Make Your Life into a Movie
Taught by Timothy Cooper
Timothy Michael Cooper is an award-winning writer, director, and improvisor based in Brooklyn.
He wrote and directed the Writers Guild Award-nominated CONCIERGE: THE SERIES, starring Kate McKinnon. His short comedy LEMON, starring Jennifer Westfeldt, Noah Bean, and Jenn Lyon, premiered at Tribeca, played at dozens of festivals throughout the world as well as on United Airlines and Amazon Prime, and is currently being developed as a sitcom.
At Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in NYC, he created and directed the improvised shows SUNNY-SIDE UP and FAREBEATER: IMPROV IN A CAB, starring cast members like Pete Holmes and Thomas Middleditch.
Timothy also wrote the feature AWAY FROM HERE, starring Nick Stahl, Alicia Witt, and Ray Wise, now available on Amazon Prime.
He’s been part of the writers’ room for the Writers Guild Awards for the past six years, writing monologue jokes and sketches for comedians like Lewis Black, Colin Quinn, Larry Wilmore, Amber Ruffin, Michael Ian Black, Roy Wood Jr., and many more.
Through his company, Blueprint Screenwriting Group (blueprintscreenwritinggroup.com), he’s taught hundreds of writers, helping them sell their scripts to major studios; staff on multiple network and cable TV shows; find representation; screen and win at SXSW, Sundance, Tribeca, Cannes, and many more; and get their movies and shows made across the globe.
Timothy is a proud member of the WGAE, the Brooklyn Filmmakers Collective, and the Hollywood Radio & Television Society.
Everyone—seriously, EVERYONE—has a story. Whether your life has been dramatic, funny, strange, disastrous, or all of the above, you can use your story as the inspiration for a blockbuster film. It's all in how you spin it.
But it's not as simple as a direct retelling. Your story must have structure, build to a climax, and demonstrate both loss and triumph.
From 50/50 to Beginners to Tiny Furniture and countless other indelible movies, many new screenwriters find inspiration in their personal lives—both directly and indirectly.
If you have a personal story to tell, film can be one of the most powerful ways to reach others. In this course, you'll learn all the essentials of screenwriting from the heart.
Experienced screenwriter and instructor Timothy Cooper will show you how to:
• Identify your life's highlights and arcs
• Decide when to stick to reality and when to heighten it
• Invent a deeply conflicted protagonist based on you!
• Develop your lead's larger-than-life flaws
• Create the perfect blend of comedy and drama
• Give your script a structure that reflects the truth JUST enough
• Connect with viewers: Build empathetic supporting characters
• Deliver exactly what the audience ISN'T expecting
With this class, I'll teach you all the tricks to capture the most cinematic parts of your life. You'll learn exactly when your script should stick to the truth—and precisely when to fictionalize. No prior screenwriting experience is necessary; just come with some ideas about what you want to say.
YOU are the the best writer to tell your unique story. This one-of-a-kind workshop gives you the essential tools to bring that story to life.
