The Screenwriter's Prequel

If writing for the screen is what you want to do, this is where you need to be this August 1st.

CURRICULUM: 

• What are the basic skill sets of screenwriting?  How do your skills rate?
• What is your writing process?  How can it be more productive?
• What are the essential elements of a story?  What makes a story cinematic?
• What makes a story matter?  What makes it unforgettable?
• Do you have a feature idea? A short? A teleplay? A web series?
• How do you make a character better than the real?
• How can you make the audience care about your character?
• How is formatting a screenplay an art and a science?
• What is the right structure to support your plot? To highlight your theme?
• How do you find and work with writing partners, producers, investors?
• (Extra for writing teachers) How do you develop a syllabus for an effective screenwriting program?

Each writer will have the opportunity for an introductory and exit interview in which we tailor particular help according to their career hopes and plans. We will help each draft a “What Comes Next?” plan for after the program.

Post-Workshop Mentoring: Writers who complete the eight-day workshop will have the opportunity to contract with Catharsis at a special rate to continue a mentoring phase on a project or projects for the next ten months. Mentoring will consist of monthly page number targets for the writer and feedback from Catharsis on the student’s work. Writers will complete two projects during their mentoring period: either a short film and a feature or two TV projects; We will also consider proposals for web series.