CALENDAR OF EVENTS

NOVEMBER 2009

DECEMBER 2009

MARCH 2010

 


FILMMAKING 1

Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris - Directors: Little Miss Sunshine

"Working with Joan Scheckel was the single most valuable thing we did to prepare for making Little Miss Sunshine. She gave us a set of tools that made the daunting task of directing a feature very accessible (even enjoyable!) She has a unique ability to inspire each of the directors she works with to build on their strengths, and correct bad habits. Her candid approach whether in private sessions or workshops, wastes no time and gets right to the heart of the matter and produces real results."

WHAT IS IT?

This is the Core Directing Workshop designed for Filmmaking Professionals who wish to:

  • Hone the vision for the film
  • Bring life and clarity to the script and story structure
  • Work more efficiently with actors
  • Dynamically block and pace scenes
  • Connect to the feeling, emotional depth, and rhythm of the film
  • Put the film on its feet prior to production

Who Goes?

Filmmaking 1 is designed for maximum individual attention and hands-on participation.  It is limited to 7-10 participants and is open to all Filmmaking Professionals:

  • Directors
  • Writers
  • Actors
  • Producers
  • Cinematographers
  • Editors
  • Production Designers

Please see Films,  Community and Quotes for Artists Joan has worked with and their thoughts.

What Does it Cover?

16 Technique Classes allow you to dive into the essentials of filmmaking craft.  Exercises allow you to feel your film as one organic whole, bringing a musical aliveness to your work. Then, with new awareness, artists bring story, performance, staging and visual style together to reveal the film's life in unexpectedly visceral ways.   Classes investigate:

  • Overall Vision:
    Clarify your theme and express it in direct, emotional language. Use this clarity to focus the rewrite of your screenplay, pitch the film, guide actors and spark your creative team.
  • Script Structure:
    Examine script analysis, emotional logic, character journey, music, pace, and rhythm to strengthen your screenplay.
  • Acting Craft:
    Physicalize and internalize the core concepts of action, obstacle, and intuition. Breakdown scenes, prepare rehearsals, create believable worlds, characters, relationships, block organically, and pace effectively. Note: You will sweat.
  • Rehearsal:
    Use what you've learned in the technique classes to direct a scene of your choice with top-notch actors. Explore new tools to unleash the unexpected and realize the vision of your scene.  There are 3 in-class rehearsals, each focusing on different aspects of the rehearsal process
    • Who am I?  Building the world, character and relationships.
    • What is my Action?  Using playable actions to interpret, block and pace.
    • What is the Journey? Crafting the scene's emotional rhythm.
  • Scenes:
    Bring one two- character scene between two and four pages in length. Original material is encouraged no matter how rough or unfinished. The lab is a perfect place to develop and rewrite scenes/scripts. You may also choose to work on a two-character scene from a favorite movie. Scenes will be viewed in the final class.

WheN, WheRE, How Much?

There are 16 sessions of 4-8 hours each. Classes meet 3 times a week: 1 weekday evening and Saturday and Sunday days.  Cities, dates and costs vary.  Please see FAQs, Calendar and contact us for details.