Writing a Screenplay :
Course begins on Wednesday 13 January 2010
Deadline for applications is Friday 27 November 2009
Price: £3,500
The Faber Academy – Writing a Screenplay: a practical workshop-based course for anyone who has already completed at least one screenplay and has in mind an idea for a new script which they wish to hone and develop. The course will be directed by well-known publisher and script editor, Walter Donohue, who has worked on films alongside John Boorman, Wim Wenders, Sally Potter, Peter Greenaway and Kevin Macdonald, among others. Guest lecturers will include Mike Figgis, Hanif Kureishi and Sally Potter.
Writing a Screenplay 2010 is a six month course from the Faber Academy. Beginning in January 2010, students will attend weekly evening workshops which will address the writing of their screenplay through an exploration of three approaches:
Inspirational: where students will discuss and explore the potential of movies;
Practical: the ‘how to’ of writing and developing a screenplay; and
Pragmatic: the realities of the industry and guide to Swimming with Sharks.
In addition there will be seven Saturday sessions during the course where Walter will conduct one-on-one sessions with each student on a monthly basis. While most of the sessions will be run by Walter, there will also be guest seminars delivered by foremost practitioners in the Film Industry who will provide unique insights into the movie business.
Students will be expected to devote as much time as possible to reading other screenplays, writing and editing their own work so that by the end of the course they should be in a position to finish their screenplay and submit to agents or producers.
Individual feedback will be given by the Course Director, Walter Donohue, and students will be expected to discuss their own and each other’s work on a regular basis. There will be opportunities for students to discuss ‘next steps’ with the Course Director and the guest speakers.
The course will be selective.
Course Programme
All classes will be based at the offices of Faber & Faber Ltd:
Bloomsbury House
74-77 Great Russell Street
London WC1B 3DA
The course consists of 21 two-hour weekday evening sessions and 7 Saturday sessions. Evening sessions will take place on Tuesdays from 7.00pm-9.00pm. Saturday session will take place between 10.00am-5.00pm.
The subject matter of sessions as listed below is a guide only. The exact course content will be finalized according to the experience and interests of the group and guest speaker availability. The detail of the course content is at the discretion of the Course Director and the Faber Academy.
| Session 1 |
Wed 13 Jan | Introductory session – Inspirational talk with Guest Speaker |
| Session 2 | Wed 20 Jan | Introduction to the Principles of Screenwriting |
| Session 3 | Wed 27 Jan | Writing Treatments/Scene Breakdowns – Paul Godfrey |
| Session 4 | Sat 30 Jan | One-on-one sessions with Course Director |
| Session 5 | Wed 3 Feb | Writing Adaptations – Christopher Hampton (TBC) |
| Session 6 | Wed 10 Feb | Screenwriting from the point-of-view of a Writer/Director – Sally Potter |
| Session 7 | Sat 13 Feb | One-on-one sessions with Course Director |
| Session 8 | Wed 17 Feb | Common Problems and how to overcome them |
| Session 9 | Wed 24 Feb | Dialogue – Writing exercises with a professional Actor |
| Session 10 |
Sat 27 Feb | One-on-one sessions with Course Director |
| Session 11 | Wed 3 Mar | Development of your screenplay |
| Session 12 | Wed 10 Mar | Script Factory – Lucy Scher |
| Session 13 | Sat 13 Mar | One-on-one sessions with Course Director |
| Session 14 | Wed 17 Mar | Re-writing a screenplay – Paul Godfrey |
| Session 15 | Wed 24 Mar | Pitching the Screenplay – Eileen Horne |
Break
| Session 16 |
Wed 14 Apr | Where to take it Part One |
| Session 17 | Sat 17 Apr | One-on-one sessions with Course Director |
| Session 18 | Wed 21 Apr | Guest Tutor – Hanif Kureshi |
| Session 19 | Wed 28 Apr | Principles of Screenwriting |
| Session 20 | Wed 5 May | Where to take it Part Two – Independent Producer |
| Session 21 | Wed 12 May | Principles of Screenwriting |
| Session 22 | Wed 19 May | Principles of Screenwriting |
| Session 23 | Sat 22 May | One-on-one sessions with Course Director |
| Session 24 | Wed 26 May | Principles of Screenwriting |
| Session 25 |
Wed 2 Jun | Scene by Scene with the Head of BBC Films looking at 'The Damned Utd' (TBC) |
| Session 26 | Wed 9 Jun | Agents |
| Session 27 | Sat 12 Jun | Final one-on-one sessions with Course Director |
| Session 28 | Wed 16 Jun | Round-up and guest session by Mike Figgis |
NB This programme is subject to change
Course Director
Walter Donohue was the Literary Manager of the RSC’s Warehouse Theatre (now called the Donmar Theatre) – among the plays he commissioned was Willy Rusell's Educating Rita.
During Channel Four’s first 2 years he was the assistant commissioning editor for Film on Four which did Neil Jordan's first film, as well as others like The Draughtsman's Contract.
After leaving Channel Four he has worked as a script editor for various film-makers: Wim Wenders (Paris, Texas), John Boorman (The General), Sally Potter (Orlando), David Byrne (True Stories), Peter Greenaway (Belly of An Architect).
He's worked for Andrew Macdonald’s DNA production company on various films, inlcuding 28 Days Later.
Most recently he worked on Kevin Macdonald’s State of Play.
He has worked with the screenwriters at Norman Jewison’s Film Center in Toronto.
As the Film Editor at Faber and Faber he has published screenplays by Quentin Tarantino, Joel and Ethan Coen, Wes Anderson, Alex Garland, Christopher Nolan, Mike Leigh, Hanif Kureishi, and Paul Schrader, among others.
How to Apply
There are 15 places available on ‘Writing a Screenplay.’
Applicants should write a letter of application and return it to c/o Patrick Keogh at the Faber Academy, Bloomsbury House, 74-77 Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DA or email it to Patrick.Keogh@faber.co.uk no later than Friday 27 November. The letter should state briefly their writing experience and why they wish to attend this Faber Academy writing course. In addition, they should include:
1. A completed screenplay. Please do not send your only copy as this will not be returned.
2. If applying by post, a stamped addressed postcard if they wish their application to be acknowledged.
3. If applying by post, a stamped addressed envelope for receipt of the results of their application.
Participants will be selected at the discretion of the Course Directors and the Faber Academy.
The Faber and Faber Fellowship
One place on the course will be allocated free of charge. These places will be chosen at the discretion of the Course Director and the Faber Academy, and will be based on merit and not financial circumstances.
Disclaimer
The Course Director and Faber and Faber take no responsibility for lost or damaged applications and no correspondence will be entered into with unsuccessful applicants, although they may be invited to apply for future courses.
Successful applicants will be asked to pay a non-refundable deposit towards the course fees of £1,000 by 5 December 2009. The balance of the course fee, a further £2,500, will be payable in 4 further installments of £625 on 6th February, 6th March, 6th April and 6th May 2010 respectively. No refunds will be given to students who miss sessions or drop out of the course once the full fee has been paid.
The subject matter of course sessions is subject to change due to the level of experience and interests of the group and availability of guest speakers. The content of the programme is determined at the discretion of the Course Directors and the Faber Academy.
Although the Faber Academy is run by Faber and Faber publishers, admission to the course does not guarantee publication by them or any other publisher.
How to Contact the Faber Academy
For further information and booking details:
Contact Patrick on either patrickk@faber.co.uk or tel. +44 (0) 20 7927 3822.
Alternatively write to:
Patrick Keogh
Faber and Faber Ltd
Bloomsbury House
74-77 Great Russell St
London WC1B 3DA
