SCREENWRITING AND ACTIVISM: THE SOCIALLY-ENGAGED SHORT SCREENPLAY
Ages 16-29
Summer 2023, Online
In this workshop, student fellows will explore narrative screenwriting as a medium for social change. Working from personal and observed experience, they’ll identify an issue meaningful to them and write a short script, placing particular emphasis on character and world. They’ll study screenplays and view film clips in a range of genres and addressing a range of issues: Sorry to Bother You (capitalism and wealth inequality), Sound of Metal (deafness and identity), Nomadland (homelessness after the recession). They’ll consider how to craft socially relevant stories without being preachy or didactic; how to write about marginalized characters without being exploitative; and how to find and celebrate the individual human being inside the issue. In a supportive, collaborative setting, they’ll pitch, outline, and draft a short script (8-12 pages). Through table readings, they’ll engage with each other’s writing, developing skills in story design, characterization, conflict, and dialogue, each honing their own distinct creative voice. They’ll also learn about screenplay competition opportunities, as well as new modes of content distribution, such as new media. Their work will be shared at a public exhibition and on the program website. Limited to 8 student fellows.
Alessandra Bautze is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University, where she majored in writing and in film and media studies. She also holds an M.F.A. in Screenwriting from The University of Texas at Austin. She believes in the power of language to connect communities.
Vibha Sathesh Kumar is a first year graduate student at Johns Hopkins University. She has had a love for art since childhood, and enjoys exploring various mediums to express herself.
