Micro-Seminar: Sustainable Screenwriting Through Story World Building PART ONE

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

Day 1: We will examine recent worlds that have taught us lessons in sustainability or lack thereof (worlds of caution) such as: Furiosa, Blade Runner, Twisters, Don't Look Up, Her, Star Trek, and more. We will also examine trends and changes in examining climate change in film. We will review Elinor Fuch's Tiny Planet essay and do a Tiny Planet exercise of our own. Students will write a short scene on a world of their own creation through a prompt and striving to write via the 5 senses.

See Tiny Planet example with Stranger Things, albeit slides may change for specific references to this class: (https://www.canva.com/design/DAFkaDUu9hI/zAcBcA5oazuIQaCvvF_rUg/edit?utm_content=DAFkaDUu9hI&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=sharebutton

Day 2: Scenes will be reviewed in class and resources on sustainable filmmaking will be provided. The idea of the thematic question will be introduced. The group will also brainstorm on thematic questions for their protagonist that could integrate sustainability world building and heighten on what they laid out in their scenes for a larger piece, helping them find a hook for a full screenplay.

This seminar is wonderful for anyone curious about the screenwriting major or minor at USC as well as anyone interested in learning world building takeaways for their writing.

Lead By: Professor Lindsay Stidham

Lindsay Stidham holds an MFA in screenwriting from the American Film Institute and teaches screenwriting at USC's School of Cinematic Arts. She has overseen two screenplays from script to screen as writer/ producer: SPOONER starring Matthew Lillard (SLAMDANCE) and DOUCHEBAG (SUNDANCE) both released theatrically. Most recently Lindsay sold WITH LOVE, YOUR SWEETLY SALTED. She is currently adapting the book SEX WITH STRANGERS by Micheal Lowenthal for producer Nadia Leonelli, writing a sci-fi rom com, and working on female-focused bio pics. Lindsay also directed the short film DREAM SKIN MASK, winning the Decentralized Pictures iPhone Initiative to illustrate the filmmaking capabilities of the iPhone 14 Pro Max. Lindsay has also developed unique screenwriting courses for USC, Sundance Collab, and the creative executive staff at Disney Animation.

Academic Honors and Fellowships | Website | View More Events

Contact the organizers