WRITING SCIENCE FICTION

Whether you're new to Science Fiction or have already worked in the genre, this workshop will send your thoughts in new, creative directions.

Science Fiction is a huge genre which can inform many kinds of story. It is a perennial favourite with film audiences.

A major reason for its popularity is because there's something inherently cinematic about it.

Why is SF Cinematic?

In Science Fiction, the writer needs to create an entire world to support their basic "what if..?" proposition.

For this reason, Science Fiction opens up stories.

It also makes them more visual.

Many of the clues about the "new world" will be things we see, not things we hear.

I wrote a short blog piece which develops these ideas, using Spike Jonze's film HER (2013) as an example: you can read it here.

A Modifier of Genres

Science Fiction can act as a "modifier", putting a fresh, interesting spin on tired genres and giving them a new lease of life.

We'll find out much more about all this on the day.
The workshop will be fun, challenging and collaborative. We will:

Examine the ideas behind SF's diverse topics and suggest how these can be refreshed.

Explain how we can build a fictional world that works, and is coherent, believable and surprising.

We'll also look into such important issues as:

Extrapolation. Science Fiction often takes an element of current reality and extends it so far that a new world results.

Blending Genres. We’ll see how to use other genres to create novel and intriguing Science Fiction narratives.

Practical exercises will give you the solid building-blocks for your own story in this ever-popular genre.

We'll watch a selection of carefully-chosen and entertaining clips, and examine the ideas that animate them - where they come from, and where we should look for new variations.

You'll finish the day with plenty of notes towards your own original Science fiction stories.

And after the Workshop ...

We'll set up a closed Facebook group in which we can continue to discuss the workshop's ideas.
Saturday September 24

Registration: 10.00am
Workshop Starts: 10.15am
Workshop Ends: 5.30pm

VENUE 
Newman House
27 Newman Street
London W1T 1AR

map

PRICE

£99 (concessions £89) *
EARLY BIRD OFFER!
(Before September 20th)

£85 (concessions £75)
EVENT CAPACITY
12

We offer the concessionary rate to all Concessions as well as to members of these affiliated organisations.  If you are a member of one of these organisations, please book at the concessionary rate and show your membership card to the course tutor at registration.

FURTHER DETAILS
Email or phone:  020 8455 6166

Ian Long is an experienced screenwriter, script editor and story consultant.