Stage 32 5-Part A.I. Lab: How to Break Story & Improve Characters Using AI Prompts

Private, interactive 5-part lab on Zoom with Award-Winning Screenwriter & AI Expert Joshua Young

Work Directly on Your Script Using AI Tools to Sharpen Structure and Voice

Artificial Intelligence is transforming the creative process, and as a storyteller, you’re right in the middle of that shift. Whether you write features, pilots, or short films, AI is rapidly becoming an essential tool for brainstorming, structuring, and testing story ideas faster than ever before. But without the right guidance, it can also dilute your originality and weaken your voice. This exclusive Stage 32 lab is designed to help you do the opposite—to harness AI in a way that strengthens your imagination, sharpens your storytelling instincts, and keeps your creative voice at the center of every scene you write!

Many creatives fall into common traps when first using AI: vague prompting, relying on the first draft it generates, or letting it become the writer instead of the assistant. These mistakes often lead to generic stories and mechanical voices. In this lab, you’ll learn how to use AI with purpose—directing it the same way you would any creative collaborator. Through frameworks like Save the Cat, The Hero’s Journey, and real film examples, you’ll learn how to identify weak story beats, deepen emotional truth, and build dynamic characters using effective prompting strategies. You’ll discover how to make AI work for you, not instead of you.

Your instructor, Joshua Young, brings a rare combination of creative expertise and technological insight to this evolving craft. A multi-award-winning screenwriter and filmmaker whose credits include work for Netflix, PBS, OWN, and TLC, Joshua has helped countless writers and filmmakers integrate AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Midjourney into their creative process. As both a storyteller and an AI consultant, he understands how to preserve authenticity while embracing innovation. His approach is rooted in one clear belief: AI should enhance creativity, not replace it—and he’ll show you exactly how to achieve that balance.

Across this interactive lab, you’ll work directly on your own script—diagnosing structure, experimenting with beats, sharpening dialogue, and deepening your characters’ emotional core. You’ll test bold ideas, identify hidden gaps in your story, and build a sustainable workflow that combines human intuition with AI precision. By the end, you’ll walk away with practical tools, a personalized prompt library, and the confidence to use AI as a creative ally—empowering you to tell richer, smarter, and more emotionally resonant stories than ever before.

This interactive Stage 32 lab 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

• "AI Readiness" primer (sent via email two weeks prior to class starting)
• Personalized prompt template

Praise for Joshua's previous education with Stage 32:

"AMAZING information. Joshua Young clearly knows his stuff and does an excellent job of teaching us what he knows. I feel so much more confident about diving into ChatGpt based on everything I learned today, and I know my scripts will be better because of it."

"Joshua gave a great "current status" overview of AI and gave wonderful specific examples of screenwriting prompts and specific areas where AI was most useful for screenwriters in their creative process. Greatly appreciate Joshua's handout thoroughness that we will be getting too! Thanks Joshua! Go Virgos!"

"As a total amateur, Joshua's introduction was very helpful for me. What can the system do, and how do you get the most out of the system."