Nemesis II: Revelations
It’s one thing to know your foe… (that’s what we did on day one)
It’s another thing to know their path, how to track them, and how to have your characters defeat them in the most deeply satisfying ways.
As it turns out, the journey of your nemesis has both form and structure. More than a story arc, a specific set of beats, each raising the stakes, building tension and creating a deeper connection with your protagonist.
On the first day of this two day series, we identified the Nemesis Archetypes and explored which will be best for your story.
Now let’s get practical and map out the Ritual of the Nemesis (you could use screenwrirting language like structure and story beats of the nemesis, but we prefer ritual).
What are the specific steps every Nemesis takes in a well-constructed story?
Six hour masterclass with exercises, learn at your own pace and rewatch for up to one year.
This structure is present in almost all stories that we remember as being great, precisely because the nemesis was so wicked, devious and terrifying. Seemingly insurmountable.
Now, lets flip the screenwriting table from your protagonist for a change. How can you best inspire your tyrannical Nemesis, so that they will unleash the maximum chaos and destruction upon your protagonist?
And THEN… What specific steps (or pattern) will they take? One that works in all stories?
In our estimation, virtually every script fails to fully realize the potential of the Nemesis in the tale.
The result? Often a flatter and more uninspired screenplay that the characters, story and universe offer us.
And it’s almost ALWAYS because we spend enormous amounts of energy understanding the protagonist and significantly less on crafting a Nemesis that producers, actors, directors and audiences talk about.
‘What I really loved was putting the protagonist to one side for a change – putting the Nemesis front and centre, looking at the story from their angle, and sometimes only giving the protagonist a walk-on part. It TOTALLY changed the way I saw the story, and I pushed it and took risks I hadn’t thought of before. A complete mindshift! And I loved the range of examples and the clips were great because they made me really dive into the story. The writing bursts were tricky at times but SO good for getting the brain engaged. Love Bob – he’s a great teacher :)’
Abbie Heath // Screenwriter
In this course, you will:
- Learn the Ritual Of The Nemesis, and the different ways the Nemesis manifests depending on the Archetype you choose.
- The Seven Sacraments – the specific achievements a Nemesis makes in service of transforming the protagonist into the hero/ine they are destined to be.
- The fundamental differences between a Protagonist’s arc, and a Nemesis’s arc. And how to exploit these conflicting patterns to set a protagonist and a nemesis on a collision course.
- Re-discover your Nemesis with glee and excitement. They have so much MORE to offer you and your story. Trust us.
The story might end with the protagonist, but it starts with the Nemesis. Make it killer. Make your script unputdownable. Unleash your Nemesis.
Six hour masterclass with exercises, learn at your own pace and rewatch for up to one year.
Recent Feedback For This Course
‘Thank you for continuing to offer new, fresh, bold classes virtually. Totally worth the 3 am start time here in the US. My writing improves with every workshop I participate in!’
Ellis Barrowman // Screenwriter
‘I will re-watch this course over and over for every project from this day forward! I’ve learned with the best – you name the guru, I’ve workshopped or consulted with them over the years. But Bob is undoubtedly the most direct, generous and on-point of them all. Thanks Bob.’
Shahrukh Shackle // Screenwriter
‘Intensely engaging and packed with useful discussion and information. Can only imagine the huge amount of energy and preparation Bob puts in to every session to pound home so much information in only one day. A recording is then sent to mull over at leisure. Huge value for money!!’
Anita Tucker // Writer
Read all the feedback HERE
This class is run by screenwriter Bob Schultz. For more than 20 years, Bob has been training screenwriters , helping thousands of writers clarify their stories, reorganise their ideas and build confidence to bring the very best version of any writer, to the opportunities they create.
