Script Development Diploma

The most comprehensive vocational programme in script development in the UK.

Course Outline

This course aims to give you all the skills and expertise you need to develop highly polished scripts for film and television. During the course, you’ll get access to new screenwriters and regular industry speakers, as well as working on a practical development project with a screenwriter.

Learning is part-time, delivered by fortnightly online evening sessions over 14 months.

What You'll Study

The course combines lectures, seminars and workshops alongside talks and panel discussions with current industry practitioners, as well as supervised practical work with a screenwriter.

There are continuous written assignments throughout the taught section of the programme which are mostly practical and designed to be useful to a career in development, as well as other areas of the film industry.

The programme consists of fortnightly online sessions held on a Monday evening from 18:30pm - 20:30pm, plus 3 intensive weekend workshops running from September to April. The Final Project element of the Diploma is a six-month supervised development project, which begins in April when students are paired with a screenwriter. The delivery of all assessed material for the Final Project is due in October.

All production costs are included in the course fees, including the use of School facilities and equipment. 

Entry Requirements

We are looking for people who:

• Already work in development and feel they may benefit from a structured course in story theory and working practice in order to build their confidence and resources
• Already work in the film industry and are keen to develop or hone their skills when working with scripts and writers, to get the best work from those writers
• Are producers keen to get an edge on finding and nurturing new writing talent
• Have experience in other creative industries and would like to explore script development and believe that they can bring new experience and ideas to the process of developing scripts and cultivating writers
• Have a passion for film, a love of storytelling, can demonstrate initiative, and have an enthusiasm for, and a commitment to, working collaboratively

We are actively seeking to redress imbalances within the Industry by encouraging applications from under-represented groups, and have a limited number of bursaries on offer for UK applicants.