BFA Screenwriting

Overview of our BFA in Screenwriting

Our three-year Bachelor's degree is designed for highly motivated students who would like to enter an intensive, hands-on, professional course of study. By completing the Bachelor's degree in three years, students save time and one year of expenses.

The Academy makes this accelerated schedule possible by creating an extended academic year, allowing students to complete three full-length semesters in each calendar year.





The New York Film Academy recognizes the critical role writers play in the creation of every film and television show. Yet writing talent alone is not enough to create successful work in these mediums; screenwriting is a learned craft. A writer must write every day to train for the demands of this field, and to truly understand the elements that make a screenplay or teleplay functional as well as engaging.

In addition to learning the conventions of the writing craft, students are given the support and structure to write and meet deadlines. Students write intensively throughout the course and complete several projects with the assistance of constructive critique from instructors as well as peers. To that end, BFA in Screenwriting students learn how to create great stories, and to tell them with a confidence and clarity.

The core screenwriting courses of the BFA in Screenwriting are supported by a full complement of courses in the liberal arts and sciences. These are designed to broaden the writers' education, feed their inquisitiveness, and give them the critical, analytical, and communication tools needed not just to be great writers, but also more fulfilled human beings.

The BFA in Screenwriting offers a well-rounded collegiate education in the arts and humanities and social and natural sciences, with a comprehensive study of, and practice in, the art and craft of screenwriting and related filmmaking disciplines.

Overall, the screenwriting courses concentrate on developing the tools required to create believable characters and stories in several major fields of screenwriting (film, television, web series, playwriting, and elective choices including comic books and games). The program builds to a final thesis project, either a television series pilot script or a feature film screenplay. This is plotted, written, and rewritten, with guidance and feedback from a thesis committee in a manner designed to reflect the development processes in the entertainment industry.

In the liberal arts and sciences, students complete the majority of the required Foundation Studies in the first two semesters. Courses taught in the area of Foundation Studies focus on communications, analysis, and deductive reasoning. Students practice critical thinking, scholarly research, writing, and reading. These courses build a foundation for more specialized subjects requiring advanced written and oral communication skills in later semesters. The skills mastered will prepare students for the advanced coursework of constructing an authentic voice in their writing projects. Coursework in physical and mental wellness provides focus on the theory and practice of lifelong wellness in a stressful industry.

Subsequent courses in the liberal arts and sciences bolster students' understanding of world history, political science, art history, social and natural sciences, mathematics, English composition, and literature.

WHAT MAKES OUR SCREENWRITING PROGRAMS UNIQUE?

Students in the New York Film Academy’s Screenwriting programs generate a lot of written material, building a portfolio of writings that span several mediums. There is a focus on film and television, but BFA students will also study comics, web series, plays, and games.

Upon completion of the program, students not only understand story structure, character, conflict, and dialogue, but also leave the Academy with finished products that they can pitch, produce, and try to sell.

In the BFA Screenwriting program, students are taught the art of screenwriting through workshop courses that have them learn by writing, as well as in skill-building courses that focus on film history, film genres, and specific skills, like scene construction, adaptation, and character building. Students also study filmmaking, acting, and editing, to get a complete sense of how cinematic stories are told. In addition to stories, treatments, and scripts, students will also create, direct, and edit their own short film and their own web series pilot.

Lastly, NYFA’s degree programs in Screenwriting have business classes that teach students the reality of the industry and how to pitch your stories and story ideas. These classes require students to get an internship in the industry.

The BFA Program culminates in a Pitch Fest where students get to pitch their thesis script to agents, managers, executives, and/or producers for feedback and critique.

SEMESTER ONE OBJECTIVES

During the first semester, students will develop a foundational understanding of cinematic storytelling and the tools required to create a story in Elements of Screenwriting. The students are introduced to film theory and begin generating story ideas in their first week of class. They will learn how to find and generate story ideas, and how to develop those ideas into full narratives for film. By the end of the semester, students will write a short film screenplay. Students will learn habits for college success and will also bolster their screenwriting with a course in English composition.

PORTFOLIO OF WRITINGS FOR SEMESTER ONE
At the end of semester one, students will have produced:

• Short treatments for two possible feature length films.
• A developed treatment for a feature film screenplay.
• A script for a short film (3-5 minutes).

SEMESTER TWO OBJECTIVES

In the second semester, students will build upon what they learned in semester one. Courses continue to develop screenwriting skills through continued writing, taking the treatment they developed in semester one and writing their first feature-length screenplay. Students will study the history, structure, and format of television, and come up with story ideas for spec episodes of existing television series.

In addition, the class Script to Screen will allow students to gain an understanding of how the written word translates to action on screen, as they learn traditional and contemporary acting and filmmaking techniques. Students will rewrite the short script created last semester, and will direct and edit their own short film. Critical Film Studies will introduce a number of historical film movements that provided the framework for many of cinema’s greatest auteurs. Students will continue their Foundation Studies with a course in public speaking.

PORTFOLIO OF WRITINGS AND PRODUCED WORK FOR SEMESTER TWO
At the end of semester two, students will have produced:

• A full-length feature screenplay.
• Story ideas for spec episodes of existing TV series.
• A digital short film.

SEMESTER THREE OBJECTIVES

In semester three, students will advance their knowledge of television by writing their first scripts. They will expand upon the ideas they generated last semester and plot sample episodes of a current one-hour television drama and a current half-hour comedy, and then write one of the two. In Genre Studies, students will examine the conventions and expectations of Hollywood genre storytelling.

In New Media, students will expand their writing skills by exploring the current media landscape, in which content is delivered through ever-evolving avenues and formats such as web series, branded content, and other short-form content options. The world of transmedia will be introduced, with a focus on brand integration across multiple platforms and creating immersive worlds. Students will deepen their understanding and appreciation of the arts and literature. They will round out their Foundation Studies and expand their knowledge base and analytical skills through a critical thinking course as well as mathematics.

PORTFOLIO OF WRITINGS AND PRODUCED WORK FOR SEMESTER THREE
At the end of semester three, students will have produced:

• An outline of a half-hour spec television episode.
• An outline of an hour-long spec television episode.
• A complete draft of a half-hour or hour-long spec television episode.
• A fully produced and edited pilot for a web series.

SEMESTER FOUR OBJECTIVES

In semester four, students will refine their feature film writing skills by drafting a second original screenplay, this time with a more detailed method of plotting their work before writing the script. They will have the option of taking one of two courses on new media formats. In Sequential Art, students will learn and practice the unique storytelling forms of graphic novels, comic books, and manga; or, in Interactive Narrative, students study games as a medium for stories and story worlds, and build a game idea. In The Great Screenplays, students will deepen their knowledge and critical understanding of Academy Award-winning and -nominated screenplays, analyzing the techniques used by the great screenwriters. Adaptation I will introduce students to the unique opportunities -- and challenges -- of writing stories based on pre-existing material. Art, Culture, and Society will help students understand their role as writers and give more depth to their scripts.

PORTFOLIO OF WRITINGS AND PRODUCED WORK FOR SEMESTER FOUR
At the end of semester four, students will have produced:

• A detailed beat breakdown and first draft of a second original screenplay.
• A proposal for an original comic book, graphic novel or manga and a script for the first issue or chapter.
OR:
• A game proposal for a board, video, roleplaying, card, or other game.

SEMESTER FIVE OBJECTIVES

Students will continue their practice of television writing, this time by creating an original television series and writing the pilot episode. In Adaptation II, students will take what they learned about adapting material last semester and put it into practice. They will build a treatment for a feature film based on pre-existing source material. Students will broaden their general education studies into the natural, behavioral, and social sciences, allowing their writing to pull from a deeper base of knowledge, as well as providing a deeper exploration of theatre, art or film.

PORTFOLIO OF WRITINGS FOR SEMESTER FIVE
At the end of semester five, students will have produced:

• A pilot script and a series proposal/bible for an original television series.
• A short proposal for an additional television series.
• A treatment or outline for an adaptation of a non-cinematic source material.

SEMESTER SIX OBJECTIVES

During semester six, students will take their screenwriting skills further with a Rewriting Workshop. Students will take one of their previous feature scripts and build a plan to revise it based on previous and current feedback, and then follow through on a thorough second draft of that script. This revision will allow the students to work more deeply and critically on their scripts. In Thesis and Character Development, students will take a semester to plot the project they will write in their final year as their thesis script. By taking a semester to go over the story, the world, and the characters, students will learn that a great deal of writing can, and should, be done before a single word of script is written. In conjunction with this class, students will start to build their thesis committee by selecting a thesis advisor from the screenwriting faculty. This advisor will meet with the student individually while the student develops the idea in class. In Screenwriting Discipline and Methodology, students learn and apply techniques of goal setting, project management, workflow, and creating and adhering to productive and creative work habits. In The Great Playwrights, students will study writers for the stage and how they are connected to the screenwriters of today. A social science course further rounds out the students’ education.

PORTFOLIO OF WRITINGS FOR SEMESTER SIX
At the end of semester six, students will have produced:

• A revised feature film treatment or series proposal and pilot beat sheet, to be used for a thesis script.
• A revision of a feature script written in a previous semester.

SEMESTER SEVEN OBJECTIVES

In semester seven, students will begin writing their thesis projects, based on the treatment or series proposal they developed in semester six. In this semester, students will write a first draft of their film or a draft and rewrite of their series pilot, and deliver the script to their thesis committee. The committee will be comprised of their thesis instructor and advisor. In addition, each committee may have one faculty member serve as a reader. Before the end of the semester students will meet with their committee to get notes on their first draft. At the end of the semester, students will have built a plan to address these notes, which they will carry into their final semester.

Using the study of trade publications and via a guest speaker series, The Business of Screenwriting introduces students to the practices, conventions, and players in today’s entertainment industry, and the role of the screenwriter in it. Students will develop valuable skills such as script coverage, pitching, and researching industry trends. In addition, the students take part in internships at production companies, studios, television networks, or talent agencies, gaining invaluable industry knowledge and contacts. In Playwriting, students will create an original short play to help add a new dimension to their creative portfolio. A natural science course further rounds out the students’ education.

PORTFOLIO OF WRITINGS FOR SEMESTER SEVEN
At the end of semester seven, students will have produced:

• A first draft of a feature film screenplay or revised draft of a pilot teleplay.
• A revision blueprint for their thesis script.
• An original short play.

SEMESTER EIGHT OBJECTIVES

The eighth and final semester sees the students complete their revised thesis projects. They will receive notes from their committee and build a plan for any future rewrites or polishes. In Scene Study, students work deeper than ever before to perfect individual scenes from their scripts. Whereas the focus up until now was mostly on overall story structure and character arc, Scene Study affords students the chance to gain skills and confidence in making the actual beats of their scenes resonate more than ever. Actors are brought into this class for in-class exercises during which the writers get to see their scenes played out in real time as they make adjustments. Finally, Business of Screenwriting II focuses more and more on the art of the verbal pitch, a crucial selling tool for any screenwriter. Students will also participate in industry internships at production companies, agencies, management companies, or studios.

The program culminates in a pitch event in which invited industry executives come hear the students present their thesis projects in a round-robin night of pitching, an opportunity for the students to further develop their professional skills. Classes in art and theatre deepen the students’ general knowledge and enrich their scripts.

PORTFOLIO OF WRITINGS FOR SEMESTER EIGHT
At the end of semester eight, students will have produced:

• A revised draft of their thesis screenplay or teleplay.
• A revision blueprint for future revisions to their thesis script.
• A five-minute pitch for their thesis project.
• A list of log lines for the portfolio built over their eight semesters.

NYFA PITCH FEST

To celebrate the completion of the BFA Screenwriting Program, the New York Film Academy hosts a pitch event for graduating BFA Screenwriting students in good academic standing, whose pitch and script are deemed industry-ready. Representatives from top Hollywood agencies, management companies, studios, and production companies attend the event to hear NYFA students pitch their thesis projects. The Pitch Fest provides students with valuable pitching experience and feedback outside the classroom walls.

Qualified students have the option of completing coursework at the New York Film Academy campus in New York City in a one-year non-degree program, and then applying their coursework to be accepted for advanced standing in the BFA Screenwriting degree program. Students who complete the AFA Screenwriting Program can continue into the BFA Program by finishing the remaining four semesters of BFA, focusing on the liberal arts and sciences as well as more advanced screenwriting coursework.