Date & Time: Saturday, March 15 | 4:00–6:30 PM GMT
Format: Live Online via Zoom
Instructor: Tom Whitbread, University of Exeter student & aspiring screenwriter
Tuition: £45

About the Masterclass

Great nonfiction writing doesn’t just inform—it immerses, transports, and moves its readers. But what if nonfiction writers could harness the same cinematic tools that filmmakers use to grip their audiences? This masterclass explores how the principles of film storytelling—structure, pacing, character, and visual symbolism—can elevate narrative nonfiction writing.

Led by Tom Whitbread, a University of Exeter student, future screenwriter, and Kathryn Aalto’s intern, this session will help participants see nonfiction through a new creative lens. By actively engaging with film techniques, attendees will learn to shape their narratives with the same dynamic energy and emotional depth that define powerful cinema. Through a combination of guided exercises, film excerpts, and screenplay analysis, this masterclass will demonstrate how nonfiction writers can borrow from the world of film to create writing that is vivid, structured, and compelling.

Whether you’re working on memoir, reportage, essays, or long-form nonfiction, this session will offer practical strategies for structuring scenes, crafting engaging characters, and controlling momentum—all while drawing inspiration from the visual and narrative precision of film.

What You’ll Learn

Session 1: Story Structure & Pacing (25 min)

• Screenplay Structure in Nonfiction – Learn how the three-act structure, scene sequencing, and inciting incidents create momentum in storytelling.
• Show, Don’t Tell – Writing as a cinematic experience, using sensory details, implication, and visual cues to enhance storytelling.
• Negative Space & The Power of Omission – How leaving things unsaid can create tension, intrigue, and deeper engagement in nonfiction.
• Controlling Momentum – Understand how film pacing informs the emotional weight of a story and apply these techniques to nonfiction writing.

🔹 Exercise: Break down a nonfiction passage into a screenplay format—mapping out its scenes, beats, and movement to reveal cinematic parallels.

Session 2: Scene Construction & Character (25 min)

• How Screenplays Build Characters Efficiently – Learn how small but powerful details bring characters to life with depth and realism.
• Writing with Purpose – Every scene should propel the story forward. Explore the necessity of tight, purposeful writing—just as filmmakers must condense a story into a limited runtime.
• Using Action & Dialogue Instead of Explanation – Learn to show meaning through movement, interaction, and subtext rather than over-explaining.

🔹 Exercise: Rewrite a flat, expository paragraph into a dynamic scene, incorporating movement, subtext, and better pacing.

Session 3: Borrowing from Film Genres & Editing Techniques (20 min)

• Pastiche & Borrowing from Film Genres – How different film styles (e.g., thriller, noir, romance) can enrich nonfiction writing by influencing tone, pacing, and atmosphere.
• The Economy of Language – Just like in film, where each frame matters, nonfiction writing thrives on precision, rhythm, and sentence cadence.
• Editing Like a Filmmaker – Learn how to cut, reorder, and refine writing for maximum impact and narrative clarity.

🔹 Exercise: Rewrite a passage in the style of a different film genre (e.g., thriller, noir, romance) to experiment with tone, pacing, and stylistic shifts.

Session 4: Finding Resources & Final Takeaways (20 min)

• Where to Find Screenplays & Film Breakdowns – A guide to free script libraries, annotated examples, and the best resources for analysing film structure.
• How to Read & Watch Like a Writer – Learn how to actively engage with film and screenwriting techniques to enhance nonfiction writing.
• Key Takeaways Recap – Reinforce essential lessons on pacing, cinematic storytelling, and screenplay-inspired structuring.
• Final Q&A & Wrap-Up – An opportunity to discuss insights, ask questions, and connect the ideas from the masterclass to participants’ own writing projects.

Who Should Attend?

This masterclass is perfect for:

• Writers of all levels who want to elevate their narrative nonfiction craft.
• Nonfiction authors, journalists, and memoirists looking for new storytelling techniques.
• Screenwriters and filmmakers interested in cross-disciplinary storytelling methods.
• Anyone who loves film and wants to learn how to apply its techniques to writing.

This session will transform the way you watch movies and the way you write—helping you bridge the gap between film and nonfiction to craft stories that captivate, resonate, and leave a lasting impact.

Join us live on Zoom for this dynamic and interactive session.