2-Part Class: Hook 'Em - How to Write and Rewrite Your First 10 Pages to Get Your Script Read

Learn from Cliff Dorfman, a WGA screenwriter who’s worked on nearly two dozen film and TV shows for HBO, NBC, FOX, USA, and more!

Receive exclusive handouts to sharpen your opening pages: Hook Map Breakdown, First 10 Checklist, Anatomy of a Killer First Page, and Annotated Sample Pages!

PLEASE NOTE: This exclusive Stage 32 class is now available to watch on-demand; it is no longer live and the instructor is not available for personal questions, but we highly encourage you to do any assignments to get the most out of the educational experience.

In today’s hyper-competitive marketplace, your script has ten pages—if that—to grab attention. Those pages are your audition, your handshake, your elevator pitch, and your make-or-break moment. Whether you’re pitching to a contest, a rep, or a showrunner, knowing how to open strong and hold attention is essential to getting your work read all the way through. This exclusive Stage 32 class will give you the professional’s toolkit to weaponize your first ten pages and make your voice undeniable!

Most writers don’t lose interest—they lose the reader. They bury their hook, delay their premise, and save their best for later, forgetting the reader might never get there. The first ten pages are where many scripts falter: weak openings, slow pacing, overexposition, or confusing tone. In this class, Cliff Dorfman will show you how to create tension without chaos, character without overexplaining, and how to design a first ten that compels readers to keep turning pages.

Your Stage 32 educator, Cliff Dorfman, is a seasoned WGA screenwriter with credits on nearly two dozen film and TV projects, including HBO, NBC, FOX, USA, and more. He has helped countless writers land representation, get their projects greenlit, and sharpen their scripts to meet the exacting standards of Hollywood gatekeepers. With his keen storytelling insight and genuine passion for mentoring, Cliff is the ideal guide to transform your first ten pages into an irresistible page-turner.

In this 2-part, interactive Stage 32 class, you’ll learn how to think like a reader under pressure, identify silent red flags, map your hook, and master the invisible craft that gets scripts read cover-to-cover. Whether you’re writing a feature, pilot, or short, you’ll leave with tools, strategies, and confidence to make your first ten pages stand out in any submission pile.

This interactive Stage 32 class is held on Zoom and goes substantially more in depth than a Stage 32 webinar. Best of all? As soon as you sign up you will be linked on email with your Stage 32 Educator and given a questionnaire to fill out and send back to them. You will have access to your Educator for the duration of your class by email to ask them any questions you have about your craft or career - it’s like having a mentor on demand! And, if you can't make a live session, don't worry! All class recordings will be available 48 hours after each session and you will be able to view them in your Library on your Stage 32 profile. Finally, you can expand your network with like-minded creatives - you'll have a dedicated lounge for interactive support and discussions with your fellow classmates!

PLUS! You will receive the following handouts to help you:

• Hook Map Breakdown

• First 10 Checklist – A Reader’s POV

• Anatomy of a Killer First Page

• Annotated Sample Pages

Praise for Cliff’s Teaching with Stage 32

"I really appreciated being part of Cliff’s class. He is truly a master of the craft. His deep industry experience really shines when he answers questions, balancing the nuance of good writing with the realities of today’s market. He’s incredibly passionate, and his motivation feels authentic. I especially valued how he encouraged us to go line by line, showing what makes a killer first page work. It was eye-opening and gave me brand new tools I’d never encountered before." -Elsa S.