Writing for the Camera: From Image to Film Script

How do I describe the image in my head in the format of a film script? Trained in the visual arts, we approach the cinematic medium by taking the first step toward writing for the camera.

This course introduces the basic principles of narrative fiction and its relationship to the screen, from the early screenplay and silent cinema to today’s dominant forms of screen storytelling. We will examine how cinematic narratives are constructed, how images become stories, and how writing for the screen differs from writing for other media.

At the centre of the course are also questions about our own relationship to storytelling: Which stories matter to us, and why? Which films do we like, and what draws us to them? What do we want to investigate through storytelling? How can we look deeply into our own experiences, memories, questions and contradictions in order to develop meaningful material?

The lectures and exercises are divided into three main areas:

We will explore how stories are told and how an initial idea can be developed into a cinematic project. Topics will include:

• developing a core idea;
• writing a logline and synopsis;
• creating a beat sheet or step outline;
• developing a treatment;
• writing scene descriptions and action;
• understanding the beats and dramatic structure of a scene;
• formatting a screenplay;
• developing characters and character arcs;
• writing dialogue;
• formulating the dramatic question;
• understanding the erotetic model of narrative fiction and its role in engaging the audience;
• exploring the relationship between screenplay, image, sound and performance;
• understanding the basic principles of acting for the screen.

Beginning with a core idea, we will follow the process through the synopsis, beat sheet and treatment to the completed film script. Particular attention will be given to the challenge of translating an image, feeling or thought into precise cinematic language.

Through practical exercises, participants will develop their own ideas and projects. We will work with images, memories, observations, personal experiences and questions that may serve as starting points for stories.

The exercises will focus on:

• finding and articulating a personal subject;
• transforming an abstract idea into a concrete cinematic situation;
• developing characters and conflicts;
• writing scenes;
• experimenting with visual storytelling;
• discovering what lies beneath the first version of an idea;
• revising and deepening written material.

We will also practise pitching—the persuasive oral presentation of a film idea. Participants will learn how to communicate the essence, structure, visual world and emotional stakes of their projects clearly and effectively.

We will draw inspiration from the analysis of selected film examples, with particular attention to the relationship between the screenplay and the finished film. We will examine how stories are transformed into images, how scenes function dramatically, and how visual decisions influence the audience’s understanding and emotional engagement.

The connection between cinema, painting and the visual arts will play a significant role in the viewing and discussion of the films. We will consider composition, framing, colour, light, space, movement, rhythm and the relationship between stillness and action.

The course is intended not only to teach the formal tools of screenwriting, but also to encourage a deeper understanding of why we tell stories and where our stories come from. It invites participants to investigate their own perspectives and experiences while learning how to transform an image in the mind into a living cinematic form.

Dates and Location

Time: Tuesdays, 2:00–3:30 p.m.
First session: 10 March 2026
Location: OKP, Department of Painting, 6th floor, Project Room