UWI Department of Literatures in English to organise film workshops

THE DEPARTMENT of Literatures in English, University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona, will organise film workshops facilitated by 2017-2018 Filmmaker-in-Residence Michelle Serieux.

The two all-day workshops on May 26 and May 27 will be under the theme ‘The Short of It: Development Process for Short Films, Original and Adapted’.

The first workshop is themed ‘Development for the Short Film Adaptation’ and will be on Saturday, May 26 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The second workshop, ‘Developing the Original Short Film’, will be Sunday, May 27, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

The workshops are aimed at writers, filmmakers, anyone with an original idea for a short film, those who have written a short story that they would like to adapt, or those who dream about adapting their favourite short stories into short films.

The workshops will focus on the development process, and applicants should be prepared to do individual and group work focused on the analysis and breakdown of the adapted material and the development of original ideas into workable, pitchable treatments.

At the end of each workshop, participants should have a solid treatment for each project and be equipped to enter and win talent discovery competitions such as Propella and other initiatives on the horizon for emerging Caribbean filmmakers.

“Many times, people have really great ideas that certainly do not lack creativity, but sometimes they don’t know how to scale them down into the short format and to create a treatment that’s exciting and can convince investors to greenlight their project. This workshop aims to help with that process,” Serieux said.

Serieux closes out her semester as filmmaker-in-residence with this pair of workshops.

Since 2012, the department has offered a minor in film studies as part of its effort to diversify its programmes and meet the demands and diverse interests of a new generation of undergraduates. The department, along with other departments in the Faculty of Humanities and Education, has designed a film studies major, which will be available as an option for the academic year 2018-19.

Applicants are encouraged to apply with a short treatment (one-page maximum), a bio and an artist statement explaining their choice of film and reason for wanting to attend the workshop. Because the workshop will be intensive, space is limited.

Prospective workshop participants will need to submit an application. The header should include whether the application is for the adaptation workshop, original workshop, or both workshops. The application deadline is Friday, May 18. Successful applicants will be alerted by Monday, May 21.

Please contact the Department of Literatures in English at 927-2217, or email litsengmona@gmail.com for more information.