SOCAPA offers two and three week summer intensives in Screenwriting for precollege high school teens who are interested in writing for Film & TV. Students have the option to develop two short screenplays (4–8 pages each), one longer screenplay (10–12 pages), or the first act of a feature-length screenplay.
The course is designed as a precursor to our filmmaking workshops, with the idea that students will go on to produce and direct the screenplays they write in this course during a SOCAPA filmmaking session later in the summer or the following year.
The two week intensive provides the time, structure, feedback, and theory to hone writing skills with a focus on story and character development. Students workshop and critique their own and each others’ work, analyze films to discover what works and what doesn’t, and create a group project to experience how scripts evolve in the hands of directors and actors.
In the three week intensive, students can polish multiple short pieces or strongly develop the first act of a longer story idea. They also practice story pitches, learning how to summarize and present their ideas to a group or individual.
Many young writers want to jump straight into a feature-length script because that’s what they see in theaters and on streaming platforms. But in the industry, the short film is still an essential career-building tool—a calling card that showcases your voice and earns attention.
SOCAPA encourages students to set realistic goals by first mastering the short form. All the great novelists and feature directors started with short stories. Our Screenwriting intensive helps students experiment with and refine short films while also supporting those who are set on a feature by developing a full-length story treatment and a strong first act.
Curriculum & Schedule
Mornings focus on writing theory and film analysis; afternoons on writing lab, advisements, and peer workshops.
Morning theory & film analysis
In the mornings, students have their main writing theory class. Through close analysis of award-winning shorts and clips from feature films, they break down the key ingredients of a successful screenplay—three-act structure, visual storytelling, character development, producibility, formatting, genre, and marketing strategies.
Afternoon drafting & workshop
Afternoon writing labs are dedicated to drafting and revising. Students work in supervised lab time and receive one-on-one advisements. Each day ends with a “writers colony workshop” where students pitch ideas, read scripts aloud, critique each other’s work, and solve narrative problems as a group.
Projects
Build a portfolio of short scripts and collaborate on a group film that brings writing to life.
2 & 3 week only
In the three week intensive, students may polish multiple short pieces or develop the first act of a longer story idea. They also create a group project as a learning experience to understand what happens to a script when it is taken into the hands of directors and actors.
Student Films
A few of our highest-rated portfolio picks from the Screenwriting experience.
2026 Summer Intensives
Study screenwriting in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Burlington, Vermont.
Screenwriting
View current Screenwriting offerings by campus, dates, and session length.
Tell us a bit about your student and what you're looking for. Our team can help you choose the right campus, dates, and session length.
Toll Free USA: (800) 718-ARTS
Email: info@socapa.org
