WORKSHOP: Screenplay Writing for Television and Film

The Waikoloa Community Development Corporation and The Fairmont Orchid Hotel co-present their visiting artist film workshop entitled “Screenplay Writing for Television and Film” at The Fairmont Orchid Hotel on the Kohala Coast of the Big Island on Saturday, May 26, 2018, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The workshop will be lead by Current Productions Executive Jen Grisanti.

Jen Grisanti

Grisanti is one of the leading consultants, mentors, coaches and instructors in the field of screenplay writing and development for television and film. She has a story system that has led 52 of her clients to sell their pilots. Six of them went to series. Grisanti was a studio executive for 12 years at Spelling Television Inc. and CBS/Paramount. She staffed over 15 primetime shows in her career. Aaron Spelling was her mentor. She is also the writing instructor for Writers on the Verge at NBC, a blogger for The Huffington Post, the author of three books—her latest is Change Your Story: Change Your Life: A Path to Your Success–, and an international speaker who has participated in writing conferences, retreats, seminars, film festivals and writing expos around the world.

In this day long workshop, Grisanti will share the techniques, insights, and dynamics of her Story System, an approach that has led so many writers to success in the television and film arenas. Discussions will center on the elements of strong and compelling story structure and development, writing a script that sells, writing a TV pilot script or screenplay that can’t be ignored, writing memorable characters and character dynamics, adding truth to your fiction, mastering the set up of your story through structure, setting up a season one arc, and Grisanti will offer plenty of time for career advice, insights into how and what Hollywood is looking for these days and how it works, and general questions and answers from participants.

Jennifer Grisanti, Former Big Island Mayor Billy Kenoi and Actress Eloise Mumford (The River) at the 2012 Big Island Film Festival

This workshop is for those looking to develop their craft and skill in professional areas of screenplay writing for television and film, or for those looking to better understand the craft of writing for film and television and how these skill sets relate to the overall production process.

People interested in the workshop can email John Mason at johnmasonkona@gmail.com for more information, questions or to register or call him at (808) 464 – 4379. More information available at the Hawai‘i Island Film Office website.

Workshop prices are $15 for students, $2 for Writers Guild Association (WGA) Members and $25 for the general public. The registration fee will include light refreshments.