FREE DRAMA!!

An inspiring one- or two-day seminar that transports storytellers into the wild heart of cinematic DRAMA – the most dangerous region on Earth!

Over six life-changing hours participants come face-to-face with the living, emotional energy that is the basis of effective, cinematic, character-based storytelling. The energy for the storyteller – as for the characters – is transformative.

During the seminar, storyteller/participants will gather and apply a range of tools, strategies and perspectives that will enable them to more effectively enter the DRAMA and find the story that is trying to get itself told.

Topics include the building and releasing of emotional energy; the art of becoming a medium; the role of audience and tribe in the transformation of the writer into a medium; navigating “The Wall”; the essential Dramatic questions; and the drama of effective collaboration.

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What previous participants have said:

"Life changing." - Simon Burke (actor)

"There are alot of Big Winds and many small windfalls, but theres only one Billy and I find his presence on the planet and particularly only a few hundred miles north an absolute hoot. Billy is a kaitiaki - a messenger from the ancestors - and given that I've strayed a long way from them I feel grateful that I was given the chance to return." - Mereana Otene-Waaka (writer/director)

“Thank you, thank you." -- Deb Cox (Scriptwriter, creator/writer: Seachange, East of  Everything)
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ABOUT MY WORKSHOPS and SEMINARS

“As to the question, which came first – the chicken or the egg –
you must consider the possibility that the egg is that part of
the chicken that is trying to remember itself.”
                                                                                   - Anon.

I love the poet, Muriel Rukeyser, because she understood that “the world is made of stories, not atoms”. You don’t have to be a poet to understand this, but it helps. Have a look around. Stories are a force of nature. We didn’t evolve from apes; we sprang into life, full-blooded, urgent, desirous, embodied by story.

Story is our essence, the source and outcome of every dream, vision, birth, death, discovery or miracle. Our humanity and inhumanity is rooted in it, tangled in the mystery of “how come?” and the suspense of “what now?”

When James Joyce was asked where he came up with the stories that inhabited his books, he gestured round the pub: “from that couple over there, and those men by the door, and the woman washing up behind the bar…”

Story is Nature’s way of becoming conscious of itself. As storytellers, we work with it in order to become conscious of ourselves. One writes the script to find out why one is writing it, and in the process discovers that the story is writing us as much as we are writing it.

The drama of screenwriting can be a decidedly terrifying experience, especially when the characters want to take us places we never thought of going. Left to our own devices, we prefer not to give ourselves a fright, which is why we seek out ready-made recipes, in the hope that somebody else’s pre-digested formula will stay the pain of us actually having to go on a journey of discovery.

If it’s a template you’re after, don’t bother with my workshops; like drama, they present more questions than answers. If they challenge your most enduring prejudices - which so many participants tell me they do - then they will pay for themselves several times over, and succeed in ways that you could never imagine. More than anything, they offer a unique vision that will assist you in exploring your personal hinterland and the as-yet unseen, unheard, stories that are hiding there, a unique point of view for the inner journey and outer odyssey. Proof that others have passed this way before. Take them as part of a map to that vast wilderness of the soul, the secret/sacred world of dramatic storytelling against which one’s ego is merely the semblance of a bed and breakfast.

Though their bias is cinematic storytelling for the big and small screen – both fictional and factional – the scope and ultimate application of what they offer transcends any particular form.

“Thank you, thank you." - Deb Cox (Scriptwriter, creator/writer: Seachange)

"It just kind of changed my world. I feel like I have been on an unexplainable adventure, and am more excited about life than I've been since I was seven years old." - Lally Katz (playwright)

"Before I attended the seminar, I was questioning why I work in the film industry. So much of what goes on has so little to do with truthful expression. But today, the day after completing (Billy's course), I'm feeling the feeling I felt when I was nineteen and just starting out. Now I feel like I have the courage to get out of my seat, walk into the screen and play an active role in that epic film of mine." - Rochelle Oshlack (Editor, Tangerine Films)

“Life transforming!” – Simon Burke (actor, TV presenter) 

"Although my time was brief with you, you're still the most influential mentor on my writing."  - Jared Beekhuyzen

THESE WORKSHOPS ARE RIGHT FOR YOU IF YOU HAVE
(1) Courage
(2) A hint of genius
(3) A compulsion for Drama
(4) A lust for effective collaboration

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                              FORM is NOT FORMULA

The Art of the Story is the shaping of the story. It involves FORM.

Form presupposes an understanding of the nature of the dramatic experience as expressed through the interactions of characters, only some of which exist inside the script. It also presupposes a storyteller/artist that has developed a facility for allowing the characters to become whatever it is that is in them to become based upon their problems, goals and objectives.

FORMULA, on the other hand, is the blind replication, with minor variation, of existing stories and “story recipes”. Because formulistic stories repeat familiar narrative patterns they often come across as stale, simplistic or predictable, unless special care is taken to confound the audience's expectations in some fresh and unusual way. One could – and many do – make a career out of “copying” earlier models without ever understanding the deeper significance and power of the dramatic experience.

Story structure – its grammar – whether it be found in fables, myths or epics is essentially the same; but possessing a facility for grasping and applying one’s understanding of the grammar will not necessarily guarantee a story that is fresh and credible.

It is the DREAM that surrounds the shape that is important. And the DREAM demands CHARACTERS. What do the characters “dream” about? What do they want? Why do they want it? Who or what is stopping them from getting it and why? And, most importantly, what are they going to DO about it?

Formula is what we resort to whenever we ignore the dream. It is, indeed, ignorance of the dream; whereas Form invites us to ENTER the dream in such a way that we can pass it on to others without it losing its intrinsic emotional power.

The Script Analysis Experience

FOR PRACTIONERS OF CINEMATIC STORYTELLING WORKING IN BOTH LONG AND SHORT FORM DRAMATIC SCREEN STORYTELLING

When asked for his definition of jazz, Duke Ellington replied: “It’s what you leave out.”

Unfortunately, what too many screenwriters leave out of their scripts is the DRAMA, and without DRAMA, no one is going to be interested.

STORY SHRINK is a one or two-day intensive story de-construction workshop for writers, writer/directors and producers.

Take your screenplay to “the shrink” – you don’t need analysis, but your script does!

STORY SHRINK guides storytellers into the emotional life of their stories

It assists storytellers in gaining useful insights into the nature of their characters and the stories that their choices and actions produce.

It enables storytellers to develop fresh and mediumistic strategies for accessing and exploiting the dramatic possibilities that lie buried in the lives of their characters.

STORY SHRINK is a character-based workshop.

It is founded on the premise that everything in a screenplay starts with character. Structure, conflict and believability all suffer when your characters aren’t properly developed.

What do you need to bring???

Almost nothing!!  Apart from your body, imagination, and a one-page synopsis of your current or planned draft (beginning, middle and end)

Common issues/questions addressed in the workshop include:

 • Whose story is it, and why?

• What are the protagonist’s goals and objectives, and why?

• Who or what opposes the main character/s and why?

• Transforming passive characters into active characters.

• Building emotional energy

• Creating stakes and risk.

• What do I do when the protagonist and/or other main characters aren’t sympathetic enough?

• Navigating “the cut”

• The secrets of Originality

• Identifying one’s Audience

 Experience the MAGIC!! ENTER the DRAMA!!! 

Register your interest NOW by writing to Stoneking Seminars

An overview

 By recognising and calling upon one's tribal identity the screen storyteller is more likely to intersect with character and story, and thus more effectively to conduct the emotional energy from inside the drama rather than as a spectator tyrannised by prejudice, formula and fear.

After years of working with indigenous storytellers and writers, and as a result of the interplay and debate between them and non-indigenous storytellers and writers, Billy Marshall Stoneking has devised an inspiring and revolutionary workshop that reconnects participants with their tribal origins whilst promoting insights and a character-based engagement with their own, often unappreciated stories.

 The workshop provides opportunities for creatives from all disciplines to make the inner journey and the outer odyssey towards telling more authentic and dramatically powerful stories for the screen.

 Every participant is required to make a short film (in any style, genre) that dramatises their “tribal Identity.

Number of participants: 14-18 persons 

Duration:  5 days (over 3 weekends)

WEEK ONE  -  Days 1 & 2 : THE LORE OF OBJECTS 

 Participants to select two items (objects, images or music) from the following categories.  (no more than one object per category)

 Something old

 Something New

 Something borrowed

 Something Sacred

 Something Profane

 Participants to tell the stories that reveal the emotional significance of each item to the storyteller.

 Preparation for Week #2:

 By mutual agreement, participants form paired partnerships.

 Without consultation each team member selects a scene each from two different feature films (DVD)

  Scenes must be no longer than five minutes in length and no shorter than 1 minute

Selection Criteria

  Scene A : a scene that presents/dramatises/elucidates or in some way conveys what you imagine or perceive to be your partner's TRIBAL IDENTITY.

  Scene B : a scene that presents/dramatises/elucidates or in some way illustrates the way you SEE or UNDERSTAND your own TRIBAL IDENTITY.

WEEK TWO  - Days 3 & 4  : THE TRIBAL CONNECTION  - SEEING OURSELVES IN OTHERS

  Participants to arrive at the workshop with scenes cued and ready to show. Participants must be prepared to talk about the choices they have made and why.

 In preparing for the presentation of scenes, participants may have to view a number of different films and scenes to find one that is most appropriate in REPRESENTING or REMINDING them of some significant aspect of their partner's character.

  Consider their values, attitudes, hopes, fears, history, etc

  DO NOT disclose your choices to one another - or any one else - prior to the workshop.

  Research is permissible so long as you DON'T MAKE FILM BASED ENQUIRIES (e.g.: "what is your favourite film?")

  Feel free to enquire personally but make your enquiries about biographical details. "What was the most memorable summer of your life and what made it memorable?" "How did you feel about your siblings?"

  IMPORTANT::: Don't be afraid to make decisions based on your intuitive understanding of your partner.

Preparation for WEEK #3 (DAY FIVE) 

 Each participant to make a short film (no more than 5 minutes) that dramatises one’s tribal identity.

Film may be any genre, including documentary and dramatic monologue.  May be edited in camera or in Final Cut Pro (or similar).

DAY FIVE – (Approximately four weeks later)  - THE MYTH OF SELF  

 Films will be screened and discussed by the entire group, identifying audience as well as tribe.  

Interested in taking part in the legendary TRIBAL WORKSHOP? Write to Stoneking Seminars

RECENT NEWS

IN ADELAIDE

At the invitation of the Media Resource Centre in Adelaide, Billy Marshall Stoneking worked with five teams of filmmakers on the 19-20 September, helping them develop their ideas/scripts for the upcoming TropFest film competition. While he was in Adelaide he also hosted an informal evening workshop with a small group of committed local feature screenwriters. Billy will return to South Australia in December for more workshops and seminars. Watch this space for details! 

IN NEW ZEALAND

The Drama of It All - Dunedin

Stoneking conducted a one-day seminar in Dunedin, New Zealand, on the 2nd July, 2009, with 18 experienced and beginning filmmakers. Responses to Billy's brand of character-based Mediumistic screenwriting provoked so much excitement and interest among those in attendance he is planning to return to NZ at the end of the year to conduct a series of more lengthy workshops in Dunedin, Queenstown, Auckland and Wellington. In a personal email follow-up to the seminar, one participant wrote: "thank you again for... last week-end. It was very informative, very enjoyable and I have been thinking since that the concept of 'where's the drama' is an incredibly slippery and difficult one to come to grips with!"  Watch this space for upcoming forays into the land of the long white cloud! 

Oamaru - Writing the Short Film Workshop - Sat 4th / Sun 5th July

Stoneking led a very successful weekend workshop for Short Film Otago.  The aim of this workshop was to stimulate and encoruage participant/writers to contribute to the Short Film Otago programme, which has not yet received scripts or film project submissions from Oamura and environs. After two days with Billy it would seem this is about the chnage, rather radically.  For more details about Short Film Otago, please contact Nikki Stirling at nstirling@nhnz.tv  or ring her on 03 4799800

IN AUSTRALIA! 

Canberra Tribal Workshop

Stoneking's legendary Tribal Workshop is in full swing in Canberra. 18 participants are currently in production with their tribal films. Each film can be no longer than five minutes and dramatises the tribal identity of the filmmaker. A public screening of these films will take place in Canberra at at the Arc Cinema on 5th August. Watch this space for details! Or go to http://www.shortstorybigscreen.com.au/information.html

Public screenings of all Tribal Films is scheduled for the ARC CINEMA, CANBERRA, at 7pm on 12th August, 2009