How do I register?
Go to the page of the workshop you’re
interested in and click on the “register” button. A new page will open on your browser, taking you through the
registration process. You’ll need a credit card or a paypal account. back to top
Do you accept payment plans?
It becomes cumbersome
and labor intensive, but if you absolutely need to make payments, please write us and let us know. We help when we can. back to top
Do you give scholarships?
We offer significant discounts
on a financial-need basis. Priority is given to artists from communities that are under-represented in the film industry.
Click here to apply for a discount. back to top
I received a discount code; where do I input it?
Go to the appropriate workshop page and click on the "Click to Register" button. Once the registration
page opens, look under the ticket description on that first page. You'll see a link that says "discount?"
Click on it! back to top
Are there any other associated fees?
No. The registration
fee listed on each page is all that we’ll be charging you. back to top
Do you offer discounts to out-of-towners who will be spending money
on flights?
Our workshops are low-cost as is, but if you genuinely need a break, fill out the scholarship request
form and explain in the comments section what you'll be spending in travel expenses. We'll do what we can, space permitting.
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Where do you recommend that out-of-towners stay while attending your
weekend workshop?
If you need something more economical than the generic hotel room, a shared room at a youth
hostel is $40 a night. We recommend Hostelling International New York. You might also want to check out bedandbreakfast.com.
Places to stay in one of the Boroughs (Brooklyn, Queen, etc) may cost a lot less than a place in Manhattan. As long as it's
near a subway station (any line), you'll get to the workshop quickly and easily. You could also check out Jersey City which
is a quick train ride over and a lot less costly. If you end up spending more on your trip than on the workshop, it's not
because you were ripped off, but because our workshops are super inexpensive. back to top
Are registration fees refundable?
Up till 72 hours
before a workshop, if you need to cancel your registration, you may receive a full refund minus a $10 handling fee. If your
cancelation is made in under 72 hours from the start of the workshop, we will credit you the full amount towards a future
workshop. The credit will be valid for one year. Click here for our refund policy. back to top
Do you offer group discounts?
Sure. We’d consider
four or more people a group, even if you're just a group of friends and not necessarily a formal organization. Contact us
to introduce yourself, let us know how many of you there are and we'll make you an offer. back to top
SCREENWRITING WORKSHOPS
I’m an experienced writer. Will the weekend intensive be too
basic for me?
No. The tools covered in the screenwriting intensive will ease and enrich your writing life for
years to come, no matter how experienced you are. In fact, it’s been my experience that the more folks know about screenwriting,
the more they get out of this workshop. People take bigger and faster steps if they’re already well grounded in the
craft. back to top
I’m a beginner writer. Will the screenwriting weekend intensive
be suitable?
If you have little or no experience, you’re in for a treat. The weekend workshop is a safe
and encouraging place for even the most beginning writers, and information is made accessible. Just bring pen and paper. That’s
all you'll need. back to top
If you know absolutely nothing about screenwriting and
would like to prepare, read David Trottier’s book The Screenwriter’s Bible. It’s an excellent introduction.
I’d also recommend that you read a script or two. Go to: www.dailyscript.com and find a script you want to read. Beware of transcripts: these include dialogue only. Someone watched the film and typed
up everything that people say. That’s not a script. If you know nothing about screenwriting, you need to read an actual
script, properly formatted. All that said, if you did nothing to prepare,
you will still benefit immeasurably from the workshop. Not to worry. back to top
Do I need to already be working on a script or have a story idea
to attend the screenwriting workshop?
Not at all. It’s fine to come without even an inkling of a story
idea. It’s fine to come with some beginnings of ideas or a work-in-progress. It’s also fine to come with a script
that you've already written and are revising. That said: we have found
that writers often end up preferring to work on a project from scratch over the course of the weekend, and then go back and
apply what they’ve learned to a script in development after the workshop. back to top
What do I need to prepare or bring to the screenwriting workshop?
Watch SHREK (the first one) and WHALE RIDER. I refer to these films for structural examples throughout the workshop. Watch
them before the workshop if at all possible. Other than that, just
bring pen and paper. Laptops not advisable unless there’s a medical reason prohibiting you from writing long-hand. back to top
PRODUCING WORKSHOPS
What do I need to prepare or bring to the producing workshop?
Pen and paper is all you need. If you’re coming with a producing partner, that’s even better.
You may come with a particular project in mind that you plan to produce, or simply attend to find inspiration and
figure out what your next film project (or first film project) might be
The production
of a project doesn’t need to begin with an existing script. You can put the pieces of the puzzle together and get your
package ready for the right script. back to top
I have production experience. Will I learn from this workshop?
This depends on your experience. If your experience is mostly in physical production: you know how to schedule, budget,
hire a crew, make sure the truck’s on time, what you may get from this workshop is guidance on being a capital “P”
producer: how to package a film, raise money, etc. I've been told by TV producers that the work in film is vastly different,
and that they found this workshop very useful in that regard. The course description on the workshop page should give you
enough information on what will be covered so that you can be the judge of whether the workshop is right for you. back to top
I have no production experience. Should I attend?
Sure.
This workshop will give you a realistic sense of your next steps as well as your long-term goals. Whether you're assembling
a group of friends to shoot an exercise short in your parents' house for no money, or you're gearing up for your first or
second feature, the workshop will offer you a road map. back to top
DIRECTING THE CAMERA
What do I need to prepare or bring to the camera workshop?
You need to bring a stills camera (simple point-and-shoot will do), and a camcorder. Camcorder can be a simple, consumer-grade
camera. Nothing fancy needed; you’ll be using it to figure out shots. You do, however, want to have a real zoom so you
can experiment with the look of different focal lengths (not a digital zoom which simply crops the picture).
Other than that: remember to bring cards or tapes (whatever your camera requires), batteries that are fully charged,
and a power adapter in case you need to recharge. back to top
I’ve directed several films. Will this workshop be too basic?
This workshop offers an overall approach to shot planning.
The moving camera techniques covered in the course are easy to execute, lead to more efficient shoots by cutting down on time
and money, while raising production value. Yet most directors, even experienced ones, are not familiar with these techniques
and often get less by trying to do more. If you’re an experienced
shooter, some of the workshop will be a refresher, but overall the workshop will expand your tool kit. back to top
I’ve never gone to film school, directed a film, or been on
a film set. Will this workshop be too advanced?
If you have no experience shooting, this is your chance to begin
the journey on the right foot and avoid adopting bad habits from the start. The workshop is a space where no question is too
basic. In fact, we begin on Saturday morning with a crash-course in all the basic principles and termonology so that no one
would get lost. Also, some of the shooting exercises include beginner and advanced versions of the same technique, and often
the more experienced shooters spontaeously mentor the greener ones. You will not feel lost in this workshop, and
that's a guarantee. back to top
DIRECTING ACTORS
What is the difference between joining as a participating director
and joining for observation? How should I decide which is right for me?
The Directing Actors Intensive is open
to only eight participating directors. These folks each receive a full-hour of a coached rehearsal session, in which they
work with two actors on a scene in a guided fashion. As an observer, you get to watch these rehearsal sessions and get exposed
to the tools of the trade.
If you're at all interested in the work of directing actors, I recommend signing up
as a participating director, so that you'll have a hands-on chance to try out these tools. You don't need to be an experienced
director, or have any experience at all for that matter, to get to try to work on a scene with actors.
However,
if all eight participation-slots are filled, and this is a workshop you're interested in, I would recommend signing up as
an observer. This workshop is offered only two or three times a year, and you'll learn a lot watching other folks get coached
through their rehearsal sessions. In fact, observing is most of what the participating directors will be doing as well: they
would observe 8 sessions, and get coached in 1.
Some folks choose to attend as observers, and then retake the workshop
as participants. Either way, it's a win-win. If you're interested in directing actors, you'll love this workshop either way.
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What do I need to prepare or bring to the Directing Actors seminar?
There is nothing you need to do to prepare for this workshop.
Just show up and enjoy the ride. OPTIONALLY: as a participating director, you may submit an original scene that you wrote
and would like to practice directing. Scene must be typed in screenplay format, be under 5 pages, and include only two characters
in one location. You'll then need to email the scene as a pdf, at least one-week before the workshop for consideration. Whether
a scene is accepted to the worskhop or not will depend on whether it's conducive to practicing the specific performance tools
that we'll be going over. When you register, you'll receive information on how to go about submitting a scene. back to top
FILM
ACTING
What is the difference between joining as a participating actor or
for observation? How do I know which is right for me?
Participating
actors perform in several scenes through the course of the workshop, while those observing watch the scenes and get exposure
to a variety of tools. Participation requires an audition. Since each workshop is open to only six participating actors, it
is open by invitation. Observation, however, is open to everyone. You are always welcome to register as an observer and watch.
Observation alone will help you relax about acting, give you confidence, and improve both your acting and your auditioning
skills. back to top
What do I need to do to join the Directors & Actors workshops
as a participating actors?
Auditions are help two or
three times a year. Click the "Workshops" tab above and select "Film Acting". There you'll see the dates
for the next scheduled auditions, and an email address to which you can send your headshot and resume to request an audition.
Big tip: we audition both experienced and beginning actors. If you don't yet have a resume or a headshot, just send any photograph
and forego sending a resume. We'll still be very happy to audition you. back to top
What do I need to prepare for my audition?
For you audition, prepare a contemporary monologue that is under 2 minutes long.
You may want to have in your pocket both a dramatic and a comedic monologue, although that's optional. Most actors perform
just one monologue at their audition.
Best way to approach your audition with me is not to think of it as an audition,
but as a free coaching session. I spend at least 15 minutes with each actor, no matter who they are or what their skill level
is. I enjoy coaching actors, and will offer you some auditioning tips when we meet, to help you in all future auditions. back to top
What do I need to do to prepare for the Directors & Actors workshop?
If you're joining for observation, no preparation is needed.
If you're a participating actor in the weekend intensive, you'll need to have a monologue prepared. You will also receive
THREE scenes (under 5 pages) a week before the workshop, and will need to be off books on all three scenes. If you're joining
the weekly lab, you'll receive the scene you're performing one week before each meeting. back to top
Does "Film Acting" mean that this is an on-camera technique
class?
No. At least at this point, we're not taping
or filming any portions of these workshops. I call it "Film Acting" because acting for film requires different skills
and sensibilities from acting on stage. How you convey emotions in a close-up is a very different experience than conveying
emotions with body language to the back row of a 500-seat theater. There are things you can do in film that you can't do on
the stage, and vice versa. It's like playwriting and screenwriting: they're different mediums. back to top
Are all workshops for Directors & Actors? Do you have acting
classes for actors only?
Actors occasionally ask me
about offering a class for actors only and I may eventually experiment with that. For the time being, all acting classes are
Directors & Actors workshops. back to top
THE WEEKLY WRITING-DIRECTING LAB
How long does the weekly lab run?
The year-long lab
runs for 36 weeks, roughly September to June. It's made up of three 12-week terms, and each term includes both script clinics
and scene-study sessions with actors. Occasionally I run a one-term weekly class that is only 12-weeks long, depending on
my schedule and availability. back to top
What do I need to do to join the Writing-Directing
Lab?
Applications
to join the lab are accepted from filmmakers who have taken both the Screenwriting Weekend Intensive and the Directing Actors
Intensive. Once you've attended both of those workshops, you'll be invited to submit a writing sample and a statement describing
your experience and goals. Unfortunately, the lab has space for only nine writer-directors, and most of my students keep taking
it over and over again. So open spaces are rare. If you're invited to join the lab, you may find yourself waiting for several
months or a full year before being offered a spot. I wish I could work with every filmmaker who is interested, and I'd certainly
like to, but circumstantially, it's not realistic. back to top
I'm an experienced writer and/or an
experienced director; must I attend the weekend workshops to apply for the lab?
Yes. No exceptions are made to the weekend workshops being requisite for the lab.
The reason is that it does take me hours to communicate my writing and directing tools. Even the most experienced writers
and directors find these tools fresh, original, and useful. So regardless of experience, I need everyone who attends the lab
to have this set of shared tools in common so that we can easily work with each other as a group. back to top
I'm only interested in writing, or
I'm only interested in directing; is the lab right for me?
The weekly lab is for people who want to write and direct their own work. However,
I find that many writers don't want to direct only for lack of confidence, and that many directors don't write, only for lack
of confidence. After attending both the writing and directing weekend intensives, you may feel differently about whether you
really are only a writer or only a director, or whether (as my hunch would have it), you could do both. I also find that each
of those crafts strengthens the other, and that learning the both simultaneously, rather than first one and then the other,
is a great way to go. back to top
May I participate in the Lab as both
a writer-director AND as an actor?
No. Your participation in the lab is either as a writer-directo OR as an actor. However, if you're a writer-director
who is interested in performing in your own work (like me!) you can write scenes for the actors you're assigned that also
include a part for yourself. You are always welcome to bring in scenes for which you also write a part for yourself. back to top
