8 Saturdays beginning January 17th, 2026
9a - 12p Pacific

When I got my first staff job, I had no idea about breaking episodes, beats, beat boards or index cards. I was thrown into the deep end of the pool. Because of this, I teach writers how to break their pilots and write their outlines — the exact same process you will have to adopt when you get into your first writers’ room, so you won’t walk into the room having never worked this way before.

Whether this is your first time out writing a pilot OR starting a new one, this class will focus on structuring the storylines, then building them through beats, and finally weaving your beats in acts, and then going to outline. You’ll be expected to do this when working on a TV show.

Each student will have the opportunity to pitch their beats twice and have their outlines read by the class if ready. This is run similarly to a TV writers’ room — active participation and pitching ideas for other students’ pilots are a vital part of the experience. I make myself available to you in between meeting times to help keep your momentum going.

We will also have weekly TV Nights on Wednesdays where we watch and break ½ hour and 1-hour pilots. This is not mandatory, and the schedule is flexible depending on the class’s general availability.

It is strongly recommended that you have some professional writing experience for this class. Playwrights and screenwriters welcome!

ZOOM ONLY

LIMITED TO 8 WRITERS

Classes are not recorded. No exceptions. No refunds. No makeup classes. Changes may be made up to 14 business days before the first class, barring extenuating circumstances.