4-part on demand class with at 100% satisfaction rating!

Learn how to build your successful career as a screenwriter with a literary manager at a top management company!

Get a list of Literary Management Companies!

The truth is there’s a lot more that goes into being a full-time writer than just writing, and every successful writer working today has learned how to balance the craft with the business. And while each writer’s path to success is unique, it almost always involves building your toolkit, finding the right representation, getting noticed, and networking. These elements do not come easy and are not always self-explanatory. If you’re a writer that’s serious about building a career in this field, it’s crucial to learn how writers have achieved their goals in the past and how you can use the tools at your disposal to pave your own path to success.

Ashley Berns is a long-time literary manager who worked at respected management company Circle of Confusion for 15 years before opening his own company, Leigh Hill Management. Over his career Ashley has represented writers and directors including Tony Jaswinski (THE SHALLOWS), Gary Whitta (ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY), two time Academy Award nominee Lucy Walker (WASTE LAND), Nicholl Fellowship winners Alisha Brophy & Scott Miles (INSIDE JOB/Netflix), and BAFTA winner Tinge Krishnan (INDUSTRY/HBO). Ashley also serves as executive producer for the Showtime series WORK IN PROGRESS. 

Over the course of four information-packed on-demand sessions, Ashley will dive deep into the steps you should be taking to build your writing career and the strategies, tips, and advice you can use to find your place in the industry. He will work directly with you in a class setting, focusing on four major aspects of a writer’s career—building your toolkit, finding representation, getting your work and yourself noticed, and networking.

If you are a screenwriter with the hopes of writing full-time but aren't sure where to start, start here!

PLUS! Get an exclusive download:

• List of Literary Management Companies

PRAISE FOR ASHLEY:

Wonderful and insightful class. Great look inside the industry from a manager's perspective, with reference materials too. Blunt and honest but very encouraging.

-Darren T.

"Ashley was fantastic. I liked his realistic and honest view on the job. We learned about the upsides and the downsides. And that is the part of Ashley's class that I’m most thankful for."

-Thomas D.

Session 1: The Writer’s Toolkit-What have you written?

• Features
• TV Pilots – Hour & Half Hour
• Originals/Public Domain/IP/Specs
• Formatting, Page Count, Attachments etc.
• Q&A with Ashley

Session 2: Representation-What is it?

• Managers
• Agents
• Lawyers
• What are their individual job descriptions and how do they work together?
• Which should you target first?
• What should your expectations of them be?
• What will their expectations of you be?
• Q&A with Ashley

Session 3: Getting Noticed-You’ve written a script. Now what?

• Competitions
• Festivals
• Script Hosting Services
• Website Scores
• Consultants
• Coverage
• How best to use all of these to get traction with your script.
• Q&A with Ashley

Session 4: Networking - Engaging with representatives and producers

• The Trades
• Writer Websites
• Social Media
• Festivals
• Tips on Socializing
• Writers’ Groups
• Queries – What to include, what not to include
• Q&A with Ashley

WHAT TO EXPECT

• This class is designed for beginner and intermediate students looking to learn the ins and outs of screenwriting as a career
• This is an in-depth, practical, and detailed class with significantly more content than a standard 90-minute webinar.
• This class will consist of four sessions, each roughly two hours in duration.
• To see the full class syllabus, see below under "What You Will Learn".
• This a previously recorded class but we highly recommend doing any assignments to get the most out of the course. 

All levels of producers (advanced, intermediate and beginner) looking to grasp an understanding of the screenwriting role.

All levels of filmmakers (advanced, intermediate and beginner) looking to grasp an understanding of the screenwriting role.

All levels of screenwriters (advanced, intermediate and beginner) looking to enhance their skills.

Actors looking to learn about the role of a screenwriter.

PRAISE FOR ASHLEY:

Wonderful and insightful class. Great look inside the industry from a manager's perspective, with reference materials too. Blunt and honest but very encouraging.

-Darren T.

"Ashley was fantastic. I liked his realistic and honest view on the job. We learned about the upsides and the downsides. And that is the part of Ashley's class that I’m most thankful for."

-Thomas D.