Screenwriting Workshop: Writing For The Big (And Small) Screen

Join Michael Sonnenschein, a screen/TV writer with a background in academia, for an introduction on how to write for movies/tv.

I’ve been writing television and movies professionally in Hollywood since 2008, after transitioning from (well, dropping out of) an academic career path. My intellectual interests have informed my writing work and been central to the niche I’ve established within the Hollywood eco-system.

This wasn’t easy. The journey from 2008, when I began my career as a writer on a teen soap, to where I am now was filled with hard work, career miscalculations, missed opportunities, and failed projects. Eventually, I figured out how to successfully  leverage my background and interests in the extremely weird labor market of television and film writing.

As a screenwriter with academic ties, I’m often sought out by friends in academic or research fields with ideas for movies or TV shows they want to write based on their intellectual interests and work. This salon is an introduction to how to do that. I’ll share insights from my own experience, answer questions, and demystify Hollywood’s processes of acquiring material, hiring writers, and producing content.

If you seek more, I periodically host an 8-week Zoom class exploring these topics in greater depth and giving participants an opportunity to workshop and develop ideas. Low cost, high engagement. The next classes, scheduled to suit the North American East Coast and EU timing, are expected to begin in December. More details are available here!