At a Glance

• Expand your career from screenwriter to author-writer-director! • Learn how to produce a web TV series • Use transmedia strategies to leverage a studio movie deal for your project

A radical shift in the way we tell stories and the way we consume them is happening under our very noses. As writers, we need to keep up with these rapid changes in technology in order to stay employed, seize new opportunities to earn income and showcase our talents to the world. The future of entertainment is transmedia, a process where you use more than one medium to tell pieces of your overall story. Consumers are able to experience the story world and characters in their favorite medium of choice, which typically includes graphic novels, audio books, web series, mobile apps, video games, music, and social media platforms. This approach allows the producer to build an exponentially larger fan base and can serve as a proof of concept prior to risking millions of dollars to produce a traditional movie or network TV series. The challenge for the writer is to make sure these transmedia experiences are not splintered and disconnected. For example, is the graphic novel an integral part of the storyline in the movie or TV series or is it just an afterthought add-on? And how does the audience move easily from the graphic novel to the web TV series to the movie without being confused? Your potential audience is all over the world and is now easily accessible via the Internet. People are looking for depth and they’re looking to share that depth with each other. Shooting and sharing a low budget web TV series is one of the best ways to introduce your story to the market, build word-of-mouth buzz, and ultimately attract the attention of Hollywood producers. In this new paradigm of storytelling, the author becomes the composer - the master of ceremonies who works with others to bring an imaginative story world into first life and allows the community to actively participate in that world via YouTube, Twitter, and other websites and mobile apps. In this lively, comprehensive class, you will learn how to:

• Write a Story Bible for your story world • Integrate interactive storytelling techniques into your scripts • Cultivate the network of relationships you need to accomplish your goals • Get corporate sponsors to pay for your web series production • Hire good SAG actors and a competent crew even if you have little or no money to pay

people up front

• Negotiate the best deals on video, audio, and lighting equipment • Locate and secure great locations for free • Maximize production value • Stage the scene properly and get sufficient shot coverage to make editing easier • Create visual effects shots using inexpensive software • Upload and promote your videos on YouTube and become a YouTube partner • Generate over one million page views using viral seeding tactics • Avoid the common mistakes made by amateurs

Using real world case studies and proven strategies you can implement right away with your own projects, the instructor will show you everything you need to know to get started on your transmedia journey. In addition, a high level industry pro will be brought in as a guest speaker for the last 30 minutes of class to answer your questions. Most of this insider information is NOT available in books or online. Students should bring to class a brief synopsis of their movie or TV project. Teacher Bio: Martin Shapiro Martin Shapiro created the horror comic book series Chopper, and sold the movie rights to it. As part of an ambitious transmedia launch, the prequel to Chopper was produced as a web TV series starring Tyler Mane (Halloween, X-Men) and Andrew Bryniarski (Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Batman Returns). Mr. Shapiro’s action-thriller screenplay Lair of the Fox was optioned by Ilya Salkind (Producer of Superman). Mr. Shapiro has written and developed projects for MGM, HBO and numerous production companies including an adaptation of Dragonlance, the New York Times bestselling series of fantasy novels with sales of 22 million copies. He received a Master’s Degree in Screenwriting from UCLA. Where: Writers University - www.writersstore.com When: Saturday, October 27, 2012, 10:30 am – 12:30 pm Pacific time Price: $89