Based on a "True Story"

Some of the best and most successful movies and series of all time are “Based on” or “Inspired by” true stories or events. These can be adapted from historical/true events, real people, true crime or non-fiction books. Popular examples include Titanic, The Social Network, Oppenheimer, Baby Reindeer, Inventing Anna, The Dropout and Dahmer, to name a few. However, real life doesn’t always lend to the coherent narrative and story structure necessary for these visual mediums. This workshop helps you adapt and craft a screen story that can emotionally engage an audience, even if they are unfamiliar with the subject. First, you identify whether a situation, event, or person is worthy of a film or TV adaptation. You are then guided to find the best genre and logline for your story and learn how to avoid the common pitfalls in adapting true stories. You also determine whether your story would be better suited as “Based on” or “Inspired by.” By the end of the course, you have an outline for your story and the beginning pages of your feature film or TV pilot script.