Workshop 2A: How to Write a Killer Opening Scene with Ken Hegan

An exciting and inspiring workshop for screenwriters that studies the opening shots and scenes from 15 films and TV series. The workshop will be divided into 4 x 30-minute sections that cover creating first shots and powerful symbolism, introducing the protagonist, establishing the screenplay’s genre and tone, and setting up immediate conflict. Participants will have time for brainstorming and writing and will watch a 50-film supercut that shows how great films match their opening and closing shots with each other. Links are provided to homework assignments for writers to improve their script openings at home.

About the facilitator

Ken Hegan has just directed his first feature film, the comedy thriller Outrunners, based on his original screenplay which was a finalist in the ScreenCraft Film Fund in L.A. Ken has writing/producing credits on 20 TV shows. Thanks to his Rolling Stone articles on sports mascots, he was hired to co-write the Opening Essay for the Vancouver Winter Olympics (narrated by Donald Sutherland) with 13 million viewers on CTV and TSN.

Ken has written/directed 11 short films that have screened at 100+ festivals and on The Comedy Network and CBC. Ken was the first-ever Screenwriter in Residence for both the Vancouver Public Library and the Kamloops library system.

Photo courtesy of Vancouver Public Library. Photographer: Jeff Vinnick