Hi There,
ONE DAY SCREENWRITING COURSE, LONDON, November 14th 2026
https://script-consultant.co.uk/one-day-screenwriting-course/
I’m delighted to announce that I will be running a ONE DAY SCREENWRTING COURSE in central London on Saturday November 14th.
Even more so because my two guest speakers on this course are both 2026 BAFTA-winning screenwriters –
CATHERINE MOULTON, whose show CODE OF SILENCE won the Best TV Drama Series award and
ARCHIE MADDOCKS, who won the Children’s Scripted award for CRONGTON which he writes and also stars in.
(Both are also alumni of the Channel 4 screenwriting course).
This one day course is suitable for both novice screenwriters and more experienced writers looking for a refresher or burst of inspiration.
The course will be immediately followed by networking drinks in a nearby pub, a chance for everyone to share writing experiences and carry on the conversation.
*As part of the course, you will receive a bumper package of handouts, specifically designed and written for this course; and a FREE copy of my book, SCREENWRITING, THE CRAFT AND THE CAREER (published by Nick Hern Books).
More information about the course, the guest speakers and how to book on my website
https://script-consultant.co.uk/one-day-screenwriting-course/
OTHER COURSES / LINKS
ARVON TUTORED RETREAT: SCREENWRITING Totleigh Barton Sept 28th – Oct 3rd 2026
A chance to work on your screenplay supported by myself and writer THARA POPOOLA with fellow writers in a glorious rural setting.
https://www.arvon.org/writing-courses/courses-retreats/tutored-retreat-screenwriting-2/
SUBSTACK
As well as this fortnightly newsletter, I also write an occasional substack – these are more varied in subject-matter. I posted one a couple of days ago – RIP Gary Sobers. I hope these substack posts may also be of interest!
https://philipshelley.substack.com/
RANDOM THOUGHTS ABOUT SCREENWRITING –
PARTY / night club / disco SCENES – so hard to get right, yet so familiar. So few of them are really interesting, dramatic or purposeful. So hard to make them feel different and distinctive.
LOGLINES – What makes a good logline? Clarity, simplicity, inherent drama.
THE USE OF PROPS in telling stories for the screen – some examples – the journey of the piano in Tim Minchin’s excellent UPRIGHT – the emotional connections between the character and his piano.
Objects as symbols. How so many of the objects in our lives are freighted with emotion and meaning. There are lots of over-used and over-obvious examples of this – a gravestone; photos on a mantelpiece. Potentially interesting examples – Cars. Bicycles. Pets (are they props?). The things we own / live with that define us and have meaning for us, that reveal truths otherwise hidden.
Character’s relationship to food and drink / their kitchen (too many mediocre dramas synonymous with large glasses of wine being drink over conversations around the island in designer kitchens). But what and how we eat is such an indicator of character. (Are we defined by the contents of our supermarket basket?!)
Just – CHARACTER – I have read a number of scripts that have completely pulled me into their stories, made me care about a character in such a way that I felt compelled to keep reading because I wanted to know what was going to happen to that character, what they were going to do, whether they were going to win out.
The human drama of politics – such a great arena in which to study the minutiae of character. The stakes are high, their lives are performative, the divide between public and private personas is so marked – this is what characterisation is all about.
Scenes / Exposition ‘I have an idea.’
I was reminded of this by a scene in the film TUNER. A scene ended with a character saying, ‘I have an idea.’ The scene cut out on this line, we didn’t (thankfully) have the character then explaining that idea. In other words, we cut out of the scene on a question, a moment of intrigue, an upward inflection of narrative energy – that hooks us into the next scene and maintains the sense of narrative energy, connection and escalation. Familiar but highly effective screen storytelling!
The matching of form and content (The Pitt, The Invite)
One of the things that I most enjoyed about this series and film were their uses of form – The Pitt having episodes in real time, a whole series over the course of a single day and in very limited, largely interior settings; and The Invite, a film of only 4 characters taking place entirely within a couple of rooms – both shows at the same time making an absolute virtue of the medium of storytelling for the screen.
4SCREENWRITING GUEST SPEAKERS RANDOM / NOTED QUOTES
‘I like nice, kind people.’
‘The writer is the primary creative.’
‘It’s always a fucking slog.’
Listen to what’s behind the note.’
‘Take time to step away from the irritation.’
‘All writing is political.’
‘Trying to find new ways to structure the industry.’
‘Sustaining a career as a writer, strategies for self-preservation, self-protection.’
‘Script editors need to be creative, writers need to be technical.’ Cross-fertilisation of skills.
‘We are all portals for ideas. All the ideas exist, are out there – we just need to be in a state where we are receptive to them.’
‘Don’t tell us things we have already seen.’
‘Make every word count in dialogue and directions. No padding.’
‘What you don’t show is as important as what you do show. The power of significant action happening off-screen.’
‘Storytelling is about choices – what you show and what you don’t show.’
‘Hone your instinct for those key story moments.’
Screenwriters are ‘madman, carpenter, architect and judge.’
SOME RECOMMENDATIONS
BOOKS
This Is Not About Running by Mary Cain
Stage Blood by Michael Blakemore
Enough Said by Alan Bennett
FILMS
The Invite
Tuner
TV
Unforgiveable – Jimmy McGovern
‘McGovern knows the purpose of every single scene – every scene moves the story forward, changes the story in a significant way. Such a rare but essential quality in storytelling for the screen.’
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NB This is my last newsletter until Friday September 11th when I will be returning with news about the 2027 CHANNEL 4 SCREENWRITING COURSE and how to enter.
I am now taking my annual August break from the newsletter. I hope you have / are having a great summer. THANK YOU for subscribing to this newsletter (if you don’t subscribe, you can via the homepage of my website and it’s FREE!).
And thank you also for continuing to read this and for your feedback and encouragement – it is very much appreciated,
Happy Writing,
Phil
PHILIP SHELLEY
Friday July 24th 2026