Go Into The Story: Paris 2023

Reflections on a recent three-day screenwriting class I taught in France.

Two weeks ago, I was in Paris leading a three-day screenwriting class. It was an intense experience. Four sessions per day each 75–90 minutes long. Over 900 PowerPoint slides. Nearly 100 movie and television clips either in French or with French subtitles. A group of 75 people ranging from screenwriters, television writers, producers, directors, novelists, and literary agents. Two translators who switched off every half-hour…

And me standing up front for the entirety of the twelve class sessions.

Here is what the event covered.

It was a fantastic experience. I must have interacted directly with half of the participants before, during, and after each day’s events. Since returning home, I’ve received at least a dozen appreciative emails from attendees. The response was overwhelmingly positive, so much so, I am being invited back to Paris to reprise the event on December 13–15, 2023.

In preparing for the event, I watched many French movies and television episodes. It’s an exciting time there with some wonderful projects emerging from cinematic storytellers.

I look forward to returning in December!

If you are a writer, filmmaker, or producer living in France, Switzerland, Belgium, or Luxembourg, I hope to see you there.

I’ve also been invited to Athens, Greece for a five-day screenwriting class and workshop with a group of university students there.

Having done sessions in England, Germany, and Spain, I have to say I thoroughly enjoy talking character-driven screenwriting and storytelling with international writers.

I’m certainly open to opportunities to teach in other parts of the world. If you’re interested, email me: GITSblog@gmail.com.

Many thanks to Laurent Lemarchand (https://www.mille-sabords.net/) for hosting me in Paris.