STORYWORLD ARCHITECTURE: BUILDING RICH MYTHOLOGIES AND UNIVERSES
with John Cabrera (Warner Bros.’ H+)
We often hear it referred to as the canon or expanded universe. These networks of epics and anecdotes now make up a significant part of the motion picture, publishing, and gaming industries. John walks you through the fundamentals of constructing vast landscapes where countless interconnected stories and characters can reside.
John Cabrera is a writer, director, and former actor. With over a decade of experience in the industry, he has developed many projects for major Hollywood studios and networks, including Legendary Pictures, Warner Brothers, Universal, and SyFy. John has focused much of his work as a writer on the emerging Web Media space. From 2008 to 2012, he wrote and produced the award-winning digital series H+, which was created at Warner Brothers under the guidance of Bryan Singer. His current project, August One, is an alt-history storyworld in which the Roman Empire never fell. It is currently in development for the premium web-series platform Blackpills.
WRITING WEB SERIES
with Warwick Holt (Bruce, The Project ++)
What makes writing for web series different from film and TV – and what techniques still apply? What decisions should you make before starting to write a script? How do you determine what format will work for you? How can you bring the funny? How can you get from a great idea to a fully produced series – and how do you find an audience? Every web series is different, so there aren’t any definitive answers, but having worked as a professional writer in the film, TV and online industry for bloody ages, Warwick is very well-versed in the questions.
Warwick is a highly experienced, award-winning screenwriter, who’s written for many of Australia’s top comedians and presenters. His 7 part series Bruce, a black sitcom about Australia’s first convicts co-written with Mat Blackwell and directed by Tony Rogers, launched online in 2016, and has won over 20 awards worldwide, including Best Comedy and Best Writing (Comedy) from the International Academy of Web Television, Best Drama at the Australian Online Video Awards, and Best Screenplay at Melbourne WebFest.
LIGHTING YOUR WEB SERIES
with Lighthouse Rentals
Lighting is important for productions of all sizes – including web series. Even on a location with a lot of natural light, there’s more required than meets the eye. Join the experienced team of gaffers and grips from Lighthouse Rentals as they show you not only how important light is when shooting your on-screen masterpiece, but also how you can take affordable lights and work them to give you that high quality production look.
ACTING FOR DIRECTORS
with Philip Hayden (Howard Fine Acting Studio)
How do you get a “natural” performance from an actor? What language or concepts are best to use when working with actors? What actually goes on in an actor’s mind during filming? Join Philip Hayden (Romper Stomper – TV series, Australia on Trial, City Homicide) Studio Director of the Howard Fine Acting Studio Australia as he takes you through the core fundamentals of acting technique to help you get inside the head of the actors you will work with in the wider industry. This practical, no-nonsense approach to acting, using the techniques and methods employed by Howard Fine and his USA and Australian faculty, is widely used by actors such as Will Smith, Brad Pitt, Jennifer Connelly, Jared Leto, Michelle Williams, Simon Baker, Sela Ward, Chris Pine, Jim Belushi, Amy Smart, Gerard Butler and many more who have trained with the Howard Fine Acting Studio in LA and Melbourne.
Philip Hayden is the Director of the Howard Fine Acting Studio Australia. Philip is extremely proud to champion the work of Howard Fine and the HFAS faculty, having led the organisation (in conjunction with his business partner Patrick Constantinou) since it began in 2011. Philip graduated from drama school in 1999. Since which time Philip has been a career actor, theatre maker, producer and director. Amongst many television, film and theatre appearances Philip has performed leading roles on London’s West End, in classic HBO drama Band of Brothers, in the hit Stan show Romper Stomper and been a semi regular on children’s television for the BBC.