Begin your journey into television writing and discover your value as a new writer.
Where do you find ideas for your own television series? Jed will show you.
How to take your inspiration and turn it into a premise for a TV series.
Learn about the different types of series, and what every long-running TV show must have.
How to create successful settings and invigorate well-trodden paths.
How characters affect the world you’ve built. Recognising, using and twisting TV tropes.
Discover different ways to bring the audience into your world.
How to pitch, plan and create an incredible outline for your own television pilot.
Using structure and ambition to develop a more dynamic television series.
Conceiving events that have a profound effect on your characters and story.
Critical mass and chain reaction - how to construct explosive moments and the natural story that follows.
Creating impact, raising the stakes, and leaving your audience wanting more.
How to stop backstory and flashbacks damaging your story.
Creating and connecting evocative story strands.
Exciting and diverse episodes, shocking your audience, and avoiding the mid-season dip.
What is a series bible? What fundamental questions should it answer?
Shaping key moments in your series and showcasing your characters.
Mystery - how to keep viewers guessing and invested.
Jeopardy - keeping your audience on the edge of their seats.
Forward Momentum - powerful ways to keep your story moving.
Why Jed believes, against popular opinion, that dialogue is the least important element in your script.
Confusion - avoiding incoherence and the loss of your audience.
Implausibility - coincidence, Deus ex Machina, and making events unpredictable yet plausible.
Boredom - how to stop your…yawn… audience from getting bored.
The qualities you need to be a successful television writer.
In television there are three main fallacies. Here’s how to prove them wrong.
Jed demystifies the challenges professional writers face during production.
Simple ways to break into the television industry.
Meet your Maestro. He’s going to give you all the inspiration you need to start your songwriting career.
Gary passionately imparts what music and songwriting mean to him personally.
Gary says songwriting is a process that involves many layers of exploration and demands a curious nature.
Gary talks about the importance of training your ears by listening to other people’s songs.
Gary sits at the piano and deconstructs his global number one hit A Million Love Songs, a track he wrote aged 15.
Gary reveals the remarkable songwriting regime that he started as a schoolboy and set him on the path to success.
One Christmas, Gary was given a choice of presents by his parents. His choice changed the course of his life.
Gary explains why singing your own songs in front of an audience will take your writing to a whole different place.
Gary pulls apart the song Pray and shows us its component parts.
There are no shortcuts to finding your own voice. Gary shows you the ways in which you can get started.
It’s critical that you keep all your ideas safe so that you can come back to them. Gary illustrates this with the story of a song that stuck with him until he was ready to complete it.
Find out why Gary likes to get a song started with a chorus.
Chords are great building blocks for songwriters. They have dictated the emotions and sentiments of many of Gary’s most famous songs.
Gary shows us how he brought two ideas to the studio and fused them together to create a song big enough to open a sell out show at Wembley Stadium.
Arguably the greatest comeback in pop history was launched off the back of a collaboration. Gary explains how a partnership with producer John Shanks, helped create the song, Patience.
Gary shares the single biggest moment that influenced his songwriting.
Starting with a clean slate, Gary shows you how to construct a brand new song and explains many of the decisions you need to make right from the start.
Tempo, sentiment and choice of key come into focus as a new song takes shape.
Gary points out the pitfalls one encounters when writing choruses.
Gary talks about the importance of staying in the moment to maintain the flow and puts the melody of our new song under the spotlight.
Gary drives the hook home and fine-tunes the lyrics.
Gary believes the song now has that one piece of magic in the melody of the chorus.
In the creative world, confidence is king. Without it everything falls apart. Gary speaks from the heart about how he once lost his confidence and what he did to build it back up.
In songwriting, everything you do will prepare you for a moment that will take you by surprise.
Gary talks about the joys of living a creative life and reflects on how Back For Good came about through experimentation.
Different skillsets are required for musical theatre and for scoring film soundtracks. Gary touches on what you need to know to work in these areas.
After four decades in the business, Gary has some good advice on how to stay fresh and relevant.
In an age in which music has never been more accessible, Gary gives his take on how to find your audience.
Gary talks passionately about his love and respect for music.
How the journey began for the godfather of modern cooking.
How Marco fell in love with food and met the Roux brothers.
The birth of 'Marco Pierre White'. Two stars and three black knives and forks.
Marco achieves his three star dreams, but what next?
Learn about Marco's life and passion after the professional kitchen.
Some of the best things are the simplest. The anchovy is one of the natural wonders of the food world.
The perfect marriage from humble beginnings.
A classic from 'Great Chefs Of France'.
The freshest crab and perfectly ripe avocado.
The perfect ‘Surf & Turf’ – lobster, potatoes and truffle.
A French classic, made simple and easy to make.
The best combination for a deliciously versatile ingredient.
Butter, potatoes, salt, care and attention are all you need to achieve culinary greatness.
See the potato as more than a filler, as a special ingredient that should be treated as such.
Marco reveals a secret recipe for a classic passata.
How to make the original ragu, a dish too often diluted from the original concept formed in Bologna.
Learn about one of Marco's favourite meals of all time.
We all love Macaroni cheese, and we all love ragù Bolognese. Get taken to a place where the two meet.
Learn the secret to cooking pasta with the perfect cherry tomatoes.
The more you do to food, the more you take away from it.
There are certain dishes that stand the test of time.
Marco's version of a French classic, using the unique flavour of ceps.
The first dish Marco ever cooked for the great Anthony Bourdain.
A dish of near-perfect balance and absolutely delicious comfort – it is simple perfection.
The light spice of Imam Bayildi complements the natural sweetness of one of the best cuts of meat.
The perfect late spring recipe.
Learn how to make this beautiful risotto.
Bring a taste of sunshine cooking into your kitchen.
A contemporary and perfectly flavoured interpretation of a classic.
The freshest of fish with a simple Provençal stew of peppers, aubergines, courgettes and tomatoes.
Learn to pack your piperade with intensity of flavour.
Cook the perfect salmon for your piperade.
Learn to unlock the deliciously nutty flavour of lentils, one of Marco's favourites.
Learn to cook your cod the Italian way.
The trick to seasoning correctly.
David introduces you to the Writing Books For Children course.
Thinking about the things you believed in, cared about, found funny or scary as a child can help you create your story.
The stories you love - books, films, whatever it is that inspires you can help you write stories of your own.
The subtle art of drawing creativity from others.
Characters can come from anywhere. Especially real life.
Real life moments can give you great ideas. Here’s how to make it happen.
Finding a subject that sticks out and stands apart from everything else.
When two big ideas collide. Sometimes one idea just isn’t enough!
Beginning, middle and end. How to put a story together and make it engaging from page one.
Exploring the different types of stories and what makes them work.
How to make your hero or heroine as relatable, but interesting and exciting as possible.
Everybody loves a villain. Here’s how to make them fascinating, compelling and relatable.
How to make a story truly timeless, so that any child, anywhere and at any time, can enjoy it.
Finding the right playground for your story, to capture the imagination whilst retaining focus.
What makes funny… funny? Big jokes, small asides and finding humour in all manner of places.
If it's good enough for Shakespeare and Chaucer, it's good enough for us.
Where’s the perfect place to write, what are the perfect conditions to write in? Here’s a few suggestions for how to get going.
Making a plan finding your message, and dealing with writers block.
Visualising and dreaming your way to a story.
The first thing a reader sees. Here’s a few thoughts on how to get to a truly great title.
If you bore children, they will stop reading...
Page one, line one. What’s going to grab a child’s attention and draw them in immediately?
Edit. Edit. Then Edit some more.
All the most important things to remember.
Julia introduces the glorious world of picture books.
Take a peek at the vast range of topics and styles.
Understand how a book is built and what each page is for.
How to spark and develop original ideas children will love.
Using traditional stories as a jumping off point.
How to create original, relatable and memorable characters.
Building a brilliantly brutal baddie to challenge your hero.
Master the art of a satisfying, yet unpredictable story.
Why to put your hero on a journey – inside and out.
Weaving values and life lessons into your picture book story.
Charming children with wicked words and slick sounds that POP!
Learn how to create catchy choruses and repetition.
Nailing that rhyme and keeping in time.
How to craft conversation between characters and readers.
Use mischief and bottom burps to make children laugh.
Julia’s top tips for giving your story a satisfying conclusion.
Why and how to include number, letter and colour recognition.
Valuing representation and introducing children to other cultures.
Find out what to expect when pictures are added to your words.
Discover how Julia works with illustrator Axel Scheffler on books like The Gruffalo.
How to find the perfect artist to illustrate your story.
A case study of Julia’s book, from initial idea to live performance.
How to get an agent and the role they play in the process.
How to pitch your book to an editor and what happens next, featuring Alison Green.
Bringing your stories to life for book tours and school visits.
What to expect if your story is transferred to stage or screen.
Well done – you’ve learned how to write a children’s picture book!
Steve introduces his style of training and the areas you’ll be working on with your dog.
Hear about Steve’s teenage beginnings and his passion for making dogs and their owners happier.
Learn to guide your dog’s natural instincts so they play in a way that you’re both happy with.
Connect with your dog through eye contact and further training will be so much easier.
Discover when to invest in quality kit and when a simple tea towel will do the job.
Understand your responsibilities as a dog owner - to your dog, other dogs and society as a whole.
How to use eye contact to slow your dog down and prevent them pulling on the lead.
A basic but helpful move that can encourage other, more involved commands.
How to prevent visitors getting their clothes covered in enthusiastic muddy paw prints!
How to successfully shape your dog’s behaviour using positive reinforcement.
Steve teaches control and management, learning through association and consequences.
Meet Elsie the puppy, who Steve will be training throughout the course.
We all have to ‘go’. Steve’s technique shows them where and when you’d like them to.
Learn how to deal with puppy biting and how to make sure they chew the right things!
How to introduce your puppy to environments, people and other animals early on.
Learn how grooming can become a fun bonding activity for you and your dog.
Play and training can be one and the same – play is your dog’s top priority and should be yours too.
Train your dog to come when you call. This is the secret to a happy life as a dog parent!
Stop your dog in its tracks – for any reason – with this vital training tip. It could save their life.
Learn this great exercise to help with inspections, grooming and more...
Discover how dogs experience the world through their nose and how it helps build relationships.
How to work with your dog at a distance while maintaining your influence.
It might sound silly, but this is a handy exercise you will probably end up using a lot.
Warm up your dog before exercise with this little trick – particularly useful for larger breeds.
How an exercise called the rucksack walk strengthens the bond between you and your dog.
Learn to read your dog’s body language by looking at their ears, eyes, tail and vocalisation.
Recognise the signs of separation anxiety and learn techniques for overcoming the issue.
Learn about mental exercise, release and stimulation that adds so much to your dog’s well-being.
Training is a work in progress – don’t rush it. Enjoy the process and your time together.
Steve answers the Top 10 questions he commonly faces from dog owners.
Discover Richard’s philosophy of breadmaking: it’s all about starting with the right foundations.
To make good bread you need good dough. Learn the tricks and techniques to make the perfect batch with Richard’s simple step-by-step guide.
Learn how to turn your dough into a simple Tin Loaf and beautifully crusty Leopard Bread.
Discover the magic of fermentation and learn how to work dough in a mixer, before making your very own artisanal baguette.
Learn to make this Italian classic with a French Maestro. Perfect your pizza dough, prepare your toppings and let the oven work its magic
Discover Richard’s simple twist on the iconic tartiflette, in this mouth-watering ode to molten cheese.
Follow Richard’s simple steps to make a fermented dough to bake both a light and airy ciabatta and a crunchy fougasse.
Learn how to make the perfect oily dough and then follow Richard’s trusted technique for fantastic focaccia.
Learn to work with a new ingredient as Richard guides you through the essentials of rye flour, turning a sticky dough into delicious bread.
Discover how to make brilliant bagels that any deli would be proud of by following our Maestro’s trusted method for this family favourite.
Learn how to make your own brilliantly shiny burger buns from scratch. Your BBQ will never be the same again.
Turn a rich dough into legendary bread, following Richard’s method. When a Maestro is guiding you, there’s nothing to fear - patience (and butter) is the key.
Add this impressive looking bread to your baking repertoire by learning how to plait a sweet dough. Even Richard says it’s easier than it sounds!
Move beyond banana bread. Follow Richard as he shows you how to make a sweet velvety dough before transforming it into eye-catching buns that taste as good as they look.
Richard gives the humble flatbread an exciting twist by working with both green pea and chickpea flour. Follow his simple guide for making the batter, incorporating herbs and oil, right through to pan frying.
Discover how easy it is to make this Southern staple with a gluten-free recipe.
With a vegan and gluten free recipe that everyone will love, you’ll see this versatile loaf couldn’t be simpler. And once you’ve mastered it, it’s easy to change up the flavours too.
There is nothing to fear from Sourdough! Richard breaks down the process into simple stages starting with the ferment.
Now you’ve mastered the ferment, it’s time to make the sourdough with this step by step guide. Richard says the hardest thing is waiting for it to be cool enough to eat!
In this simple lesson, Richard shows you how to refresh your ferment so you can use it again and again.
You’ve baked the sourdough but what else can you do with the ferment? Richard reveals all his tips and tricks to keep it going.
Make sure none of your ferment is wasted with this simple recipe for beautifully crisp crackers.
Discover how to bake this Christmas classic with the exact recipe Richard teaches to his students. Learn to make a rich dough, add fruit and fold it to produce your own piece of culinary magic.
Discover Richard’s simple twist on the festive British classic, as he teaches you his techniques to create delicate and tasteful mince pies that will be remembered long after the holidays are over.
It’s not goodbye but au revoir from Richard as he recaps his baking philosophy.
Learn how to make traditional buckwheat blinis from scratch as Richard takes you step by step through the process. Small and delicious, it’s hard to not eat them all before serving.
Pierre introduces you to his art, techniques and the wonders of the French technique.
Create the chicken bistro classic, starting with your very own bouquet garni.
Master veal stock, the foundation of French cooking and the base of so many classic dishes.
Perfect for soups and cream sauces, clear chicken stock is the launchpad for many other flavours.
Perhaps the simplest stock to make, it is the base of seafood classics like bouillabaisse.
Learn how to tie the plate together with a good sauce and cook your steak to perfection.
Learn to make the ‘mother sauce’, so called because from it you can create many others, and one of its daughters.
A beloved French dish, where the beauty comes from its purity and balance – a true classic of world cuisine.
Contrasting sauces bring this dramatic seafood dish to life – it looks as beautiful as it tastes.
Although it seems modern, this recipe is just like Pierre’s grandmother used to make.
More popular in France, let Pierre introduce you to nature’s subtly flavoured perfection – the artichoke.
With squid in the shape of spaghetti, this is not your regular pasta dish.
Celebrate the fresh, wild fish with very few ingredients and careful cooking.
Tomatoes and saffron make this a quintessentially Provençal fish soup.
Show this the dish attention and respect it deserves, and you’ll soon see why it’s a traditional bistro classic.
The dish of the people – it can be made simply with eggs and butter or the luxury of lobster and truffle.
It’s often the simplest dishes that are the hardest to perfect – pay attention and you’ll have a world-class dish.
Pierre Koffmann’s most famous dish, that Marco Pierre White has hailed as the best dish in the world.
A sweet and sour sauce known as sauce gastrique that tastes far more complicated than it is to cook.
An excellent starter dish that teaches many essential skills for French bistro cooking.
A classic of the Gascony region and another of Pierre’s grandmother’s recipes from his childhood.
Combine duck fat with the beautiful fish for a stunning meal that impresses and satisfies.
Rabbit is not much used in the UK. Let Pierre show you how to prepare and cook it to perfection.
Everybody loves chocolate sauce. Pour it over crepes, churros or fresh fruit for pure, simple deliciousness.
Not as complicated as people seem to think. Follow all the steps properly and – wow! – soufflé magic.
Peter introduces the skills you’ll master in entrepreneurship.
Learn how to generate business ideas and recognise the best ones.
Build a solid foundation with Peter’s critical skills for success as an entrepreneur.
Pinpoint your ambitions through visualisation techniques.
How to motivate and persuade others to join your mission.
Tricks for boosting your confidence and avoiding it tipping over into arrogance.
Take ownership of your journey by committing to four key areas.
Realistic pacing, results and goals for success you can replicate and scale.
Learn to recognise when the time is right for the market, your customers and you.
How to keep going through the inevitable tough times you’ll face.
Understand the importance and impact of looking after your people.
Tips for getting started, making plans and building momentum.
Learn to trust your gut, back it up with research, and use it in negotiation.
Delve into what’s driving you to become an entrepreneur.
Learn what attributes make up a successful business leader.
Discover the passion behind the Michelin-Starred restaurateur.
How to get out there, meet your peers and spread the word – online and in person.
Learn to set goals, achieve them, then reward yourself. Decide on your end goal.
Develop your authentic brand purpose, mission, USP – and learn how to communicate it.
Understand what makes your offering different, and if your business idea has legs.
Learn techniques for note-taking and continual self-improvement.
What you need to know about intellectual property, patents, copyright and trademark.
A jargon-busting guide to cash flow, forecasting and raising capital.
How to nail that key document – examples, templates and step-by-step instructions.
The Dragon’s tips on selling your idea to potential investors, collaborators and clients.
Learn to make peace with that nagging voice and ask others for help.
How to create a killer marketing strategy that’ll attract attention and incite customers to buy.
How the Dragons’ Den success story went from sauce to a growing Caribbean food brand.
Tips for finding and hiring and your ultimate dream team.
Develop leadership skills and values that strengthen your company culture.
How to embrace feedback, learn from mistakes and develop a growth mindset.
The importance and value of giving back to staff and society.
Learn to recognise your red flags, find balance and prioritise your well-being.
Get the inside track on some of the businesses in Peter’s portfolio.
An honest snapshot of the photography brand that was losing cash fast.
How one knockout presentation fast-tracked the company’s success.
Growing Levi Roots from sauce idea to sell-out success.
The perfect example of idea and people coming together to achieve great success.
Find your place in the market and mine its potential to the max.
Knowledge is power. Arm yourself with knowledge and get out there!
Malorie introduces the course aims and explains why she became a writer of Young Adult fiction.
What to write, how to write and a fun writing game to help you generate and develop ideas.
Discover the early reading that inspired Malorie, and how you can expand your reading too.
Learn how to uncover stories around you, and discover what sparked Malorie’s best-known books.
Add heart to your story with an idea that runs through your story like words through a stick of rock.
Understand the difference between story and plot with examples from Malorie’s writing.
Meet the variety of genres within Young Adult fiction and learn to identify their key tropes.
How to create a brilliant beginning, middle and end – whichever order you choose to tell them in.
Go beyond beginning, middle and end and dive in to the seven stages of plot – from stasis to resolution.
Malorie goes through her method of plotting with index cards, using Pig-Heart Boy as a case study.
Malorie shares tips and exercises to flesh your characters out into relatable, believable people.
Explore how they impact one another and recognise when to let your characters take over.
Learn to love your characters and distinguish where your voice ends and theirs start.
How to build a credible young adult protagonist (or antihero) and the character who gets in their way.
Learn what, how and when to communicate things about your characters to the reader.
Use your characters’ speech to drive plot and reveal information about themselves and others.
How to use idiosyncrasies, regionalisms and slang to add tone, texture and an element of truth.
Build a foundation for your story using the ‘seven plots’ and decorate with your unique writing style.
Understand the importance of representation in literature and how to incorporate it with authenticity.
Are you looking back or writing the present? Who’s telling the story? Understand what’s best for your story.
Decide what format is right for your story – letters, diary, narrative, graphic novel, script or verse.
Writing is where imagination meets determination. Identify what you can learn, and what you must feel.
Discover Malorie’s tried and tested tricks for climbing out of the hole that writers fear most.
Malorie’s advice on how to prepare and submit your work to agents and publishers.
Promotion, school visits and taking ownership of your influence as an author.
Malorie sums up what you’ve learnt and gives one final piece of advice…
There is so much misunderstanding around the spices needed to make Indian food. You do not need an entire supermarket aisle of spices to create delicious flavours. The truth is far simpler.
Do not even attempt to cook Indian food without this recipe. Do not light your hob, do not unpack your crockery until you have made ginger and garlic pastes.
Two of the building blocks of Indian cooking. Working with pastes can elevate classics to new heights.
So simple, so tasty and so fundamentally important to many Indian dishes. This chutney adds the final touch of class to almost any dish.
A tomato sauce with depth you can't get in a bottle. It might just become your absolute favourite.
Raita is so much more than lazily mixed together yoghurt and grated cucumbers. Made properly it is a dish that complements and cools many other dishes.
Bright and zingy in colour and bright and zingy in flavour. This shows a different side to Indian cooking.
Potatoes are loved in India almost as much as in England. But don’t stop at roasting and mashing, go with spice and heat.
A dish that is all about celebrating the flavour, shape and texture of the humble broccoli. You will not look at it in the same way again.
This just shows the variety of food that India produces, it is a dish that cooks in minutes without compromising on flavour or texture.
A vegetarian stew of such bold flavours and textures, you will not miss the meat at all.
There are few dishes more comforting than a dal. On it’s own, or served with bread, it is the culinary equivalent of sinking into a comfy sofa.
Banana leaf cooking is the perfect combination of beauty and practicality. It looks and tastes equally stunning.
One of the country's absolute favourite dishes. A classic blend of spices and yoghurts wrapped around tender chicken and finished in a hot oven.
Mustard is grown all over India so it is natural for it to appear in some guise in many dishes, but it is very rare to see it like this, as the star of the show.
Straight from the Punjab where the people like their food full of flavour and bite.
So much flavour in such a simple-to-make stew. Once you have learned the basics of this dish, it can be adapted to suit almost any type of seafood.
The absolute benchmark dish. This is Vineet's version which he has been cooking and refining for many years.
Kormas are loved around the world because of their richness. Although Korma is rich and creamy, it does not need to be mild.
Onion bhajis as they should be - crisp and full of flavour.
These Tikkis are evocative of walking the streets as child. The smell and flavour have inspired Vineet all the way through his life as a chef.
The absolute tastiest omelette that you have never tried. This is your new favourite and Vineet will take you through each step.
Fish wrapped perfectly in a crisp, spiced batter. A versatile dish, it's perfect as a side dish, a main dish, or even a dessert.
Spiced up lamb mince and peas. There are few simpler, yet delicious dishes that exist anywhere in the world.
The only secret to cooking a quality rice dish is to have a quality recipe. Look no further than this.
There are few dishes out there that say, “I love you” so clearly. It takes time, effort and heart to build a proper Biriyani. Only cook this for those who truly deserve it.
Fluffy white bread rolls at their satisfying best. Perfect stuffed with ingredients to make a sandwich, or even better, used to mop up the sauce at the end of a meal.
The delicious vehicle on which other dishes so often ride. Soft bread that retains a satisfying chewiness, all without having to build a Tandoor in your kitchen.
India grows some of the world’s finest mangoes - learn how to use them to make one of the world's finest drinks.
So much more than an afterthought on a takeaway menu. Made properly, Kulfi is a deliciously smooth, egg-free ice cream.
Jancis introduces what’s included in the course and explains where her own love of wine began.
Explore the measurable vital statistics of wine, from sweetness and acidity, to alcohol and tannins.
Learn about the difference between drinking and tasting wine, and discover the process for wine tasting like an expert.
Jancis explains what makes the perfect wine glass, how to pour the perfect measure and ways to keep your glassware clean.
It’s myth-busting time. Think all wine improves with age? Think again.
Across the globe, the wine industry is ever-evolving. Explore how the varieties and provenance of wine has changed.
Understand how climate change is reshaping the world of wine, and what winemakers are doing to adapt.
Take a deep dive into the different grape varieties that make some of the most popular types of wine.
Jancis provides an overview of ten classic wine regions, from Bordeaux to Australia, explaining typical styles and key facts.
Jancis shares her ten up-and-coming wine regions to watch, detailing why they're exciting and key sub-regions to look out for.
Learn how to decipher and interpret wine labels by looking at the producer, grape variety, appellation, and alcohol content.
Pick a bottle from a shelf or a wine list with confidence, with Jancis’ guidance.
Get 10 of Jancis’ best practical tips on picking a bottle of wine.
Understand the art and science behind growing grapes for wine.
Follow wine’s journey from vine to glass, in this lesson on how wine is made.
What makes a good vintage? Join Jancis in Burgundy to find out why a wine’s vintage is so important.
Learn about sparkling wine and champagne, and find out what gives this wine its fizz.
Build your own wine toolkit to get the most from every bottle.
Explore what wines go with what types of food, as Jancis encourages experimentation.
Get to know organic and biodynamic wines, and understand what makes them different.
Jancis introduces natural and orange wines and how they’re made.
Delve into a very important topic – the sustainability of wine.
Master the language of wine and learn about the value of wine.
How to invest in wine and what you should consider.
Jancis shares her top wine tips, from trying unfashionable wines to making friends with your local wine merchant.
How to continue expanding your knowledge and learning about wine.
Jancis answers some of the most commonly asked questions about wine.
Looking ahead to writing and creating new worlds for virtual reality stories. What possibilities of consciousness might that bring?
Don’t get stuck in a rut. Alan talks about mixing up your writing, trying new things and dipping a toe in the avant-garde.
A look at literary innovators like Sterne, Woolf and Proust and how what was once radical has become part of the writer’s everyday tool kit.
Techniques you might want to try in your experimentation of progressive writing methods and interesting speculative fiction ideas.
A small warning about going too far and tips for creating progressive writing that is still entertaining and accessible.
How far writing has come, where it could go next and how you, as a writer, are joining a transformative human tradition.
Everyone can write; everyone should write. Alan shares a story about an atypical storyteller.
A new word coined just to say goodbye, fare well and send you on your merry way to write a better world.
Mark welcomes you to the course and his studio – the home of hit records like Back to Black by Amy Winehouse.
Understand the role a producer plays in the music industry and the key skills you’ll need to develop.
Learn how to sample from vinyl records and chop beats up with music to spark ideas.
Mark uses his Nikka Costa track, Like a Feather, to demonstrate how combining influences can create an exciting new sound.
Optimise the setup and recording of your drums to achieve the sound you want, whether it’s disco, rock or EDM.
Meet the microphones that Amy Winehouse, Rufus Wainwright and Yebba used, and understand what different purposes they each serve.
Go behind the production of Late Night Feelings by Lykke Li to see how more knowledge makes better music.
Mark shares the story of Don’t Leave Me Lonely by Yebba and how you can evolve your own ideas into something truly special.
Learn to play an instrument and you might just stumble across a riff that becomes a hit record – like Mark did with Back to Black.
What to do before a recording session including researching the artist, building sample packs and prepping equipment.
As Jon Bellion arrives at the studio, Mark shows how to build a creative atmosphere for jamming and collaboration.
It’s time to start recording as you build your idea and make key decisions that are right for the song.
The track is really growing now as we write lyrics, bring in Niya Norwood for backing vocals, find the perfect key and start layering stacks.
Learn about Mark’s editing techniques like integrating 808s, reinforcing the drums, sidechaining and quantisation.
Top tips for putting together the perfect composite vocal track from your takes, such as using cross-fade to hide edits.
Add playful touches to your track with synths (analogue or plug-ins), guitar riffs, counter melodies, and by mashing ups styles and eras.
Learn how to tinker with electric pianos, guitars, amps and synths to create unique sounds that will transform the vibe.
A classic Ronson outro to send you on your way to produce epic records.
Meet the man who became an indie legend with a trademark directing style. He’s here to show you how to make your film a reality.
There’s so much you can learn from the classics. Delve into cinematic history with Edgar’s guidance and you’ll pick up tips for your own feature.
Edgar got rejected from film school. Twice. That didn’t stop him and nothing should stop you from starting out in the right direction…
Wise words on mental preparation, resilience, the work that lies ahead of you and how to work with your budget (not against it).
Learn about the benefits of writing your own opportunities and selling yourself as the whole package, whether solo or with a co-writer.
Discover the joys (and woes) of writing, through characters and theme, navigating writer’s block and breaking down plot with index cards.
The king of genre play celebrates the wonders of working in genre and playing with story conventions.
Smash cut to: developing your own filmmaker aesthetic through editing, sound, cinematography and performance, and understanding how it might evolve.
Edgar has storyboarded every scene since Shaun of the Dead. Learn how to visualise ideas in your head and map out where the story goes.
Hone your skills, find collaborators and make a name for yourself with short films then you’ll have a better chance funding your feature.
Learn how to construct a scene and tell a story with a little help from the town shootout in Hot Fuzz and the toilet brawl in The World’s End.
Tips for finding the right actors for your film and how to work with them in rehearsals and on set. Just in case Tom Hanks isn’t available.
Learn about stage sets versus real locations, when to use which and how to go about location scouting for that perfect setting.
Costume can make a splash even if you’re not working on a period feature. Consider colour, iconic outfits and presenting character.
Think about the camera’s relationship with other actors, the narrative, and the audience. Should it be invisible or like another character?
How to approach starting out on a production? Edgar advises starting with an ambitious scene to set the tone for the entire shoot.
How choosing the right soundtrack can transform your film. Get it cleared early and you can choreograph scenes to perfection.
Understand the difference between diegetic and non-diegetic sound, and the importance of good sound design to heighten the style of a film.
How to choreograph and execute breath-taking action scenes – from using elements of the Hong Kong Action Style to piecing it together.
The importance of finding a great production designer and keeping your aesthetic front and centre during the filmmaking process.
Weaving your film into a cohesive narrative using editing techniques like the Kuleshov effect, killing your darlings, and trial and error.
Edgar’s experience of the similarities and differences in creating content for television versus feature films.
Collaboration is key to successful filmmaking. See how an entire crew works together in the breakdown of a scene in Last Night in Soho.
How to stand out when distributing your film in a crowded arena. Know your strengths, make it pulpy and pitch to the right festivals.
Edgar answers questions from Twitter – on inspiration, working with his heroes, parody vs homage, needle drops and fighting your corner.
National Film and Television School students pose questions on redrafting scripts, action sequences, dialogue and improv.
Final thoughts on how to become a filmmaker and how you never stop being a student of the form. Fade to black.
Carol Ann introduces the magic of poetry, as well as the contents of the course.
Begin to approach the topic of imagination through your memory, starting with places. 
Explore the memories you have of the language and mannerisms of people in your life. 
Delve into the vocabulary that is already within you.
Learn how to engage with your reading list, making note of what you like to what you don’t. 
Carry poems within you and see how they change in meaning with time, and with you.
Visit art galleries or flick through art books and actively let inspiration find you.
Get creative with your favourite stories, real or fictional.
Where to start when writing about what is close to your heart. 
Awaken your senses and learn to capture what you see on the page. 
Take inspiration from the weather, literally or metaphorically. 
Revitalise old clichés with unlikely metaphors, bringing all your senses to the page. 
Stay alert and have fun naming the things that fill world around you.
Find the right words to describe cities.
Learn about the different ways and forms poets through time have written and how you can add your own take to it. 
Use a specific time in your life to place yourself in a new poem. 
Experiment by looking at events through a different angle of time and make new discoveries.
Discover what shape suits the words you write best.
Understand the different elements to consider while redrafting your work.
Handy steps to help you write from the heart. 
Find the right entry point for you to write about different topics or commissions. 
Have fun selecting a poem from long ago and answering it with your own poem. 
Why children’s perspectives are perfect for poetry. 
Start with pamphlets and find the right homes for your work. 
Find ways to practice the craft of poetry alongside your job.
Lee introduces himself and his Jack Reacher franchise, and lays out the plan for his course on writing popular fiction.
Lee discusses the evolution of fiction from non-fiction, and what it is about a good story that instinctively draws people in.
Lee explains how you can start writing at any age, and without any specific experience. The only crucial qualification? Being a reader.
The only bad thing about reading a good book is finishing it – so why stop at writing just one?
Writing novels is the perfect career for later in life, as Lee found to be the case when he lost his job at the age of 40.
Find out how to carve out a niche for yourself within any genre of fiction.
Overcoming the pressure of writing your next book is a hurdle all writers must face, but there are a couple of techniques that can help you take the leap.
Find the right balance between writing in first person, third person, and even second person perspective.
The key to holding your audience’s attention is finding your unique tone of voice and keeping it sounding natural.
Discover how moments of calm can be just as integral to the momentum of your story as fast-paced action scenes.
How you tell your version of the story is more important than originality of plot itself.
Look to the most iconic heroes to create well-written characters with enduring appeal.
Without a strong lead, you’ve got no one to carry your story forward, no matter how good your plot is.
Even the best advice can be bad advice without a healthy measure of common sense on the side.
Learn how to write characters with timeless appeal, like Jack Reacher. Hint: they’re just as multi-faceted and complex as you are.
Don’t forget to add a little humanity when writing even the baddest of your bad guys.
Create characters that your readers can’t get enough of – and remember, sometimes less is more.
Sometimes even the best laid plans require a little flexibility – or abandoning altogether.
Learn how to trust yourself as a reader in order to trust yourself as a writer.
Find the balance of plausibility vs accuracy when incorporating research into your story.
There’s more to editing than just cutting bits out, as Lee discusses in this lesson on the path to publication.
From tidying up rogue commas to adding in extra context, Lee talks you through his reader-centric editing process.
Lee shares a little insight into how he learnt to deal with third party input, and the value of a good editor.
Even if you’ve got big dreams for your books to eventually be made into movies, it’s important to keep focused on one thing at a time.
Writing a novel with mass appeal is no mean feat.
Lee talks about the importance of treating writing novels like any other job, and how he doesn’t believe in ‘writer’s block’.
Discover the secret to finding your rhythm and writing natural-sounding dialogue.
Learn how to write a narrative that will keep your readers turning the page – right to the very end.
Discover the real recipe for success when it comes to weaving suspense into your stories.
Creating momentum is all about the balance of slow and fast paced scenes and making sure to deliver big in those crucial moments.
Unlock the secret to capturing the imagination of your readers and holding their attention from Page 1.
Description is vital to storytelling, but it’s also the thing readers of popular fiction often complain there’s too much of – so how do you find the right balance?
Just because your readers have reached the end of a chapter doesn’t necessarily mean you want them to stop reading…
Lee shares his experience of the publishing process, from eye-catching jacket designs to handling press tours.
A final word from Lee, and then it’s over to you to start writing your next bestseller.
Grief is different for everyone, and it’s not a linear path. By sharing her experiences of bereavement after the murder of her son, Baroness Doreen Lawrence hopes you’ll feel less alone, and find some comfort and support in her words.
Growing up, Doreen had the same hopes and dreams for a normal, happy family life as anyone else.
Moving into a newly built townhouse in South London, Doreen and her family were happy to be part of a friendly community.
On the evening of the 22nd April 1993, there came a knock on the door that would change everything forever.
Guilt is a natural feeling when going through grief, but it’s important not to let it consume you.
Doreen is able to pinpoint the exact moment she felt driven by her need to help.
Find something productive to channel your anger into, and just remember to breathe in and breathe out.
It’s okay to wallow sometimes, but it can be really helpful to focus your mind on something else for a while.
Counselling can feel intimidating for a number of reasons, but it can also be a lifeline – when you’re ready.
Having a strong sense of right and wrong instilled from an early age is invaluable.
Doreen shares some of the coping strategies that she found helpful when navigating the ebb and flow of grief.
Staying humble and grounded is of the utmost importance to Doreen, because at the end of the day, she never wanted any of the accolades she has been awarded.
Finding purpose and positivity from within the darkness has helped Doreen lead a meaningful life.
Doreen talks about the unexpected honour of being invited to join the House of Lords, and exactly what being a Baroness entails.
Education is the key to unlocking your potential and a better future for yourself, and is something that’s been important to Doreen her whole life.
Inspiration can be found in the most humble and unlikely places. It’s just about what speaks to you.
In honour of Stephen’s memory, Doreen set up a charitable trust to help marginalised young people achieve their dreams.
With the support of Prince Harry and Teresa May, Doreen marked the 25th anniversary of her son’s death with the greatest honour.
Doreen talks about the importance of speaking up for her children, and what inspired her to become a lifelong campaigner for equality.
For someone who’s not naturally comfortable in the spotlight, being asked to help open the 2012 Olympic Games definitely pushed Doreen out of her comfort zone.
Finding peace is unique to everyone. It’s important to reflect and find what works for you.
It’s important to step back and take stock of things from time to time in order to see the bigger picture.
At the end of the day, Doreen is an ordinary woman who’s done extraordinary things because she had to, not because she wanted to.
Billy welcomes you to a standup comedy class like no other.
Listen to those friends who tell you you’re funny. Get out there and perform.
Once you’ve done it, it’s exhilarating – so learn how to get over stage fright
If you want to know how to be funny, you must learn to be vulnerable.
You don’t need banana boots, but you do need a stage presence. Find yours.
How to connect with the audience to start strong and ride the laughter wave.
Learn to listen to your brain’s quirks and unlikely connections – it’s where comedy gold is found.
Look at life with the Scottish comedian famous for his observational comedy.
How to go from improvisation to comedic timing and physical comedy.
The best comedians are usually humble and don’t know they’re the best.
Shock people. Why not? Rules are there to be noticed and then joyfully ignored.
Dealing with hecklers is hard. See how it’s done by the best standup comedians.
Get to know different audiences and how they are never to blame.
Take a glimpse at what life is like going from town to town to make people laugh.
Drugs and alcohol are often trouble for comics. Billy opens up about his struggle.
Understand the difference between copying and being influenced by other comedians.
Take risks. Get noticed. And build a team of trust around you.
Go deeper with Billy as he talks about the healing power of comedy.
Billy sends you off with a bucketful of wisdom on how to be a standup comedian.
Richard introduces his four steps to mastering public speaking and how you can achieve them throughout the course.
Famous speeches are explored and analysed, considering what communication skills makes them unforgettable.
Richard introduces his Seven Secrets that will help you to become a truly great public speaker.
Being a good orator is a skill as old as language itself. Here are tips on how to choose and use your words carefully and effectively.
Richard gives us a highly practical session on exploring the range of possibilities our tone offers us to engage our audience.
Our body language can have a fundamental impact on how our message is received. In this lesson, Richard explains how you can improve and perfect it.
Your message’s structure will be the difference between it being remembered, or forgotten. These strategies will help you win over any crowd.
How do you connect with a room full of people? Richard explores the different methods to make every listener feel like we are talking to them.
Discover your preferred communication language, and how it can positively affect your conversations.
Richard explores how our passion for our subject, or lack of passion, impacts our audience.
An opportunity to put our learning to the test, Richard guides us through a powerful speech and the secrets within it.
Richard helps us to change our mindsets around the fear of public speaking.
Feeling like this shouldn’t be you? You are not alone! But you are wrong. Richard explores and explains why.
Now that we know how to speak, what do we actually say? Richard’s thorough instructions guide you to create a memorable message.
Notes? Slides? Richard explores the practicalities of public speaking and gives his tips for the most effective speeches.
This lesson gives you the pathway to an audience buzzing with energy, fully engaged, and receptive to the conversation.
Great public speaking also requires great listening. Richard explains how truly listening can revolutionise our relationships.
Six pointers from Richard that will help you glide through delicate issues or uncomfortable questions during a “Q&A”.
From delivering bad news to conversing with angry people, Richard’s techniques will help to smooth the conversation and move forward positively.
Chiara Greene shares four influential female role models and considers what makes them great public speakers.
How do we maintain and improve our communication skills online, and what additional strategies can help us overcome any anxieties?
In this lesson, Richard helps you achieve effective communication in everyday social situations.
Richard analyses the public speaking skills of participants and what we can learn from them.
Richard further analyses the communication skills of participants and what we can take away from them.
Good luck! Maybe you will be included in a future edition of Words that Shook the World!
An inspiring sit-down exchange between Tony Robbins and Richard Greene.
Jojo introduces herself as an author, with 16 books published and sales of more than 50 million copies under her belt. She explains what you can expect to learn from the course.
Jojo explains why and how to avoid stereotypes and aim for ‘something different’ in the love story you want to write.
It’s not all romcoms and love hearts. Jojo tells you why writing about love is no small feat – in fact, it’s the single most universal subject you can write about.
Jojo lays out how your process will get you from wanting to write a book to actually writing it.
Voice is everything. Unique to you, it’s what will pull your readers in and build your readership.
Jojo thinks of tone as the musical soundtrack to her books and explains how to avoid inconsistent tone.
Themes are the essence of your book and what the reader will ultimately take away.
Jojo shows you how and why she plots her novels with the help of a whiteboard, markers, and post-it notes.
What tense will you write in? Are you going to write in the first, second, or the third person? How many key events will your story have?
Character development is everything for Jojo. She reveals the questions she asks to create three-dimensional characters that readers will invest in.
Knowing how to write dialogue is paramount in a love story as you are trying to convey a lot through what characters say – and don’t say.
Research is vital. Do the work, find experts, go out on the ground. But don’t let research overpower the storyline.
A real page turner requires tension, and one way to achieve it is to introduce obstacles.
Identify what you want your reader to feel and don’t be cynical about the emotions you are trying to convey.
If you are going to go there, remember that a sex scene works well when illustrating something about character or plot.
Jojo explains that at this stage, you don’t need perfection, you need persistence – and words on the page.
Routine is your friend. In this lesson, Jojo makes it clear you must guard your time, and shares tips on how to go about it.
Psychological coach Lisa Christie explains how to overcome writer’s block and emotional obstacles to creativity.
Before wrapping up, ask yourself some key questions. Are there any loose ends? Will there be a cliffhanger? Is the ending going to satisfy the reader?
Jojo explains the importance of editing your own work – that’s where the magic happens.
Jojo’s editor Louise explains the relationship between writer and editor, and touches on realistic expectations around money.
Jojo’s very own agent, Sheila Crowley, explains what she is looking for in a submission, and how to write a letter to an agent.
Find out what happens when your book is adapted by a film or TV company, and how to guard the non-negotiables of your story.
In this lesson, Jojo explains how she wrote a series, and what you'll need to consider and decide if you want to go down that route too.
Jojo reiterates how important it is to enjoy your writing, and to have faith in yourself and the process.
An overview of why Mo Gawdat began studying happiness and what will be discussed in the course.
Mo’s personal story, from his beginnings in Egypt and unexpected career success, to the pivotal moment he broke his family's heart and the life-altering tragedy that sparked his happiness mission
Defining what happiness is and is not and dispelling the three core assumptions around it that make it seem elusive rather than predictable.
An analysis of the Happiness Equation, a mathematical formula that predicts happiness and upon which Mo’s book Solve for Happy is based.
Learn how to manage unhappiness and recognise it as your brain’s way of calling attention to the parts of your life that aren’t meeting your expectations.
A three-step process for questioning, fixing, and even growing from incessant and distressful thinking.
Understanding the purpose and true nature of thinking and why our brains are fixated on the negative.
Making an agreement with your brain to only give you useful thoughts or joyful thoughts is key to reclaiming control of your thinking.
A dive into neuroplasticity, the brain’s capacity to change and adapt the foundation of all self-improvement.
Exercising gratitude is the cornerstone of training your mind to always solve the Happiness Equation favourably.
Learning not to sweat the small stuff and to flow with life’s obstacles is a powerful tool for maintaining uninterrupted happiness.
Meditation is the most powerful exercise for cultivating self-development and happiness ever conceived by humanity.
Mindfulness is the act of consciously engaging in the present moment by actively sensing the world around you.
Allow your brain to purge itself of chaotic thoughts simply by letting it talk without interruption, because we all want to be heard.
Forget the stigma around daydreaming and learn to visualise favourable outcomes in all aspects of your life.
Simplify your life by only allowing yourself to consume content that aligns with your values and goals
Nature is a fundamental need for humans and, paradoxically, its imperfections are what make it the perfect backdrop for happiness.
Learn why time is nothing more than a stubborn illusion through the lens of physics and the interpretations of different cultures.
Emotions are fundamentally either positive or negative, and the best of them are found in the present moment.
Mastering the art of turning Brain Time into Practical Time is to go from being overwhelmed by thoughts to taking action to solve your problems.
Stress: is a modern, insidious epidemic that can be understood and managed enough to help you feel less stressed.
The brain is the ultimate survival machine that shapes our view of the world based on seven blind spots, often to our own detriment.
Striving for control is antithetical to the foundations of nature, and it’s crucial to understand when to exert it and when to let go.
Don’t get blindsided by the impending technological revolution driven by AI that will change our lives dramatically.
Creating a happy workplace is not a luxury but in fact one of the best business decisions a company can make.
Purpose differs between Eastern and Western cultures, and the key to happiness at work lies with embracing both perspectives.
Become more productive by improving yourself and your workplace holistically rather than pushing yourself unhealthily past your limits.
Leaders can promote a culture of happiness at work by setting an example and fostering a supportive environment.
Unhappiness at work is one of the primary drivers of productivity loss and must be dealt with for an optimally functioning workplace.
Finding fulfilment at work is a personal endeavour ultimately in the hands of every individual worker, but the organisation is responsible for not getting in the way.
A recap of what we’ve learned on the quest to becoming happier, less stressed, more present, and confidently prepared for an uncertain future.
Rankin welcomes you to his photography course and gives an overview of his 30-year career and approach to photography.
Get a summary of the content Rankin will cover and what to expect on your journey through this photography course.
Learn what goes into making a photograph memorable and hear the story behind Rankin’s iconic shots, from The Queen to his mum and dad.
Hear from three of Rankin’s creative peers what portraiture means to them and the power it has to help us understand our fellow humans.
Get to grips with the fundamentals as Rankin introduces the various camera options that you might have available.
Learn why a smartphone is all you need to start taking professional quality images.
See what you can achieve with only the automatic settings on whichever camera you are using.
Take your camera off auto as Rankin breaks down the basic rules of photography to understand what the manual controls really do.
Learn exactly what you need to get started when it comes to the endless array of lenses on offer.
Switch your camera from auto settings to manual and see how having control sets your creativity free.
Hear from Rankin and fellow photographer Ken Kamara as they discuss the all-important subject of lighting in portrait photography.
Learn how Rankin sets up his own photography studio lighting and discover popular techniques to enhance any image with basic equipment.
Adventure out of the studio with Rankin as he explores the power, challenges, and beauty of natural light.
Find two or three portraits that you love that are lit differently and try to recreate them.
Explore the crucial steps you need to take before every photo shoot if you want it to be a success.
Join Rankin and makeup artist Heidi North as they discuss the importance of communication and creating a visual reference for the team.
Ignite your imagination and put your vision onto the page with your very own photography moodboard.
Join Rankin and makeup artist Heidi North in the studio as they bring their latest collaboration to life.
Learn why the relationship with your subject is key to a memorable portrait and hear about key themes like trust and consent from photographers Giles Duley and Ken Kamara.
See all the skills you’ve learned put together as Rankin creates a memorable portrait with his frequent collaborator; the rapper, DJ and model, ROXXXAN.
Join Rankin and his frequent creative collaborator ROXXXAN as they explore the importance of the subject-photographer relationship.
Create a portrait that will stop your viewer in their tracks, using all the new skills you’ve learned.
Learn what to do after you’ve taken your shot with the essential stage of post-production.
Watch as Rankin breaks down the more advanced possibilities available through modern post-production software.
See what happens when Rankin turns his smartphone lens onto himself to take his own self-portrait.
Be brave and step in front of the lens to discover something new about yourself.
Join Rankin and photographer Ken Kamara as they discuss the importance of seeing yourself reflected both behind the camera and in the images being created.
Use your newfound skills to capture a person in your world who rarely sees themselves represented in a portrait.
Hear from photographer Giles Duley as he explores his change of career from music and fashion photography to putting himself in harm’s way across the world’s conflict zones.
Push yourself out of your comfort zone by using your camera to tell someone else’s story.
Discover what could be next in your photography journey as Rankin explores more advanced skills and techniques for you to learn.
Hear from photographer and filmmaker Bexy Cameron as she suggests top tips for building your photography portfolio and getting it in front of the right people.
Join Rankin and photographer Ken Kamara as they explore the importance of building a network when it comes to landing the next job.
Listen up as Rankin answers the top questions new photographers ask him after 30 years in the industry.
Find out what it is that you’re passionate about, what you want to say about the world, and take images that will reveal something in each of your subjects that no one has seen before.
Meet Paula Scher. In this first video, she describes what she’ll share in this course, and what you’ll learn.
Paula describes the role of graphic designers, and the many ways graphic design shows up in our daily lives, whether in signage, ads, road signs, or websites.
When did graphic design start? Paula talks you through the evolution of type from pictographs and hieroglyphics to modern day alphabets.
Paula points out that crests, flags, and symbols, differing in style and complexity, still act in similar ways, and require a few of the same things.
Through examples, Paula teaches you why it’s important to learn the history of typefaces to inject your work with emotion in an informed way.
Pacing, grid systems, cropping, and formatting are all design decisions that are made to help readers experience writing. Paula explains her approach
In this lesson, Paula shows you influential graphic design from the 1800s to the 1940s, speaking to the styles and movements that emerged during this time.
Paula shows you influential graphic design from the 1950s to present day, describing the elements of graphic design and how designers played with those elements to create meaningful work.
Paula shows you powerful logos and describes how they became memorable. She shares her thoughts on what it takes to create an iconic logo.
Paula introduces the next few lessons, which are case studies of work she’s done with major organisations. She gives guidance on what a designer must do when first starting a project with a client.
In this lesson, Paula describes the challenges she faced while creating the logo for Citibank.
When creating the brand identities for the Met Opera and New York City Ballet, Paula solved the various obstacles through typography and form.
When creating this logo, Paula had an idea that revolutionised how tech brands represent themselves. She’ll show you how she came up with it and how she convinced her clients to go for it.
Paula teaches you how systems for identity need to be flexible and usable by the client. In this case study, you’ll learn how she met the needs of the client and the process of identity design.
In this case study, Paula describes the problems she faced and how she solved them, as well as how 2D design gets translated to 3D space – another important aspect of identity design.
Paula explains what environmental graphics are, how they show up in our lives, and shares a few examples her business partner Michael Gericke worked on.
Paula walks you through more case studies from Michael Gericke’s body of work. In these examples, you'll learn what kind of thinking a designer needs to create environmental graphics
Through some examples, Paula and her business partner Emily Oberman explain what graphic design techniques go into making animations.
Paula walks you through the work of prolific animators, urging you to continue learning about what has worked in the past and how it’s changed the future of storytelling through motion graphics.
Identity work now includes motion assets, so Paula shows you some of Emily’s identity work as well as title sequences to go deeper into the facets that make great titles and animation.
Paula wraps up the course with some more tips, and recommends continuing the learning by referring to books mentioned in the course notes.
Ken Follett describes the miracle of literature and tells you how he got started.
Most stories arise from a question that in turn generates further questions.
Ken takes a first look at some fundamental ways of developing the potential of your initial idea.
How to manage a complex story with multiple points of view.
The pleasures, perils, and practical value of detailed preliminary research, and how to record it for reference.
Ken explains why he finds advance planning the most efficient approach to writing and describes how the outline develops from a single paragraph to a step-by-step guide.
Comparing notes with a writer at the start of her career – packed with sound advice.
Why the first line matters and how it works its magic, with a wealth of examples.
How to keep the reader emotionally engaged while filling in the detail.
Ken considers the subtleties of character development, from how to add depth and complexity to respecting historical evidence.
Scene changes, story turns and maintaining reader engagement from the first line to the last.
Why they matter and why they should always communicate something beyond mere action.
How we tend to write what we like to read.
Ken describes his own style and compares it to some contrasting examples, including possible approaches to dialogue.
The value of expertise and how historical accuracy helps ground your story and enhance the illusion of reality.
Ken’s writing day and some tips for how to persevere through rough and smooth.
Reworking the first draft in the light of feedback, and how reader responses are always valuable even when superficially wrong.
Ken shares his years of experience of working with publishers to achieve the best possible outcome for your book.
Comparing notes with a writer at the opposite end of the spectrum, with plenty of practical encouragement.
How reading makes the world a better place.
Ken signs off with a reminder of what it takes to succeed.
Ken has been writing and selling books for fifty years. Here he answers your questions.
Sir Tim Rice welcomes you to his course and his home, and gives you a bit of a taste of what’s to come along with a few of his best-loved lyrics.
From his failed attempts at becoming a lawyer to beginning his legendary partnership with Andrew Lloyd Webber, Sir Tim shares advice on how to start a career in musical theatre.
Learn how to find the best ideas, as well as how Sir Tim came up with the idea for Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita, and what leads to success.
Looking at some of his favourite lyrical influences and the writing process of his own work, Sir Tim shows you what writing methods can be successful.
One song doesn’t make a musical. Sir Tim discusses the structure of the whole score and how each song is written for a certain purpose.
From The Lion King and Aladdin to James Bond, Sir Tim explains how to write for animated films, and how he tackled the world of 007.
Collaboration with a composer is the most important partnership for a lyricist, which for Sir Tim Rice included working with the likes of Andrew Lloyd Webber, Elton John, Alan Menken, and Benny and Bjorn from Abba. He explains what makes a good partnership work and what to do if things aren’t going well.
Putting the lyrics to music, Sir Tim breaks down the orchestration choices for some of his best-loved songs.
From the initial idea and scripting, all the way through to orchestration, casting, and opening night, Sir Tim talks us through how he and Andrew Lloyd Webber produced Evita.
Join Sir Tim as he chats with Theatrical Producer, Nick Allott, about how to get your musical onto the stage and what musicals work and why.
Sir Tim breaks down the lyrical process for ‘Don’t Cry For Me Argentina’ from Evita, one of his most popular musicals written with Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Discover the process behind the lyrics for the Oscar, Golden Globe, and Grammy winning ‘A Whole New World’ from Aladdin, which Sir Tim wrote alongside Alan Menken.
Sir Tim discusses how you can use songs to build character, taking his example of Mary Magdalene and Judas from Jesus Christ Superstar.
Not every song or lyric will work in its first form. Sir Tim shows us how this was the case with ‘I Don’t Know How to Love Him’ from Jesus Christ Superstar.
Join Sir Tim Rice for a chat with world renowned composer, Alan Menken, about their work together on Disney, and how their collaborative process works.
Joined by casting director Jane Deitch in a live theatre, Sir Tim and Jane give advice on how to prepare for an audition and perform some of his best songs.
Sir Tim and Jane Deitch share their advice on how to act through song with a performance of ‘Don’t Cry for Me Argentina’, from Evita.
Sir Tim reflects on the challenges of writing a ballad, as he and Jane Deitch watch a performance of ‘Can You Feel the Love Tonight’, from The Lion King.
Sir Tim and Jane Deitch share their wisdom on how to prepare for and perform a brilliant duet with a performance of ‘I Know Him So Well’, from Chess.
Join Sir Tim and Jane Deitch as they share advice on auditioning for a comedy number with a performance of ‘Hakuna Matata’, from The Lion King.
Sir Tim Rice is joined by esteemed casting director Jane Deitch, for a chat about tips for auditioning and performing for actors today.
Sir Tim’s set of rules to follow when approaching the writing of a song.
Sir Tim shares his final thoughts, and wishes you luck for the future, whatever your musical theatre dreams may be.