WRITING FESTIVE FILMS
Write the Holiday Movie you want to watch
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OVERVIEW Diwali, Christmas, Nowruz, Hanukkah, Thanskgiving, Eid Al-Fitr, 4th July. Wherever you live, whatever your culture, every year we are all expected to join in a national holiday or cultural celebration. For some, this comes with anticipation, excitement and hope. For others, pressure and stress. Perhaps even dismay or dread. For everyone, holidays can be a rollercoaster to live through. But for creatives they offer a perfect range of scenarios that subject screen characters to a host of social, physical, financial, relational, and emotional challenges. Holiday movies don't have to be formulaic. We can bring our originality to re-craft familiar elements, inject them with fun, action or fear. We can leave the audience uplifted, thrilled or scared. When a re-invented formula works, audiences want to see it. Whether world events frighten you into writing something lighter, make you turn to action or look the horror in the face, there's room in your life - and your portfolio - for a festive film. This one-day, in-person, course covers a range of stories and genres from different countries and cultures. What they have in common are scenarios set over national holidays. WORKSHOP CONTENT The workshop looks at ingredients and recipes for holiday movies, exploring mixes that work. It examines stories that draw audiences by adding something extra, elevating them to another level and resonating through time. In groups, we will workshop how to elevate standard story ideas provided by the tutor and pitch the resulting scenarios to the room. Finally, and again in groups, we will workshop your own projects*. The day ends with you writing a short pitch document/verbal pitch to share with the room. *All participants agree to respect confidentiality when sharing projects. Anyone not wishing to share their project can work with practice material provided by the tutor. TUTOR ABOUT ELIZABETH CLEGG I am a writer, script editor, and development consultant and have specialised in writing and developing uplifting projects, many of which are based on true stories. I have taught or assessed screenwriting courses for: BECTU, British Council, Commonwealth Media Development Fund, European Development Fund, Euroscript, London Film Academy, Goldsmiths (University of London), London College of Communication (University of the Arts London), National Film and Television School, NorthWest Vision, Roehampton University, UK Film Council, UNESCO Programme for Creative Content. |
DETAILS
DATE: Monday 21 July 2025 TIME: 10AM - 5:30PM VENUE: BECTU Prospect House 100 Rochester Row London SW1P 1JP (Close to London Victoria.) BOOK HERE: Full price: £95 Festive Films Full Price Partner price: £85 Festive Films Partner Price Bectu price: £75 Festive Films Bectu Price WHAT OTHERS SAID ABOUT ELIZABETH'S COURSES
This is the first time Elizabeth has offered Writing Festive Films, so the comments are taken from her recent, sold-out, Euroscript course, Telling True Stories for the Screen. "...brilliant session [...] the pace and interaction were just right and complimented the incredibly well delivered information, what a gift for you to share your knowledge with us." Deborah "It was a privilege to access your knowledge and insights to screenwriting and its industry. I learned plenty both from yourself and my fellow students that was relevant to my specific project, as well as to the larger business of getting a film to the screen." Nigel For any questions about Writing Festive Films, email me using the link below. |
