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Fast Drafting for TV and Film: Intensive

Monday – Friday

June 22 – 26

9:00-11:00 AM

Come with a new story idea or a draft that you are ready to finish or revise for film or episodic TV.  Over the course of our daily meetings, if you are working on something new, you will develop your material from concept to beat sheet. If you are revising, you will complete a revised draft. This class will cover an array of topics that pertain to the essentials for delivering a strong script for today’s market, including a deeper understanding of story structure, character development, tone and style and more. You will also learn how to approach your project with an organized plan, committing to  your This class is appropriate for all level writers who are starting a new project and will include optional reading and viewing assignments for those just learning the craft or looking to review the fundamentals.

Monday & Tuesday & Wednesday & Thursday & Friday

9:00 am EDT - 11:00 am EDT
June 22, 2026 - June 26, 2026

Online via Zoom (link sent week of class)

Meet the Instructor

Picture of Alana Sanko

Alana Sanko

Alana Sanko is an award-winning writer and producer who has written and developed for comedy, drama and animated series, as well as TV movie and network and cable pilots across multiple platforms. Her Nickelodeon series, Just for Kicks, which she created, developed and produced with Executive Producer Whoopi Goldberg, won her a WGA Award and the animated MTV series Spy Groove, which she was Head Writer on, received an Annie Nomination by the International Animated Film Society, ASIFA-Hollywood. In addition to working on many writing staffs over the years, Alana has written and produced a number of original pilots, including the ABC comedy, See Jayne Run with Brillstein Entertainment. Additional writing credits include: the Disney Channel Original Movie Get a Clue starring Lindsay Lohan, HBO Family’s animated series, A Little Curious, ABC’s Life’s Work, and the acclaimed CBS television series Murphy Brown, which was named on the WGA’s list of 101 Best TV Series. She has also written for numerous children’s series and was a Consulting Producer for Half Life, the limited series winner of the NYC women’s initiative screenwriting competition #GreenlightHer! Alana recently made her directing debut on the short film, The Happiness Intervention, which is currently in post-production. Follow it on Instagram @TheHappinessIntervention. Alana is the Creative Episodic Lab Director for the Athena Film Festival and a 2026 Artemis Rising Foundation Filmmaker Fellow at Barnard College. She also teaches at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, Purchase College’s School of Film and Media Studies and the Sundance Collab. She is a proud member of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, Broadcast Music, Inc., Société des Auteurs et Compositeurs Dramatiques, New York Women in Film & Television and the Writers Guild of America.

$320.00

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Fast Drafting for TV & Film
$ 320.00

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Frequently Asked Questions

Begin by reading the course descriptions carefully. If you have questions, email us at [email protected] or call the office at (203) 227-3250, and we are happy to help place you in the class that best fits your writing goals and needs.

Our beginner/introductory classes are for writers just starting out or who haven’t written in a very long time and crave more instruction. The intermediate classes are for writers who have taken a few workshops either with us or elsewhere and are ideal for writers who’ve already developed a foundation in the craft. Our advanced classes require the permission of the instructor and a short manuscript submission. Please contact the office if you are interested in registering for advanced classes.

We also offer a number of open level classes. Instructors will cater these classes to varying skill levels and students will benefit from working with writers at different stages of the process.

At Westport Writers’ Workshop, we believe creativity is fostered in small classes. To maintain this intimate creative environment, we cap each workshop at seven participants. Our workshops that focus on the business and marketing side of writing and do not involve sharing work may include up to ten participants. Our one-time lectures and Intro. to Craft series may include up to fifty students.

In most workshops, writers read their work aloud, followed by feedback and extensive discussion among workshop participants and the instructor. The exception to this is specific offerings that focus on the business and marketing side of writing or craft lectures.

You can expect to share work every week.

We are pleased to provide a limited number of need-based partial scholarships for our classes. To apply, please visit our SCHOLARSHIPS page and submit the form.

Yes, all of our instructors are available for coaching and editing. Visit our Coaching and Editing page to learn more about our large menu of services, from query letters to full manuscript critiques and everything in between. Instructors are also available for multi-week, one-on-one Mentoring .

Students who withdraw more than two weeks prior to the start date of the workshop are eligible to receive a refund or a credit applicable toward a future workshop. No refunds will be issued for withdrawals made within two weeks of the workshop start date or after the first session has occurred, regardless of attendance. Failure to attend a workshop does not constitute an official withdrawal. In the event that Westport Writers’ Workshop or an instructor cancels a session, a makeup will be scheduled; if a makeup session cannot be arranged, a pro-rated refund will be issued. Credits issued in lieu of a refund will remain valid for one year from the original date of purchase. Westport Writers’ Workshop reserves the right to remove any participant who fails to comply with the organization’s code of conduct; in such cases, no refund or credit will be provided.

Refunds and Credit Policy

Students who withdraw more than two weeks prior to the start date of the workshop are eligible to receive a refund or a credit applicable toward a future workshop. No refunds will be issued for withdrawals made within two weeks of the workshop start date or after the first session has occurred, regardless of attendance. Failure to attend a workshop does not constitute an official withdrawal. In the event that Westport Writers’ Workshop or an instructor cancels a session, a makeup will be scheduled; if a makeup session cannot be arranged, a pro-rated refund will be issued. Credits issued in lieu of a refund will remain valid for one year from the original date of purchase. Westport Writers’ Workshop reserves the right to remove any participant who fails to comply with the organization’s code of conduct; in such cases, no refund or credit will be provided.

Code of Conduct

Our workshop fosters an environment where writers can achieve their artistic goals without fear of unwanted exposure, uninvited criticism, or plagiarism. Students may not discuss or provide information about another writer's work to anyone outside the workshop without the writer's express permission.​

Students are expected to be respectful at all times toward instructors and fellow participants, including, but not limited to, being attentive and courteous. Instructors and Westport Writers’ Workshop reserve the right to remove any student who is disruptive, including instances of belligerence, unwelcome contact either in person or via email/phone, inebriation, or other behavior deemed inappropriate by staff.

Attendance

There are no refunds if a student cannot attend a regularly scheduled class or make-up class.​ Out of respect for our students’ privacy, weekly workshops are not recorded and are not available for absent students to review.

Age Policy

Our workshops are a forum for students to share a broad range of life experiences and creative concepts which may include mature topics. All students attending our standard programming must be a minimum of 18 years of age. Younger students may join our specialized teen and youth programming.

Schedule/Holidays

Workshop meeting dates are listed on our website under each specific course. Occasionally, dates may change due to extenuating circumstances. In the event of an unforeseen cancellation, a makeup class will be scheduled. If a makeup cannot be offered, the workshop fee will be prorated to reflect the reduced number of sessions. Westport Writers’ Workshop observes holidays and breaks in alignment with the Westport Public School calendar.

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