The Doha Film Institute (DFI) will be conducting a virtual Short Script Lab from January 22 where three international mentors will lead.
The short scriptwriting lab is designed to assist emerging screenwriters and writer-directors from Qatar and the MENA region.
This is for them to complete a new draft of their original short film screenplay with the guidance of experienced international mentors.
Screenplays written through this lab may be nominated for production through DFI programmes including Qumra Shorts, Qatari Film Fund and Production Funding (MENA region).
DFI said the scriptwriting lab provides a transformative experience for filmmakers to explore their creativity and individual voice in an inspiring, intensive programme that balances virtual one-on-one mentorship sessions and independent work with moderated group discussions and presentations among peers.
Participants will refine their skills in dramatic writing (premise, theme, structure, character and story), advance the development of their short film screenplays with a new draft, and discuss the regional and international short film landscapes.
The workshop will run for 10 days, from January 22 to 31, of which, eight days will be dedicated for full lab, while two days for independent writing days. The online session will be from 2pm to 6pm, however, the schedule can be flexible to meet the needs of selected participants.
Participants have eight days for group work and two days in between for independent work on their scripts.
Among the mentors include Mathhieu Darras as Lab Advisor. He leads and designed several programmes of film and talent development and consultancy that are active worldwide: The First Cut Lab, the Pop Up Film Residency, and the Full Circle Lab. He founded and directed the European Network of Young Cinema NISI MASA, wrote for the film magazine Positif for 15 years, and was the artistic director of the TorinoFilmLab until 2018.
He also worked for major film festivals in Europe: as a programmer for the Cannes Critics’ Week, as a consultant for the Venice Film Festival, and as a delegate for the San Sebastian Film Festival. Also, Script Editors Britta Krause and Antoine Waked will participate.
Krause is a script editor and director based in Berlin. She has been working as a tutor with emerging screenwriters for Kultburo Moscow, Film University Babelsberg Konrad Wolf, Nipkow Programm, Berlin, and Nisi Masa’s European Short Pitch workshops.
Waked, meanwhile works as a Development Executive at Abbout Productions and Shortcut Films since 2010. He also teaches writing and directed at ALBA University since 2005. He wrote a segment of the anthology A Quintet (2014) that premiered at the Sarajevo Film Festival and received the Special Jury Prize at the Chelsea Film Festival.
