Screen Writing: The Step Outline Technique
A course by Daniel TubauWriter and Director
A course by Daniel Tubau, Writer and Director
Learn to organize a script by mapping it out sequentially, and create audiovisual projects that captivate your audience
There are many ways to structure the ideas we have in our minds, but there is one technique used by professional screenwriters that can help you stay on track and make all the elements of your script fall into place: the step outline. In this online course, screenwriter and writer Daniel Tubau teaches you how to master this invaluable technique.
Learn to organize your ideas in a sequence, carefully defining each of the narrative steps. Get ready to create your own step outline and turn your ideas into powerful scripts that connect with any audience.
What will you learn in this online course?
14 lessons & 26 downloads
Find a story to tell
5 minutes, 33 seconds
Develop the outline of steps
5 minutes, 35 seconds
Improve outline and overcome creative blocks
12 minutes, 0 seconds
Do the wrong thing
4 minutes, 23 seconds
Narrative tricks and techniques
13 minutes, 50 seconds
Think sequentially
5 minutes, 36 seconds
What's included in this course?
Start the course by getting to know Daniel Tubau, who talks about his career in the audiovisual world and his main references.
Get stuck in by learning what a step outline is and exactly what it's for. Daniel also shares some tricks to help you find a great story to tell.
Once you've defined the plot, it's time to get down to work! Create your own outline, defining each narrative step on the corresponding card, without forgetting one key idea: the viewer is the protagonist of your script. Your teacher then explains how to overcome potential creative blocks.
Next, take a more in-depth look into the narrative steps, discovering different techniques to help you weave a more interesting story. Find out how to think sequentially as well as in audiovisual terms and, finally, turn your step outline into an effective and exciting script.
What is this course's project?
Develop a step outline to help you write a short film script from start to finish.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
Anyone who wants to get started in the world of screenwriting and screenwriters who want to learn a different working method for building stories.
Requirements and materials
You don't need any previous experience to take this course.
As for materials, all you need is a computer installed with a word processor.
Reviews
- flaviaheviaPLUS4 days ago
El curso es dinámico y va directo al punto. Ofrece una estructura clara que ayuda a organizar las ideas y avanzar de manera concreta hacia la escritura de un guion final.
- 13 days ago
Fue un curso muy bueno, me dio luz para entender la técnica
- 4 months ago
Excelente curso. El maestro es claro y preciso. Plenamente recomendado.
- 7 months ago
Muy buena manera de explicar las bases de una escritura de forma concisa y directa. Una pena que haya terminado tan rápido porque es oro puro, se me fue el tiempo volando. 10/10
- 9 months ago
Escribo desde hace décadas. "Colecciono" recursos de escritura. Y este es GENIAL. Lo he recomendado MUCHO a mis alumnos. 100% recomendado. (TIP. las "tarjtas índice" pueden ser muy fácilmente sustituidas por papel bond de colores. Mucho más económico. Y en cierto lugar de comercio online hay unos imanes tipo "postit" que se venden en paquete de 25 (5 colores dif / 5 de cu). Al ser borrables son maravillosos para la generación inicial de ideas.)
He has published more than a dozen books, four of them about screenwriting: Las paradojas del guionista, La musa en el laboratorio, El espectador es el protagonista, and El guion del siglo 21. He is also a professor of screenwriting, directing, literature, and creativity in academies and universities such as SAE Institute in Mexico, Universidad de Lima in Peru, Escuela de Cine de Cuba EICTV, UASD in the Dominican Republic, Escuela de Cine ECAM, Universidad Nebrija, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, and Universidad Carlos III, among others.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- About Me
- Influences
- U2
The step scheme
- What is a step outline?
- Find a story to tell
- Turn the story into a story
- U3
Build the scheme of steps
- Develop the outline of steps
- Improve outline and overcome creative blocks
- Do the wrong thing
- Creating your outline from start to finish
- The viewer is the protagonist of your script
- U4
Finalize the outline of steps
- Narrative tricks and techniques
- Think sequentially
- Think visually
- From the outline of steps to the script
- FP
Final project
- Screen Writing: The Step Outline Technique
What to expect from a Domestika course
Learn at your own pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
Certificates
PLUSIf you're a Plus member, get a custom certificate signed by your teacher for every course. Share it on your portfolio, social media, or wherever you like.
Get front-row seats
Videos of the highest quality, so you don't miss a single detail. With unlimited access, you can watch them as many times as you need to perfect your technique.
Share knowledge and ideas
Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
Connect with a global creative community
The community is home to millions of people from around the world who are curious and passionate about exploring and expressing their creativity.
Watch professionally produced courses
Domestika curates its teacher roster and produces every course in-house to ensure a high-quality online learning experience.
FAQs
You’ll learn how to generate ideas, structure stories using step-by-step outlines, adapt tales and myths, create characters, and apply professional storytelling techniques to write effective scripts for film, TV, and comics.
This is an intermediate-level course, perfect if you have basic narrative or screenwriting knowledge and want to deepen your skills with professional techniques for developing audiovisual scripts.
You only need basic narrative or writing skills. Professional experience isn’t required, but having an interest in storytelling and scriptwriting is recommended.
The course covers techniques like step outlines, synopsis creation, idea generation, adapting myths and news stories, character development, short film structuring, and using narrative templates.
Yes, the course covers writing and structuring scripts for film, television, comics, documentaries, and contests, allowing you to work across various genres and formats.
Yes, it includes exercises such as creating step outlines, narrative sheets, synopses, and transforming ideas into full stories and scripts.
You’ll learn techniques to spark ideas, overcome perfectionism, apply the rule of nine, and use storytelling tools to advance and improve your creative process.