Advance Screenwriting and Narrative Storytelling Skills
In NYFA’s Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree (BFA) in Screenwriting, students write every day, working across a wide array of media, from Film and Television to Web Series, Podcasts, Games, and Comic Books.
Students will have courses on specific media, but also on specific skills, from plotting, to character, to electives in comedy writing or worldbuilding. Through hands-on projects, students will learn these media and skills by building a large portfolio of scripts that they can use to show the industry who they are as a writer and what they are capable of.
The Faculty of the Screenwriting Department are working writers, who bring years of experience in their field, as well as a broad knowledge base, and the day-to-day experience of seeing what is happening in the industry. Under the guidance of these teachers, students study the entire screenwriting experience from start to finish, and develop skills in plotting, writing, rewriting, pitching, critique, and collaboration.
Students who fully commit to the BFA program are given the tools and training to become disciplined writers, making it a great fit for high school graduates who want to pursue a creative pathway in writing for entertainment across the many media and genres available today. And with the extensive portfolio they will build, and our program capping Pitch Fest, they will leave the school with a first round of industry contacts and a wide array of material that showcases their skill.
Faculty Highlights
Colette Freedman
David O’Leary
Curriculum
The curriculum for the BFA at NYFA’s Screenwriting School includes:
- Collaborative and engaging classes that teach students to write original scripts across multiple media, including Feature Films, Television, Short Films, and (depending on elective choices) Podcasts, Web Series, Comic Books, Games, Unscripted Stories (Reality or Docuseries), and Plays.
- Skill-building courses that develop students’ writing skills across all of their work and all the media covered. These courses include Elements of Screenwriting, Story Generation, Scene Study, Genre Studies, and electives like Comedy Writing, Building and Researching Your World.
- Business courses that teach students about the entertainment industry and a writer’s role in it. These courses prepare students for their careers after school and support internships to help them build skills and make contacts.
- A digital license to Final Draft screenwriting software, as well as access to and instruction in editing software, camera, sound, and lighting equipment.
- Exclusive guest lectures from industry professionals such as screenwriters, directors, producers, actors, and more.
BFA students must complete an industry internship in each of their final two semesters to help them develop their professional skills and build their network.
To learn more, refer to NYFA’s Course Catalog or request more information.
NYFA’s accelerated, three-year, eight-semester BFA in Screenwriting program teaches students to write like a practicing screenwriter while pursuing a hands-on degree in the arts. By completing the Bachelor’s degree in three years, students can enter the field of their choice a year early. NYFA makes this accelerated schedule possible by creating an extended academic year, allowing students to complete three full-length semesters each calendar year.
During the program, students build a portfolio of writing that includes at least two feature length screenplays, a script for an existing television show, at least one original television series pilot and series proposal, an original one act play, a proposal for an original transmedia franchise, plus proposals for a web series, video game, podcast, and comic book, and mini treatments and proposals for additional film and television projects. Students will also write and direct a short film. Depending on elective choices, they will either write and direct the pilot of their web series or the first episode of their podcast. They will also have the elective choices that allow them to dive further into comic books or games, as well as a proposal for an unscripted/reality project.
To celebrate the completion of the BFA Screenwriting program, NYFA hosts a pitch event for graduating BFA writing students in good academic standing whose pitch and script are deemed industry-ready. NYFA’s pitch event is attended by industry professionals. To learn more about the projects that screenwriting students complete, visit our projects page.
In addition to their screenwriting coursework, BFA students further their undergraduate studies in Foundation Studies, Arts and Humanities, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Natural Sciences, as well as History of Art, Theatre & Media. The Liberal Arts and Sciences courses complement the screenwriting courses, creating a balanced course load that emphasizes critical thinking and develops college-level writing skills.
Prospective students can learn more about BFA requirements on NYFA’s Liberal Arts and Sciences overview page.
The BFA in Screenwriting program is available at NYFA’s campus in Los Angeles, known as the West Coast’s primary hub for film, television, media, and entertainment. NYFA Los Angeles is centrally located next to Universal and Warner Brothers Studios.
NYFA Los Angeles
3300 W Riverside Drive
Burbank, CA 91505
3300 W Riverside Drive
Burbank, CA 91505
Please note: Equipment, curriculum, and projects are subject to change and may vary depending on location. Students should consult the most recently published campus catalog for the most up-to-date curriculum.