Sign up now to receive free access to our online courses and lectures.
COMPLETELY FREE
Sharpen your storytelling skills, engage in conversations on culture, and learn how to succeed in the entertainment industry.
LEARN FROM THE EXPERTS
JPCatholic faculty and special guest speakers share industry advice from their extensive experience in animation, screenwriting, directing, and more.
STUDY AT YOUR OWN PACE
Since the course content is not for credit and there are no deadlines, you can continue your education anytime, anywhere.
Learn key principles of storytelling from veterans of Pixar's Braintrust, Warner Bros. Script Department, and Hollywood writers' rooms.
Must-Know Storytelling Principles From Pixar
With Professor Colin Brady
Must-Know Storytelling Principles From Pixar
With Professor Colin Brady
In this lesson, Professor Colin Brady gives you insights on eight key storytelling principles that he learned from his work in story development at Pixar Studios. From creating the idea of your story to pitching your script, Professor Brady brings you all kinds of tips to improve your stories and enable you to more skillfully share them with others. Recommended for those interested in creative writing for short stories, short films, poems, novels, feature films, or television.
Lesson Outline:
Part 1 – Why is Story Important? (2 minutes)
Part 2 – Know Where You’re Headed: Write Your Ending First (6 minutes)
Part 3 – Know Your Genre (3 minutes)
Part 4 – Show, Don’t Tell: Could Your Movie Work with the Sound Turned Off? (7 minutes)
Part 5 – The “Gap”: Where Expectation Meets Result (5 minutes)
Part 6 – The Big Idea: Pitching Your Story (3 minutes)
Part 7 – Pixar’s “Braintrust” Model: Getting Honest Feedback (2 minutes)
Part 8 – Writing is Re-writing (8 minutes)
Part 9 – One Last (Ridiculously Simple, but Difficult) Piece of Advice (2 minutes)
Colin Brady
Adjunct Professor of Animation
Colin is a director, creative producer and animation supervisor who has worked at Pixar, Industrial Light and Magic, Imagi Studios, Rhythm and Hues, and Pixomondo. He has directed animation for Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Ang Lee, John Lasseter and Martin Scorsese. He has directed on such films as Everyone’s Hero, Astro Boy, TMNT, and Toy Story 2, and has supervised scenes for The Hunger Games, Hugo, Green Lantern and Spiderman. Colin is head of story and animation for Light Chaser Studios in Beijing working remotely from his home in Los Angeles.
The Basics of Storytelling: What is Story?
With Professor Chris Riley
The Basics of Storytelling: What is Story?
With Professor Chris Riley
In this lesson, Professor Chris Riley walks you through the basics of story and outlines how to create heroes, goals for your heroes to strive for, and obstacles for your heroes to struggle against. The principle of the Hero-Goal-Obstacle Dynamic that Professor Riley teaches can be applied beyond written storytelling and into marketing and other forms of visual storytelling. Recommended for anyone looking to work on their storytelling skills.
Lesson Outline:
Part 1 – Introducing The Hero-Goal-Obstacle Dynamic (11 minutes)
Part 2 – The Hero: The Heart of Your Story (12 minutes)
Part 3 – Goals and How They Motivate Your Hero (12 minutes)
Part 4 – Obstacles: The Essence of Dramatic Storytelling (16 minutes)
Chris Riley
Professor of Storytelling
A veteran of the Warner Bros. script department, Chris is one of the most authoritative figures on the official screenplay format of Hollywood and is the author of The Hollywood Standard: The Complete and Authoritative Guide to Script Format and Style. With many credits to his name, Chris has written for Paramount Pictures, Junction Entertainment and Touchstone pictures; Sean Connery’s Fountainbridge Films and Intermedia, among others.
TV Storytelling: How to Survive and Thrive in a TV Writer’s Room
With Professor Sheryl Anderson
TV Storytelling: How to Survive and Thrive in a TV Writer’s Room
With Professor Sheryl Anderson
In this lesson, Professor Sheryl Anderson walks you through how writing for TV works and how to become a TV writer. Professor Anderson discusses practical and crucial tips for aspiring TV writers. Recommended for anyone interested in learning more about how writing for TV works. Especially recommended for aspiring TV writers.
Lesson Outline:
Part 1 – Intro and Prepping: How to “Break In” (5 minutes)
Part 2 – Your Portfolio of Scripts (4 minutes)
Part 3 – A Guide of Pitching (15 minutes)
Part 4 – Protocol and Performance: Rules of the Writer’s Room (12 minutes)
Part 5 – [Season 1] In the Life of the Writer’s Room (13 minutes)
Part 6 – Impacting Culture with Your Life: Pouring into Others (2 minutes)
Sheryl Anderson
Adjunct Professor of Screenwriting
An accomplished TV producer, writer, novelist, Sheryl has written and produced for hit TV shows such as Charmed, Flash Gordon, For the People, and Ties that Bind. She began her career as a development executive for Grant Tinker’s GTG Entertainment, writing for half-hour sitcoms Parker Lewis Can’t Lose and Dave’s World. She is currently working as show runner for the upcoming Netflix show, Sweet Magnolias.
Bringing Personal Themes into Your Storytelling
With Professor Nathan Scoggins
Bringing Personal Themes into Your Storytelling
With Professor Nathan Scoggins
In this lesson, Professor Nathan Scoggins discusses the idea of theme within stories, how you can leverage your personal themes in your stories, and how to generate compelling themes by asking questions. Professor Scoggins stresses the idea of how every artist is a storyteller and encourages you to find themes that are important to you. This lesson will inspire you to tell deep and compelling stories.
Lesson Outline:
Part 1 – We’re All Telling Stories (8 minutes)
Part 2 – What is Theme? (11 minutes)
Part 3 – How to Craft Thematic Statements that Connect (8 minutes)
Part 4 – How to Find Your Personal Themes (15 minutes)
Part 5 – Pressing in to the Meaningful Emotions of Your Life (5 minutes)
Part 6 – Made for the Chase (8 minutes)
Nathan Scoggins
Professor of Film
An award-winning filmmaker, Nathan Scoggins’ list of credits include The Least of These, released in 2011 by Universal, starring Isaiah Washington, and screen legend Robert Loggia, as well as the TV movie The Perfect Summer, starring Eric Roberts. He is a two-time winner of the Doritos Crash the Super Bowl contest and has had two of his award-winning short films released by Lionsgate on DVD.
Adaptation: Bringing Novels and True Stories to Life on Screen
With Professor Chris Riley
Adaptation: Bringing Novels and True Stories to Life on Screen
With Professor Chris Riley
What makes a good adaptation? In this lesson, Professor Chris Riley guides you through the basic principles of adapting source material (such as novels and true stories) for film and television. The lesson features an exercise examining Stephen Spielberg’s film “Lincoln”, taking a look at the decisions that were made in adapting the life of Abraham Lincoln into a feature film. Recommended for anyone with a curiosity for how novels and real life stories are distilled and written into movies. Especially recommended for writers interested in making movies from short stories, novels, or real life stories.
Lesson Outline:
Part 1 – The Impact of Adaptation (11 minutes)
Part 2 – What Makes a Good Adaptation? (17 minutes)
Part 3 – How Literature and Real Life “Resist” Adaptation (14 minutes)
Part 4 – Putting It All Together: Case Study of Spielberg’s “Lincoln” (12 minutes)
Part 5 – How to Get the Rights for Source Material (7 minutes)
Chris Riley
Professor of Storytelling
A veteran of the Warner Bros. script department, Chris is one of the most authoritative figures on the official screenplay format of Hollywood and is the author of The Hollywood Standard: The Complete and Authoritative Guide to Script Format and Style. With many credits to his name, Chris has written for Paramount Pictures, Junction Entertainment and Touchstone pictures; Sean Connery’s Fountainbridge Films and Intermedia, among others.
Hosted by John Paul the Great Catholic University, the Impacting Culture Speaker Series features industry professionals and thought leaders discussing their insights on creatives arts, innovation, and culture. Past speakers have included:
Cultivating the Garden: A Discussion on the Artistic Vocation
Tim Reckart, Animator of “The Star”
Tim Reckart
Animator of “The Star”
Timothy Reckart is an Oscar-nominated writer and director. His animated short film Head Over Heels was nominated for an Academy Award, and his debut feature film, Sony Pictures Animation's The Star, was nominated for two Annie Awards and a Golden Globe. He was a lead animator on Charlie Kaufman's film Anomalisa, and animated various projects for companies such as Buzzfeed, Amazon, and Aardman Animations.
Working in the House of Mouse: A Discussion with a Senior Editor at Disney
Dan Molina, Senior Editor at Disney
Dan Molina
Senior Editor at Disney
Dan Molina’s career in studio animation has spanned over 35 years. Starting as assistant director on The Secret of NIMH, he then found his true calling as an editor for animated features and television, working on such films as An American Tail, The Land Before Time, Cats Don't Dance and The Road to El Dorado. From 2011 to 2018 he was supervising editor at Disneytoon Studios, and now serves the same role on the Monsters Inc. spinoff series Monsters at Work for Disney+. He and his wife Julie have four children and one grandson, and live in Los Angeles.
Life in Media: Balancing Faith, Family & Work in Hollywood
Dan Rupple, Producer of “The Price Is Right” & Peggy Rupple, Director of the Windrider Forum
Dan Rupple & Peggy Rupple
Producer of “The Price Is Right” & Director of the Windrider Forum
Dan and Peggy Rupple have decades of experience with both mainstream media and Christian advocacy in Hollywood. Dan was a supervisor for CBS on shows like The Price Is Right and The Late Show with David Letterman, has served as head of programming for multiple internet TV companies, and is currently the CEO of Mastermedia International. Peggy has spent over 15 years as a mentor and all-around networking guru for Christian film and TV professionals, and is currently the associate director of the Windrider Forum at Sundance. They have been married for over 40 years, with 3 children and 7 grandchildren.
The Hollywood Mission Field
Dean Batali, TV Producer
Dean Batali
TV Producer
Dean Batali has extensive experience in network and cable television, playing integral roles as both a writer and producer for That ‘70’s Show, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and many others. Most recently he served as executive producer and showrunner on two seasons of Hallmark's The Good Witch. He is also a strong advocate for Christians’ presence in Hollywood, and co-authored the book Watching TV Religiously with theologian Kutter Callaway. Originally hailing from Washington state, Dean currently lives in Los Angeles.
Catholics in Hollywood Give Advice and Share Their Stories
Paul Rugg, Voice Actor & Thomas Wilson, “Biff” from “Back to the Future”
Paul Rugg & Thomas Wilson
Voice Actor & “Biff” from “Back to the Future”
Paul is a writer-producer-voice actor who has worked with DreamWorks, Nickelodeon, Disney, Warner Brothers, and Cartoon Network on movies and TV shows such as The Animaniacs, Freakazoid, Dave the Barbarian, and The Adventures of Puss in Boots.
Tom is an actor, comedian, and writer who is well known for his roll as Biff from the Back to the Future series. He's also acted in TV shows such as Freaks and Geeks and Wing Commander and done voice acting work for properties such as SpongeBob Squarepants, Star Trek, Star Wars, and Spiderman. Most recently, Tom has been casted to play a role in Season 4 of DC's Legends of Tomorrow. As far as his writing, Tom has been a writer under contract at Disney, Universal, and Nickelodeon Studios.