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In partnership with the Film Commission, this intensive writing program will equip screenwriters and filmmakers who aspire to be leaders in the field with all the tools necessary to develop a short narrative screenplay. Over 12 weeks, this exceptional, hands-on program will guide participants through every step of the writing process, molding their story ideas into producible scripts.
This intensive program is designed for aspiring talented and creative Saudi screenwriters and filmmakers committed to creating engaging screenplays and pursuing real careers in film/television. The program will largely consist of actively workshopping the writers’ weekly screenplay submissions. Over 12 weeks, each writer will develop a script for a narrative short film and receive weekly feedback on 10 drafts.
The goal of this program is to build a community of confident Saudi screenwriters capable of leading the local film industry and creating Saudi films that can be appreciated by global audiences.
The course, based on global best practices and an understanding of the local context, begins by generating and pitching story ideas that fit the short-medium, and learning the basic rules of narrative screenwriting. Starting week 3, each participant is expected to submit a weekly draft (10 pages maximum) of their screenplay.
The program is designed to foster a space for honest and non- prescriptive critique. We will learn to look beyond personal taste, as we practice diagnostic approaches to giving and receiving feedback that is focused on character (widely considered the building block of any story).
These courses will be supplemented by critically watching short films, reading scripts, and completing writing exercises. Ideally, each screenwriter will complete the course with a production-ready short script. We will meet twice a week on Zoom for 3.5-hour sessions (Mondays and Wednesday, 18:00-21:30 GMT+3).
Course discussions will primarily be held in Arabic, however, participants are expected to watch films and read scripts in both Arabic and English. Each participant is free to write in the language of their choice (Arabic or English)
10th January 2022
Raed Alsemari is a filmmaker from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. His short film Dunya’s Day premiered at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Jury Award for International Fiction. It’s since toured over 30 film festivals, including Palm Springs ShortFest, San Francisco Int’l Film Festival, Cairo and Durban International Film Festivals. Alsemari completed his MFA in Filmmaking at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. Before that, he obtained his BA in History and Literature at Harvard University. In 2019, he was chosen by Screen International magazine as one of five actors/directors featured in their annual “Arab Stars of Tomorrow.” In 2020, he was one of 11 filmmakers chosen for a development program with China/US production company Starlight Media (known for Crazy Rich Asians).
This program is for Saudi nationals or individuals whose spouse or mother is Saudi.
Yes! Once you complete the graduation process, you will receive your graduation certificate.
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