Syllabus/Dover Kosashvily

Summer film Director Workshop

Goal: creating and conjoining a scene

A scene is the smallest devisable particle, which has meaning in a script. If one can create, direct, a scene successfully, he can then join multiple sense to create a complete film. If one can master the art of creating a scene, he literally masters the art of creating meaning from meaningless particles.

There are many approaches and forms to putting together a proper scene. The belief imparted in this workshop is in one way to direct a dramatic and emotionally effective scene. The role of the class is to provide the most essential dramatic tools needed to direct a scene in a meaningful manner.

Students will master the ability to distinguish and dissect the particles that form a good, meaningful, emotional scene. Students will learn to identify the key components needed to create a good scene. They will master the tools needed to conjoin the multi- medium elements that are available to a director and enable then to direct a meaningful and emotional scene resulting in deep audience engagement.

This workshop teaches the art of directing. Students will watch, analyze, and evaluate scenes directed by their peers. We will begin with a small exercise, replacing reaction with an action and progress to directing a meaningful unit in a script, a full and complete scene. Completing the course will be a progression to a sequence- directing multiple scenes leading to a meaningful and dramatic change in the life of the hero.

Student will learn what fuels a scene and a film. They will master the components of a dramatic arch of a scene and learn to issue an overall higher purpose to the role of the hero. Students will learn to maintain the audience identification with the hero in the scene as well as how to relate to the hero's goals and desires. Most importantly, students will learn how a director can break the heart of his audience time and time again, when reality sets in, on the hero's character.