The Iowa Digital Filmmakers Guild, the Iowa Scriptwriters Alliance, the Iowa Motion Picture Association and the Iowa Film Office present:

The Screenwriter’s Genre Mapping
Workshop Series

This new series of workshops is intended for screenwriters and writers in all mediums in order to give them a solid backing in the common and most necessary story, structure and character elements in different genres.

Attendees of the workshops are asked to watch a set of films before the meeting so that the group can discuss what common elements made the films successful. After the workshop, writers are encouraged to write a script in the genre that was analyzed.

Each workshop will be facilitated by an expert in the genre, and will often feature a guest celebrity presenter with whom the attendees can attend lunch and listen to their experiences.

[10-29-06 Update: The first seminar was a success! Attendees participated in illuminating discussions of the horror genre and its key elements, as well as hearing Russ Doughten's entertaining first-hand account of the making of The Blob. Pictures from the event are at right. Stay tuned for our next seminar.]

For our first workshop, in honor of Halloween and the growing popularity of the genre, we will be studying horror films.

Our facilitator will be Insane Mike Saunders, an independent filmmaker with Prescribed Films out of Ottumwa, Iowa. Mike has directed 19 films including 7 features, the vast majority of them horror. He also possesses an encyclopedic knowledge of the genre.

Our special guest for this workshop will be Russ Doughten, assistant producer and uncredited co-director of the classic 1958 film The Blob, starring Steve McQueen.

The workshop will be held at the Des Moines Central Public Library, 1000 Grand Avenue, on October 28th from 9:00 am until 5:00 pm and is free of charge.

Attendees are encouraged to attend the group lunch held across from the library at the downtown restaurant Beggars Banquet, where they can enjoy a specially arranged lunch discussion with Russ Doughton about his experiences working on The Blob.

The required viewing for this workshop:

The Exorcist
An American Werewolf in London
The Shining

And at least one of the following as an example of not-so-classic films to see how things can go wrong when some of the necessary elements are missing:

Maximum Overdrive
Plan 9 From Outer Space
Return of the Living Dead part 2

Although there's no charge to attend, we are encouraging people to register so that we can arrange for adequate seating.

To register or for more information, contact IDFG president: Bruce Heppner-Elgin
or sign up on the Iowa Filmmaker boards. Free registration is required in order to gain access to the boards.