• TELETOON Masters Program: Writing for Animation
• Imarion Post-Production HD Primer
• Evening with Robert McKee
• NBC Universal Feature Film Writing Program
• NBC Universal Women Writers Workshop
• NBC Universal Development Incubator
• NBC Universal Feature Film Marketing and Distribution Series

NBC Universal Feature Film Writing Program

Presented by Women In Film and Television – Toronto in partnership with Telefilm Canada and the Ontario Media Development Corporation

Women In Film and Television – Toronto, in partnership with Telefilm Canada and the Ontario Media Development Corporation, is pleased to present the 2006 NBC Universal Development Incubator. The Development Incubator is an initiative designed to develop market-driven feature films and support the next generation of Canadian feature film professionals.

The NBC Universal Development Incubator includes a three day Incubator program and the opportunity to work with UK or National Story Editors on a current project for selected applicants. Additional programming is open to both the selected applicants, general public and WIFT-T members. The Feature Film Writing Program is a three-part refresher course that will take writers through the elements of developing a feature film script. Components will include Feature Structure, Character Development and Dialogue. The Women Writers Workshop will target emerging women screenwriters who have a detailed outline or treatment, and are working on the first draft of a feature script.

The Feature Film Writing Program

Instructor:
Elke Town, Story Editor Consultant, Storyworks (more...)

Screenplay Anatomy Lessons for Screenwriters and Everyone Else

Do you have a great idea for a movie? Are you uncertain about how to give shape to your ideas and how to bring the characters to life in a believable world? Or, are you bogged down in the middle of a screenplay and have lost track of your story and don’t know where your characters are going or why?

If you want to write a screenplay as good as the movies you’ve seen and loved - the movies that have appealed to your emotions and your intellect - then this series of screenplay anatomy workshops about structure, character and dialogue can help you achieve your goals.

Using scripts from successful independent films, each series of three workshops will help you know and understand the intricate working mechanisms of screenplays. You will work from the big picture, the structure that supports the story and themes, through to the complex intricacies of creating flesh and blood characters whose desires and conflicts will resonate with audiences.

The workshops will focus on all elements of screenwriting including: genre, outlines, treatments and drafts, story, plot, sub-plots, backstory, character motivation, conflict, scene structure and sequences, turning points, reversals, tone, pacing and visual elements.

Part one: Feature Film Structure
Tuesday, September 19
Thursday, September 21
Tuesday, September 26
A three-evening course for emerging writers, and intermediate writers looking for a refresher, that will cover the three-act structure, importance of themes, concepts, premise and genres. The course will also look at the structure of building plots, the economy of narrative story telling and importance of satisfying endings

Part two: Character Development
Tuesday, October 3
Thursday, October 5
Tuesday, October 10 Industry Guest: David Weaver, Writer/Director
A three-evening workshop for emerging writer, and intermediate writers looking for a refresher workshop, that will cover the essentials of creating characters. Topics covered will include: creating strong unique characters with memorable personalities, the role of protagonists, antagonists and supporting characters, building back story and psychology, differentiating between real characters and caricatures.

Part three: Dialogue
Tuesday, October 17
Thursday, October 19 Industry Guest: Anne Frank, Producer, Story Editor and Broadcast Executive
Tuesday, October 24
A three-evening workshop for emerging writers, and intermediate writers looking for a refresher workshop, that will cover how to write natural, believable and economical dialogue for feature scripts. Topics covered will include: Scene structure, exposition, descriptive writing, atmosphere and tone, impact of character choices on story design and charting convincing character change.


Elke Town (cont.)
Elke Town has over fifteen years experience in film, television and print media. She has developed, financed and produced for film and television; worked as a broadcast executive; and, headed the creative affairs department of a major funding agency. She has been story editor on numerous projects and worked contractually for Telefilm Canada, the Canadian Film Centre, the Ontario Media Development Corporation and Astral Media’s Harold Greenberg FUND (Foundation to Underwrite New Drama).

Most recently Elke founded Storyworks a company that helps writers, directors and producers bring stories that people want to see to the screen. She is passionate about the art of storytelling and understands the craft of screenwriting. Those who have worked with her say she demanding and tough but insightful and fun. The chemistry between words and image is her forte.


Location: National Film Board, 150 John St. (at Richmond)
Date: see each component above
Registration: 5:30pm - 6:00pm
Time: 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Fee (For Each 3 Part Series): $195 + GST Members , $285 + GST Non-members
For all 3 parts: $450 + GST Members , $600 + GST Non-members

Registration for Part one: Feature Film Structure is required by Friday, September 8, 2006.
Registration for Part two: Character Development is required by Friday, September 22, 2006.
Registration for Part three: Dialogue is required by Friday, October 6, 2006.

To register: call (416) 322-3430 x221 or email a completed registration form, along with your resume to wift@wift.com or fax your registration to (416) 322-3703

Space is limited (maximum of 25 participants).

* Cancellation of registration with more than 3 business days notice is subject to a $25.00 administration fee; for cancellation with less than 3 business days notice, no refund will be given. WIFT-T reserves the right to cancel, reschedule or substitute guest instructors as necessary. Should the workshop be cancelled, WIFT-T will issue a full refund or credit the fee to another WIFT-T Professional Development program.

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