The Writer-Actor Workshop

“This ain’t no Zoom class! This ain’t no table-read! This ain’t no foolin’ around!”

WHAT: A creative workshop bringing writers and actors together to test-drive original material
WHEN: Coming again in 2023!
WHERE: Rooney/Totman Studio, 305 SE 3rd Ave, 4th Floor, Portland, 97214
CO-INSTRUCTORS: Screenwriter Randall Jahnson and actor Ted Rooney
COST: $325

Tired of mouthing your own dialogue to yourself? Going crazy with all those voices in your head? Wonder what it’s like to have talented actors embody the characters you’re creating?

Then this class is for you!

In this studio setting, you collaborate with actors to stage selected scenes from your finished screenplay or work-in-progress.

Whether you want to direct your own script, learn how to communicate with actors, or inject your screenplay with fresh energy before submitting it to competitions, this class is an excellent opportunity to get your work off the page and into the hands and mouths of talented performers who can bring it to life. Not only hear your dialogue, see it performed; discover what works and what doesn’t; receive on-the-spot feedback from both instructors and your colleagues; make real-time adjustments; and run it again.

Each week half the class will present their scenes while the other half observes and offers input. The off-week writers will also receive notes from me about their scenes, which must be submitted the week before they are staged.

Instruction will also be given on how to diagram a scene – breaking it down into “beats” and identifying character objectives and actions. This can also sharpen the focus of a scene as well as create pathways for deeper understanding, exploration, and experimentation.

And it’s fun. That’s right, folks, we strive to keep the “play” in “screenplay.”

All scenes will be filmed.

This is not a beginning screenwriting course. If you have not taken a class from me before and I am unfamiliar with your work, please contact me immediately so I can discuss your work.

Also, out of consideration for your classmates, we ask that you be fully vaccinated for COVID.