SCREENWRITING MENTORSHIP CLASS
Professional mentorship in the craft and business of screenwriting
Learn directly from screenwriter Jonathon E. Stewart in live group and 1-on-1 classes
Limited availability for 12-week session from October 9 - January 15
A NOTE ABOUT MENTORSHIP
When I first moved to Los Angeles to get into movies, I didn't know ANYTHING. But in the following years, mentors proved to be EVERYTHING. People who actually worked in the business, knew their craft, how to teach it.
The best mentors I had taught me not just how to write, but how to write PROFESSIONALLY. How to build a movie around a human, relatable emtional core. How to write dialogue that puts everything in the subtext. How to create entertaining movies with cinematic spectacle around themes that are universally relatable. Some of these mentors were at Pixar.What I also learned about from mentors is the BUSINESS. How it actually works from an insider perspective. How writers get work, how they get paid, how they build a career, how they learn to grow and adapt to the changing whims of Hollywood. Counter-intuitive things I'd have never figured out. In a business of no shortcuts, working with these mentors was a shortcut.
I sincerely believe there's a ton of talent out there, largely underdeveloped and/or shaped by influences that aren't necessarily the best in terms of both mastery of craft and direct knowledge of the business, which is different today than it was a year ago, let alone 10 or 20.
I created this formal writing mentorship class in order to help writers break through from where they are today to being actual working writers in this business.
In a tough, disorganized, ever-changing business, I see breakthroughs every day, big and small.It is all possible, and it's my hope that I can help you get there.
JOIN OUR WAITLIST HERE
FORMAT &
SCHEDULE
Class quarter begins Wednesday, October 9 and runs through January 15, 2025.
Each week you will have a choice of attending one or both of two 120-min meeting blocks, in addition to three 15-min individual consultations over the course of the quarter (see below for scheduling info):
Wednesdays 6pm-8pm PDT
AND
Saturdays 9am-11am PDT
All classes and meetings are remote.
Each week we will cover 50/50 craft and business, which will be roughly the same material on Wednesday and Saturday of each week. There will also be 30 mins for targeted Q&A where you can get feedback on your own projects. While the material covered in the first 90 mins of both meetings each week will be similair, the Q&A will differ from session to session and cater to those in attendance. This way, you can pick the class day / time that works best for you OR if your schedule permits, drop in on both classes.
1-on-1 consultations will be scheduled individually throughout the quarter Monday through Friday.
*Please note than class will not meet the week of Thanksgiving, nor between December 23 and January 3. The final two class weeks will resume January 4 and finish on January 15, 2025.
If these times do not work for you or if you live abroad and are still interested, please send us a message below with a few preferred times - we may open up another session if there is interest and times align.
COST
$899 / Paid in full ($100 savings)
$333 / Paid in 3 monthly installments
Space is limited to 25 participants.
*REGISTRATION IS CLOSED*
CLICK TO JOIN OUR 2025 WAITLIST
*If you are economically disadvantaged or experiencing a financial hardship, please let us know via the confidential form below - we are working to support as many aspiring writers as possible regardless of financial access.
CLASS
DETAILS
• 48 hours of instruction over 12 weeks
• 3x 15-minute 1-on-1 meetings (1 per month)
• Proprietary materials (pitch examples, outlines, treatments, screenplays, pitch deck examples, additional teaching materials)
• High-level, hands-on, group coaching on a consistent basis
• Take you from where you are now to using the exact practices, processes, networking and writing methods used by working screenwriters today
• Up-to-the-moment inside perspective on the current landscape of the entertainment industry
• Class format that is results-focused: by the end of the 12 weeks you will have an industry-vetted, undeniable spec sample, and networking and marketing mechanisms up and running
• We will tackle story and structure in ways that you have not considered before, with insights from the likes of story development teams at Pixar, Netflix, Sony, Paramout, Warner Bros, Universal and others
REQUIREMENTS &
PRE-REQUISITES
REQUIREMENTS
• You must be willing to step out of your comfort zone
• You must be coachable and willing to re-approach certain screenwriting fundamentals
• You must be willing to put in the time and energy to make the changes you're looking for
PRE-REQUISITES
• Having a basic understanding of screenwriting and format would be very helpful, but if you are a strong writer and a quick learner, there may be a steep learning curve for you but class material should be accessible
• Having a project or idea even in its most nascent phase would be helpful - you may also bring material you are looking to adapt, or that you've been working on, or have already written that you are looking to take to a professional level - that said, we'll also talk about where marketable ideas come from
• Having a screenwriting software like Final Draft or one of your choosing will be helpful
QUESTIONS / COMMENTS
Leave us a message, we'd love to hear from you
NARRATIVE DRIVE, INC © 2017