The application deadlines for MPI’s screenwriting workshops, Writing the “Calling Card” Short Film and Concept Development, are less than a month out.

Led by our executive vice presidents, Erin O’Connor and Maurice Black, these 13-week “virtual” workshops enable screenwriters to sharpen their skills by workshopping their original scripts in a supportive and high-level setting.

In our Calling Card workshop Erin works with writers to craft producible scripts for short films—which in turn act as important industry calling cards at festivals. A good calling card can attract funding for a feature, help a filmmaker secure agency representation, and generally enable the filmmaker to raise their profile and build industry credibility and connections. Last year’s workshop produced the script for the upcoming MPI Original The Perfect One by Matthew Szewczyk. 

During Concept Development, Maurice advises filmmakers on how to position projects for success. Putting an emphasis on the prep work required to begin scripting, participants focus on writing a compelling pitchable logline, developing a tight one-page synopsis, and outlining. In the 2018 workshop filmmakers Austin and Meredith Bragg developed the forthcoming MPI Original A Piece of Cake.

Learn more about the application process for the Calling Card workshop here and Concept Development here. Ensure your completed application is submitted by August 14th.