The Emmy-nominated star and creator of the award-winning HBO series Insecure is here to show you how it’s done. Issa Rae uses her signature do-it-yourself ethos, humor, and voice to offer writers and creators of all types the motivation and tools they’ll need on their journey. Issa shares how she has navigated Hollywood while Black and inspires you to reach your creative dreams and never take no for an answer.
Overview
Syllabus
- Meet Your Instructor: Issa Rae
- With her web series The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl and her HBO TV show Insecure, Issa Rae tells authentic stories with realistic characters. She shares how she broke into Hollywood by following her own path.
- Finding Your Voice & Inspiration
- Your unique voice is essential for storytelling. Issa teaches you how to create what you want to see by getting inspiration from your favorite shows and bringing underrepresented stories to a larger audience.
- Developing Your Story
- Issa walks you through the ingredients that every story needs and explains how to test your stories with new audiences.
- Insecure Pilot Blueprint: Characters & the Why
- Learn what makes a strong pilot episode and, in particular, Issa’s strategy for creating the pilot for Insecure.
- Insecure Pilot Blueprint: Conflict & Series Setup
- Issa continues her breakdown of the Insecure pilot so you can learn how to construct conflict and set up the rest of your series.
- Creating Characters Grounded in Reality
- Issa shows you the best ways to start developing characters and dialogue that are relatable and realistic.
- Constructing Multidimensional Characters: Insecure
- Awkward Black Girl and Insecure have something key in common: strong and specific characters. Issa delves into some of the most notable characters from her series and the growth they’ve experienced over time.
- Interpreting Feedback & Evolving Your Story
- Discover how to present your vision to others, get the most from critical feedback, and find the right partners for your project.
- Getting Your Stories Out There
- Issa’s journey proves that distribution doesn’t have to include Hollywood execs. Hear her thoughts on how to get your stories in front of an audience without a TV network.
- Resourcefulness Is Everything
- Learn how to develop a writing schedule, embrace imperfection, and find resources in unexpected places.
- Collaborating With Like-Minded Creatives
- Issa suggests ways to lean on the expertise of creatives around you, particularly in a writers' room full of diverse voices and ideas.
- Empowering Yourself & Those Around You
- Issa shares personal stories of times when she’s had to trust her gut, feel confident in her voice, and help other creatives gain opportunities in the entertainment industry.
- Diversify Your Skills
- As one of the leading multi-hyphenates today, Issa doesn’t believe that it always makes sense to “stay in your lane.” Discover why it’s crucial to expand your skills.
- Pep Talk: You Ready to Do This?
- We all need a pep talk once in a while. Issa reveals why a resilient mentality is a must.
Taught by
Issa Rae
