Write the Holiday Movie
you want to watch
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OVERVIEW Christmas, Diwali, Nowruz, Thanskgiving, Hanukkah, Eid Al-Fitr, New Year, Midsommar, 4th July, Ferragosto, Quatorze Juillet, Carnival, Kwamza... 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, festivities and festivals can feel like a rollercoaster. 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 are expected to draw on a known range of events and emotions: family gatherings; food; music; celebration; presents; loneliness; bah-humbug; love; peace; renewal; light. But this does not mean they have to be formulaic. We can bring our own experience and originality to re-craft familiar elements, inject them with fun, action or fear. We can leave the audience uplifted, thrilled or scared. And when a re-imagined or re-invented formula works, audiences love it. Whether the world outside makes you want to write something uplifting, to punch back with an action-led drama or hide under the sofa from ghosts or just the horror of it all, a holiday narrative is a great addition to anyone's writing portfolio. This one-day, in-person, course covers a range of screen narratives from a variety of countries and cultures. What they have in common is protagonists navigating a festive season, holiday, or festival. CONTENT PART ONE: The first workshop looks at common ingredients and recipes for festive narratives. We examine the familiar and explore unexpected mixes offered by stories that elevate the narrative and resonate with audiences. PART TWO: The second workshop is hands on. We spend an hour looking at how to elevate standard story ideas provided by the tutor and pitch the resulting scenarios to the room. Then you present and workshop your own project, hone the narrative and end the day sharing either a revised short document or revised verbal pitch. TUTOR ABOUT ELIZABETH CLEGG I am a writer, script editor, and development consultant and have specialised in writing and developing projects based on true stories or stories with political, social or uplifting themes. 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. WHAT OTHERS SAY ABOUT ELIZABETH'S COURSES AND FEEDBACK "...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 Telling True Stories for the Screen "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 Telling True Stories for the Screen "It was uncanny. She knew exactly what we were thinking, what we were going to ask and what we needed to hear almost before we did." Gill and Elaine True Stories Incubator |
DETAILS VENUE: Online DATES: Part 1 - Saturday 13th December 2025; Part 2 - Sunday 14th December 2025 TIME: 10:00AM - 1PM PRICING Partners and Concession - One part only - £45 Full price - One part only - £50 Partners and Concession - Both parts - £85 Full price - Both parts - £95 Partner price members of affiliated organisations: the Society of Authors, Writers Guild of Great Britain, Women in Films and TV, Directors UK and Lane's List. Proof of affiliation required. Concession price: students, seniors and other concession holders. Proof of status required. ScreenSkills bursaries may be available. For more information and eligibility criteria, visit their website at www.screenskills.com/training/ or email the tutor (see bottom of page). PAY IN 3 STAGES, FOR FREE! If you have a PayPal account in good standing, you can pay for your workshop in 3 stages as follows: 1st payment - at time of purchase; 2nd payment - 30 days; 3rd payment - 60 days. Click on PayPal Button at Check Out. Select PAYPAL OFFERS. To SIGN UP, choose your button below. For any questions about Writing Festive Films, email me using the link below.
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