Pen It by Hunter Ridgway is an in-depth, outlining-focused survey of fundamental and advanced elements of screenwriting in any/every location or mode that the class is held. The class always covers a very broad spectrum of screenplay design principles and building blocks.
Registered participants for the ONLINE/ZOOM classes (only) must order a Pen It by Hunter Ridgway In-Class Workbook (1st Edition), available for purchase at the online Bookshop at BookBaby.com. So much material is touched on — even in the virtual version of the class — that participants would not be able to effectively follow along without the Workbook in hand. Make sure there is enough time for the paperback Workbook to be shipped to your delivery address for you to have it at your virtual PIBHR class. BookBaby typically offers different delivery options for their Bookshop products, some faster (and more expensive) than others. The best practice is to order a Workbook as soon as you sign up for a class. (In-person class participants will be given a Workbook at their class. So, there is no need for them to advance-order one from BookBaby.)
All participants should also take in the Assumption Document available on this website. (The Assumption Document is an HTML web page that’s MUCH SHORTER than the Class Outline pdf document. The button link to the Assumption Document is located at the bottom left of the Home/Front page.)
Be aware that classes on different days/at different locations may start at different times. Check the website for the start time of your class. Classes typically start on time.
The morning session for the in-person classes is about 2½ hours long, with a short break during that stretch. Teaching, questions, and discussion make up this session. The virtual classes move very fast AND covers less material AND each segment of the virtual class is only about half as long as the corresponding in-person class sessions. The reason for this is that it is hard for everyone to attentively look at a computer screen for lengthy stretches of time. The Workbook, however, covers everything that is in the in-person class and MORE, and it is designed to be a reusable writing aid.
If you are deaf, blind, or unable to turn the pages of a Workbook, please contact (or have someone on your behalf contact) [email protected] before registering for a class.
For the in-person class, there is a lunch period where participants head to nearby sandwich shops or restaurants. The online class gets a (again shorter) virtual break.
The afternoon in-person session is also about 2½ hours long (+ break). More lecturing, questions, and discussion — plus an in-class exercise. Once again, the virtual class moves much faster AND covers less AND the sessions of it are only about half as long as the in-person class. The required, advance-ordered Workbook, however, is able to fill in the rest!
After that, Hunter will take final questions until the in-person class is kicked out of its meeting room OR until everyone departs the virtual class.
If the in-person class is on a weekend day, some out-of-town visitors will plan sightseeing for the other weekend day. Some Pen It by Hunter Ridgway classes are scheduled with this in mind.
ANOTHER NOTICE ABOUT THE PACE AND CONTENT OF THE VIRTUAL CLASS: The virtual PIBHR class moves very fast, and it does not cover everything that the in-person class covers, BUT the required Pen It by Hunter Ridgway In-Class Workbook does cover everything that the in-person class covers and MORE. (In-person class participants will get the same “MORE” in their Workbooks that will be handed out to them at their class.)
