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MIDPOINT Writers' Room 2022

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An international writers' room simulation with unique talents.

Benefits

An exquisite experience

Working in an international and diverse writers' room under the supervision of established and successful European/US showrunners and writers.

 

For writers and writing producers

  • offers the possibility of enhancing the craft and writing skills, plotting and writing exercises,
  • you will acquire knowledge and skills connected to the processes occurring during scripted series writing, such as creative teamwork, joint brainstorming, and creating or following one unified narrative voice and vision as well as the structure of a series episode itself

For observing producers

  • offers an observant role with a unique opportunity to explore a professional writers’ room led by experienced mentors.

Structure

Writers' room simulation from different perspectives

Selected participants are offered lectures tackling the organization of a writers' room as well as addressing the structure of a pilot episode and season. Majority of the workshop time is dedicated to a writers’ room simulation led by experienced professionals.

  • All participants
    Workshop
    October 3 - 7, 2022 | Prague, Czech Republic

    Writers
    The workshop offers the possibility of enhancing the craft and writing skills, plotting and writing exercises, knowledge and skills connected to the processes occurring during scripted series writing, such as creative teamwork, joint brainstorming, and creating or following one unified narrative voice and vision as well as the structure of a series episode itself.

    Observing producers
    The workshop offers an observant role with a unique opportunity to explore a professional writers’ room led by experienced mentors.

    Lectures
    The Room Built on Stories
    Gabor Krigler
    Monday, October 3, 17:00 - 18:00 CET | Prague, Czech Republic

    As the creator of a drama series project, you may be tasked with setting up and running a writers' room. As a freelancer, you may be asked to enter a writers' room as a hired writer to follow the creator’s voice. Either way, you become part of a team. In this lecture, we’ll be looking at the foundations and practicalities of this team work. In the process, we’ll be demystifying the notion of the writers' room, and explore how it is viable within the European industry, especially in countries with nascent drama series markets and tight development budgets.

    Breaking into the writers' room. What is it and how does it work?
    Giacomo Durzi
    Monday, October 3, 18:00-19:00 CET | Prague, Czech Republic

    A look at behind the scenes of these sacred spots where tv series are conceived, written and refined, where you give birth to the characters and define the story, the structure and all aspects of writing for original dramas. After focusing on what happens and who works in a writer's room, we'll then focus on the differences with the writing for cinema and how the creative process unfolds in a television series.

    Using TV Genres to Sharpen Your Pitch
    Benjamin Harris
    Tuesday, October 4, 2022, 09:30 - 10:30 CET | Prague, Czech Republic

    What do Tom Shelby of Peaky Blinders and Toni Hamadi of Four Blocks have in common? Both men are morally ambivalent crime bosses who lead a gang of die-hard followers in crummy but colorful neighborhoods, 1920s Birmingham and contemporary Berlin-Neukölln respectively. But as each man seeks a more respectable life, they also carry the narrative genes of Tony Soprano (and Michael Corleone before him): no matter how hard he tries, the main character cannot escape his family’s entanglements with the business of crime or shed his own craving for power.

    Every TV series lives off the interplay between its specific style on the one hand and the genre elements that motor its narrative and thematic conflicts on the other. Whether it’s the hospital drama, the investigative thriller, the superhero show or the family soap, almost any modern TV drama draws from certain narrative, thematic and even stylistic building blocks of successful progenitors. However, rather than fencing the writer in, genres should be seen as a handy toolbox that writers can use to craft their own series concepts. As a result, genres are also constantly in motion: each new show adds something different to the genre and inspires a fresh generation of writers.

    Series Development in the US Writers’ Room – Introduction
    Katrin Merkel
    Thursday, October 6, 2022, 09:30 - 10:30 CET | Prague, Czech Republic

    The US Writers’ Room is undeniably an extremely successful and efficient working model. Even though narrative cultures and prerequisites across Europe are very diverse, it still serves as a model and forms the starting point for various forms of collaborative writing. In a concise lecture, Katrin explains the market conditions under which this system has developed and explains how the US Writers’ Room works: mindset, working methods, positions and the central development tools.

    CLOSED LECTURE

Účastníci

The new generation of Europe's series writing talents

Observing Producer

Lektori

Inspirational professional with a passion for sharing experience

Tutors

Gabor Krigler
Hungary  
Gabor’s career began in the writing staff of a daily serial at Grundy UFA in 1999. He became Creative Executive at the Budapest office of HBO Europe in 2010, responsible for all creative aspects of ...
Kompletní bio
Katrin Merkel
Germany  
Katrin studied German Literature and French Language at the University of Hamburg, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts. She first worked as a freelancer and Video-Journalist in Hamburg, entering film ...
Kompletní bio

Guest Tutor

Giacomo Durzi
Italy  
Kompletní bio
Benjamin Harris
Germany  
Kompletní bio

References

An exclusive opportunity to experience writers' room's unique creative atmosphere

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Contact

Did we forget something? Do not hesitate to ask

Alexandra Gabrizova
Program Coordinator
alexandra.gabrizova@midpoint-institute.eu

Funders

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