The Workshop

Are you serious about screenwriting?

 Interested in writing a feature screenplay, a teleplay for an original TV pilot or perhaps a speculative episode for an existing show?

 

Western’s program in Creative Writing is proud to present an exclusive hands-on bootcamp for all screenwriters in conjunction with its existing graduate MFA program in Screenwriting. This bootcamp is open to aspiring screenwriters with or without an undergraduate degree.

The aim of this bootcamp is to facilitate workshopping; to develop great writing habits as well as help students with structure, dialogue, plot; and to improve overall screenwriting skills.

The bootcamp is structured as three separate stages.

The first stage includes the preparation for the camp where the participants read required materials, familiarize themselves with the formatting and basic structure, if they haven’t done so previously, and come to the workshop ready to pitch their ideas.

The second stage is the actual eight-day workshop, where each student pitches a story, creates a treatment, character biographies, an outline, and then writes the first act (roughly 30 pages) of the proposed screenplay or TV pilot/spec. This portion is designed to be rigorous,

with an emphasis on writing, rewriting, critiquing and polishing the words on the page.

The third stage entails the support system, including one-on-one meetings with screenwriting faculty to go over future writing plans, and participation in the three-day Writing the Rockies creative writing conference, which includes discussions and avenues relating to the Business of Screenwriting and how to break into the industry. 

The Gunnison Valley is a veritable recreation destination for you or your family during your two-week bootcamp.

Check out these links:

Gunnison Chamber of Commerce

Crested Butte Chamber of Commerce

The Faculty

 

Taught by mentors with extensive experience in Hollywood films and Television, this bootcamp gives you unparalleled access to their story sensibilities, screenwriting acumen and aims to help you make your stories and screenplays marketable.

 

J S Mayank

J S Mayank lives the life of a Hollywood screenwriter, pitching his own scripts, reworking others’ works, collaborating and networking with Studio City heavyweights like producers Bruce Cohen (American Beauty, Big Fish, Milk), Derek Dauchy (XXX, Across the Universe), and Steve McEveety (Passion of the Christ, Braveheart, What Women Want), as well as working for some of the best production companies in the business – Vertigo Entertainment (The Departed, The Grudge), Strike Entertainment (Children of Men), Participant Media (Charlie Wilson’s War, The Kite Runner, Good Night and Good Luck), The Mark Gordon Company (2012, Day After Tomorrow, Speed), and others.

Bob Shayne

Bob Shayne has been an active and successful screenwriter for years, both in New York and Los Angeles. He’s sold 18 prime-time pilots and written 16 of them for the major TV networks in all genres, six of which were shot, two of which went to series, and most of which he produced. He’s worked on staff of both sitcoms and one-hour dramas; been a show-runner on sitcom, drama, MOW and pilots; written something well over 100 episodes; written and produced TV movies; written two four-hour miniseries, written features both live-action and animated, and adapted four novels into screenplays (not counting his own). He’s won or been nominated for awards including Best TV Movie of the Year from the Writers Guild of America, Edgar for Best TV Movie of the Year from the Mystery Writers of America, Edgar for Best TV Episode of the Year from the Mystery Writers of America, two Emmys from the TV Academy (for Best Talk Show and Best Documentary), and a Grammy for Best Comedy Album.

The Costs

Tuition: $495 for the two-week bootcamp, exclusive of transportation to Gunnison, lodging, or meals.

- The tuition for the bootcamp includes the cost for WRITING THE ROCKIES.

- In addition to the afternoon workshops, each bootcamper may attend the 1-hour morning lectures geared towards the MFA screenwriting students.

- At the end of the camp, each bootcamper can request a one-on-one PRIVATE SESSION with an instructor to go over his/her script in further detail.

- The MFA screenwriting faculty may choose select script(s) to be read aloud during the WRITING THE ROCKIES conference.

- Bootcampers can sign up for year-two of the camp, which would emphasize finishing and REWRITING the feature/TV Pilot or spec they started on, as well as the business of screenwriting

 

How to apply

To sign up for the workshop, complete the registration form.

For local accommodations, visit the Gunnison Chamber of Commerce. 

 

Write:
Western State Colorado University
Extended University Studies
600 N. Adams
Taylor Hall 303
Gunnison, CO 81231