Workshop for aspirant screenwriters in Cape Town

They will develop their ideas from premise to writing the first ten pages of their screenplay with writing coach Daniel Dercksen, who has been taking filmmakers such as Henk Pretorius (Fanie Fourie se Lobola, Leading Lady), Sallas de Jager (Verraaiers, Stuur Groete aan Mannetjies Roux) and John Barker (Spud 3) through their paces.

Image via 123RF

Following the workshop, the writers will work on the development of their screenplay with Dercksen until final draft, which will then be submitted to producers through The Write Agency.

An informal and intimate workshop, it caters for five writers per session, offering an introspective and interactive journey into the respective stories and gives the writers an opportunity to receive positive feedback and support during the eight weeks.

"It is not just a workshop that feeds theory and notes to writers who have to then find their own path in writing their screenplay but a unique hands-on and outcome based approach," says Dercksen, who started the independent training initiative The Writing Studio 16 years ago.

As a film journalist of 30 years, Dercksen produced and directed his play The Beauty of Incomplete Things independently, which enjoyed a successful run in Cape Town and Johannesburg in 2014, and is recently completed the screenplays for Tjommies and African Violet that is currently in development.

The workshop is also presented as a correspondence course for writers living outside Cape Town, who would like to develop their screenplays as part of this exciting initiative that fosters the growth of the local film and television industries. For more information, go to www.writingstudio.co.za.