Screenwriting 101

I took a film class called “Screenwriting 101” at Second City this spring. The instructor was brilliant. They were great at breaking down the elements of film/TV, explaining writing room dynamics, and advising us on the “behind the scenes” business skills needed to make it. But what I was most impressed with was their patience and ability to tailor their message to everyone in the room, which was a small and super diverse microcosm of Chicago. Since I’d moved here, I’d really never met so many different people from these different backgrounds and walks of life– including a newlywed couple, a film school student, a factory worker retiree, a nonbinary artist, and a rough-talking gurney transporter. So that was pretty cool. One exercise we did every week was to collectively compile a huge list of art together based on a certain prompt, which we were then challenged to consume before our next class. I enjoyed it so much (and learned so much!) that I recreated a couple of our icebreakers below.

1. What’s something you wish you had created?
2. What’s something you could have created?
3. What have you created that you’re most proud of?
4. Who and what inspires you?
5. What art has changed your life, and why?
6. What art has most touched your heart, made you feel most known and understood, taught you about yourself, or called you out?
7. What’s an art with a foreign POV (e.g. not white, straight, able or male) that you’d recommend?
8. Share something insightful, clever, or smart.
9. Shame on you! Share what you haven’t seen or listened to, or worse, something that everyone likes that you just don’t get.
10. Finally, share your all-time favorites.

I’m still working on my answers, so stay tuned to see the full article at strtchmrks.com.

XX Liane

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