Lecture
Wed Apr 3, 2024
7:00PM PT - 10:00PM PT
UCLA Extension Lindbrook Center in Westwood
Lecture
Wed Apr 10, 2024
7:00PM PT - 10:00PM PT
UCLA Extension Lindbrook Center in Westwood
Lecture
Wed Apr 17, 2024
7:00PM PT - 10:00PM PT
UCLA Extension Lindbrook Center in Westwood
Lecture
Wed Apr 24, 2024
7:00PM PT - 10:00PM PT
UCLA Extension Lindbrook Center in Westwood
Lecture
Wed May 1, 2024
7:00PM PT - 10:00PM PT
UCLA Extension Lindbrook Center in Westwood
Lecture
Wed May 8, 2024
7:00PM PT - 10:00PM PT
UCLA Extension Lindbrook Center in Westwood
Lecture
Wed May 15, 2024
7:00PM PT - 10:00PM PT
UCLA Extension Lindbrook Center in Westwood
Lecture
Wed May 22, 2024
7:00PM PT - 10:00PM PT
UCLA Extension Lindbrook Center in Westwood
Lecture
Wed May 29, 2024
7:00PM PT - 10:00PM PT
UCLA Extension Lindbrook Center in Westwood
Lecture
Wed Jun 5, 2024
7:00PM PT - 10:00PM PT
UCLA Extension Lindbrook Center in Westwood
Lecture
Wed Jun 12, 2024
7:00PM PT - 10:00PM PT
UCLA Extension Lindbrook Center in Westwood

Summer 2024 Schedule

Date & Time
Details
Format
 
-
Thursday 7:00PM - 10:00PM PT
Future Offering (Opens April 29, 2024 12:00:00 AM)
See Details
398385
Fee:
$785.00
Remoteformat icon
Location: Remote Classroom
Notes

Internet access required. Materials required.

Refund Deadline
No refunds after July 24, 2024
Course Requirements
Internet access required to retrieve course materials.
Current version of Final Draft Software
Schedule
Type
Date
Time
Location
Online
Thu Jul 11, 2024
7:00PM PT - 10:00PM PT
Remote Classroom
Online
Thu Jul 18, 2024
7:00PM PT - 10:00PM PT
Remote Classroom
Online
Thu Jul 25, 2024
7:00PM PT - 10:00PM PT
Remote Classroom
Online
Thu Aug 1, 2024
7:00PM PT - 10:00PM PT
Remote Classroom
Online
Thu Aug 8, 2024
7:00PM PT - 10:00PM PT
Remote Classroom
Online
Thu Aug 15, 2024
7:00PM PT - 10:00PM PT
Remote Classroom
Online
Thu Aug 22, 2024
7:00PM PT - 10:00PM PT
Remote Classroom
Online
Thu Aug 29, 2024
7:00PM PT - 10:00PM PT
Remote Classroom
Online
Thu Sep 5, 2024
7:00PM PT - 10:00PM PT
Remote Classroom
Online
Thu Sep 12, 2024
7:00PM PT - 10:00PM PT
Remote Classroom
-
Thursday 7:00PM - 10:00PM PT
Future Offering (Opens April 29, 2024 12:00:00 AM)
See Details
398404
Fee:
$785.00
In-Personformat icon
Location: UCLA Extension Gayley Center in Westwood
Notes

Internet access required. Materials required.

Refund Deadline
No refunds after July 24, 2024
Course Requirements
Internet access required to retrieve course materials.
Current version of Final Draft Software
Schedule
Type
Date
Time
Location
Lecture
Thu Jul 11, 2024
7:00PM PT - 10:00PM PT
UCLA Extension Gayley Center in Westwood
UCLA Extension Gayley Center
Lecture
Thu Jul 18, 2024
7:00PM PT - 10:00PM PT
UCLA Extension Gayley Center in Westwood
UCLA Extension Gayley Center
Lecture
Thu Jul 25, 2024
7:00PM PT - 10:00PM PT
UCLA Extension Gayley Center in Westwood
UCLA Extension Gayley Center
Lecture
Thu Aug 1, 2024
7:00PM PT - 10:00PM PT
UCLA Extension Gayley Center in Westwood
UCLA Extension Gayley Center
Lecture
Thu Aug 8, 2024
7:00PM PT - 10:00PM PT
UCLA Extension Gayley Center in Westwood
UCLA Extension Gayley Center
Lecture
Thu Aug 15, 2024
7:00PM PT - 10:00PM PT
UCLA Extension Gayley Center in Westwood
UCLA Extension Gayley Center
Lecture
Thu Aug 22, 2024
7:00PM PT - 10:00PM PT
UCLA Extension Gayley Center in Westwood
UCLA Extension Gayley Center
Lecture
Thu Aug 29, 2024
7:00PM PT - 10:00PM PT
UCLA Extension Gayley Center in Westwood
UCLA Extension Gayley Center
Lecture
Thu Sep 5, 2024
7:00PM PT - 10:00PM PT
UCLA Extension Gayley Center in Westwood
UCLA Extension Gayley Center
Lecture
Thu Sep 12, 2024
7:00PM PT - 10:00PM PT
UCLA Extension Gayley Center in Westwood
UCLA Extension Gayley Center

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