Summer Session
June 12 - September 11, 2025
Thursdays 12-1:30 pm PST
The 90-Day Screenplay™ is a Live-on-Zoom workshop with Alan Watt that will take you from initial idea to the completion of your screenplay in 90 days.
"Screenplays are structure."
- William Goldman
from concept to polish
There are no rules to writing a screenplay; however, passion without structure will only lead to confusion, and structure without passion, can only ever lead to formulaic writing.
There are few terms in the English language more hotly debated than “Three-Act Structure.” The problem is that when story structure is taught by story analysts they often misinterpret structure as “plotting.”
It isn’t. True story structure refers to the DNA of your protagonist's transformation - it is a guide through a series of experiences that leads your protagonist to some kind of transformed state - and within that framework, anything is possible. Anything.
The 90-Day Screenplay™ helps you to unlock the story within by guiding you through a process of marrying the wildness of your imagination to the rigor of structure.
"Character suggests plot."
You have a unique point of view and a desire to tell your story in an original way. The 90-Day Screenplay™ is where you make your dream a reality. Come bring your passion, your curiosity, your wisdom. Join The 90-Day Screenplay™ and write the movie you've always dreamed of seeing.
Many screenwriting workshops offer guidance to the completion of an outline or a draft of your First Act. The 90-Day Screenplay™ is a week by week guide through the process of developing your premise, clarifying your logline, allowing an outline to emerge, getting the first draft down quickly and finally rewriting your work in preparation for submission to agents and producers.
The 90-Day Screenplay™ is for screenwriters who are serious about filmmaking and ready to take their work to the next level.
about the workshop
live on Zoom
We meet once a week in a LIVE Zoom call on Thursdays from 12:00-1:30 pm Pacific Time, for 14 straight weeks. The workshop combines craft lessons, screening clips from various films, and stream-of-consciousness writing exercises to illustrate story principles.
watch the class anytime
You are not required to take the workshop live. Many screenwriters have day jobs or commitments during class hours, or sometimes life just gets in the way, therefore all of our sessions are recorded and are available for three weeks, respectively.
Q & A
Every workshop ends with a review of your homework, followed by a Q&A where I answer all of your questions. This is a time to gain clarity on the principles discussed. The goal is leave each session with a basic confidence in where you are heading for that week.
daily letters
Every morning a daily letter lands in your inbox. The letters were developed over the course of several years, and are a day-by-day guide through the process. Writers often comment on the synchronicity of the letters — on how they seem to meet you right where you are. While the letters focus on craft, they are also a response to the uncanny uniformity of experience shared by the many writers who have taken the 90-day journey before you.
group forum
The group forum is where you connect with your fellow classmates to share your experiences, hold yourself accountable, and take part in the daily discussion topics. Over the course of 90 days we discover that we're not alone - that our private struggles are universal and often provide clues into the world of our story.
one-on-one story consults
Over the course of the 90-day workshop I offer one-on-one story consults to current students where you can send me your three-page outline and I review it, make notes, and help you explore the most dynamic and compelling way to tell your story. There are a limited number of spots for this service. One-on-one consults are available at a special discount to writers paying the suggested workshop donation price. Consults are normally $650 (or $325 with the special discount — 50% off the regular price).
meet your teacher
Hi, I'm Alan. They call me the Story Whisperer. I teach a process of marrying passion to craft to tell compelling stories. My students range from first-time writers to best-selling authors and filmmakers who've won numerous accolades for their work including the Pulitzer Prize.
L.A. Writers' Lab's mission is to help writers build a body of work. If you have a story to tell and are seeking support, guidance and community, then welcome. I look forward to working with you.
"Over 80,000 writers have taken the 90-day journey."
why writers love the 90-day screenplay™
“I have taken The 90-Day Screenplay at least three times with different projects. I cannot recommend Al highly enough. He’s my guy. If you take your career seriously, make him yours.”
Jessica Sharzer
“I’ve read all the structure books, Robert McKee, Syd Field, etc. Al is the first teacher that I really felt inspired by. I love how he presents structure. He comes at it from an artist’s point of view. “Marrying the wildness of your imagination to the rigors of story structure” and always choosing the wildness of your imagination if you have to. Al’s passion for story is present in every workshop. He has a real talent for distilling your script to its essence and helping you tell your story in the most compelling way.”
Tom O'Brien
“Al Watt understands that the primacy of structure is directly connected to the unconscious mind. The story is already written, The 90-Day Screenplay helps you find it by instilling the hard rules of craft while coaxing your muse from hiding. Al is a wizard, a jester, a drill sergeant – and the best part is that in 90 days, no matter what, you will have a finished screenplay.”
Allison Burnett
“It is difficult to distill what Al Watt does in his workshops. He helps the writer tap into that secret world that lies within, a world often victim to procrastination, insecurity and lack of focus. He instills a fundamental knowing that we are uniquely qualified to tell our stories, that our conscious mind is a filter through which passes our creativity, and that the trick is to not let it get in the way but rather provide a structure under which we can create.”
Donna Powers
“I am blown away by The 90-Day Screenplay! I’m applying the principles to my current works in process – as I will for all future projects. It is helping to reshape my understanding of character and story. This invaluable tool will never be far from my side.”
Pamela Falk
“The 90-Day Screenplay digs straight for the substratum of drama by asking the question: why is dramatic form universal and how is it a reflection of human experience? Take this workshop and experience the soil of your creative ground growing more fertile.”
Benjamin van der Veen
“Do you want to get the movie in your heart onto the page? Go 90 days deep with Al!”
Viki King
“The 90-Day Screenplay is a game-changer. This is not a book that sits on your shelf. It’s a proven process for anyone who has ever wanted to write a screenplay but has been too frozen by panic to get off their ass and do it. I wish I’d had this book when I started. It would have saved me five years of laying on the couch and shuddering in dread for fear of the unknown.”
Howard Busgang
“Rather than just a blueprint for cookie-cutter storytelling, The 90-Day Screenplay provides a road map to explore all those tangled corners of the soul where the best stories are hiding. This book is a boundless resource, filled with simple yet profound instruction, and should be state-mandated reading at the front gates of Hollywood.”
Aaron Lee
“I am a fan of Al’s writing for the skill, depth, and insight he brings to the table. And I’m a fan of the care and craftsmanship he brings to teaching.”
Peggy Rajski
“Al’s passion and input during the rewriting stage was instrumental. He asked all the right questions, pushed all the right buttons and led me toward a greater clarity of my project in a fully engaged, insightful and supportive way.”
Jordan Rane
“Al’s script consultations are deeply grounded in the script’s inherent dramatic momentum. Al has a sharp and compassionate eye for where a story wants to organically unfold and where extraneous ideas might be getting in the way.”
Dave Polsky
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