Writing Short Films | Arts + Literature Laboratory | Madison Contemporary Arts Center

Writing Short Films

A great short film can be a festival darling, a calling card, or the key to opening industry doors. Most importantly it can be a work of art in itself. But how do we tell a complete story in under 30 minutes?  In this 6-week course, we will examine economy, act structure, visual language, how to hook an audience right from the very first shot, and more. Using the work of successful shorts — both past and current — we will write and critique our own work in the service of building a balanced script. At the end of the class, you will have a polished short film screenplay that will be ready to be shot and produced. 

Students should come prepared with a short film idea that they ultimately wish to direct.  

Register


 Tuition Assistance 

Our scholarship policy asks that you identify as meeting one of the two following criteria: 

1."I certify that my household income is below the living wage as outlined here.” 


2."I certify that my household income is above the living wage but additional circumstances make me unable to afford the workshop registration fee." 

To request a scholarship, simply email literature@artlitlab.org and indicate which course you are interested in, which of the above criteria best describes your current situation. Our scholarships can cover up to 50% of the course registration. Classes are subject to cancellation due to low enrollment; in that instance, only tuition paid can be refunded.

Jeff Pfeiffer screenwriter

Jeff Pfeiffer is a playwright, screenwriter, and television writer with over 10 years experience in entertainment and writing. Pfeiffer’s credits include dramatic television, documentary, produced stage, and games. He holds an MFA in playwriting from NYU-Tisch, and is a member of the Writers Guild of America.

PLAN YOUR VISIT

Arts + Literature Laboratory is located at 111 S. Livingston Street #100, Madison, Wisconsin, 53703.

Our galleries are open Tuesday through Friday 10am-5pm and Saturday noon to 5pm, and other programs take place throughout the week. Please check the events calendar and education section for details.

CALENDAR

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