A weekend workshop for aspirant screenwriters takes place at Screen Africa, Sasani Studio in Highlands North on Saturday, August 2 and Sunday, August 3, from 10:00 until 17:00.

Within one weekend the writers will understand the principles of writing for a visual medium and what it takes to be a screenwriter in South Africa.

The workshop turns theory into practise, ideas inside out, explores the full dramatic or comedic potential of stories and transforms fanciful ideas into fascinating narrative.

It looks at how to explore ideas, develop characters and examines the relationship between the writer and structure. This outcome-based workshop explores the writing process and examines the world of contemporary filmmaking and films

The aim of the workshop is to unearth new writing talent in South Africa, to foster the growth of the local film and television industries, and to provide potential producers with screenplays from local writing talent.

During the past eight years the Cape Town-based The Writing Studio, an independent training initiative, has done more than 250 writing workshops throughout South Africa, including a Masterclass for Screenwriters for 40 writers from Africa at the Sithengi Film and TV Market's Talent Campus.

The trainer is local writer, playwright, movie journalist and Education, Training and Development Practitioner Daniel Dercksen, who has been teaching workshops in scriptwriting and creative writing throughout South Africa the past eight years.

The weekend workshop will empower aspirant writers to write the screenplay of their dreams, as well as write for television or the stage. It offers writers the opportunity to find out who they are as writers, and is also ideal for novelists and short story writers who would like to adapt their work into a visual medium.

One of the most important aspects of the workshops is to encourage local writers to find their voice as a writer and to write fresh, original stories that will reflect the uniqueness of their history, culture and experience.

The workshop is presented by Cape Town based The Writing Studio, an independent training initiative, and kindly hosted by Screen Africa.

Venue

Date: 02 August 2008 to 03 August 2008
Location: Screen Africa, Sasani Studios, Highlands North, Johannesburg
Cost: R800 with a discounted rate of R600 for students

Contact: Daniel Dercksen
Company name: The Writing Studio
Telephone number: 072 474 1079 or 021 425 5355 (office hours)
Email address daniel@writingstudio.co.za