WRITERS GYM
The Writers Gym is a series of classes that I developed teaching at the London Film School.
Many screenwriting handbooks cover the subject in terms of structure and dramatic concepts, but these ideas can be dry, oppressive inhibiting. While rational, analytical, they don't take in the chaos , intuition and impulsiveness of the creative process. Without looking at your creative process, a writer runs dry - easy to do in a brutal commercial environment. What seems to be lacking for a budding writer's is guidance in how to stay creative and to live a writers life.
The course began in 2005 as a workshop at the Institut Francais festival of screenwriting, Scenario. Rather than telling writers what to do, I felt it was more useful to play games and do exercises that stimulate creativity and show useful writing tools and ways of thinking. There are mental muscles that can be developed to enrich your work.
Working with students at the London Film School Screenwriting MA class, the course developed a wider repertoire, looking at ways into storytelling from the three keystones, character, plot and theme. I encourage writers to keep notebooks and use them in a fresh way, to challenge their habits and be open to new ideas.
I've been influenced by some of the great works on creativity and creative writing and applied those to screenwriters. Writing for cinema is unique but still has much in common with other types of writing and we have a lot to learn from these older disciplines.
We also address any creative blocks, helping each writer to sniff out the stories they want to tell. It is satisfying to teach - a pleasure when you can help people but also from each class I learn something myself.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
EF
For more information see the London Film School.
ellisfreeman1@yahoo.co.uk
The Writers Gym is a series of classes that I developed teaching at the London Film School.
Many screenwriting handbooks cover the subject in terms of structure and dramatic concepts, but these ideas can be dry, oppressive inhibiting. While rational, analytical, they don't take in the chaos , intuition and impulsiveness of the creative process. Without looking at your creative process, a writer runs dry - easy to do in a brutal commercial environment. What seems to be lacking for a budding writer's is guidance in how to stay creative and to live a writers life.
The course began in 2005 as a workshop at the Institut Francais festival of screenwriting, Scenario. Rather than telling writers what to do, I felt it was more useful to play games and do exercises that stimulate creativity and show useful writing tools and ways of thinking. There are mental muscles that can be developed to enrich your work.
Working with students at the London Film School Screenwriting MA class, the course developed a wider repertoire, looking at ways into storytelling from the three keystones, character, plot and theme. I encourage writers to keep notebooks and use them in a fresh way, to challenge their habits and be open to new ideas.
I've been influenced by some of the great works on creativity and creative writing and applied those to screenwriters. Writing for cinema is unique but still has much in common with other types of writing and we have a lot to learn from these older disciplines.
We also address any creative blocks, helping each writer to sniff out the stories they want to tell. It is satisfying to teach - a pleasure when you can help people but also from each class I learn something myself.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
EF
For more information see the London Film School.
ellisfreeman1@yahoo.co.uk
Copyright © 2002 Ellis Freeman
