Later this summer Aaron Sorkin, one of Hollywood's most successful screenwriters, is going to share his knowledge for the first time in a classroom setting.
Sorkin will join a host of stars on MasterClass including Kevin Spacey, Christina Aguilera and Dustin Hoffman teaching an online program to students on the platform where they can gain insights and industry knowledge to propel their careers.
For many years Sorkin struggled to get any traction in the industry after graduating from Syracuse University with a BA in Fine Arts in 1983. It wasn't until the late 80s that he started to focus on his true passion for writing after spending several years working odd jobs as an actor and part-time limousine driver.
His breakthrough came when he managed to secure a theatrical agent with his first two written plays including "Hidden in This Picture," a one-act play which debuted in 1988 at the West Bank Cafe Downstairs Theatre Bar in New York. That same year, Sorkin wrote "A Few Good Men" while bartending at the Palace Theatre. He wrote a majority of the first drafts on cocktail napkins.
Sorkin's screenplay impressed Producer David Brown who bought the film rights for "A Few Good Men" that at the time was reported as a six-figure deal. In the early 90s Sorkin worked for Castle Rock Entertainment and wrote a number of screenplays including "The American President" and "Malice."
Following on from his success in Hollywood, Sorkin later adapted some of the ideas he had while writing "The American President" and conceived the critically acclaimed TV Series The West Wing, which won no fewer than 9 Emmys in its first season.
Sorkin's recent screenplays include "Moneyball" starring Brad Pitt, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Jonah Hill as well as the international box office hit "The Social Network" and "Steve Jobs," directed by Danny Boyle with Kate Winslet and Michael Fassbender.
Sorkin's new online course will teach screenwriters his rules on storytelling, how to develop dialogue and character as well as what makes a screenplay sell. Students will be able to access his online course for as little as $90 and get feedback from their submitted work.