Daily schedule
After registration on Sunday afternoon, we invite you to a welcome meeting in the Amersi Lecture Theatre in New Quad, where you will meet your tutors. Join us in Deer Park afterwards for our opening drinks reception, followed by dinner in Brasenose’s historic dining hall (informal dress).
Seminars take place on weekday mornings. Most afternoons are free, allowing you time to explore Oxford, enjoy a variety of optional social events (see details below), or to sit back and relax in one of the college's atmospheric quads.
Your course culminates on Friday evening with a closing drinks reception and gala farewell dinner at which Certificates of Attendance are awarded. For this special occasion smart dress is encouraged (no requirement to wear dinner suits or gowns).
Social programme
We warmly invite all Inspiring Oxford students to take part in our optional social programme, with all events provided at no additional cost. Events are likely to include:
- Croquet on the quad
- Chauffeured punting from Magdalen Bridge
- Expert-led walking tours of Oxford
- Optional visit to an Oxford Library or the Ashmolean Museum
- River Thames afternoon cruise
- Quiz night in the college bar
- Scottish country dance evening (where you do the dancing!)
Seminars
Monday
From the Ground Floor
We begin our week by uncovering what makes a great concept truly irresistible. Why did The Sopranos change television forever? And what made its premise, an anxious mob boss in therapy, so fresh, daring and human? Through discussion and analysis of the show’s celebrated pilot episode, we’ll explore how David Chase brought his idea to life and persuaded HBO to take the risk.
Then, turning to our own creativity, we’ll engage in a series of lively, hands-on exercises designed to help you generate, refine and strengthen your own television concepts. By the end of the day, you’ll have a toolkit for turning a good idea into a compelling one.
Tuesday
The Strong, Silent Type
On our second day, we turn our focus to character: what makes someone unforgettable on screen? We’ll dissect The Sopranos’ magnetic antihero, Tony Soprano, with a close look at the acclaimed episode 'College', and consider his complex relationships with Dr Melfi, Carmela and Christopher. Together, we’ll uncover how writers create depth, contradiction,and emotional truth. You’ll then apply these lessons to your own ideas, using guided exercises to design characters that live and breathe beyond the page; characters your audience will never forget.
Wednesday
Lost in the Woods
Midweek, we confront one of the greatest challenges in screenwriting; structure. How do you build a story that grips viewers from beginning to end? We’ll start with the essentials of dramatic construction: the inciting incident, rising tension, climax and resolution, and then see these principles in action through the brilliant, chaotic episode 'Pine Barrens'. We’ll also discuss how a single episode fits within the rhythm of a season and how an entire season sustains momentum. The day will end with exercises that help you shape your own story arcs, balancing surprise, tension and emotional payoff.
Thursday
I Took Care of It
Not all of The Sopranos’ shocks come from violence. Many of its most powerful twists are moral, emotional or existential. Today, we’ll explore how great writers play with audience expectations and create meaning through surprise. Focusing on 'The Knight in White Satin Armour' and 'Kennedy and Heidi', we’ll discuss how Chase uses betrayal, humour and ambiguity to subvert what we think we know. You’ll then examine your own plots; what promises are you making to your audience, and how might you deliver or disrupt them? Through a series of creative exercises, we’ll sharpen your ability to craft unpredictable, resonant stories.
Friday
Don’t Stop Believing
We close our week by turning to endings, the most difficult and most rewarding part of storytelling.
What makes a finale satisfying without being simple? Our discussion of The Sopranos’ final episode, 'Made in America', will explore how Chase deepens the show’s questions even as the screen fades to black. We’ll also consider the show’s enduring influence on modern television drama. Finally, we’ll bring the focus back to your work: defining your themes, clarifying your story’s central question, and learning how to pitch your idea with confidence in today’s competitive TV landscape.
You’ll leave the course with a deeper understanding of The Sopranos and the creative tools to keep developing your own drama ideas with purpose and precision.
