Film & TV

Games & Digital Media

Writing

Break Into the Entertainment Business

Craft Compelling Stories

Develop Iconic Cinematic Characters

Highlight Diversity in Your Writing

Manage Online & Social Media Engagement

Pitch & Write Stories for Film & TV

Teaches Creating Outside the Lines

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.

1. Meet Your Instructor: Issa Rae

Meet Your Instructor: Issa Rae

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.

2. Finding Your Voice & Inspiration

Finding Your Voice & Inspiration

Issa walks you through the ingredients that every story needs and explains how to test your stories with new audiences.

3. Developing Your Story

Developing Your Story

Learn what makes a strong pilot episode and, in particular, Issa’s strategy for creating the pilot for Insecure.

4. Insecure Pilot Blueprint: Characters & the Why

Insecure Pilot Blueprint: Characters & the Why

Issa continues her breakdown of the Insecure pilot so you can learn how to construct conflict and set up the rest of your series.

5. Insecure Pilot Blueprint: Conflict & Series Setup

Insecure Pilot Blueprint: Conflict & Series Setup

Issa shows you the best ways to start developing characters and dialogue that are relatable and realistic.

6. Creating Characters Grounded in Reality

Creating Characters Grounded in Reality

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.

7. Constructing Multidimensional Characters: Insecure

Constructing Multidimensional Characters: Insecure

Discover how to present your vision to others, get the most from critical feedback, and find the right partners for your project.

8. Interpreting Feedback & Evolving Your Story

Interpreting Feedback & Evolving Your Story

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.

9. Getting Your Stories Out There

Getting Your Stories Out There

Learn how to develop a writing schedule, embrace imperfection, and find resources in unexpected places.

10. Resourcefulness Is Everything

Resourcefulness Is Everything

Issa suggests ways to lean on the expertise of creatives around you, particularly in a writers' room full of diverse voices and ideas.

11. Collaborating With Like-Minded Creatives

Collaborating With Like-Minded Creatives

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.

12. Empowering Yourself & Those Around You

Empowering Yourself & Those Around You

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.

13. Diversify Your Skills

Diversify Your Skills

We all need a pep talk once in a while. Issa reveals why a resilient mentality is a must.

14. Pep Talk: You Ready to Do This?

Pep Talk: You Ready to Do This?

Issa Rae Teaches Creating Outside the Lines

variant_1

Enjoy 7 days free

The promo may be over, but your opportunity isn't. Dive into the full experience, worry-free, with our 7-day money-back guarantee.

The offer has ended

Amount charged now

Your 7-day free trial starts today

Be one of the first 100 people to complete this course and you'll receive a limited-edition collectible designed and made by The Moonshot Factory.

Earn a rare collector's item

If you’re one of the first 100 learners to complete the course, you’ll get this collectible framed set, inspired by patches worn into battle by SEALs. Hurry—they’ll go fast.

Earn Your Achievement Patches

Congratulations on being among the first to complete the course.  To commemorate the skills you’ve built, we’re offering a limited-edition set of achievement patches inspired by those worn into battle by Navy SEALs.

Claim your Navy SEAL Foundation Achievement Patches

Pre-enroll now to save 15% on the Breakthrough Innovation Strategy course.

Save 15% on this course when you pre-enroll by October 22, 2025.

Turn bold ideas to business impact—pre-enroll by October 22, 2025 and save 15%.

From TIME ©2022 TIME USA LLC. All rights reserved. Used under license.

Times

Wirecutter

Reviewed - USA Today

Finding Your Voice

The Blueprint: Developing Your Pilot

Teaches Screenwriting

Aaron Sorkin

Aaron Sorkin Teaches Screenwriting

Scripting Your Own Success

Mindy Kaling

Teaches Writing for Television

Shonda Rhimes

Shonda Rhimes Teaches Writing for Television

Teaches Film Scoring

Hans Zimmer

Hans Zimmer Teaches Film Scoring

Teaches Designing Your Career

Elaine Welteroth

Elaine Welteroth Teaches Designing Your Career

Teaches Voice Acting

Nancy Cartwright

Nancy Cartwright Teaches Voice Acting

Teaches Creative Writing

Margaret Atwood

Margaret Atwood Teaches Creative Writing

Teaches Independent Filmmaking

Mira Nair

Mira Nair Teaches Independent Filmmaking

Teach Campaign Strategy and Messaging

David Axelrod

Karl Rove

David Axelrod and Karl Rove Teach Campaign Strategy and Messaging

Teaches Creativity and Film

David Lynch

David Lynch Teaches Creativity and Film

Teaches Writing Thrillers

Dan Brown

Dan Brown Teaches Writing Thrillers

Devon Rodriguez

Draw and Paint Realistic Portraits

Teaches Fiction, Memory, and Imagination

Amy Tan

Amy Tan Teaches Fiction, Memory, and Imagination

Teaches the Art of the Short Story

Joyce Carol Oates

Joyce Carol Oates Teaches the Art of the Short Story

Icons and Their Influences

Gloria Steinem

Kevin Smith

Cornel West

Talking Shop

Tell a Great Story

Michael Lewis

On the Power of Personal Branding

Kris Jenner

Kris Jenner On The Power of Personal Branding

Marques Brownlee

Make Compelling Videos That Go Viral

NINJA

Become a Streamer

Teaches Building Your Startup

Alexis Ohanian

Alexis Ohanian Teaches Building Your Startup

Spike Lee

Spike Lee Teaches Independent Filmmaking

Teaches Comedy

Judd Apatow

Judd Apatow Teaches Comedy

Steve Martin

Steve Martin Teaches Comedy

Teaches Spray-Painting & Abstract Art

Futura

Futura Teaches Spray-Painting & Abstract Art

Teaches Filmmaking

Werner Herzog

Werner Herzog Teaches Filmmaking

Teach Developing an Original TV Series

The Duffer Brothers

The Duffer Brothers Teach Developing an Original TV Series

Teaches Fantasy and Science Fiction Writing

N. K. Jemisin

N. K. Jemisin Teaches Fantasy and Science Fiction Writing

James Cameron

James Cameron Teaches Filmmaking

Teaches Building a Fashion Brand

Diane von Furstenberg

Diane von Furstenberg Teaches Building a Fashion Brand

Teaches the Power of Storytelling 

LeVar Burton

LeVar Burton Teaches the Power of Storytelling

Jodie Foster

Jodie Foster Teaches Filmmaking

Teaches Mystery and Thriller Writing

David Baldacci

David Baldacci Teaches Mystery and Thriller Writing

Teaches Directing

Ron Howard

Ron Howard Teaches Directing

Teaches Fiction and Storytelling

Walter Mosley

Walter Mosley Teaches Fiction and Storytelling

Teaches Writing for Social Change

Roxane Gay

Roxane Gay Teaches Writing for Social Change

Teaches Acting

Samuel L. Jackson

Samuel L. Jackson Teaches Acting

Teaches Documentary Filmmaking

Ken Burns

Ken Burns Teaches Documentary Filmmaking

Lessons from Influential Black Voices

Angela Davis

Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw

Nikole Hannah-Jones

Sherrilyn Ifill

Jelani Cobb

John McWhorter

Black History, Black Freedom, and Black Love

Teaches Storytelling and Writing

Salman Rushdie

Salman Rushdie Teaches Storytelling and Writing

Teaches How to Think Like an FBI Profiler

John Douglas

John Douglas Teaches How to Think Like an FBI Profiler

Teaches Dance Music

Armin van Buuren

Armin van Buuren Teaches Dance Music

Teaches Writing

Judy Blume

Judy Blume Teaches Writing

Teaches Dramatic Writing

David Mamet Teaches Dramatic Writing

Menu

Learn to Navigate Hollywood

Learn to Navigate Hollywood