BASIC Genre Training

We examine the mechanisms of four genres in current screenplays: 


  • HISTORIC / BIO PIC
  • ANIMATION
  • MUSICAL
  • SCI -FI
  • and as a bonus* WESTERN


How are these genres evolving in global cinema? What are the genre expectations of the audience? What do the filmed authors do with these expectations?


Genre is back in, at least in Hollywood, and then with a few years delay also in our country. Probably.

Hopefully!


There is an abundance of good screenplays to read and we as screenwriters need to stay up-to-date. It's the best way to keep our finger on the pulse of the time and on the industry's innovations. 


WHAT MAKES ME A BETTER WRITER?


We've developed all of our training along this question.


- READING ALONE DOES NOT! That would be like binging Netflix and hoping it mysteriously turns you into the next show runner.

- Reading, studying, analyzing scripts is great - but most importantly, APPLY what you read PRACTICALLY.

- Keeping a DEADLINE - is trivial, but makes a difference.

- Get FEEDBACK for what you've written. Follow through; what's in my head and what's on paper?

- Know the INDUSTRY.

- Know the CRAFT.

- Knowing and fully developing your STRENGTHS.


We do all this in the BASIC GENRE TRAINING together!


The Basic Training is super effective for every experience level - from beginner to advanced - a short cut into the techniques of the genre masters! 



The training is held in a closed, interactive online workshop. It is possible to study only one genre, as well as to read all 4 genres per week. 

The group can upload scenes in the workshop, read those of the colleagues, and comment on them. 

What is the time frame?

Simple: 4 weeks; 4 scripts to read.


For dates check the calendar please.

One screenplay per genre will be published per week. 


  1. Task: READ one.

  2. Task: WRITE the logline for it.

  3. Task: WRITE a new scene of the screenplay you read. Try to pick up the specific tone of the book and continue it.

    (The characters may be exploring a subplot in your scene, playing a continuation of the plot, or appearing in a "prequel". We will practice writing a 2-3 page self-contained, dynamic scene. The goal is to match the tone of the genre).

  4. Task: we READ fellow writers' scenes and discuss them in constructive feedback. Our ScriptCoaches will work side by side with you and provide a nourishing, constructive atmosphere.


How do I sign up?


Cheap offers are often executed half-heartedly. However, this works best if all who are with us, fully join in!

Because the BASIS TRAINING is gives you as much as you invest. Financially only € 44,–  incl. VAT. 

Your invested time in active participation develops your own voice in your favorite genre - and that's a great accomplishment!


There is a tax deductible invoice.

 

And from now on no more excuses ;-)


Know your genre!
Know your strength!



* Attention:ALL current genre screenplays in this training are in English! We hope that German genre screenplays will soon become award winners as well. Currently you can find the three Lola award winning screenplays here: https://www.deutscher-filmpreis.de/drehbuecher/ 

We are also happy to read and discuss these during the training on demand.



I find the structure and the questions of the training very helpful and they accelerate me forward in my work. I have the feeling that I am being guided along the core theme, and that following the tasks and answering the questions actually unfold the material as if by magic.  

The fog disappears and a path of concrete writing and research lies before me. I'm glad to be a part of it. Thank you for the training. For me it's been a great support.

I wanted to thank you and the October training, I got into the Netflix writing program with the project I worked on with your feedback at the training! Thank you guys! I don't think I would have had the push to submit without your feedback!


For me it's great that this workshop offers a protected space and helps you not to stray from the path. There is always feedback and suggestions, and they are like a machete in the jungle to find the path of how you really want to tell the story. Also, I know that fear of having send something to potential partners and then sinking into self-doubt.(...) And what works against self-doubt is only continuous writing and training. So thank you for this workshop. I think it's a super good thing!


Es hat mir wirklich Spaß gemacht und ich würde es gerne wieder machen. Ich fand es toll zu sehen, wie andere Leute an die Loglines und Szenen herangegangen sind - das hat mich auf eine Menge Ideen gebracht. Mir gefiel auch das Feedback, das der Trainer und die anderen Teilnehmer gaben

A great opportunity to practice your writing in such a concentrated way with other people's material and to force yourself to dive into genres that are outside your comfort zone.
Even though I came out as an absolute "Dune" fan, I surprisingly found the work with the musical material of "Cyrano" and also the work with King "Richard", a Bio Pic, to be the most enlightening.

The variety of texts was really good and the comments from others are helpful! It was a good atmosphere.

The weekly submissions totally helped me, often I wrote only last minute, but got done! And then there was helpful and inspiring feedback.

I decided to take the training on the spur of the moment and am immensely grateful for it - for so much openness and willingness to listen to / read from each other, receive and give constructive feedback, grow and develop with each other. The goals and deadlines set in the group gave me the necessary motivation to actually meet them, as I felt a certain responsibility towards the others. The result was a steady, joyful progression of our very individual stories.

I found it well structured and I liked starting with the focus on the world. Despite having very little time, I learned a lot from this training.

I started out with texts and spent a lot of time re-writing them, which made them more mature. I didn't get around to reading that much. The feedback I received was nice and specific, I knew exactly what to work on.

It was important for my process to write every day, the characters started talking eventually. The structure was great! There are still questions left to answer, but there seems to be a path. 

Every writer functions differently: for me reading actual bibles and pilots was more helpful than reading books about screenwriting. In addition, it was great receiving feedback from a variety of talented people. Sometimes inspiration is ignited by friction :-)

Paula, Wow! Am still at work but just flew over your notes and find them very, very great! Thank you so much! You'll get yours soon too and I'll reply here again in detail too! Thanks a lot! Such great feedback makes this platform alive!

For me, the weekly reading of scripts, the training to write loglines and the exercise to capture the tonality of a script by writing another scene in the same style was very useful. To focus on constantly working on the logline has worked for me, because a good logline is a prerequisite for selling a script on the market. The task of writing scenes in a certain tonality gave me the idea for a new screenplay. Thank you for that. Overall, I found the PIRATE package to be like a small, intensive screenwriting school where you can get a lot out of it if you take the time and really get involved.