Christmas in July
With Joany Kane, writer of 17 holiday movies
July 9, 16, 23 & 30, 2024
8 to 10 p.m. Eastern (5 to 7 p.m. Pacific)
"If you keep debating whether or not you should sign up for a session with Joany Kane, just stop thinking about it and sign up! She is amazing."
—Sarah Mathews, Summiteer
Holiday movies have become big business, with more of them in demand every year. And that means producers are looking for new material year-round. Whether you’re a seasoned holiday screenwriter, you’re new to the genre, or you simply can’t get enough of holiday movies and want to learn how they’re made, this class is for you.
You’ll be in the expert and encouraging hands of Joany Kane as she leads you through the holiday screenwriting process. Joany is widely credited with starting the holiday movie craze with her script for The Christmas Card, the only Hallmark Christmas movie to earn an Emmy nomination.
From fresh ideas to a memorable meet-cute to that all-important happily-ever-after, Joany will teach you the ins and outs of holiday screenplays and help you polish your script until it shines.
Here’s how the class will unfold.
Night 1: Introduction and Writing Prompts
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Introduction to the class and goals for the four weeks.
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Overview of holiday movie tropes and audience expectations.
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Prompt sharing and brainstorming: each student shares their idea for a holiday movie, and the class provides feedback and suggestions for improvement
Assignment for next week: Choose one prompt to develop further and come up with a basic plot outline.
Night 2: Plotting the Holiday Movie
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Recap of last week's prompt sharing and feedback.
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Techniques for developing a strong plot: conflict, stakes, character arcs, etc.
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Workshop: students share their plot outlines and receive feedback from the class.
Assignment for next week: Develop the main character and supporting cast, and write a more detailed plot outline.
Night 3: Crafting the Meet-Cutes and Special Moments
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Recap of last week's character and plot development
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Introduction to meet-cutes and their role in a holiday movie
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Techniques for crafting memorable special moments and holiday-themed scenes
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Workshop: students share their revised plot outlines and receive feedback on their use of meet-cutes and special moments
Assignment for next week: Write a scene from your movie that showcases the main character's growth and incorporates a holiday theme
Night 4: Creating a Memorable Ending
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Recap of last week's scenes and feedback
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Techniques for crafting a satisfying and memorable ending
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Workshop: students share their scenes and receive feedback on their use of holiday themes and character growth
Final discussion and wrap-up: tips for pitching and selling a holiday movie script, resources for further learning, and final thoughts on the class
By the end of the class, you’ll have a solid understanding of the key elements of a holiday movie, as well as a potentially marketable script in the works.
Faculty
Joany Kane wrote The Christmas Card, which premiered on the Hallmark Channel in 2006 and broke all-time rating records for the channel. The movie received an Emmy nomination and was one of the inspirations for the current Hallmark Christmas craze. Joany has also written a slew of other holiday movies, indeed a whopping seventeen holiday movies, including Moonlight & Mistletoe, A Christmas Kiss, Matchmaker Santa, Christmas Belle, A Christmas Kiss I and II, and Merry Kissmas! She is the founder of Passion Flix, which turns romance novels into movies and series.
$249 for 8 hours of instruction
EVENING CLASS
July 9, 16, 23 & 30, 2024
8 - 10 PM Eastern (5 to 7 PM Pacific)
Please note: Our classes are designed specifically for live participation, so your attendance is important. If you need to miss a class for any reason, you’ll receive a passcode-protected link to watch the recordings after the course is over.
