One Day Introduction to Screenwriting
Date: Saturday 14th February, 2026
Venue: Birkbeck College, University of London, Malet Street, London WC1E 7HX
Cost: £135.00
A one-day introduction to, and celebration of, the wonderful art of SCREENWRITING.
This one-day course is designed for entry-level screenwriters. You don’t need to have any screenwriting experience to take this course BUT it is ALSO suitable for more experienced screenwriters. It will be an inspiring and re-energizing refresher, reminding you of everything that is exciting about screenwriting.
This will not be as interactive and participatory as my two-day courses – but there will be an opportunity to ask questions of the speaker at the end of every session.
The day (10.00 am to 5.00 pm) will be followed up by a relaxed, non-pressured networking event in a nearby pub (5.15 – 7.30 pm). Here you can meet and share experiences with each other and ask me any further questions that you have. Above all, it will be a great opportunity to meet and talk to the other writers on the course.
Schedule for the Day
10.00 – INTRODUCTION TO THE COURSE – and a celebration of the best screenwriting.
10.30 – WHAT IS SCREENWRITING? a nuts-and-bolts examination of how to write a screenplay – from outlines, treatments & pitches, formatting and laying out your script.
11.30 – BREAK
11.45 – 1.00 SCREENWRITING PRINCIPLES & TIPS – how story-telling works on screen – with a series of clips to illustrate the principles discussed. The elements of a screenplay – story, character, dialogue, structure, genre/tone, stylistic devices, format, etc.
1.00 – 2.00 LUNCH
2.00 – 3.30 ANALYSIS OF A SCREENPLAY + TV EPISODE
KATE LEYS, eminent and hugely-respected story and script editor for film and TV will undertake a SCRIPT-TO-SCREEN analysis of a favourite TV episode or feature film, using clips.
(NB: We will let you know which show Kate will be analysing/discussing so that you can watch in advance of the course.)
Kate will also answer questions about her own work.
3.30 – BREAK
3.45 – 4.45 LIFE AS A WORKING SCREENWRITER
Screenwriter NATHANIEL PRICE will talk about – his work as a screenwriter including MR LOVERMAN, NOUGHTS AND CROSSES, THE OUTLAWS (all BBC), TIN STAR (Sky); how he broke into the industry and tips on storytelling craft and sustaining a career as a screenwriter – see biog below.
4.45 – 5.00 Q & A SESSION – your chance to ask any screenwriting question – either following up on issues raised during the day or any questions on issues not covered.
BUMPER COURSE HANDOUTS WILL BE EMAILED TO EACH DELEGATE
Once you have paid, we will email to confirm your place on the course.
Meet the Course Instructors...
Philip Shelley
I have run the C4 screenwriting course for the last 14 years and am currently running it again in 2025. I am also running the Greenlight Screenwriting Lab for writers in Ireland for the 3rd year in 2025. My book, SCREENWRITING, THE CRAFT AND THE CAREER was published in January this year. I ran the BBC’s in-house script editing courses for 10 years. I have run several courses for BBC writers (in London, Cardiff and Salford). Among many others, I have run courses for Warner Bros in London, BBC Studios, De Montfort University Leicester and Vice UK, Screenskills.
On top of this I run one of the most successful script consultancies in the UK, working with many different writers and independent production companies (eg Bryncoed Productions, Renegade Pictures, Silver Reel and Conker Films).
I have always hugely enjoyed working with screenwriters and helping them find their place in the industry. For instance, I produced and launched the podcasts series, tributepodcasts.co.uk which has acted as a great showcase for several new, exciting dramatic writers.
Kate Leys
KATE LEYS is a script and story editor.
She has worked for many years on feature films and TV series all over the world. She works on projects at all stages of development and has also worked on documentaries, animation, short films, audio and occasionally theatre. She works often with global indigenous filmmakers, and in one day during lockdown she worked with filmmakers in Vienna, Beirut, Tblisi and Maputo.
Recent films include WHITETAIL (Toronto 2025); TORNADO (Glasgow Film Festival 2025); 100 NIGHTS OF HERO (Venice 2025); DREAMERS (Berlin Film Festival 2025); WORKMATES (NZ Film Festival 2025); MR K (Toronto 2024); SKY PEALS (Venice 2023); THE UNBORN BIRO (Sundance 2023); JE’VIDA (Tribeca 2023); feature doc FADIA’S TREE (London 22); HARKA (Cannes 22); MILLIE LIES LOW (Berlin and SXSW 2022); DO NOT HESITATE (Tribeca 2021); LA FORTALEZA (Rotterdam 2021); DREAM HORSE (Sundance 2020); AMERICAN ANIMALS (Sundance 2018).
She speaks at film organisations, film schools and festivals all over the world.
Nathaniel Price
Nathaniel is a writer for film, television, theatre and radio.
Nathaniel’s eight-part adaptation of Bernardine Evaristo’s novel Mr Loverman for Fable Pictures/BBC, starring Lennie James, aired in 2024 on BBC1. Lennie James and Ariyon Bakare both won BAFTAs for their roles in Mr Loverman.
Nathaniel has a number of original projects and adaptations in development including Lisabeth Posthuma’s Baby & Solo for Tiger Aspect, Nathan Oates’ A Flaw in the Design for Carnival and three parter The Wreck for Gaumont.
In film, Nathaniel has written original screenplay The Last Rhino commissioned by Dancing Ledge Productions/Film4, and is adapting Andrea Levy’s Small Island for the big screen.
Earlier credits include episodes of the acclaimed BBC1 drama Noughts & Crosses (Mammoth Screen/BBC), Tin Star II & III (Kudos/Gaumont/Sky) and The Outlaws S2 and S3 for Big Talk/BBC 1.
Nathaniel’s first full length play First Touch, was produced at Nottingham Playhouse in 2022. His Afternoon Plays Baller and Brother of Mine (both Drama of the Week) were commissioned by R4 and his shorts – monologue Special Delivery for The Break II, and script for Five by Five went out on BBC 3.
Nathaniel was selected for the 2017 BBC New Talent Hotlist, and is a graduate of the BBC Drama Writer’s course, the Channel 4 Screenwriting course, and the NFTS’ MA in Screenwriting (where he was a David Lean Scholar).
Previous Course Instructors...
Anna Ssemuyaba
Anna Ssemuyaba is one of the UK’s most in demand screenwriters, as predicted by Deadline when she was named one of their ‘10 Rising British Scribes to Watch Out For’. After script editing Academy Award winner John Ridleys’ first UK series GUERRILLA and Lucy Kirkwood’s ADULT MATERIAL, she wrote her pilot script ON THE VERGE. ON THE VERGE was selected for a SKY Table Read, featured on The Brit List, and then bought by Netflix. In 2020, Anna wrote I DON’T WANT TO TALK ABOUT THIS, a single film starring Adelayo Adedayo and Joe Cole, for ITV. Since then, she has been busy staffing in many writers’ room and has written episodes of hit shows like Greg Daniels’ UPLOAD (Amazon), HIJACK (Apple), THE BUCCANEERS (Apple), and SMOTHERED (Sky). She is currently writing an episode of HOW TO KILL YOUR FAMILY for Netflix, starring Anya Taylor-Joy. She is also developing original TV and Film projects with the BBC, Channel 4, Film 4, BBC Films and ITV studios.
Jamie Hewitt
Jamie Hewitt, Development Producer, Tiger Aspect Drama. Jamie began his career as assistant to Jonathan Cavendish and Andy Serkis at The Imaginarium before working on Channel 4’s new talent course 4screenwriting precipitated a move into television. He worked as a script editor for BBC Drama, on Doctors, Father Brown and Holby City. From there, he worked on a range of pan-European developments and productions for Studio Canal’s TV division, before working on Left Bank’s rebooted Strike Back for Sky One and Cinemax, and two series of Bad Wolf’s A Discovery of Witches for Sky One and AMC. As Development Producer, Jamie is working across a variety of projects on the slate and seeking out new projects and talent to add to it.
Testimonials
Philip Shelley has a wealth of experience which he delivers with generous clarity – thank you!
If you want to be a screenwriter, then you should seriously consider attending one of Philip’s courses. You won’t be disappointed.
The organisation was of a high standard and we had access to a very useful networking event in the evening. We met many past graduates of Phil’s longer course and industry professionals; again testimony to Phil’s reputation that so many attended and gave their time and spoke with us so generously. Left me hungry for more. Now to sign up for the two-day course – Yes, it was that good and worth every penny or pound…!
My head was buzzing when I left and I hardly slept (which is a good thing) as I was thinking about all the idea’s I have. I would recommend this course to anyone who is looking to gain some direction and help with their scriptwriting. I cannot wait until the next two-day course.
The networking afterwards was very insightful. The writers and producers that were there, gave me some great tips and hints on what to do next with my scripts.
Thank you, Philip, and everyone else who attended to make this course a fantastic day.