Principles of Screenwriting for Film with Steven Kampmann

Steven will present a workshop detailing the principles of screenwriting. He will also provide pointers for those looking to break into Hollywood, drawing from his long and storied career.
Steven graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and earned his Master’s Degree in Psychological Counseling from St. Michael’s College in Vermont where he wrote his thesis on a method of recording dreams. At the Vermont State Hospital he studied the art of role-playing, humor, and psychodrama in group therapy. It was studying these techniques that drew his interest to drama, comedy, and ultimately to show business.

This program is part of the “Art and Craft of Writing” series.

This program is sponsored by the Warren County Cultural and Heritage Division.

Steven Kampmann began his film and TV career as a comedic actor/writer at the legendary Second City Theater appearing both in Chicago and Toronto. He wrote and produced the hit television show “WKRP in Cincinnati” before co-starring as Kirk Devane on the successful “Newhart” show two years later. He has appeared as an actor in eight movies including “Club Paradise” with Robin Williams, “For The Boys” with Bette Midler, and “Analyze That!” with Robert DeNiro and Billy Crystal. He co-wrote the hit comedy “Back to School” starring Rodney Dangerfield and co-wrote and co-directed the film “Stealing Home” starring Jodie Foster and Mark Harmon. Other writing credits include “The Couch Trip” with Second City alum Dan Aykroyd and the cult classic, “Clifford,” starring Martin Short, also a Second City alum. Steven’s Christmas film, “Special Delivery,” debuted on the Fox Family Channel in December 2000. He co-wrote, directed, and appeared in Second City’s first feature film in forty years, “Buzzkill,” released on Valentine’s Day, 2012. For twelve years Steven was the Writer-in-Residence at Blair Academy in New Jersey where he taught creative writing, screenwriting, public speaking, and his popular Dreams Course – dreams and the process of individuation – which he is still teaching nationwide. In the summer of 2020, Steven and his son Mikey created a podcast called “The Dreams Course” which just began its second season. Steven plans to write The Dreams Course Workbook in the coming year.