Instructor: Mick Thyer
Monday - Thursday
June 30 - July 3
10am - 1pm
4 sessions, at Edgewood Farm

Dive deep into the art and craft of screenwriting in this dynamic, four-day intensive designed to equip writers with the tools to craft compelling scripts. Whether you're a beginner or looking to refine your skills, this class explores the fundamental elements that elevate screenplays from good to great, inspired by the work of iconic storytellers from the 1970s to the present day.

What You’ll Learn:

1. Character Creation: Learn how to design multidimensional characters with distinct motivations, flaws, and arcs. Study Lady Bird and Breaking Bad to understand the nuanced choices that make characters unforgettable.

2. Dramatic Tension: Explore the balance of conflict and pacing that keeps readers and audiences hooked. Dissect the tension in The Verdict and Mad Men to see how high stakes and subtle power plays drive stories forward.

3. Cinematic Dialogue: Analyze the sharp, layered conversations in Sideways and Fleabag to learn the art of dialogue that reveals subtext, personality, and dramatic intent.

4. Dynamic Structure: Break down the innovative story architecture of Moonlight and Breaking Bad. Discover how to use non-linear timelines, acts, and sequences to create emotional resonance and thematic depth.

Interactive Exercises: Each day includes guided, in-class writing exercises designed to unleash your creativity. Using stream-of-consciousness techniques, participants will craft scenes, develop character backstories, and experiment with dramatic beats in real time.

Script Analysis: We'll explore the mechanics of celebrated scripts, including:

● Sideways (Alexander Payne)

● Lady Bird (Greta Gerwig)

● The Verdict (David Mamet)

● Moonlight (Barry Jenkins)

Additionally, episodes from Fleabag (Phoebe Waller-Bridge), Mad Men (Matthew Weiner), and Breaking Bad (Vince Gilligan) will be used to examine how cinematic storytelling translates across mediums.

This class is perfect for aspiring and experienced screenwriters seeking new techniques, writers interested in crafting characters and stories that resonate, filmmakers eager to deepen their understanding of screenplay dynamics.

Mick Thyer is a commercial, theater and feature film director / writer who has been fascinating film workshops in Los Angeles and the east coast for over 10 years. Mick has worked for Disney UK, A Band Apart, Funnyordie, Pegalo Pictures, and 418 Films to name just a few. He has worked in Europe, his homeland of Australia, and throughout America in a wide spectrum of theater and film projects. Mick is currently in pre-production to direct and star in SPECIAL, a multi-protagonist dark comedy set in small town Massachusetts. His previous work includes producing and assistant directing the crime caper VALLEY VIEW MOTEL in rural Pennsylvania and acting as the male lead in the horror film CHEAT which premiered at FRIGHTFEST in London in August of 2023. He is currently in post production for two psychological thrillers which he directed in 2023 and 2o24, one set in a seasonal New England beach town and the other in a dive bar in Youngstown, Ohio. In 2023 he assistant directed the docu-drama series AMERICAN SKYJACKER, the true story of Martin McNally, and in 2022 directed two commercial spots for Healthy Young Minds, an online therapy service based in Colorado.. Mick continues to work as a writer and director in the feature film and television industry on both coasts and looks forward to his fourth year teaching at Truro Center for the Arts.