Note from the Director: This workshop was offered in 2016. Learn more about this year’s workshops.
Screenwriting Workshop
Writing workshop in New Jersey
January 15-18, 2016
Led by Jeff Bens
This workshop will look at the essentials for writing for the screen and TV.
We will:
- discuss your writing and offer supportive feedback.
- review the conventions of screenplay structure and the rules of script development.
- examine genre, tone and writing to and against audience expectation.
- study film clips, scenes and sequences from celebrated screenplays.
- complete exercises to practice making stories and characters more believable, enjoyable and compelling.
- explore the differences between writing a script for a smaller budget indie film and a high concept script meant for sale to a studio.
Whether you are already working on a screenplay or have an idea and want to start out on the right track, you will leave the weekend energized with exciting ways to get your vision onto the page.
*Limited to just 10 participants.*
“This was the best workshop I have ever attended. You have accomplished the impossible–a wonderful workshop that caters to every level and style of writer. I look forward to attending another one soon.”
~ Marie, Bernardsville, NJ
Biography
Jeff Bens directs the undergraduate creative writing program at Manhattanville College where he also teaches in the College’s MFA. He is author of the novel Albert, Himself and director of the award-winning documentary film, Fatman’s. His short fiction and essays are published widely, from The Oxford American to New England Review. Jeff has served on film festival juries around the world, chairing the 2011 Slamdance feature film jury and has guest lectured on screenwriting at Chapman University, Flagler College, James Madison University, SUNY-Binghamton, The Graduate Institute and many other programs in the US and abroad. Jeff was a founding faculty of the School of Filmmaking at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. Currently, Jeff is finishing a new novel and the screenplay of that novel. Read an excerpt of his writing.
