The FilmFest Committee will conduct a Screenwriting Workshop from 11 a.m. to noon Friday in the Mabee Library Auditorium.
Kris Young, an instructor at UCLA’s School of Theater, Film and Television, will speak at the workshop via Skype.
Christina Johnson, senior English major from Dallas and co-chair of the FilmFest Committee, met Young while attending the Los Angeles Film Studies Center through the Best-Semester Program, which partners with the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities.
“He was very influential in my own writing and what I wanted to do with my life,” Johnson said. “I thought that we needed someone like him to come to the ACU campus and help students out, especially since ACU’s screenwriting class isn’t offered every semester.”
Young has written six movies for the Disney Channel and has also produced material for Columbia,Nickelodeon, CBS and Trimark Pictures.
The workshop is open up to everyone interested in expanding their writing capabilities. Many faculty, staff and students have expressed interest and have submitted questions to Young, which they hope he will answer over Skype on Saturday.
The workshop will focus on writing in the three-act structure for a full film, but it will also highlight ways to incorporate that process in a condensed time frame for short films.
Sandra Amstutz, senior electronic media major from La Seria and a co-chair of the FilmFest Committee,said she hopes to see more events during the year.
“Last year we had a workshop on directing; now we’re doing one on screenwriting and how to write better,” Amstutz said. “This year we’re hoping to have two or three more spread out throughout the year.”
The workshops were created after FilmFest was moved from the fall to the spring semester, as a way to help participants prepare for and learn about the film-making process before actually competing.
“We didn’t have very many participants in years past because [FilmFest] came so fast into the school year and caught people off guard,” Johnson said. “When I became co-chair three years ago I met with Provost Dr. Dwayne VanRheenen. We talked about how FilmFest should be more focused and have a theme. We decided it would help if it was moved from the fall to the spring.”
Amstutz said the FilmFest Screenwriting Workshop was not advertised outside of campus but welcomes anyone in the community.
The FilmFest Committee also hopes this weekend’s workshop will encourage participation in the upcoming 24-hour Film Festival on Nov. 6.
