“Act One is all you need to succeed in Hollywood as a writer. Don’t waste your time in a four-year screenwriting program. You can do it better and faster with Act One.”

 

We hear this a lot from alums about our writing program.

How are we uniquely distinctive?

1

Large Team

We draw from a large (amazing!) team of teachers who are also professional, working writers. They come off the lots, off the set, and out of the writers' rooms to teach you the basics (character, dialogue, formatting, structure) and more advanced topics. They share their industry “secrets” openly and are driven to make you the best writer you can be.
2

Values Driven

Our community of teachers, mentors, and writers are, in large part, professionals who hold Christian values and desire to see those instilled in their creative work, no matter what genre or storytelling arena. They offer a transparent and supportive environment in which to tell redemptive stories grounded in a Biblical worldview.
3

Concentrated Training

Our training is concentrated and extremely thorough. We incorporate a variety of teaching modalities--- lecture, video, writer panels and interviews, small groups, real-world writing exercises, and mentorships with professional working writers. We focus on getting you to mine great ideas, find your voice, develop memorable characters, and so much more.
4

Alumni Community

As an alumnus of Act One, we welcome you as part of a lifelong community of entertainment professionals. Act Oners are a close-knit group that continues to support and encourage each other in our professional creative journeys.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Over the 10-weeks, screenwriting basics (plot, character, dialogue, structure, world building, and more) will be taught via video courses, group Zoom sessions and one-on-one mentoring. The 10-weeks are structured like this:

  • Video-based Lessons
  • Weekly Live Zoom Classes
  • Bi-Weekly One-on-one Mentoring via phone or Zoom
  • Weekly writing assignments
  • Weekly film viewing assignments
  • Reading assignments (Screenplays, The Hollywood Standard, Making a Good Script Great, etc.)

COURSE DATES & TUITION

Course Dates: June 3rd-August 10th, 2023

Early Bird Deadline: March 15th, 2023 ($50 off tuition)
Regular Deadline: May 15th, 2023
Class begins: June 3rd, 2022

Application Fee: $50.00
Course Fee: $1,599.00*

*Deposit of 50% of the tuition cost is required upon acceptance into the program to hold your spot. The remainder of the tuition balance MUST be paid before the first day of class.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

#1: Writing Sample of 5 pages (any narrative content)

#2: 2 Loglines (Original Ideas)

#3: Resume

#4: Statement of Faith: No more than 3 pages detailing the following: (1) Briefly describe your spiritual journey and your belief in Jesus Christ. (2) Why do you, as a Christian, want to write for movies or TV in Hollywood? (3) Cite examples of movies or TV shows that are most like what you aspire to write, and tell us why. (4) What are you hoping to learn at Act One? (5) What are your plans upon completion of the program?

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Hollywood Writing Program Faculty

[Subject To Availability]

Todd Komarnicki

Writer/Producer

Todd Komarnicki is a writer and producer, known for Sully (2016), The Professor and the Madman (2019

Lauren Snowden

Writer/Director

Lauren C. Snowden earned her B.A. from California State University, Northridge in Radio-TV-Film with

Tom Provost

Writer/Producer/Director

Tom Provost wrote the screenplay for Under Suspicion, a thriller starring Academy Award winners Morg

Marilyn Atlas

Literary Manager

Marilyn R. Atlas is a talent and literary manager and award-winning producer. 

Among her credits

Zena Dell Lowe

Writer/Producer/Director

Zena has worked professionally in the entertainment industry for over 20 years as a writer, producer

Ryan Swanson

Writer/Producer

Ryan Swanson is a writer and producer, known for Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005), Drop Dead Gorgeous (19

Jim Krueger

Author/Copywriter

New York Times best-selling author Jim Krueger is a graduate of Marquette University, an award-winni

Clare Sera

Actress/Writer

Clare Sera is an actress and writer, known for Smallfoot (2018), Blended (2014) and The Princess Dia

Dan Rupple

Producer/CEO

Dan Rupple has worked in the media industry for over 40 years.

For over ten years, he was at CBS

Grant Nieporte

Writer

Grant is best known for writing Seven Pounds, starring Will Smith, Rosario Dawson, and Woody Harrels

Craig Detweiler

Writer/Author/Filmmaker

Filmmaker and author Craig Detweiler, Ph.D., is President of The Wedgwood Circle.

He wrote the sc

Nathan Scoggins

Writer/Director

Writer/Director NATHAN SCOGGINS has written, produced and/or directed a number of projects over the

Paul Guyot

Writer

Paul Guyot spent over 10 years working grunt jobs in Hollywood before his first writing gig on the J

Shun Lee Fong

Actor/Writer/Producer

Shun Lee is an actor, writer, filmmaker, and the CEO and creative principal of Genuine Productions,

Tyler Thompson

Writer/Producer

Tyler currently serves as co-writer and executive producer on the TV show The Chosen.

Tyler is al

Scott Teems

Writer/Filmmaker

A Georgia-born filmmaker whose upcoming projects include HALLOWEEN KILLS, which he co-wrote with Dan

Chris Easterly

Screenwriter

Chris Easterly is an American screenwriter and television writer. He has written for the television

Sean Gaffney

Writer/Producer

Sean Gaffney has authored thirty produced plays, two feature films, four commissioned television pil

Monica Macer

Writer/Producer

Monica Macer is a writer and producer. 

She worked as an assistant at Nickelodeon Movies and a c

Jeremy Howe

Writer/Producer

Born and raised in Kalamazoo, Michigan, Jeremy moved to Los Angeles in 2002 for an internship at “