Screenwriting for Film and TV Workshop with TONY GRISONI, London, 13 - 14 January
Editing for Film Workshop with Yorgos Mavropsaridis 24-25 February Athens - Greece
08/11.01.2024Online
MELISSA LEO ACTING WORKSHOP
WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION
This 4 days acting Workshop with Melissa Leo is an one of a kind opportunity for those who are serious in acting as well as those with some theatre experience looking to brush up on their skills in front of the camera.
In this 4 day intensive course, you will learn from the experience of Melissa Leo who will introduce you to the several techniques she uses in acting for screen, while giving you an insight into what goes on behind the camera. Melissa Leo will also share the works and methodologies she has doveloped during Covid lockdown, and address new methodologies of film work.
By the end of the workshop you should have a clearer insight on:
- Confidence in acting for the screen
- Have an understanding of how to use voice and movement effectively
- Gain a clear understanding of key methodologies
- Have in-depth knowledge and understanding of the film industry
- Have clear career goals and the confidence to pursue them
- The Do’s & Don’ts of the Audition Process
- Recognize the importance of the actor/director relationship
- Effectively breakdown and analyze every scene in your script
- New ways of honing your skills and continuing practicing in contemporary days will also be addressed.
Although it is an online format, it is expected that you will actively participate. The workshop will be done during 2 periods, 4 hours each day (total 16 hours). In the week between you will be asked to do that some self -filming (smartphones can be sufficient), to be shared and reviewed in the last 2 days. During that week you will be able to have feedback from Melissa Leo.
Real life problems of actors will be addressed by Melissa Leo, an during the workshop you will also be able to discuss problems you faced in your own career and ask for feedback from Melissa Leo. During the week between both workshop slots you will be able to communicate and receive feedback from Melissa
ABOUT MELISSA LEO
Melissa Leo is one of the most in demand actresses in the world, Winner of an Oscar for her performance on “The Fighter” Melissa will surely be one of the great actresses of our time.
Melissa Leo was born on September 14, 1960, in New York City. Leo starred as the mother of boxer Mickey Ward in the 2010 film The Fighter, also starring Mark Wahlberg. The role garnered her both Golden Globe (best supporting actress) and Oscar awards. Other accolades include award nominations for the film Frozen River and the HBO series Mildred Pierce.
Leos breakthrough role came in 1993, when she began playing Detective Sergeant Kay Howard on the NBC series Homicide: Life on the Street.
Melissa rose back to prominence with an impressive performance as a wife of an addict in the 2003 film 21 Grams. Her role garnered an award nomination for best supporting actress from the L.A. Film Critics Association. Many film opportunities followed, including The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (2005) with Tommy Lee Jones, Hollywood Dreams (2006) and Black Irish (2007).
Leo went on to win acclaim for her performance as a struggling mother in the heralded film Frozen River (2008), most notably Independent Spirit Award, Screen Actors Guild and Academy Award nominations—all in the best actress category.
More films followed, including Everybodys Fine (2009) with Robert DeNiro, Conviction (2010) with Hilary Swank and The Fighter (2010) with Mark Wahlberg. In the latter film, she garnered wide acclaim for her performance, including a Golden Globe and an Academy Award, both in the best supporting actress category.
Moving back to TV in 2011, Leo showcased her talent in the HBO series Mildred Pierce, starring alongside Kate Winslet; she earned an Emmy nomination (outstanding supporting actress in a miniseries or movie) for her role as Lucy Gessler in the series.
Leo went on to work on several projects, including “Oblivion” (2013), with Tom Cruise and Morgan Freeman, which show us Melissa in a different genre, but always keeping it faithful to her choice for strong and captivating women, who immediately jump from the screen. Also in 2013 Melissa Leo went on working in The Butler, also featuring Forest Whitaker, Jane Fonda and Oprah Winfrey. That same year, she won an Emmy Award for her guest appearance on the sitcom Louie.
Later in 2013 she premiered her most recent film the highly praised “Prisioners” starring along with Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal, she has also starred alongside Denzel Washington in “The Equalizer” and The Equalizer 2, having previously appeared in a 1985 episode of the original series. She also appeared in “The Angriest Man in Brooklyn” alongside Robin Williams.
She starred in the 2015 Fox event series Wayward Pines as Nurse Pam. She then starred in the 2017 Netflix film The Most Hated Woman in America as American Atheists founder Madalyn Murray O'Hair. She has recently appeared in the miniseries I Know This Much Is True (2020), an adaptation of Wally Lamb’s 1998 novel.
WORKSHOP LOCATION
The workshop will take place online, FEST FILM LAB has always been a project of high level knowledge sharing and networking, on the next few months we will be hosting the workshops online, however we will maintain not only the standard of quality you came to expect with the best experts available, but also the networking and interactivity of the workshops:
-The workshop group will have a limited number of participants, we will not host more than 20 participants.
- We will maintain the tailor made aspects, with the possibility of troubleshooting projects you have been involved or challenges you are facing. We will introduce new tools to enhance the interactivity between participants.
- We have rearranged the session of the workshop that will take place on 4 days instead of the typical 2 days, so that the workshop is less overwhelming, as the typical two full days online would impact the capacities of the participants to absorb the content.
PROFILE OF PARTICIPANT
The workshop is designed for actors who are serious about their career, or prospective actors who seriously want to enter the film business
16 hours
Duration: 4 days
Dates: 8th -11th of January 2024
2PM - 6PM GMT (London)
3PM - 7PM CET (Brussels)
9AM - 1PM EST (New York)
6AM - 10AM PST (Los Angeles)
6PM - 10PM Gulf Standard Time (Dubai)
10PM - 2AM CST (Beijing)
7:30PM - 11:30PM IST (New Delhi)
Location: Online
Price: 499EUR (325EUR with 35% Discount until the 20th of November)
Maximum number of participants: 20
By registering to the workshop you agree with FFL terms and Conditions
Please add our address to your email safe senders list, address book or contact list to avoid FEST e-mails in spam.
REGISTER FOR THIS WORKSHOP ON THE LINK BELOW:
13/14.01.2024London UK
WRITING PICTURES - SCREENWRITING WORKSHOP WITH TONY GRISONI
ABOUT TONY GRISONI
Tony Grisoni worked in many different areas of film making before turning to screenwriting. QUEEN OF HEARTS, 1989 was his award winning first feature directed by Jon Amiel. He has worked closely with a number of directors since, including Michael Winterbottom, John Boorman, Sean Durkin and Marc Munden, and has co-written with Terry Gilliam (FEAR & LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS, 1998 TIDELAND, 2005 and that ship of fools - THE MAN WHO KILLED DON QUIXOTE, 2018.) In 2001, Tony Grisoni made the trek along the people smugglers' route from the Pakistan/Afghan border, through Iran and Turkey to Europe with the director, Michael Winterbottom. The resulting film, IN THIS WORLD, won the 2002 Berlinale Golden Bear. BROTHERS OF THE HEAD, 2005 adapted from the novella by Brian W. Aldiss. Grisoni collaborated with Simon Channing Williams of Potboiler Films, and Keith Fulton & Lou Pepe (directors of LOST IN LA MANCHA, 2002) to write and co-produce. RED RIDING, 2009 adapted from the David Peace Yorkshire Noir novels. Directed by Julian Jarrold, James Marsh and Anand Tucker, and produced by Andrew Eaton at Revolution Films for Channel 4. "Red Riding is a deeper pool than The Godfather, but it doesn't encourage swimming." - David Thomson, Murder in the North - The New York Review of Books THE UNLOVED, 2009 was Samantha Morton's directorial debut which won BAFTA - Best TV Single Drama. Produced by Kate Ogborn and Michael Elliott for Revolution Films and C4. SOUTHCLIFFE, 2013 was an original 4-part drama for Channel 4, directed by Sean Durkin and produced by Peter Carlton and Derrin Schlesinger of Warp Films. "A spellbinding and terrifying piece of television storytelling." THE YOUNG POPE, 2016 by Paolo Sorrentino starring Jude law. Co-writer and executive producer. CRAZY DIAMOND, 2017, was one of the Philip K Dick's Electric Dreams anthology directed by Marc Munden and starring Steve Buscemi, Sidse Babett Knudsen, Julia Davis & Joanna Scanlan. "...a clean, perfectly mown world, where everything's fine and nice..." THE CITY & THE CITY, 2018, is a 4 part BBC 2 drama based on the novel by China Mieville. The City and the City features David Morrissey, Mandeep Dhillon, Lara Pulver, Christian Camargo and Maria Schrader and was directed by Thomas Shankland for Mammoth Screen. VANISHED - A VIDEO SEANCE, 1999 was made in collaboration with performance artist and poet, Brian Catling. "...genre busting - an encounter between mainstream movie story telling and the art avant-garde..." - Jonathan Romney. He and Catling have gone to make other pieces for galleries and together hosted the annual celebration of the absurd, CABARET MELANCHOLIQUE (RIP). Other artists he has collaborated with include Oona Grimes, Dryden Goodwin and Marcia Farquhar. Grisoni has also written and directed a number of short films including the BAFTA nominated KINGSLAND #1 The Dreamer, 2008, SYNCING featuring Peter Capaldi, 2009, the award-winning THE PIZZA MIRACLE, 2010 and THE SANDS OF VENUS, 2019. Tony Grisoni is co-writing and co-producing MARLOW, an original TV series for BritBox developed with Simon Maxwell. MARLOW is a trippy crime epic set in the bleak and strange flatlands of the Thames Estuary and will star Claire Foy. He is also writing an adaptation of Norman Lewis’s NAPLES ’44 detailing the violence and the beauty of a city in post World War II chaos. The series is to be directed by Iain Softley and produced by Andrea Calderwood of Potboiler Films. Tony Grisoni experience speaks for itself and guarantees the high standards our participants have come to expect from FEST FILM LAB. WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION
The workshop will focus on a diversity of topics on the craft of Screenwriting. You will have the chance to not only hear from Tony Grisoni, but also interact in a very direct way, as the group will have up to 25 participants. * Tony will spend time on what Antoine le Bos of Le Groupe Ouest calls "pre-writing” - a way into your project. This is a return to basics. Storytelling does not need to involve a laptop. Storytelling is a social activity - an audience creates the story. We shall explore new ways of thinking about narrative and character using theatre games, automatic writing, the Tarot and other methods. * Tony will talk through in detail his experience of working on 4 different kinds of film: 1.The film, IN THIS WORLD, and KINGSLAND which draw from, and are guided by first hand accounts. 2. Adaptation: THE RED RIDING QUARTET, THE CITY AND THE CITY and FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS. Tony's specific experience of adaptation. 3. Original material: QUEEN OF HEARTS, the TV series, SOUTHCLIFFE. 4. The art film. Writing and making film on no budget. Stirring the cauldron. * Tony will discuss the history the making and the release of these films and television programmes, with clips to illustrate. He will discuss the creative act, working relationships and the business. The weekend will be - in part - a conversation where we exchange experiences and thoughts on screenwriting and filmmaking. The floor will be open at all times for participation, but there will also be sections where the participants will be very actively involved using their own material. PROFILE OF PARTICIPANT The workshop is designed to Screenwriters, Script Editors, Directors, Producers, Film Students, and anyone with the interest in screenwriting. LOCATION OF THE WORKSHOP London UK Duration: 2 days 10:00 - 18:00 Dates: 13th - 14th of January 2024 Location: London UK Price: 499GBP (349GBP Until 6th of December) Maximum number of participants: 25 By registering to the workshop you agree with FFL terms and Conditions Please add our address to your email safe senders list, address book or contact list to avoid FEST e-mails in spam. REGISTER FOR THIS WORKSHOP ON THE LINK BELOW:
20/21.01.2024Berlin, Germany
CINEMATOGRAPHY WORKSHOP WITH STUART DRYBURGH
ABOUT STUART DRYBURGH
Stuart Dryburgh is one of the most interesting cinematographers in activity, he created the distinctive look in films such as "The Piano" , "Ben is Back", "The Painted Veil", "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" "The Great Wall" and many other. Dryburgh started on the job as a gaffer. As a result he found himself working and learning alongside many major cinematographers, in the process gaining a reputation as a skilled lighting specialist. After six years as a gaffer Dryburgh moved into the cinematographer's role shooting his first feature "The Leading Edge". Dryburgh was given the chance to shoot "An Angel at my Table" by Jane Campion, the film won accolades, and standing ovations. In 1992 Dryburgh reunited with Jane Campion in "The Piano", his work on the film won him the Oscar, ASC and BAFTA nominations, but was beaten by Schindler's List. Dryburgh followed "The Piano" with impressive work on "Once Were Warriors". After working on John Sayles' acclaimed border drama "Lone Star", Dryburgh reunited with Jane Campion, to shoot Henry James adaptation "The Portrait of a Lady". A long series of projects has followed, including hits "Analyze This", "Bridget Jones's Diary" "Kate and Leopold" and the pilot episode of "Sex and the City". Dryburgh went back to New Zealand to shoot "In My Father's Den", shot wildly out of sequence in an effort to capture different seasons on film. In 2007 he shot "The Painted Veil" Dryburgh's projects also include the pilot for acclaimed Prohibition-era drama "Boardwalk Empire". Martin Scorsese directed, with Dryburgh describing it as in many ways "a dream job". Variety later argued that Dryburgh's cinematography on Ben Stiller's remake of "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" was "reason enough to see the film on the bigscreen". He followed it with Michael Mann cyber-crime tale "Blackhat". In 2012 he returned to New Zealand as director of photography on Japanese-set drama "Emperor", directed by Peter Webber. In recent years Stuart has shot films such as "Ben is Back" (directed by Peter Hedges), the Upside (directed by Neil Burger), The Only Living Boy in New York (Directed by Marc Webb), The Great Wall (directed by Yimou Zhang), Alice Through the Looking Glass (directed by James Bobin) Stuart has also just finished shooting the Men in Black 4 full list of credits on https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0238698/ WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION
The workshop will focus on a diversity of topics of the art of cinematography, you will have the chance of not only receive this knowledge from Stuart Dryburgh, but also interact in a very strong way, as the group will have up to 25 participants, making it extremely practical and interactive. You will also have the opportunity to assess the issues you encountered on your films, and receiving the feedback to unblock situations in the future. Day 1: Unearthing Creativity & Distinctiveness in Cinematography Introduction: Evolution of a Cinematographer Brief on how Stuart's experiences in film over the last 30 years apply to today's digital age. Advantages cinematographers can harness by "thinking film, shooting digital". ESSENCE OF THE CRAFT Auteur vs. Industry: Real-world intricacies of the film business. DIY approaches and the value of understanding one's unique capabilities. A deeper dive: clips from Stuart's oeuvre, shedding light on his approach and interpretation. Inspirations & Influences Stuart presents clips from films that have shaped his perception of light and composition. Interactive session: Participants share short clips of movies that have impacted their cinematic vision, discussing their takeaways on light, composition, and style. GETTING THERE: Navigating the Industry Contrasting the worlds of Hollywood and Europe. The crucial role of agents, managers, and lawyers in a cinematographer's journey. PREPPING: The Backbone of Cinematography The nuances of script breakdown and its role in defining the visual narrative. Crew selection, location scouting, and the pivotal pre-shoot rehearsals. The importance of storyboards and collaborating effectively with departments: Art, Costume, Camera, and VFX. The dynamic between the DP and the director: Finding common ground. An overview of camera systems, lens choices, grip equipment, and the selection of originating materials. Day 2: From Conception to Execution: The Cinematographer's Canvas SHOOTING: Bringing the Vision to Life Day planning, scene blocking, and the strategic use of shotlists. The role of storyboards on set and the art of designing master shots and coverage. Navigating the balance between traditional and digital techniques. A comprehensive guide to tech scouting a location. LIGHT: The Cinematographer's Paintbrush The science and art of exposure. The indispensability of light meters, setting the mood through lighting, and techniques for various settings: natural, location, studio, and transitions between night and day. Crafting lighting to enhance actors, and ensuring it aligns with the story's mood and tone. Interactive Lighting Exercise Participants engage in a hands-on small lighting experimenting scene under Stuart's guidance. A practical exploration of the themes discussed, utilizing simple lighting equipment. Wrap-Up: The Path Forward Reflection on the challenges and intricacies of making a movie from a cinematographer's lens. An open discussion where participants can address issues they've faced in their projects, gaining insights to navigate future challenges. Encouraging participants to continue developing their unique voice and style in cinematography. WORKSHOP LOCATION Berlin, Germany PROFILE OF PARTICIPANT The workshop designed for Cinematographers, Camera Operators, Directors, Film Students, or anyone serious about a career in the Film Business on the area of cinematography. 16 hours Duration: 2 days Dates: 20-21 January 2024 Location: Berlin, Germany Price: 599EUR (399EUR until 4th of December) Maximum number of participants: 25 By registering to the workshop you agree with FFL terms and Conditions Please add our address to your email safe senders list, address book or contact list to avoid FEST e-mails in spam. REGISTER FOR THIS WORKSHOP ON THE LINK BELOW:
04/05.11.2023London UK
CHOREOGRAPHY AND MOVEMENT DIRECTION IN FILM WORKSHOP WITH FRANCESCA JAYNES
ABOUT FRANCESCA JAYNES Francesca Jaynes has been a Choreographer and Movement Director in the film industry for over 25 years. Her work is incredibly diverse, ranging from movement in “A.I. Artificial Intelligence” and “Gravity” to musical films such as “De-Lovely” and “Muppets Most Wanted”. She has worked with top directors on both sides of the Atlantic, including Mike Leigh, Steven Spielberg, Tim Burton, Joss Whedon, Ron Howard, Michael Winterbottom, and Mike Newell, and with a host of stars such as Judi Dench, Dustin Hoffman, Sandra Bullock, Andy Serkis, Christoph Waltz, Tina Fey, Jude Law, Keira Knightley, and Kevin Kline. In addition to a wide-ranging CV in film, she works regularly in the theatre in musicals, opera, and plays, and also in television drama. For a complete look at her career to date, please visit www.francescajaynes.com .
WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION CHOREOGRAPHY AND MOVEMENT IN FILM Work in dance and movement in film can be an ever-changing and diverse experience. This is what makes it exciting! But it’s also what makes it extremely challenging. The top people in the industry have a vast range of skills (ballet, tap, historical dance, contemporary social dance, etc) and must always be ready to adapt and change to best serve their director and the film. Within this two-day exploration of the discipline, we’ll look at the complete process of working in dance/movement on a film production, from initial meetings with producers and directors, to casting, rehearsals, and ultimately filming. There are a host of details and elements that need to be considered at each stage of the process, in addition to the actual creation of the work. With discussions, Q and A’s, and practical ‘on your feet’ workshops, we’ll explore the myriad of fun and challenging scenarios that can present themselves on a variety of job assignments. Topics will include: Different approaches for different films, Genres, and directors; How does the dance/movement fit into the narrative of the film and/or scene; Relationships with other departments (Directors, Assistant Directors, Costume Departments, Sound Departments, Art and Props Departments); Practical sessions in creating and filming the work (historical dance, etc); Actors, dancers, and Muppets - working with differing levels of skills, abilities, and comfort zones. PROFILE OF PARTICIPANT The workshop designed for, choreographers, dancers, Actors, and Directors, who can directly benefit from the knowledge and know how presented on this workshop. The workshop is also suited to different profiles, such as cinematographers, Art Directors, who will directly work with Choreographers and Movement Directors, and can improve their work by knowing how to interact with this department in a more effective way. The workshop is also suitable for anyone interested in entering the Film Business on the area of Choreography and Movement Direction.
LOCATION OF THE WORKSHOP London UK Duration: 2 days Dates: 4th - 5th of November 2023 Location: London UK Price: 499GBP (325GBP Until 25th of October) Maximum number of participants: 25 By registering to the workshop you agree with FFL terms and Conditions Please add our address to your email safe senders list, address book or contact list to avoid FEST e-mails in spam. REGISTER FOR THIS WORKSHOP ON THE LINK BELOW:
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30/01.10.2023London UK
PRODUCTION DESIGN WORKSHOP WITH ALLAN STARSKI
ABOUT ALLAN STARSKI
Allan Starski is one of the top Production Designers working today. He has collaborated with directors such as Roman Polanski, Steven Spielberg, Andrzej Wajda, Peter Webber, among many other notable names. Son of famed screenwriter/ songwriter Ludwik Starski, Allan graduated in Architecture in Warsaw’s Academy of Fine Arts and began his filmmaking career in Poland with Oscar and Palme d'Or-winning director Andrzej Wajda. With a wide range of successful collaborations (including Człowiek z marmuru (Man of Marble),Człowiek z żelaza (Man of Iron) and Panny z Wilka (The Maids of Wilko) and Pan Tadeusz), it was with the film Danton (1982) that Starski began being noticed by his peers around the world. In 1993 Starski received an Academy Award for his work in Steven Spielberg’s revered film Schindler’s List – starring Liam Neeson, Ben Knigsley and Ralph Fiennes - which also secured Starski a BAFTA nomination. His extensive work includes Roman Polanski’s The Pianist (starring Adrien Brody) in 2002 (for which he won a Cesar Award) and Oliver Twist in 2005; Peter Webber’s Hannibal Rising; Agnieszka Holland's Europe, Europe and Washington Square. Starski also has an impressive body of worked on stage productions, having collaborated with acclaimed professionals such as Arthur Miller, Aleksander Bardini and Andrzej Tapicki. full credits on http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0823649/ Allan Starski is one of the most versatile and accomplished Production Designers of our age – his filmography speaks for itself and guarantees the high standards our participants have come to expect from FEST FILM LAB. WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION The Production Design workshop with Allan Starski will focus on a diversity of topics of the craft, you will have the chance of not only receive this knowledge from Allan Starski, but also interact in a very strong way, as the group will have up to 25 participants, making it extremely practical and interactive. You will also have the opportunity to assess the issues you encountered on your films, and receiving the feedback to unblock situations in the future. Participants will learn what makes a strong visual, and what to expect when working as a Production Designer. The workshop will also help directors and DP's understand the importance and how to deal with the Production Designer. The topics covered on the workshop will be: Creative team, Director, DP and PD. Story Board as a visual tool for discussion. Art department Breakdown and it influence on the film budget. Period research and artistic interpretation of historical knowledge. Concept drawings, models and final drafts. Location or Studio Sets ? Color in the movie. Creating color palette according to visual concept of the movie. Case study: Washington Square by Agnieszka Holland. Split locations in historical movie. Case study: "Franz Schubert" Specifics of black and white movies. Case study: "Doctor Korczak" By Andrzej Wajda. Case study: "Schindler’s List" by Steven Spielberg How director emotional knowledge influence visual style of the movie. Schindler’s List versus Pianist. Big historical movie with sets built entirely in the Studio. Case study: "Oliver Twist" by Roman Polanski Sci- Fi and the low budget, does it go together ? Case study: “Fear of Flying” Can you make big historical movie with shooting in 3 continents and 5 countries ? Case study: "The Cut" by Fatih Akim. CGI as an additional tool for Production Designer. Extending sets by Visual FX. Rates and Agents PROFILE OF PARTICIPANT The workshop designed for Production Designers, Art Directors, Costume Designers, Set Designers, Directors, Art Directors, DP's, Film Students, or anyone interested in entering the Film Business on the area of Production Design LOCATION OF THE WORKSHOP London UK Duration: 2 days Dates: 30th September - 1st of October 2023 Location: London UK Price: 499GBP (325GBP Until 26th of September) Maximum number of participants: 25 By registering to the workshop you agree with FFL terms and Conditions Please add our address to your email safe senders list, address book or contact list to avoid FEST e-mails in spam. REGISTER FOR THIS WORKSHOP ON THE LINK BELOW:
