Screenwriting Workshop
A Torino FilmLab Workshop
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In 2009, the Industry Office at DIFF entered into a partnership with the Torino FilmLab (TFL) to conduct a Screenwriting Workshop for selected regional filmmakers. The TorinoFilmLab is a year-round, international laboratory that supports emerging talents from all over the world who are working on their first and second feature films, through training, development and funding activities.
The structure of the first edition of the Screenwriting Workshop in Dubai is taken from the TFL’s training course that has been running in Europe as the Script&Pitch Workshops since 2005. The workshop is conducted in three phases during the year and it follows the entire scriptwriting process, offering close collaboration and insights into the challenges of each step, from generating ideas and structuring the material through first and subsequent drafts, up to a final pitch.
The programme in Dubai started in April 2009 with 6 filmmakers and 2 tutors from the TFL. The first of two 5-day workshops was held during the Gulf Film Festival and this will be followed by 2 online sessions and the second round of workshops during DIFF in December. The participants work in groups, with a tutor heading the process. Education is offered through the development of projects: in each group, all writers work not only on their project, but also on the other participant’s project. This process leads to a deep understanding of the thematic and dramaturgic questions raised by each script. Lectures on dramaturgy, story editing and film analysis are an integral part of the course.
2009 Paricipants:
- Abdullah Boushahri - “Aghraar”
- Fadel Al Muhairi – “Hormuz”
- Fareed Ramadan – “Erj Al Sawahel”
- Hadi Mahood – “In the Distant South”
- Haifaa Al Mansour – “Wajda”
- Koutaiba Al Janabi – “A Station Called Ur”
Information on how to apply for the Screenwriting Workshop in 2010 will be available shortly.
