Screenwriter Sessions is Back!
Join a cohort of peers in February 2023 with this year’s Guest Speakers …
Patty Jenkins (MONSTER, WONDER WOMAN), Destin Daniel Cretton (SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS, SHORT TERM 12), Amanda Silver + Rick Jaffa (AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER, RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES), Reinaldo Marcus Green (KING RICHARD, MONSTERS AND MEN), and Oscar®-winning documentarian Ken Burns (THE US AND THE HOLOCAUST, HEMINGWAY).
Designed by the Nantucket Film Festival® and Almanack Screenwriters, Screenwriter Sessions is a one-of-a-kind experience built to inspire and educate screenwriters at any stage of their career in any part of the world. Each Session features an intimate conversation with a renowned guest followed by an inspired writing exercise and a community share and offers specific, direct writing tips and opportunities to ask our guests direct questions as we explore the inspiration and craft that goes into feature screenwriting.
Enroll Today!
To offer the most personal experience, we limit enrollment in this online course to 35 emerging fiction feature screenwriters who will benefit from an intensive immersion into the craft of screenwriting.
Upon submitting the form you will be directed to the purchase page and will be able to complete your enrollment.
If you have any questions you can contact us.
Course Details
Together with our Featured Screenwriters, a community of peers will explore elements of story, theme, character, plot, and dialogue. The program includes five sessions featuring inspiration and guidance from expert screenwriters through a mixture of conversation and Q&A, and small group workshops with writing exercises for participants. The course is geared towards helping you develop a project you are working on or inspiring the discovery of a new undeniable idea for your next screenplay.Sessions will take place this coming February on
Wednesday evenings each week, 6:30 - 9:00 PM EST.
These two-hour sessions each week will begin with a one-hour Q&A led by Allyson Morgan, NFF’s Communication Director with our Featured guest, followed by an hour of writing and sharing time facilitated by Bill Gullo of Almanack Screenwriters.
Course Fee
FEE: $750.00
DATES: FEBRUARY 1st - MARCH 1st
This online course consists of five sessions (via Zoom). Enrollment covers all five sessions; we do not offer enrollment for individual sessions, only for the course as a whole. Enrollment is first come, first serve.
*** One-third of our slots are given in scholarships to writers from underrepresented communities, nominated by partner organizations including the National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts, The Blackhouse, Ghetto Film School, and WGA East. ***
If you are interested in being considered for a scholarship slot or have any questions about enrolling please email us at screenwritersessions@nantucketfilmfestival.org
2023 Guest Speakers
PATTY JENKINS - Wednesday, February 1st
PATTY JENKINS (Writer / Director / Producer) is a critically acclaimed filmmaker best known for her films with strong feminist themes. She is a powerhouse director, turned screenwriter whose projects range from gritty indie films like the award-winning MONSTER to the mega-hit WONDER WOMAN franchise.
DESTIN DANIEL CRETTON - Wednesday, February 8th
DESTIN DANIEL CRETTON (Writer / Director / Producer) has spent his career, writing and directing films, that focus on the lives of people living on the periphery of the mainstream, who are striving to be understood, to be seen. He has consistently fought to bring to life these characters whose stories wouldn't often get told, in a respectful and elegant way, no matter if the film is a small indie like SHORT TERM 12, an awards contender like JUST MERCY, or a major studio super-hero like SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS. NFF 2013 Alumni Filmmaker (SHORT TERM 12).
REINALDO MARCUS GREEN - Wednesday, February 15th
REINALDO MARCUS GREEN (Writer / Director / Producer) is a celebrated Afro-Latinx independent filmmaker who is best known for his breakout Sundance Film Festival Special Jury Prize-winning feature MONSTERS AND MEN. He is a sought-after director whose projects celebrate everyday people surpassing immense obstacles in a heroic, and larger-than-life way, including the Oscar®-nominated film KING RICHARD, and this year’s HBO series WE OWN THIS CITY.
AMANDA SILVER + RICK JAFFA - Wednesday, February 22nd
AMANDA SILVER + RICK JAFFA (Writers / Producers) partnership spanning 30 years has produced screenplays for some of the biggest box office films in recent history. Their work has produced thrilling and captivating films that draw you into the expansive world they created. Both began their careers working for major studios and were propelled by Amanda Silver’s thriller script THE HAND THE ROCKED THE CRADLE, which Jaffa produced. Their most recent film AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER, was just nominated for a Golden Globe.
KEN BURNS - Wednesday, March 1st
KEN BURNS (Writer / Director / Producer) is a multi-award-winning and prolific storyteller, who has had a storied career, making documentary films for over forty years. He has directed and produced some of the most acclaimed historical documentaries including, THE CIVIL WAR, THE NATIONAL PARKS: AMERICA’S BEST IDEA, THE ROOSEVELTS: AN INTIMATE HISTORY, and JACKIE ROBINSON. NFF 2023 Special Achievement in Documentary Storytelling Honoree.
