London Film School, offer full-time MA Degree courses in both Film Making and Screewriting.

“Ellis´ teaching is simply inspirational. He manages to strike a perfect balance between healthy criticism and encouragement. He has a clear and flexible approach, and though passionate about this subject we were at all times free to explore our own vision. I have certainly advanced with my project and seen it go in directions that I did not expect!” Maurice Caldera, Novelist & Writers’ Gym II Participant Summer 2009. Click here for more testimonials.

Introduction

From treatment to script.

Building on the techniques of Writers’ Gym I, this 8-session course is about being playful, and finding your voice as a writer and developing your writing process as you work on your screenplay.

The programme focuses on the development of a single feature project for each participant. Spread roughly over 4 months, the course offers an opportunity for writers to develop their stories through a series of structured exercises. With intervals of 2-4 weeks between classes we have allowed space for writers to progress their projects so that significant advances can be made by the end of the course.

The participants will get stuck into writing a first draft of their project. Writers will be encouraged to use their creativity at all points during the development process to keep their work fresh, lively and original.

As well as class exercises we will track the progress of each individual's project, troubleshooting and offering practical guidance. Each writers will receive a one-on-one tutorial and will also have email support from the course tutor during the course.

The group will be no more than 8 writers to allow time for sufficient feedback and space for each writer and their projects. There will be some reading and also home assignments to keep the projects on track.

Screenplays or treatments generated or started on the course will be read and given feedback by the tutor. (No more than one screenplay per participant).

Priority will be given to writers who have previously attended Writers' Gym I.

Click here to read an interview with Ellis Freeman about the Writers' Gym.

 

Ellis Freeman - Tutor Profile

With a background in print and TV journalism, Ellis has been writing screenplays for over ten years. He has had commissions from BFI, Channel Four, The Film Council, Rai (Italy), Fox Searchlight and the MEDIA programme.

With Brazilian director, Henrique Goldman, he wrote 'Princesa', a feature about a transvestite prostitute living in Milan. The film was screened at the Sundance festival 2001 and has been released in the US, UK, France, Germany and Scandinavia. He also co-wrote 'January 2nd', a comedy feature for Matt Winn which screened widely at festivals. He is currently developing projects for Sixteen Films and Round Table Productions.

Ellis began teaching at the London Film School six years ago with script workshops on the MA Filmmaking course and now teaches on the MA Screenwriting. In February 2006, he led the first Writers' Gym workshop as part of the Scenario festival at the Institut Francais. Using this experience, he developed the Writers' Gym into an evening class to help new writers find their voice, develop ideas, gain writing habits and stretch the mental muscles you need for writing screenplays.

 

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Capacity: Max. 8 participants
Fee: £520

How to apply

Please submit the following items (email applications preferred):

• Application Form
  (click to download)
• CV

• Personal Statement (i.e. a few brief paragraphs explaining why you’re applying for the course, what you hope to gain from it etc.)
• 3 page writing sample
• 1 page outline of the project you'd like to develop on the course (i.e. a summary of the story, key characters, storyworld etc.)

Offers will only be made once the application deadline has passed and all applications have been considered.

 

Email us:
Carolyn Atherton:
workshops@lfs.org.uk

Telephone us:
+44 (0)20 7836 9642

Postal Address:
Workshops Admissions,
The London Film School,
24 Shelton Street,
London, WC2H 9UB, UK

 

Feedback from previous participants:

"Far, far better than I expected. Invariably courses are sometimes good, but never great. This was always great."

"This workshop has been excellent from day one. It has made me consider so many different aspects of my project"

“I wanted to do the course for the discipline of writing a feature. This course has demystified the process for me.”

“Ellis was brilliant at bringing everything to life, making us see the ‘big picture’ and talking personally about our projects."

“Each workshop felt like half the time, it was taught in such a fun, engaging and generous spirit."

Read more testimonials.