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Film Forum Agenda

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Thursday
    1:00-3:00 Check-in

 

SHOW BARN DISCUSSIONS
    3:00-3:30 Welcome and Introduction, Christy Carpenter, CEO and Robert Walden, Forum Artistic Director
    3:30-4:15 In the Mix: Faculty in the Round
Forum faculty engage in a lively Q&A-driven discussion of the program, what to expect, and how participants can get the most out of the weekend experience.
    4:30-5:45

Digital Paradigms: New Ways of Looking at Media, Content, and Creativity with John Tarnoff
With the digital revolution underway, John Tarnoff identifies some of the key paradigm shifts and their implications for the media/entertainment sector.
    6:00-6:30 Cocktails at River Rock Grill with informal discussion with facult
    6:30-7:45 Dinner at River Rock Grill

 

SCREENINGS
    8:00-11:00 Throughout the evening, screenings of Forum faculty films will take place in the Legacy
and Rock Theaters. Schedule TBA.
    9:30-10:30 Nightcap with faculty
       
Friday
    7:30-8:45 Breakfast
    9:00-9:15 Orientation
 

WORKSHOPS
  (Sessions included in package fee for students and professionals. Other paying attendees may observe. Pre-registration is required)
    9:15-11:30 The Power of Active Imagination for the Artist Part I with Sandra Seacat
And more tools that awaken and inspire the artist to fully express his or her true creative nature, such as: how to memorize; private moment, sense, emotional and affective memory; ritual and symbols.
    9:15-11:30 Documentaries I: The Art of Storytelling with Abby Ginzberg and Paul Stekler
How to develop and tell a compelling the story: narrative structure, distinguishing great from good characters, issue- versus character-driven films, and how the “look” and sound of the film help tell the story. Presentation will include film clips.
    9:15-11:30 Screenwriting Part I with Bill Svanoe
An introduction to the fundamentals of dramatic writing for the screen and stage, the class will deal with creating story, scenes, character, and dialogue. There will be in-class exercises as well as overnight assignments.
    9:15-11:30 Directing the Actor Part I with Joan Darling
This is the inside scoop on how directors work with actors to get performance. Participants will be led through the workshop as if they were at Sundance Institute’s Directors’ Lab. You will both direct and act in this workshop, as well as have the opportunity to direct professional actors.
    11:30-12:30 Lunch
    12:30 Break for study and rehearsals
    12:30-5:30 Directing the Actor Part II with Joan Darling
 

WORKSHOPS
    2:00-4:00 The Power of Active Imagination for the Artist Part II with Sandra Seacat
    2:00-4:00 Documentaries II: The New World of Documentary Filmmaking with Craig Renaud, Abby Ginzberg, and Paul Stekler
Navigating the changing realities of documentary filmmaking – distribution in a fragmented media landscape, the fund-raising challenge, finding your audience, new formats, and more.
    2:00-4:00 Elements of Screenwriting: From Plot to Pitch with Tom Schulman
The class will explore how theme informs story, the interconnected nature of plot and
character, the interaction of protagonists and antagonists, where inspiration comes from, methods for brainstorming, and how the story and characters can be enriched by the writer’s personal experiences. Students will be asked to pitch and discuss the stories they’re working on, and will receive feedback.
 

SHOW BARN DISCUSSIONS
    4:45-6:00

Getting Inside Fascinating Stories: Documentarians’ Show and Tell
with Abby Ginzberg, Craig Renaud, and Paul Stekler, moderated by Christy Carpenter
Three award-winning documentary filmmakers will each select, show, and discuss scenes from their own films to illuminate the art and craft of great storytelling. Films will include: Soul of Justice: Thelton Henderson’s American Journey; The Barber of Birmingham; a recently premiered New Orleans documentary; and Warrior Champions.

Note: We will screen these documentaries in multiple spaces concurrently on Thursday evening.
    6:00-6:30 Cocktails at River Rock Grill
    6:30-7:45 Dinner at River Rock Grill
    8:00-9:45 Comedic Performance with Laurence Luckinbill, Tom Schulman, moderated by Robert Walden
Panel will discuss such aspects of comedic acting as nuance, timing, delivery, physical
humor, improvisation, and everything else that builds a winning comedic performance.
    9:45-10:30 Nightcap with faculty
       
Saturday
    7:15-8:00 Breakfast
    8:00-9:30 Getting Out of Your Own Way with Tony Drazan
Unlocking and freeing the creative process; removing blocks along the way.
 

WORKSHOPS
    9:45-11:45

Documentaries III: Creating Dialogue and Impact with Abby Ginzberg,
Paul Stekler, and Craig Renaud
An exploration of how documentary films can popularize ideas, set the record straight where “the system” has failed, and provoke a public dialogue. Discussion and critique of work from a variety of filmmakers.
    9:45-11:45 Screenwriting Part II with Bill Svanoe
    9:45-11:45 Acting Tools and Application with Joan Darling
This is a participatory class in which you will learn a set of tools for creating a role, how to read a script to determine what work is necessary to bring your concept of a role to life, and how to apply these tools to your work. You will have a wonderful time working and performing in this class
    9:45-11:45 Directing for the Camera with Howard Deutch
This hands-on workshop (with camera) for directors and actors will cover taking a scene from a screenplay, fleshing it out, blocking it, marking it—and finally, playing it several ways for camera.
    11:45-12:45 Lunch
 

SHOW BARN DISCUSSIONS
    1:30-3:00 My Favorite Screenplays with Tony Drazan, Tom Schulman, and Bill Svanoe,
moderated by Philip Martin
Award-winning screenwriters share some of their favorite screenplays, review scenes, and discuss what makes them so compelling.
    3:15-4:30 The Art of Film Criticism with Wesley Morris, interviewed by Philip Martin
    4:45-6:00 The Sounds of Cinema with Joel High, moderated by Tony Drazan
Since even before The Jazz Singer introduced us to sound in film, music has played a role in helping to tell the story in film and other visual media. Music is one of the key factors that can change the emotion of a scene in ways that are often unquantifiable, but also undeniable. It is the role of a music supervisor to help a director tell the story using the tools provided by music. Whether it is an orchestral underscore or a song from the hottest act on the radio or a gospel choir singing on screen, a music supervisor is behind the decisions that help make music an essential factor in all forms of cinema.
    6:00-6:30 Cocktails at River Rock Grill
    6:30-7:45 Dinner at River Rock Grill, featuring a menu inspired by great food moments from the cinema
 

WRI PRESENTS
    8:00-9:45

Great Americans: Words Matter
Laurence Luckinbill performs excerpts from his award-winning portrayals of Lyndon Johnson, Clarence Darrow, Theodore Roosevelt, and Ernest Hemingway

($25/ticket for non-package participants)
    9:45-10:30 Nightcap with faculty
       
Sunday
    7:30-8:45 Breakfast
 

SHOW BARN DISCUSSIONS
    9:15-10:15 Inside the Film Business with Howard Deutch, John Tarnoff, Christopher Crane, and Courtney Pledger, moderated by Tim Jackson
Industry insiders discuss the nuts and bolts of getting a film made, from conception to
completion.
    10:15-11:30 Break for rehearsal/Faculty Q&A
    11:30 -12:45 Lunch
    1:00-4:00

Showcase of Scenes and Monologues with critique by Sandra Seacat and
Joan Darling
In this culmination of workshop participants’ work during the Forum, actors will perform scenes prepared during class and in rehearsals, implementing changes real-time based on commentary from coaches Sandra Seacat and Joan Darling.

Note: Faculty subject to change due to production schedules. Surprise guests are possible.
       
 
 
 
 

Address & Directions

driving directions
  • Winthrop Rockefeller Institute
  • Petit Jean Mountain
  • 1 Rockefeller Drive
  • Morrilton, Arkansas 72110
  • 501-727-5435
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  • Toll Free: 866-972-7778
  • Fax: 501-727-5417
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