Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Hi folks. My name is Ezra Carlsen. In WR 243/247, we'll focus on writing and submitting stand-alone short film scripts for class discussion and analysis. We'll study established writers/filmmakers for techniques, structures, and styles, and respond to each other’s writing in a guided workshop format. First, we’ll 'll be creating short film outlines, called Beat Sheets, for review, and then we'll each share a 30-page short script for peer workshop. 

I do my best to be flexible and to work with all of you to make this term useful and, I hope joyful for you.

I want you to think of this class as a place for practice and experimentation, but also for real work, because to many, many writers, that's exactly what it is. My goal for this term is to emphasize the thought and the labor that goes into developing stories, but also the catharsis of doing something playful and creative. 

Students in this class are required to use scriptwriting software to write their scripts. There are several free softwares, and paid versions for those who want more features. We'll discuss all of our options in the early days of class. It's nothing for anyone to stress on beforehand.